Jesca Hoop : Kismet

  Alex Greenwald - Omnichord
  Alex Greenwald - Vocals
  Blake Mills - Guitar (Electric)
  Blake Mills - Guitar, Bass
  Cedric Lemoyne - Bass
  David Baerwald - Guitar (12 String)
  David Baerwald - Keyboards
  David Baerwald - Mandolin
  Frank Lenz - Vibraphone
  Frank Lenz - Wind Instruments
  Ian Walker - Bass
  Jesca Hoop - Guitar
  Jesca Hoop - Vocals
  Jose Antonio Pasillas II - Drums
  Matt Chamberlain - Drums
  Patrick Warren - Accordion
  Patrick Warren - Horn
  Patrick Warren - Keyboards
  Sam Farrar - Bass
  Stewart Copeland - Drums
  Tony Berg - Bandurria, Guitar
  Tony Berg - Harmonium
  Tony Berg - Keyboards

Santa Monica fell under Jesca Hoop's spell in autumn 2006, making her 'Seed of Wonder' the most requested song in her local radio station's history. Hoop re-recorded it for her debut Kismet album, with assistance from Stewart Copeland, whose complex, ever-shifting rhythms enhance the number's uniqueness, sliding it toward hip-hop here, prodding it into a Native American dance there. Hoop is the master of such musical shifts and slides, and Kismet beautifully highlights her constantly altering perspectives. 'Out the Back Door,' for instance, swings dramatically from hip-hop to blues before leaping unexpectedly into drum'n'bass, while Hoop twirls her vocal styles in even more directions. The blues edge a clutch more tracks to wonderful effect, yet the singer is equally at home with folk, as she beautifully displays across the dreamy 'Enemy' and the sublime 'House in Heaven.' The latter was lyrically inspired by a dramatic Chinese legend, and musically gives a twist of the East to British folk before sweeping into a '40s-styled jazz revue. The elegant, sophisticated 'Love and Love Again' takes that latter style to its logical conclusion with a glamorous Hollywood musical arrangement, as Hoop swells and deepens her vocals in homage to Judy Garland. 'Love Is All We Have' is a bit less successful, the mostly acoustic backing haunting, but her lyrics seeming a bit trite when themed to the man-made catastrophe that followed Hurricane Katrina. Much better is 'Money,' which instantly evokes Liza Minnelli's classic but moves the scene and theme from a Berlin cafe to the L.A. music industry, albeit musically via a South American tango club. 'Summertime,' a harmony and harmonics-drenched piece of confectionery, is lovely, but one of the least interesting songs on this enchanting and challenging album. It is, of course, the label's pick for first single. There are so many more fascinating songs within that it almost pales in comparison, for this is a set to leave one breathless with wonder. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide

Jesca Hoop counts early early folk songs, pop radio, chamber music, gospel music, 20's to 40's jazz, ol' country, ol' blues, slave songs, dance hall, murder ballads, rock and roll, blue grass and my backyard among her numerous musical influences to her debut album Kismet. Hoop is a striking, dark haired songwriter from Northern California who writes and sings twisty, sprawling, lyrically abstract songs featuring strange sonorities and offbeat rhythms. Jesca Hoop's music is like a four sided coin. She is an old soul, like a black pearl, a good witch or red moon. Her music is like going swimming in a lake at night. Tom Waits.