Noah And The Whale has been described as many things. From the musical equivalent of a Far East 'gap year' to anti-folk heroes, one word is always present in early reviews: twee. What a wonderfully hopeless word that is. And so is the new genre of anti-folk so as to somehow distance listeners from a stereotype and make a new band credible to a new more 'hip' audience. How can something that feels and sounds similar to folk music be the opposite? Let’s be sensible about this.
The band led by singer and guitarist Charlie Fink and most notably ex-member Laura Marling has a very distinctive bittersweet approach. Yes this has been done before but never with such freedom and audacity. Fink's ability to blend hard-hitting metaphor with a light and airy, and often vibrant, sound is breathtaking. 'Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down' is nothing short of astounding.
The album opens with the short '2 Atoms In A Molecule', a great start and introduction to the music that is to follow. An upbeat acoustic guitar rattles out a melody before Fink's wonderful voice dives in. He is quickly joined by the rest of the band's harmonies as the lyrics arrive at high speed. This is a simple punchy love song. Fink describes it as 'a sad pathetic moan' while declaring that if he should be stabbed in the heart then you should use a short sharp blade and that love is a game of no fun and why hasn’t he won yet. All this as a wealth of delicate instrumentation spatters the backdrop. In the closing seconds, Marling adds some gorgeous vocals. Excellent.
'Jocasta' (a tale from Greek mythology about a women who mistakenly marries her own son Oedipus, after he is left to die after it is discovered that he is destined to kill his own father, and then she commits suicide) starts with a predictably downbeat metaphoric lyric about exposing a new born child to the hardships of the world before they are consumed by them. It is a great example of how music should not be taken literally. Fink's Conor Oberst-esque delivery is a lazy ramble above some startling accordion and fiddle. As the song changes in the mid-section, Marling joining in to form a duet before the song comes to a conclusion, the band all sing together Arcade Fire style.
The addition of cheesy handclaps to 'Shape Of My Heart' is the only negative trait until it settles down into a melody: "Oh and if there's any love in me don't let it show…". Then a huge mariachi sound takes over adding depth and contrast. The thick brass section returns for the impressive ending. 'Do What You Do' is the nearest the album gets to a big stirring ballad without images of raised lighters and swaying arms. It is slow and brooding, Fink's vocals cracking at the edges. The last half is soaked in mournful strings until the stretched out finish. The intro to 'Give A Little Love' is bordering on soft rock, a world away from the opening few songs. The album is straying precariously from the winning formula. Thankfully the combination of Fink and Marling remind us of where we are; the dour yet catchy chorus complimenting the melancholy opening verse is followed by some neat piano. If anything the sound threatens to drag but it is so achingly beautiful and elegantly conceived. At three minutes, the tune starts to transform but holds back, opting instead for simple piano and then a rise to a crescendo that would make Sigur Rós proud. But the huge orchestral boom never happens.
A ticking clock leads into 'Second Lover'. It seems to take an age to get moving but like the previous song it has an inherent charm - full of melody and more gothic strings. Into the last minute and the vocals get a bit too nursery rhyme but then Fink throws in his best lyrics: "And wherever you go and whatever you do, there is a man underground that will always love you" followed by a fantastic over-the-top climax. The incessant clock is ever present, a single pulse at first but soon joined by another.
Big single '5 Years Time' is perfect. A whimsical whistling intro leads to a ukulele and violin led masterpiece. Fink is excellent, as is the contribution from Marling. They combine beautifully as the 'couple in love', as they visit the zoo in the sun, talk about how they no longer need drink and cigarettes to have fun. This is a great song about excepting each other and enjoying a moment as it may not last: “In five years time, you might just prove me wrong”. In a wonderful ending, the Fink character pays the Marling character the ultimate compliment: “There’ll be love, love, love, wherever you go…” before she echoes it back. 'Rocks And Daggers' continues the high standard and has a bit of everything: big sing-a-long vocals, blasts of violin and brass and a big ending brought on my more intertwining vocals. The pace quickens and Marling gets a rare solo vocal to end.
At over six minutes, the title track is something of an epic. A song in three parts, the first is comfortable territory with Fink musing of his own ability to 'bare the sorrow that love brings' while fighting his mind and body: "It's a hollow love for a heart with no blood…in its veins". Then, as the music rises, an interlude leads to a pleasant piano and then Fink slows things down again for a very slow chorus. Lost in the vocals, even the repeated expletive almost passes unhindered. The last section is another band singsong with added strings, clunky percussion and a last chorus. Great stuff.
'Mary' is the best of the deep and meaningful moments. Again Fink and Marling form a mesmerising combination. Album closer 'Hold My Hand, As I'm Lowered' is right from the Jason Pierce songbook with a small-yet-huge Spiritualized arrangement with added alt-country. The choral second half is exquisite.
'Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down' is an impressive piece of work, more varied at each listen with a constantly shifting musical background. Fink's vocals are consistent and clear, if a little down at times. His wallowing miserablist delivery is an acquired taste and the lyrics tend to drag things further into the mire, but Marling adds a much needed contrast. Why Laura Marling left Noah And The Whale is evident in her impressive solo debut album but it still remains something of a mystery. Her contribution is superb and would be conspicuous in its absence. She adds a unique female touch to a male dominated world. Musically there is quality throughout and everyone plays their part with very few problems. The songs that have labelled the band so negatively, those that form most of the first part of the album, are unjustified as the majority of the album is slower and controlled.
Twee? No. Folk? Maybe. Good? Very.
Martina Topley-Bird will forever be known as the female singer on Tricky's debut album Maxinquaye, most notably for her performance on the cover of the Public Enemy masterpiece 'Black Steel'. After her disappointing solo debut Quixotic, 'Baby Blue' is the third single from her second album 'The Blue God'.
