Noah and the Whale Sophomore Album Shows the Journey of Heartbreak Through Idyllic Lyrics

The First Days of Spring

You know a band or an artist has got some talent when their sophomore album isn’t a letdown. Noah and the Whale’s “The First Days of Spring” show’s that this band knows what kind of music it wants to write. The album is one hundred percent a break up album, so if you have a broken heart you might want to wait before diving into this album. But the songs never feel cliche, or overly sad. You don’t get tired of the tone of the album or what this band is trying to do. The lyrics of this album are the centerpiece. They are honest, hard, and beautiful. You can tell that a lot of time was spent on developing the lyrics because of how each word truly fits well into each song it’s in. The music that the lyrics rest on is just as heartbreakingly stunning. The subtle violins add so much to the album as whole giving you wave after wave of somber peace.

The two best tracks on the album are “I Have Nothing” and “Blue Skies”. These songs really showcase the band’s harmonies, lyrical writing skills, and musical abilities. Both of these song have such a calming feel, even though the piano and drums are at full force. “Blue Skies” lyrics, are probably one of the most poignant on the album. It feels like it should be at the end of a movie, the last scene fading out and credits rolling type deal. There’s a strong sense of resolution within the song, and I think that’s part of the reason it comes across as powerful as it does.

This album really takes you on a journey of heartbreak going from sadness, loneliness, acceptance, and realization. It’s a good album to really listen to, it would be a shame to just ignore the idyllic lyrics on this album.