Messed!Up
If you have ever had the pleasure of witnessing the live Villagers show in one of its many forms, then you will no doubt agree that frontman Conor O’Brien is that type of artist best enjoyed in real life, because Villagers is about Conor O’Brien’s and his captivating vocals. Far away are the days when O’Brien were criticized of being boring on stage or lack that kind of confidence we expect lead singers to have.
Villagers are simple, beautiful and clear. The songs have space to breathe and resonate. With a fantastic backing band and a collection of increasingly powerful and experimental tracks, albeit still laced with intricately plucked acoustic guitar and delicate vocals, O’Brien kicked off with the poetic and emotional “Sweet Saviour”, followed by the intriguing and highly-catchy album-opener,”Again”.
In addition, one of the most beautiful tracks from the record, “Love Came With All That It Brings”, was a particularly stunning moment, as O’Brien’s vocals cracked with fragility through his tale of a woman losing all hope with the overwhelming power of love.
All of the new tracks were met with thunderous applause, but, inevitably, it was past hits that received the warmest of receptions, including the gorgeous “Becoming A Jackal” and “Memoir” – taken from 2016’s collection of re-recorded tracks, “Where Have You Been All My Life?”.
The encore soon followed, which nobody was expecting, and having endured calls and requests from the crowd throughout the evening for “Courage” – clearly a fan favourite from “Darling Arithmetic” – O’Brien finally gave in, leading to a quite stunning performance. Raw, personal and at time heartbreaking, it really is a glorious piece of work that can resonate with those with even the thickest of skins.
The final track was, however, our personal standout. “Nothing Arrived” has long been a favourite, but this version was something else altogether. Throughout the night, O’Brien’s band was completely flawless – from the keys, to the brilliant drums, to bass from long-standing member Danny Snow and some gorgeous brass thrown in as well. But with this version of “Nothing Arrived”, it was, until a glorious crescendo at the very end, stripped completely bare. Conor O’Brien’s vocals floated across a hushed audience, with every word appreciated and ringing true. It was utterly sublime.
