Noah and the Whale at the Bowery Ballroom (05/01/09)
Photo: Winnie Cheung (more)
Noah and the Whale‘s brilliant new album The First Days of Spring, just came out last month on Interscope/Cherrytree Records and the band begins a three night residency tonight (Nov 2) at the Mercury Lounge in support of it. The festivities actually kicked off on Sunday night (Nov. 1) with a Q&A and screening of Charlie Fink‘s 45 minute companion film to The First Days of Spring at Pianos. The film was shot on location in London and Surrey with an ensemble cast including model Daisy Lowe and is included with the deluxe edition of the CD.
As some of you may know, I’m a sucker for chamber pop, and this album won me over right off the bat, it reminds me of The National, but with more melancholy and less rock posturing. It’s sweeping and cinematic and every time it ends and I just want to cue it up and all over again. Like I said, you can make comparisons to The National, but there’s so much more than that to this record, it starts off rooted in sort of a pop/rock chamber vibe and then veers off into instrumental, orchestral, and even choral territory for a few songs. Not until we hear the song “Stranger” and the electric guitar reappears, are we reminded again that we started out listening to a pop album. One thing I really love about The First Days of Spring is the fact that it works so well as a complete work of art, or a as a concept record, if you will. While I think there are a lot of great songs on this album, I honestly feel that just listening to one song as a single does this album a disservice, each track really needs to be enjoyed in the larger context. This has to be one of my favorite records of the year, and when you account for complete plays, probably the one I’ve listened to the most in 2009.
Tickets are still available for the Noah and the Whale shows at the Mercury Lounge, and I suggest you snap one up while you still can. Atlantic recording artist Robert Francis is set to play the middle slot for all three nights and the opening slots will be filled by Alex and Janel (11/2), Essie Jain (11/3) and Sharon Van Etten (11/4) respectively. Trailer for the First Days of Spring and more Noah and The Whale tour dates after the jump.
The First Days of Spring Official Trailer from charlie fink on Vimeo.
Noah and the Whale Tour Dates
Nov 02 2009 Mercury Lounge New York
Nov 03 2009 Mercury Lounge New York
Nov 04 2009 Mercury Lounge New York
Nov 07 2009 DEBASER MEDIS with Phoenix STOCKHOLM
Nov 08 2009 BREW HOUSE with Phoenix GOTHENBURG
Nov 09 2009 ROCKAFELA with Phoenix OSLO
Nov 10 2009 VAGA with Phoenix COPENHAGEN
Nov 12 2009 DOCKS with Phoenix HAMBURG
Nov 13 2009 RINGLOKSCHUPPEN with Phoenix BIELEFELD
Nov 14 2009 E-WERK with Phoenix COLOGNE
Nov 15 2009 THEATERFBRIK with Phoenix MUNICH
Nov 17 2009 ZAPATA with Phoenix STUTTGART
Nov 18 2009 COCOON CLUB with Phoenix FRANKFURT
Nov 20 2009 ALTE FEUERWACHE with Phoenix MANNHEIM
Nov 21 2009 HUXLEYS with Phoenix BERLIN
Dec 02 2009 Bronson Ravenna
Dec 03 2009 Tetra La Mole Ancon
Dec 04 2009 Plastic, London Loves Milan
Dec 05 2009 Pop Corn, Wah Wah Club Meste – Venice
Dec 06 2009 Init Rome
Dec 08 2009 La Maroquinerie Paris
Mar 12 2010 Roundhouse London