Noah And The Whale

Part of a new breed of indie folk acts emerging from the outskirts of London, Noah And The Whale first caused a stir when their strummy, ukulele-led lullaby 5 Years Time became a surprise summer anthem; reaching Number 7 in the singles charts. The track brought the band to an American audience when it was used in an advert for the car company Saturn and debut album Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down (2008) made it to Number 5 in the UK despite riling the critics for being too twee and genteel. When front man Charlie Fink's relationship with occasional band member and fellow nu-folk starlet Laura Marling came to an end, the band's sound took a darker turn. Beefed up by alt. rock guitars and brooding chamber pop, The First Days of Spring (2008) lamented the break-up with great honesty and won acclaim from previously suspicious critics (including a 9/10 review from NME). Their style changed again on third album Last Night On Earth (2011), Fink emerged as an arch, observational songwriter and the band took a stance as grand, dreamy indie rockers, telling stories about a cast of strange characters. Their constant musical evolution marks them apart from some of their more one-dimensional peers.