Villagers - Darling Arithmetic
Likeable if unexceptional.
How does an artist follow-up two commercially and critically successful, Mercury nominated albums? In the case of so-called indie-folk act Villagers, Connor O'Brien has stripped the sound back to basics and recorded in his home in Malahide, north of Dublin.
In places, such as the shuffling Everything I Am Is Yours, the Laurel Canyon tinged Hot Scary Summer or almost upbeat Little Bigot, this approach has produced some excellent songs.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the songs don’t hit the same heights. Courage, Dawning On Me and the like are pleasant enough but offer little to engage or enthrall and may best be described as aural wallpaper. As good as the musicianship is, O'Brien's reedy, thin voice can’t keep me fully engaged.
Despite that, this is a likeable if unexceptional album. I'll listen to it again but, I fear, not often. With a With a bit more light and shade and some changes in tempo, this could have been a much more rewarding experience.
6.5/10
