Noah & the Whale – The First Days of Spring
I like this, actually. In fact I like it loads more than I expected to, although that’s hardly surprising, given how utterly insipid their debut album turned out to be. Far from making a difficult second album, however, Noah & the Whale appear to have made a liberated one. It’s almost like they froze up when shiny labels came a-knocking the first time around, but having got that nervous, awkward first time out of the way, they’re pumping away for all they’re worth these days.
Alright, sorry, that’s a bit over the top. But there was definitely a slightly constipated feel to their first record whereas this, for all I wouldn’t call it a work of genius exactly, feels like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. Instead of embellishing songs with a little orchestration here and there, like some sort of decorative sprinkling of parsley, here they keep things plain until the time comes to go for it with relish, and then they don’t hold back.
Basically, unlike last time, they are actually showing some nuts.
As I said, I don’t love all of this by any means, but it’s all about context. Had I never heard any of their previous output I might shrug my shoulders a little and admit that some of it was pretty good, but some was pretty medium. As it is, with my expectations formed by their debut album, I am very much impressed.
It opens with The First Days of Spring, which sounds liek a statement of intent for the record itself: bold and building to an almighty, string-laden climax. Songs like My Broken Heart go from acoustic lament to flamboyant orchestration, only to end with a climactically proggy guitar solo. It’s weird, but I kind of like it. After that, two slightly preposterous instrumentals bookend a track called Love of an Orchestra, which is on the verge of taking on Bohemian Rhapsody at its own game, with nods to Broadway musicals and god knows what else.
First Days of Spring is weird, it’s bold and I have found a massive amount of new respect for this band on the back of this record. It shatters any preconceptions formed by their early stuff and, more admirably, rather risks entirely losing the audience they garnered with it. It’s telling that this record was previewed with Blue Skies, one of the blandest songs on the album: that strikes me as the work of a nervous PR department fearful of alienating their base.
There’s also some evidence of real emotion in the music again. Stranger is harsh. It reminds me of some of Aidan Moffat’s album I Can Hear Your Heart, albeit in a massively different style. The opening verse is superb – evoking the guilt, confusion and intrusive, treacherous reality of waking up with a stranger for the first time since a devastating breakup. After that things kind of tail off. The last three songs – Blue Skies, Slow Glass and My Door is Always Open – are all a bit ho-hum once again, so it kind of peters out. The sentiment is right though, and I can see where they were coming from, because in the last minute of the whole record the pace lifts again to a more purposeful strum and a rising, defiant vocal, bringing everything to a close on a note of determinaton and optimism.
So I am not about to give this full marks or anything because, despite that last minute, the album does tail off disappointingly in a musical sense. But this is pretty much a concept album in many ways, and generally it works really, really well. Also, I find myself eating a fair few of the words I have uttered about this lot in the past, and that is something I respect bands for almost as much as anything else.
Noah & the Whale – Love of an Orchestra
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i like some of Noah’s songs from the first album, but i saw them over the summer, and bloody hell they are just one of the most boring live acts ever……and that has done it for me….not even going to entertain listening to their music ever again
Whiny whiny, cutty wristy balls!!!
That really can ruin a relationship with a band. I’ve not seen them yet and don’t plan to, so I can still like this album with my innocence intact.
Erm, I quite like these, especially that orchestra song. It’s really quite good. Don’t reckon I’ll get the album or ever venture out to a gig but all in all fair play to them.
Nah, these are a bit gimmicky. All froth and no coffee. The lyrics are a very clunky and the melodies a bit dull.
I’ll pass on this and wait for the Mumford & Sons album, thanks.
Although I will probably be singing “Fifi’s got a van from Volvo” in my head for the rest of the day.
Just for once I agree with you on this one Matthew. I’ve been playing it for a couple of weeks now and it’s not the usual jangly stuff I listen too.
I can’t quite put my finger on why I like it so much, but uplifting will do me.
I saw them a couple of times by accident over the summer, those ‘its sunny we have beer lets stay’ moments. Once they were dreadful the other time really full of angst and anger in a Jason Pierce way………oh bollocks maybe that was Jason Pierce….
The lyrics to the first half of Stranger in particular really are excellent. Anyone who doesn’t get that has never been in that situation because they are just as intimate and uncomfortable as the reality of it would be. Really well written.
And Love of an Orchestra is definitely a bit gimmicky, but that’s clearly on purpose. In other songs it’s a bit less of a novelty useage and works quite well.
I’m not saying this is a great album, but it’s miles better than I expected and defintely worth giving a chance.
The lyrics to the first half of Stranger.. (blah, blah, bollocks, pish) …Really well written.
It’s sixth form poetry at best, Matthew. Come on.
And Love Of An Orchestra sounds like a Cliff Richard christmas song.
Sixth form poetry? Were you at some sort of special school for the gifted then?
No, on second thoughts, probably not.
I don’t like.
Break it up, lads, eh? Play nice.
Not surprised, Matthew. It’s not exactly a tense record.
hold on i’ve just listened to the strangers song…..it’s kinda beautiful…and Toad is right…..it perfectly portrays that ‘oh fuck!’ moment.
maybe i should give them another chance after boring my dirty socks off at Greenman
hhhhmmmmm
Well you’re not the only one on the thread saying they can be a bit crap live.
Oh, Dylan… I’ve got a naughty copy of the Mumford & Sons album. It’s fucking awesome. And I never use the word awesome. I feel dirty now.
what day is the mumfords album out?
Montag.
Review already written!
And I have a Mumford-related treat for you tomorrow as well.
oh good. kill it kid is out monday too. lovely.
I thought that album was really disappointing actually, and won’t be reviewing it, sorry. Unless people really want me to, but I won’t be all that kind.
Kill It Kid smell.
This thread has Matthewed me out
Good.
Does it still count as triple-post-mentalism if it’s different Matthews?
I think it does.
Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew
Take that!
Dylan, I think it makes it even mentaller.
And it’s three-post mentalism, thank you.
D’oh!
ooo if we are doing request an album review how about, Dizzee Rascals new one? Now that would be funny.
‘it’s crap’ is not a review.
What about “it’s crap because I said so. And everyone with functioning eardrums should agree.”?
Cogstar, you are reminding me of my favourite ever review, which got lost when I fucked up my archives a couple of years back. It was of Paolo Nutini’s debut album and simply read:
“Sounds a bit like James fucking Blunt to me.”
And that was it. I am still very proud of that one and am forever telling people about when I am drunk.
Bravo.
My ex couldn’t pronounce his name properly and it came out “Napolee”. Pretty much sums him up. Fucking stupid.
blah blah blah….yadda yadda yadda
Well done Chutters, that was a big help.
I don’t like this.
Look at them there, standing about in the grass, with their hippy hair.
And the main guy – ooh, pointing a camera AT THE CAMERA! How very Haskell Wexler.
It’s not 1967, guys.
Anyone else think that Bart’s in a suspiciously chipper mood these days?
Unless it’s actually a small monkey hiding in the grass about to bludgeon him to death with a black baseball bat. The bloke in the band ..not Bart as that would make him decidedly unchipper