Noise For Pretend

Although Noise for Pretend resembles an ordinary indie pop ensemble in appearance, its sonic identity diverges sharply from that category. The music likewise contains little audible noise. Formed as a Portland, OR-based trio, the group unites standup bassist and lead vocalist Esperanza Spalding, guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Workman, and drummer Christian Cochran. Instead of echoing Sonic Youth or Superchunk, the musicians craft jazz-influenced pop noir that draws more frequently from Django Reinhardt and Astrud Gilberto. Their first recording surfaced in 2001 as a split release with the stylistically aligned Blanket Music on the Hush label. Released when Spalding was 16, the project highlighted a mature, confident, studied voice and skillful bass playing that exceeded expectations for her age. The trio completed its full-length debut before the close of that same year.