James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
Since their 2006 formation, Noah and the Whale have built up a fairly large following of, at least casual, admirers with two solid albums in the space of just a year, but I’m glad to say that as far as we’re concerned, Last Night on Earth is a near-perfect exemplification of third time lucky. Leaving the sombre feel of 2009’s The First Days of Spring far behind, these ten slices of unashamed optimism are so contagious they leave you singing along to many of the choruses on just the first listen.
It’s far from just the lyrics that have changed for this album; the usual folky instrumentation is supplemented by a more poppy and electric tone, but trust me, Noah and the Whale have most definitely not sold out. In fact I’d be tempted to say the opposite, the whole album just sounds so natural and free, and it couldn’t fit Charlie Fink’s vocals better. It makes no excuses for itself either. There are certainly nods, both musically and lyrically, to blasts from the past, and fairly blatant at that in tracks like ‘Tonight’s The Kind Of Night’, ‘Waiting for my Time to Come’ and the infectious lead single ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.’, but who cares? If something’s worked before, there’s nothing too wrong with rebranding it and giving a new song a nice familiar twist the first time it’s played is there?
One great thing that strikes you about you about this record is its continuity. It keeps you entertained by throwing the odd ballad between the otherwise mid-tempo jingles, but doesn’t fall into the common trap of turning blue in those moments – the only thing that colour in this album is the sky. And just like the brief moments of such to grace the heavens above York lately, it’s all too brief.
By time track five comes round, you realise that this isn’t just another of those LPs to have three big hitters at the start, only to be followed by half an hour of beige hogwash: it aims, starts and stays very high. And as a result, it disappears in a flash. But an eye-opening flash.
★★★★☆
Like this? Try Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Into the Great Wide Open; Shout Out Louds, Work; U2, The Joshua Tree.
Fun music with a summery kick. Can't turn it off at the moment
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