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Zentner's comparatively new love of songwriting dates back to her passion for playing bass. "When I got an acoustic bass in 2008, I just started writing my own songs, to sing and play along to. It never really occurred to me to learn cover songs, so I just made up my own. I never anticipated that anyone would hear them. I was just doing it for fun. When we started rehearsing with Robin Edwards, the drummer on Come On, we started playing around with a couple of the songs I'd written. Now the album has my face on there and I guess I'm fronting the band."

Beardsley singles out the song "Right In Front of My Eyes" as a catalyst for their musical transition. "When we did that as a demo, it really stood out as a good direction for us," he recalls, while Zentner adds "going to me as the singer all started from that one song." The irresistibly infectious riffs of that song, "Rescue Me," and "I'll Just Be There" will capture your ears on first listen, and Come On comes loaded with more hooks than a sports fishing tournament. Further album spins reveal plenty of stylistic variety too, from the grunge/stoner rock intensity of "L.O.V" to the pretty and more pop-oriented sound of "Like Me" and "Come On."

Given the bracing energy of the songs on Come On, it's a surprise to hear they were spawned in a rustic setting. "To rehearse these songs, Dean and I rented a big house in the woods outside Peterborough," says Jen. "That meant we could set the drums up and bang around all the time without worrying about neighbours." The band then connected with acclaimed producer Douglas Romanow (Ann Vriend, Michelle Owen, The Satellites) for an intense but productive recording session in his Toronto studio, Fire Escape Recording. "We did all the tracks in two days," Dean recalls. "We did each song twice, then kept the best take. We went back to do the vocal tracks a month later, but we didn't do many overdubs. We wanted to keep it simple so we could play it live."

The simplicity of the trio format keeps things sonically uncluttered, while Romanow's deft touch ensured a clean yet never slick sound. The producer came away suitably impressed. "What strikes me about New Nobles is they seem to have found the perfect mix between raw optimism and musical grit. They give you big hooks while sidestepping mainstream vanilla rock. They lunge for the punk like only a three-piece outfit can," he observes.

Remarkably, Jen Zentner had never sung lead in public prior to recording Come On. Since the album was completed, she has taken to her new frontperson duties in New Nobles like a cat to cream. "I can't believe how comfortable I am doing it," she says. "Every time we play I learn so much and I have grown so much as a musician. This is still pretty new to me, but I totally have the bug. I love it."

When Jen was growing up in Saskatchewan, she was a serious punk-rock fan (her past is referenced in some lines on "Peter Peter": "remember when we went to that little punk-rock show in Saskatoon"). "As a teenager I listened to basic punk-rock, what people call American hardcore," she reminisces. "Dead Kennedys and MDC. I was very much surprised at some of the poppy songs that came out of me when I started writing, as I never really embraced pop music growing up."

By contrast, the Peterborough-raised Dean Beardsley has a very eclectic musical background, ranging from classical music through to jazz and classic hard rock. After playing in a high school rock band, Rezin, he was accepted into the prestigious Jazz program at Humber College in Toronto. Two years of study there really helped hone his skills in composition and arrangement, assets now put to great use in New Nobles.

He has remained a rock n’ roll guitarist at heart, and he paid serious dues in rock cover bands prior to forming New Nobles in 2005.

Initial reaction to Come On on the blogosphere has been real positive. Earshot's Steve Marlow wrote that "they pack a lot of punch into their sound, while the lead singer sounds a bit like Courtney Love on a muscle relaxant." UK blog Leicesterbangs singled out the title track for special mention, noting that "it shows just how much the guitar complements the voice, and it is the perfect length for an old fashioned 7 inch single." Scott Wannan in A Place To Burn wrote "For a three piece, New Nobles make a big noise. These are full songs played with an energy, abandon and sincerity that is missing from rock these days. The songs are remarkably consistent in this age of singles."

So Come On, what are you waiting for? It's time to check out New Nobles.

-by Kerry Doole

For more information, email: contact@newnobles.ca