Noah and the Whale - Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down

Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down (2008, Mercury) Noah and the Whale's first studio album. ***1/2

On their debut, Noah and the Whale aren't trying to be revolutionary. And that's fine, it's rare that bands who attempt to be actually succeed, as most tend to try to be deeper than they really are. The band doesn't take a hands-off approach to themes, though, as Charlie Fink sings about the mysteries of love, science, and religion. He especially likes to connect the idea of God and love, contemplating on the idea that they are hand in hand. Fink asks, "If you don't believe in God/How can you believe in love?"

Peaceful... is a collection of undeniably catchy songs that are advanced by Fink's interesting lyrics. They're not pointless yet not nearly as cryptic as The Da Vinci Code. The opener "2 Atoms in a Molecule" asks the first set of question that the band isn't exactly ready to answer, such as "If love is just game, how come it's no fun?/If love is just a game, how come I've never won?" The answer may seem obvious, but since Noah and the Whale have decided to let the listener answer, they're never didactic. They're not afraid to get close to quoting Paul McCartney, either, as on "Give a Little Love" contains the words "If you give a little love you can get a little love of your own."

It's an extremely balanced album, mixing sullen moments like the simple acoustic periods on the title track, or bouncy pop/rock anthems like "Shape of My Heart." The elements of indie, folk, and chamber pop are very apparent, as their influences from Arcade Fire to Belle and Sebastien are not unpronounced. This is a band that history can remember fondly if they keep this up. (2 Atoms in a Molecule, Shape of My Heart, 5 Years Time)