Review Music: Grooves | Noah and the Whale | Koko

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The Review - MUSIC - grooves with ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 13 November 2008

Nice song, but Noah don’t float my boat

REVIEW: NOAH AND THE WHALE
Koko

THIS was astounding.
Not the music, the numbers.
Noah And The Whale completely packed out Koko, not a small venue, on Thursday night as if this London homecoming of sorts was the heroic return of a band that had cracked America with a zillion albums and come back with platinum disc, T4 presenters for girlfriends and mansions in Belsize Park.
Squeals echoed around the dancehall – but when the curtain went up, to a croaky version of “God Only Knows”, it was all a bit Wizard of Oz-ish. The check-sleeved guys and a girl, armed only with guitars, fiddles and squeezeboxes, could never meet the hype in front of them.
There were some nice lullaby moments but whenever they quickened the pace they strayed to a sound too close to Crowded House blandness.
“Five Years Time” is a decent enough hit, so is “Shape Of My Heart”. But, people, please, let’s not go overboard.
RICHARD OSLEY

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