Villagers / {Awayland}
Album: {Awayland}   Collection:General
Artist:Villagers   Added:Apr 2013
Label:Domino Recording Company  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2013-05-27 Pull Date: 2013-07-29
Week Ending: Jul 28 Jul 21 Jul 14 Jul 7 Jun 30 Jun 16 Jun 9 Jun 2
Airplays: 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Jan 10, 2014: Time Traveler (Top 35 Indie CDs of 2013)
Nothing Arrived
4. Jul 24, 2013: Meow After Midnight
{Awayland}
2. Aug 03, 2013: Meow
{Awayland}
5. Jul 19, 2013: Time Traveler
In A Newfound Land You Are Free
3. Jul 26, 2013: Time Traveler
Judgement Call
6. Jul 12, 2013: Tunes
Earthly Pleasure

Album Review
Grace Hultquist
Reviewed 2013-06-04
INDIE ROCK Villagers / {Awayland} / Domino Records This is the sophomore album of Irish indie band, Villagers, led on vocals and guitar by Conor J. O’Brien. The vocals sounds a lot like Brett Dennen or Passenger, but the tracks are a lot more diverse in style. Instrumentals range from pretty guitar picking to soaring pop synths to disjointed electronics wanderings.
No FCC issues.

1 My Lighthouse - Slow tempo. Pretty, melancholy guitar picking throughout. Crooning, delicate vocals very reminiscent of a Brett Dennen or Passenger. (3:00)
2 Earthly Pleasure - Quicker tempo. Whimsical and stylistically interesting instrumentals make it exciting. A building drumbeat behind ethereal synthy sounds and a powerful chorus. (4:10)
3 The Waves - Cool combination of instruments––electronic beat with soft piano and a maraca! Lyrics suspenseful/creeping, until a powerful conclusion. Almost reminds me of Radiohead. (5:01)
4 Judgement Call - Poppy and electronic. Lyrics are a little repetitive, but the synthy and orchestral ending is cool. Maybe a little Vampire Weekend-y. (3:23)
5 Nothing Arrived - Happy, upbeat piano. Leads into a conclusion that is celebratory and synthy, with some falsetto vocals. Almost feels more Americana-influenced. (3:46)
6 The Bell - Intro sounds like a spy movie theme song. The rest of the song feels circusy in a way reminiscent of Arcade Fire. The songs feels slightly disjointed, but that makes it interesting. (5:09)
7 {Awayland} - Enchanting crooning over pretty guitar picking. At half way point, introduction of a haunting and almost bittersweet violin-y sound. Beautiful mostly instrumental song. (2:35)
8 Passing a Message - Begins with a snappy drum beat and horn section. Fun piano break, but vocals lack the same delicate quality of the other songs. Never builds the way I want it to. (3:00)
9 Grateful Song - Joyful, soaring instrumentals accompanied by a kind of quiet pain in the vocals. Concludes poppy, beautiful, and purposefully epic. (4:25)
10 In a Newfound Land You Are Free - Slow tempo. Artistic and gentle use of soft piano and guitar picking. Vocals sounds to me like a lullaby. (3:31)
11 Rhythm Composer - Cool rhythm section and strings/piano that sound old-timey and romantic. Sultry horn section and cheerful background vocals halfway through. The last minute switches to pure electronic beats and what sounds like animal noises (?). It’s eerie. (5:07)

Track Listing
1. My Lighthouse   6. The Bell
2. Earthly Pleasure   7. {Awayland}
3. The Waves   8. Passing A Message
4. Judgement Call   9. Grateful Song
5. Nothing Arrived   10. In A Newfound Land You Are Free
  11. Rhythm Composer