The Villagers (mercury nominated) - Becoming a Jackal.

Becoming A Jackal is the fantastic debut album from Conor O'Brien under the pseudonym Villagers, the album released on May 14th 2010 went immediately to top of the Irish and UK Indie charts, the tracks are a range of melodic dark tales and solemn sing-along's. The LP has been critically recognized and is a nominee for 2010s Mercury Music Award Prize, and deservedly so, the 11 tracks on Becoming A Jackal deserve their place in the running for the much sought after Mercury Award.
Title track and 2nd song on the album 'Becoming A Jackal' is a beautifully written indie-folk song, with a quirky chorus and a stomping beat, the song shows just how emotional the music is to O'Brien and how he can connect on an intimate level with the listener, something all great musicians can do.

Ship of Promises is the following track, the backing beat and fast-tempo contrast the struggling lyrics of identity, "You see a mask from your window at night, so you wake and you go outside, and you put it on, and they treat you in a different way", revealing the judgemental nature of society and how looks have become the bedrock of popularity show how Villagers view the world we live in.
Lay back, let the goosebumps appear, close your eyes and let the Villagers take you on a journey, listening to the album is an intimate experience, take the time out of your scheduled lives and connect with the music on an emotional level. To suit this experience comes songs, 'The Meaning of the Ritual', 'Home' & 'Twenty Seven Strange', songs depicting personal and social experiences that express a lot of feelings in our hearts, the null experiences and the idle life of being a stranger to one another rather than experiencing life, O'Brien's dark lyrics intend for you to step back and think.
Tracks 10 &11 are reflective of the album, 'Pieces' reminds the listener of how emotional and connected one can be to the music, it is an incredible feeling when you hear the vulnerability in the lyrics of a song but it is also a massively empowering sensation for both the artist and the listener when something is being sung that you can relate to. Track 11, entitled 'To Be Counted Among Men', is a terrific song to round off an incredible debut album, O'Brien's tone and subtle guitar playing make for one memorable finale.

The Villagers - Becoming A Jackal 9/10 - Listen to - 'Becoming A Jackal', 'The Meaning of the Ritual', 'To Be Counted Among Men'

Thomas R Johnson
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