Noah and the Whale - The First Days Of Spring

Charlie Fink is miserable. Very miserable, actually. From the first tender notes of colossal opener The First Days of Spring there is a monumental whiff of despair about the London four piece’s second album which, in spite of this, still sees the band reaching dizzy heights typically reserved by Arcade Fire.

Fink may tell tales of broken relationships, but he still finds the beauty in hopelessness. Flanked by soft and melodic tones, the piano and string oriented Our Window soundtracks the uncertainness that comes with a doomed relationship. Sandwiched in between short instrumentals (labelled I and II, so you don’t get confused) is the much chirpier Love of an Orchestra which slowburns its way to a dramatic finale. Soon we are plunged back into Fink’s despair where album highlight Slow Glass sounds like an underwater recording, replete with trippy drum loops and marauding background electronics.

There is no summer hit akin to 5 Years Time or Shape of My Heart here. Instead, Fink has produced a challenging set of songs about despondancy which should take Noah and the Whale to the next level. Above all things, let's hope Charlie learns to smile again.