Noah And The Whale - Shape Of My Heart

’s recent success was surely a massive surprise to even the savviest of music lovers. ‘5 Years Time’ rocketed to a bizarrely high number 7 in the charts and their album, ‘Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down’ managed an even higher number 5. But what surprised us most about this triumph was that ‘5 Years Time’ was the worst Noah and the Whale single that had been released so far. Indeed, much better was the original release of this new single, ‘Shape Of My Heart’, back in May when the 4 piece were more like goldfish than whales in the big pond of pop.

‘Shape Of My Heart’, now being re-released, is a luscious, marshmallow-centered pop ditty, complete with horns and strings to brighten up the sweeping baritone of lead singer Charlie Fink. It doesn’t stray as dangerously close to ‘twee’ as the band’s aformentioned summer smash, and is all the better for it. Instead, it is simply basic guitar chords, with a few bits of fancy orchestration and the astounding lyrics of Charlie Fink. It’s truly a joy to hear him croon ‘The trees were all leafless and lifeless and black and I wonder if the leaves could grow back’.

So wether you loved or hated their breakthrough single, make sure to note that ‘Shape Of My Heart’ is so much better, and definetely warrants the band the success they’ve achieved over the summer months, and will leave pop fans loving them through the winter and out into the world of 2009.