Sorry, this is out of print. Anthology Archive, is out now. Debut recording by the new band from Sam Rosenthal and Nicki Jaine. Dark Cabaret with hints of burlesque and rock. Packaged in an environmentally friendly 5" cardboard jacket.
If you like your dark cabaret with a sprinkling of Nico and Marlene Dietrich, then let Revue Noir fill your black heart with joy. Revue Noir's sound can best be described as "Weimar-Republic-era Expressionism," an apt coinage for songs capturing the essence of an era when the world was crumbling and all one could do was lose one self in beauty and debauchery. Embodying the decadence and sorrow that filled the nights of pre-WWII Europe is stunning frontwoman, Nicki Jaine.
"Nicki is a performer who's never left an audience less than riveted: With her cabaret noir style and a compelling to coquettish emotional nudity, Jaine is simply possessed of a timeless style within a voice that is just unexpected from such a vulnerable looking young woman." - East Coast Rocker
Revue Noir was born when Black Tape for a Blue Girl leader Sam Rosenthal invited Jaine into his band for the 2004 Halo Star tour. Before they were even home from the road, the two decided to join creative forces. Mixing her stunning stage persona, songwriting and powerful voice with his sensitive production, songwriting and musical poignancy makes for an amazing new musical statement. Gregor Kitzis on violin, Meredith Yayanos on violin & theramin and Tim Karsten on drums complete the line-up. Together, this charismatic group creates intense, narrative-driven, songs reminiscent of 1920's Berlin supper clubs that exude the sexually-charged energy felt in film classics such as "The Blue Angel" and "Pandora's Box."
This is not to be missed!
A review from High Bias Revue Noir is black tape for a blue girl leader Sam Rosenthal and solo artist Nicki Jaine (plus a violinist); the partnership was born when Jaine toured with black tape as both opening act and auxiliary bandmate. Rosenthal's electronic ornamentation takes a back seat as Jaine's tastefully theatrical song stylings center each tracks on this three-song single. Rosenthal's "The Gravediggers" strikes a properly stentorian tone, while Jaine's "A Girl, a Smoke" and "Amsterdam" revel in carefully pruned bathos. Revue Noir flirts with the top, but, thanks the talent and taste of its participants, never comes close to going over it. -Michael Toland
A review from Metal-only.comREVUE NOIR is a new band founded by Sam Rosenthal, previously well-known from the band BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL and as the brain behind the label Projekt, and the talented musician Nicki Jaine.
The Revue Noir Single is as the title suggests just a single, and it’s the first release by the band and is meant to be a preview for the upcoming EP and video.
The band's own description of their music is quite special, namely “Weimar-Republic-era expressionism”. This doesn’t really tell you that much musically, but emotionally and atmospherically the description is more understandable. It’s also on the emotional level that REVUE NOIR moves and try to build up their music around the feelings and moods of the pre-WWII Europe. In practice the music consists of bleak piano playing together with guitar and violin that are being backed up by a simple and moody drumming. It’s nothing new that violin easily spellbinds be, but this time it’s however Nicki Jaine’s amazing voice that manages to get a hold of most of my attention. Her voice pulsates out of emotions and moods and it quickly gets hold of the listener and keeps the interest on top during all the three songs. Especially the song “Amsterdam” is a wonderful song that I fell in love with immediately, but both “The Gravediggers” and “A Girl, A Smoke” doesn’t lie far behind when it comes to the quality and atmosphere.
REVUE NOIR has really succeeded in spellbinding me with the debut single and it will be with great expectations that I’ll be waiting for the new material that will be released this autumn. Those who find pleasure in emotional and atmospheric music will definitely fall for REVUE NOIR.
A review from Fun Prox Dark cabaretesque music has become in vogue since the Dresden Dolls. Perhaps Revue Noir is jumping on that bandwagon, but that's no grave concern, because this type of music stands in a long tradition, from Kurt Weill to Nico. Somewhere between moody pop, rock, cabaret and singer-songwriters. Typical for Revue Noir are the smokey, low vocals of Nicki Jaine, who also plays piano and guitar. I would not call her singing beautiful, but she has a personal, emotional style. Sam Rosenthal (Black Tape for a Blue Girl) takes care of a subtle electronic background, with further musicians adding a tasteful accompaniment of drums, violins, cello and theremin.
The three songs on this first mini cd make up for interesting listening music with a lot of feeling and atmosphere. The songs have something of a lazy, sensual cabaret style. Songs which tell stories, like the morbid 'The gravediggers' or the personal confessions of 'A girl, a smoke'. There's also a nice song situated in Amsterdam, though when it comes to music about the Dutch capital, I prefer Jacques Brel's song by far. Nevertheless Revue Noir shows quite some potential on this first offering. -HD
A review from Liar SocietyThe spirit of the Weimar Republic lives on in the music of Revue Noir. Ostensibly a project of vocalist Nicki Jaine and Black Tape for a Blue Girl's Sam Rosenthal, Revue Noir's sound brings to mind a forgotten world of cabaret and torch songs, but without the postmodern performance art aspects of a group like The Dresden Dolls. The songs on this single feature beautiful arrangements of piano, drums, strings, and my personal favorite, theremin, yet the real star of the show is Jaine's voice, which makes me think of Kafka and Marlene Dietrich drinking the night away at the Blue Angel. While some may balk at there being only three songs on this debut single, I can think of no wiser way to spend two dollars. - Jack Shear
Nicki Jaine released the astonishing debut “Pigeons and Other Curiosities” and then she met Sam Rosenthal, founder of Black Tape for a Blue Girl”. The result is cabaret group Revue Noir. The single is their first record.
“Gravediggers” is pure melodrama, Jaine’s smoky voice caressing each syllable while the music is rapt with creepy undertones.
“Amsterdam” is revisited from Jaine’s debut and it’s a torch ballad worthy of Jill Tracy.
“A Girl, A Smoke” is equally lovely, Jaine sounding like it’s three am in the bar at the end of the universe. Her world-weary intonations are strangely invigorating.
Let’s hope a full album arrives soon. -Anna Maria Stjärnell
Fantastic three-track single that will pull you into a world of dark cabaret with its strong female vocals and emotional strings; ‘The Gravediggers’ is a swaggering slightly drunk number while 'Amsterdam' comes over full of sorrowful piano and strings but is darkly beautiful before ending with ‘A Girl, A Smoke’ which conjures up the perfect picture to go with these sounds of a tall striking lady with one stocking clad leg up on a chair, wine in one hand, cigarette in the other singing her heart out and captivating every person in the club. Brilliantly written and executed project that works in all the right ways. -Grebo
The new “dark cabaret” act from Nicki Jaine and Sam Rosenthal (Black Tape for a Blue Girl). This three-song single is a beautifully crafted trilogy of songs that are stark and sparse in terms of instrumentation, but emotionally intricate, as if each note from Nicki’s voice peels away layer after layer of your psyche. Musically, each song makes you feel as if you are sitting in a smoke-filled lounge and in walks Humphrey Bogart, drinking a glass of red wine, smoking a long-stemmed cigarette, and wearing heavy eyeliner, fishnets, and a black corset. Lyrically, the songs sound like what would happen if Charles Dickens decided to write songs to be sung at the Moulin Rouge. Intrigued yet? You should be....and for only $1.98 from www.projekt.com, you cannot go wrong. If you are looking for a little something different to spice up your night life, and the old angst-filled favorites just aren’t cutting it, this is an act to check out.