The English quartet have returned in a similar vein to their 2011 effort Last Night On Earth with a preppy pop record that is filled with sweet nostalgia and hook-laden singles.
Noah & The Whale’s evolution into a polished pop-rock group divided audiences on their last release and with a continuation of the same tight sounding pop, Heart Of Nowhere does have us begging for a glimpse back five years ago when Charlie Fink and co. were humble folksters singing simple songs about love and loss.
That’s not to say this latest release is nothing but sugary sweet fun, with the band’s 80s pop makeover coming through in jaunty singles and coming-of-age lyricism.
The album opens with ‘Introduction’, a pretty teaser featuring a taut xylophone melody and a fun orchestral string arrangement. Leading straight into title single that features nice harmonies by British songstress Anna Calvi, and a jaunty string line.
‘All Through The Night’ uses an 80s inspired synthesizer line, that could be taken from The Killers’ latest slice and features a Springsteen-esque guitar solo.
From here the album weaves in and out of a pop wonderland, although the pounding, almost manufactured drum line on tracks ‘Lifetime’, ‘Silver And Gold’, and lead single ‘There Will Come A Time’ is alike and regrettably blends these tracks into one another.
Saying that, ‘There Will Come A Time’ is one of the strongest singles on the album though, with pretty harmonies illuminated by a punchy chorus and smart lyricism.
Fink is no longer asking for love, but searching for truth throughout this evolved release. Final track ‘Not Too Late’ is a revelation for the album however, with a nice quiet melody capping off a sweet pop album.
There’s no doubting founding fans would have been surprised to see what came in ‘5 Years Time’ for the band after the released of their debut Peaceful A The World Lays Me Down in 2008. The change of pace for Noah & The Whale though breezy and bittersweet, does sound a little too polished and derivative to be an imaginative release for the quartet.
