There’s not a lot to say about Villagers that hasn't already
been said. A subject of much well-deserved gushing from music critics and
musicians alike, Conor O’Brien and co had the task of converting the hype
generated from a Mercury-nominated debut album into a second effort that would
solidify their status as one of the most exciting and interesting acts around.
The result of this endeavour comes in the form of ‘{Awayland}’.
Debut album ‘Becoming A Jackal’ was a slow-burner, and ‘{Awayland}’
has the same sort of feel about it. ‘My Lighthouse’ doesn't quite carry the
weight of previous album opener ‘I Saw The Dead’, but despite this it is no
less poignant. ‘Nothing Arrived’ is pleasant enough but ultimately feels as
empty as the non-arrival it describes. ‘Judgement Call’ has potential but in
the end just feels like a poor man’s ‘Ship Of Promises’. Holding ‘{Awayland}’
up to the light of ‘Becoming A Jackal’ seems a little obvious but it is a
necessary exercise, and in parts the second record does not reach the heights
of its elder sibling.
There are treasures to be had, however, and what treasures
they are. The title track makes for a perfect interlude midway through the
album; its simplicity is devastating and one wishes only that it could have
been longer. The closing trio of ‘Grateful Song’, ‘In A Newfound Land You Are Free’
and ‘Rhythm Composer’ beguile, console and charm in equal measure. Slithers of
electronica can be found snaking through such tracks as ‘The Waves’, tentative
yet successful experiments. Where Villagers get it right on ‘{Awayland}’, they really get it right, and if the record
ages as well as ‘Becoming A Jackal’ then who knows what heights the band will
reach.
7/10
