Noah & the Whale-Peaceful The World Lays Me Down

Noah & the whale are a folksy band not far removed from the likes of Willy Mason, The Spinto Band and Frank Turner. Each of these fulfils the pop ideals of catchy riffs and rythms, with an acoustic style and traditional singing.
This debut by the band, named Peaceful The World Lays Me Down, starts with the song 2 atoms in a molecule a song about the beauties and pains of love, and in particular waking from a romantic dream to realise he's alone. A quickly plodding song with plenty of little instrumentals and harmonising "ooh oohs" over the top of some fast vocals.
The song is a simple strum n drum rythm in the form of jacosta and although not poor, just another album song along with the track second lover later in the listing.
1st single shape of my heart is a pounding song scattered with trumpets and sing-songy vocals all in all leading to a good track closely mimicking the succesful pop-folk style of the aforementioned willy mason.
Do what i do is a slow burning johnny cash style song with minimalist strumming and violin sections. A love song about the point where you stop searching and just let love blossom:
There's a pleasure
We must all feel
And it's a pleasure I know
Of losing your heart
And then letting love grow.
Next up is another pacing track with a simplistic verse chorus verse structure with a pleasant and relatively catchy chorus. The track builds up and down using plodding pianos and swooping violins are used to effect with question and answer vocals also coming into play. I wouldn't be surprised to see this as the next single.
The best track and second single 5 years time is a song about whistfully imagining in 5 years time not needing alcohol or cigarettes to have a good time as they are happy together in the sun. The summer pop chorus is what makes this such a good single with the lines, And it was, Fun Fun Fun When we were drinking It was, Fun Fun Fun. I can definately see this being placed in many a quirky advert or independent film.
The next song rocks and daggers scatters in with a melancholy tone proceeded by violins slowly pounding into a whipping chorus where the violiin is turned into an instrument of irish folksy joy. The track flutters between melancholy and joy with such ease using the lyrics There's no need to play with my heart from words of defeatist pleading into fun which is what makes this song so enjoyable and interesting.
The following two tracks, Mary and title track Peaceful the world lays me down are largely average tracks save for some nice guitar plucking and violins respectively. Final album track Hold my hand as im lowered does little more of interest though the vocals are stronger.
Ultimately there is a strong core to this album with stronger songs such as 2 atoms in a molecule, shape of my heart, do what i do, 5 years time and rocks and daggers all feeling original and ranged, however too much on this album feels like filler for it to be truely successful. On the other hand this is their debut with the lyrics and instrumental variation largely succcesful on the aforementioned succeses. The best word to use would be solid, though this needs building on: 7.5/10