London-based Noah & the Whale’s solid new full length, Last Night on Earth, is about to make a top 10 chart debut in the UK, and while the album doesn’t officially drop in the States until March 15, get a sneak preview with this video of the folk rock quartet performing “Give It All Back” live in the studio.
Recorded at London’s RAK Studios, the performance spotlights frontman Charlie Fink’s nostalgic vocals and the band’s sunny pop accompaniment. Think LCD Soundsystem’s iconic “All My Friends” but with a hopeful, indie sensibility.
In the song, Fink sings about forming a band with great pals: “Well I’d give it all back just to do it again. Yeah I’d turn back time, be with my friends.” And while the song’s narrative isn’t an exact retelling of his own band’s history, Fink tells SPIN it’s real enough: “It’s more about the infatuation you share with your friends for the bands and music you love. Music you feel so passionate about that you’re prepared to humiliate yourself in front of everyone you know.”
Noah & the Whale will perform at this month’s South by Southwest fest in Austin, Texas, to give Last Night on Earth, the group’s third release, a proper American launch. Fink says he’s extremely happy to return to SXSW after first experiencing it as a fan.
“When I was 18, I drove across the States and just happened to be in Austin at the time of SXSW,” he explains. “I didn’t really know what it was and just ended up at Stubb’s [BBQ, one of the city’s largest venues] two nights in a row. I can’t remember exactly who was playing but I remember it included [Blur guitarist] Graham Coxon. It’s pretty exciting to be back and playing Stubb’s.”
What did you think of the in-studio version of “Give It All Back”? Let us know in the comment section.
WATCH: Noah and the Whale, “Give It All Back (Live)”
