It’s the Only Thing That There’s Just Too Little Of

Most likely, the first song ever written had something to do with love. Perhaps it was penned by a Cro-Magnon besotted with some lady or triceratops. These days, it's just what songs are about: love of man, woman, God, baseball, RC Cola, or humping. Following in this fine tradition, Noah & the Whale's first two albums contained nothing but love songs. The British indie-folk outfit's first disc, 2008's Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down, evoked the excitement of a new relationship, riding exuberant choruses and sunshiny melodies. The following year's The First Days of Spring followed the resultant downward trajectory, delivering crushingly beautiful depictions of love on the rocks. However, on the London act's new album, the cheerfully titled Last Night on Earth, leader Charlie Fink looks outward instead of inward, writing about shopworn characters who have more than just their hearts to worry about. Failure lays over these songs, as Fink picks apart miserable lives full of rundown cars, drunken brawls, and faded nightclubs. The results recall Leonard Cohen's poetic take on "beautiful losers," except that Fink wraps his hangdog vocals in bright gospel harmonies, playful violin riffs, and winsome guitar hooks à la Tom Petty. In the end, listening to Last Night on Earth is like biting into a chocolate-covered cyanide pill — delicious at first, but dark and deadly at the core.

Related Content

• Springsteen Says Rockers Are Thieves: Five Songs You May Not Know Were Stolen
  March 21, 2012
• Twilight Circus on the Origin of His Moniker and the Rise of Dub Music into the Mainstream
  April 12, 2012
• Plaid on Its New Album, the Persistent Influence of Detroit Techno, and How to Not Repeat Yourself Musically After 20 Years
  November 23, 2011
• Suzanne Took Us Down
  September 28, 2011
• Noah & The Whale, Bahamas Charm The Independent
  May 27, 2011

More About

• Charlie Fink
• Noah and the Whale
• Tom Petty
• London (England)
• Leonard Cohen

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Events Newsletter: What's happening in town? From underground club nights to the biggest outdoor festivals, our top picks for the week's best events will always keep you in on the action.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Noah & the Whale perform with Bahamas
May 26-27, 8 p.m., 2011