Noah And The Whale’s chirpy folk ditty “5 Years Time” was a surprise interloper in last summer’s Top 10, but The First Days Of Spring is a very different kettle of fish.
Ambitious, orchestral and accompanied by a 45-minute film, it candidly documents singer Charlie Fink’s recovery from a badly broken heart. “I Have Nothing” and “Stranger” mine a strain of epic, earthy melancholy somewhere between James Yorkston and Arcade Fire.
Closure is finally achieved on the gorgeous “My Door Is Always Open” and only an ill-advised mid-section (where it all goes a bit Godspell)spoils the mood.
Advertisement
SAM RICHARDS
Latest and archive album reviews on Uncut.co.uk
Advertisement