Noah And The Whale Live

Noah And The Whale with Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit @ White Heat/ Madame JoJos, London

Five-piece Noah And The Whale both look like a cult on stage and have a burgeoning cult appeal.

The geeky group have recently had a Radio 1 record of the week despite making mostly twee folk. Dont get us wrong though its definitely enjoyable.

With Cello, Violin, Xylophone, occasional Uke and drums played with brushes theyre an old-fashioned bunch. But on tunes like the stop start antics on Rocks And Daggers and the rollicking Jocasta it really works.

On the excellent Mary the bands two vocalists start off singing about the girls birthday and end up telling her shut your mouth, you dont know what youre talking about!

Noah And The Whale save their BIG POP SONG Five Years Time till the end of their set. With handclaps, whistling and singalong lines its an English approximation of Young Folks. It sounds great live and deserves to take the group places.

Joining NATW on the bill were fellow folksters Johnny Flynn And the Sussex Wit who are more American/Country influenced.

At one point they enter into a hoe-down complete with yelps from the adoring crowd. Their look is much more wholesome than Noahs- Johnny himself looks like a teenage Macaulay Culkin!

Stood at the back of the venue, the sound wasnt great for us but well be keeping an eye on the fresh-faced group.

WATCH JOHNNY FLYNNS SPANKING NEW SESSION HERE