Chances are you've heard at least one song by the London-based Noah and the Whale. Recently, the folk-rock band had its immutably cheerful tune "5 Years Time" featured in a Saturn SUV commercial. Clapping, whistling and ukulele play joyfully together with choruses capable of inducing a Diabetic coma from all the sugary sweetness. But there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes the world needs an extra dose of sunshine, and the members of Noah and the Whale make that their specialty.
The band's debut LP, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, does include "5 Years Time," but it also features several other charming tracks. One in particular is the album's opener, "2 Atoms in a Molecule." It's a quick 2-minute burst about the agony of unrequited love ("If love is just a game / Then how come it's no fun?" sings front man Charlie Fink), but with Noah and the Whale's trademark whimsy. Lyrics about misery and torture and the stabbing of hearts are paired with bouncy, acoustic guitar, finger-snapping and glockenspiel for an oddly wonderful and uplifting romp.
However, Noah and the Whale clearly recognize that too much of a good thing can be overwhelming. As Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down skips on, the tone shifts subtly with lovely, violin-infused songs like "Do What You Do" and "Mary," proving that they have a depth beyond commercial-friendly jingles.
Download this song in the Second Stage podcast.
Yesterday's Second Stage artist.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
