(Shock)

Not quite a whale of a time

UK folk-pop group Noah & the Whale once wrote an undeniably cute song called 5 Years Time that catapulted them – at least temporarily – into the indie rock consciousness. While Laura Marling was in the group then, such success proved fleeting and critics soon realised their early promise was empty, their debut record proving derivative and, well, boring. It’s four years later and their third outing, Last Night On Earth, proves to be an improvement despite some blemishes. The band continue to draw on coming-of-age themes, pondering isolated romantic moments on the enjoyable Me Before We Met, as well as the growing pains of awkward young males, heard in Give It All Back. It’s hardly surprising though – the band derive their name from a Noah Baumbach film that focuses on similar sentiments. Most songs are of passing interest, but two moments really stand out. Waiting For My Chance To Come is a pleasant upbeat number that reminds one of a mid-‘80s Tom Petty, whereas Wild Thing is a slower, insightful number concerning urban sex. However, vocalist Charles Fink unfortunately proves to be a mixed bag. One moment, he is brooding with the intensity of young Springsteen, the next, he sounds like an out of tune Jens Lekman. Unnecessary gimmicks such as inserting backing choirs into songs like Life Is Life and Old Joy detract, rather than add, to the record’s value. Overall, it seems that Last Night On Earth is a testament to the band’s mastery of the art of making records that are not quite crap, but not quite brilliant either. 

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DARRAGH MURRAY

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