Good: Wild Thing – Noah & The Whale Wild Thing – Noah & The Whale (Free Download / Buy)
Bad: L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. – Noah & The Whale L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. – Noah & The Whale (Free Download / Buy)

Noah & The Whale has never been predictable.  Their first two full-length releases, 2007′s Peaceful The World Lays Me Down, and 2009′s The First Day of Spring portrayed a band on opposite ends of the indie folk spectrum. Peaceful The World Lays Me Down was a youthful, sprite, finger-snapping, clap-filled love fest, while The First Days of Spring portrayed the matured, broken-hearted, yearning soul that lead man Charlie Fink had become.

Though the changes made between these two albums were drastic, they were easy to comprehend and relatable. It was clear in The First Day of Spring that Fink had been through the destruction of a relationship, his words bleeding with angst. Everything about it was tragic. From the orchestral composition and Fink’s distinct baritone vocals, to the gutting lyrics and overall tone, The First Days of Spring was a genuinely awe-inspiring release.

With The First Days Of Spring, we had seen an evolutionary leap.  With their third studio album, Last Night On Earth, released this February, we’re getting exactly the opposite.  This is a talented band that comes off as slightly confused.  Whereas their previous releases were stunningly unique, Last Night On Earth is far more generic.  Instead of exploring their unique ability to tug at each and every one of our heart strings, the band is offering up a bland collection of tracks that are extremely difficult to connect with.

That’s not to say there aren’t some glimpses of genius.  ”Wild Thing”, “The Line”, and “Old Joy” are beautiful, gut-wrenching tracks.  They show us a new side of Noah & The Whale, and there’s something so incredibly satisfying about their success in exploring new techniques.  Fink’s knack for emotive monologue is evident with these track, but this quickly disappears on the remainder of the album.

The majority of the tracks are pop jingles with silly choruses and nonchalant lyrics. The first two singles, “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.” and “Tonight’s The Kind Of Night” begin as promising indie pop songs, but once Fink starts to sing, it’s clear that his lyrical ingenuity has been comprised. And then, of course, there’s the fact that these are chorus-driven tracks with terrible hooks. “Tonight’s The Kind Of Night” comes off like an ABBA b-side.

With each new Noah & The Whale album, the band has experimented with new techniques and re-imagined their approach.  There’s a lot to be said for the risks they’ve taken with Last Night On Earth; I only wish they were more successful.  It feels more lime a Charlie Fink side-project than a legitimate Noah & The Whale album.  All this ranting aside, the diversity of this album make it a worth while snag.  “Wild Thing” and “Old Joy” are some of my favorite songs released so far this year, and there’s a good chance you’ll find the band’s pop infused indie to be infectious. As a longtime Noah & The Whale fan, however, I couldn’t help but to feel cheated.