Haale: Photo by Mayy KilmerAt a time when so many bands sound painfully alike and imitative, Haale is a much needed voice. On her fresh and startlingly original album No Ceiling (released March 18, 2008) she injects classic and psychedelic-influenced rock with new life, by drawing on her dual heritage (she was born in the Bronx to Iranian parents) and resuscitating the rock music she loves with a breath of Persian mysticism.
Haale's (as in halle-lujah or jale-peno) name means ‘the halo around the moon.’ She grew up on Hendrix, Peter Gabriel, and Dylan while Persian traditional music whispered in the background. “At a certain point I perked my ears and realized I had this beautiful music and mystical poetry to dig into,” Haale says, speaking of her Persian heritage. “I felt there was a connection between the psychedelic rock music I was listening to and the Sufi music and poetry I was waking up to. Both of them are about breaking through to the other side, traveling the axis from pain to pleasure. I became interested in bringing them together in my own songs.”
The synthesis is riveting. The ten songs on No Ceiling encompass a musical journey in the truest sense. The intensely atmospheric ‘Middle of Fire,’ percussive ‘All These Miles,’ and charming ‘Off-Duty Fortune Teller’ evoke Thom Yorke, Bjork, and the Beatles. This opening trio of songs are all in English, wearing their Persian influence subtly in the percussive stylings, mystical themes, and trance inducing quality of the music. On the next track, ‘Chenan Mastam’, Haale introduces Persian lyrics by Rumi in this victoriously beautiful song that mixes languages seamlessly. On the title track, “No Ceiling” which sonically brings to mind Zepellin III, Haale lyrically conveys the mystical idea that there is no ceiling or limit to the bliss that humans can experience through self-transformation and freeing of the mind. In the second half of the album, the Persian influence unfolds further with explosive energy, in songs like “Ay Dar Shekasteh” and the melodious chant, “Hastee”. On the powerful “Zero to One,” another track in English, her singing, set against a stark backdrop, captivates with sensuality and a dash of ’70s punk. Like a post-modern diva or a resurrection of a female Jim Morrison, Haale can take her vocals from a whisper to a wail without losing nuance or melody. Add to that her impressive guitar playing and her striking image and you have the complete package: artist, woman, entertainer, visionary.
"Percussionists provided driving rhythms...over which Haale's warm, supple voice unfurled like a curlicue of smoke. Her band's amplified rumble served as a reminder of the extent to which rock bands like the Doors and the Velvet Underground turned to the East for their hypnotic efforts; here their borrowings were reclaimed with interest." - NEW YORK TIMES
"Totally original songs." - CMJ "[Haale] sings with a supple, blissful Persian flair and the intensity of an arena rocker. While she quotes mystic poets or slashes guitar riffs, her electric band of downtown New Yorkers kicks out hypnotic grooves, taking cues from Iranian traditions and psychedelic rock. Her name is Haale (think "halle"-lujah), and she's ready to break out; just ask fans like David Byrne or Sean Lennon." - BOSTON GLOBE
"Haale is...a star on the rise. Her first recordings came out in January [2007], and the two five-song EPs show her split musical personality to wonderful effect...her raw sound owes as much to ‘60s psychedelic rock as it does to the ancient Middle East..." - WASHINGTON POST
"A New Yorker of Iranian descent whose exotic voice builds a bridge between Sufi music and psychedelic rock...trippy stuff." - PASTE
Sponsored by *
Tickets on sale NOW from Ticketweb, Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2) and Concessions, and Cedar Outlets.
