Noah and the Whale First Days of Summer Review Date: January 4th, 2010
Reviewed By: Rating: Not Yet Rated
“The First Days of Spring” and “Love of an Orchestra”

Some of my favorite picks past this, you’ll notice me mention a few bands manage to be “orchestral.” I mean that in different way. But none of those bands really do just that quite to the level of how Noah and the Whale do it orchestrally. I mean, they have full on string and horn sections paired up with normal rock instrumentation. They are also the only band I’ve had in the top 10 back to back years. Their previous release, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down was so happy musically and most often lyrically as well...I am kind of surprised at how much of a departure this album is from last years.

Now, that it’s a little bit of the opposite...the music is so full, orchestral, and sad, while the lyrics are usually morose but trying to get happy. I think we can all relate to both sometimes. That’s why each album has made it so high up on my favorites. This time Noah and the Whale really took off with their musical arrangement, however. Songs are very dynamic, spending numerous minutes with just vocals and a piano and then abruptly building to honest-to-goodness orchestral arrangements. Strings, horns, choirs, and harmonies of each while still a full rock band playing in conjunction. I have no idea how they’d pull it off live at a small club, but I’d love to see and hear it. It might not be for everyone, the impatient and callous need not apply. Sad dorks that try and try to enjoy the beauty around them...sign up! It is also a great study album and background music album. It is probably also a better Winter album than Summer album I’ve found but hey, maybe thats what they were going for when they titled it. We’ve been there. We’re getting there. We’re just not there right now. But, summer is somehow always almost here.