Fever Dreams
by Villagers
  • Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Aug 20, 2021
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
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  1. Clash Music
    Aug 18, 2021
    90
    ‘Fever Dreams’ is very possibly Villagers’ most ambitious and endearing record to date.
  2. American Songwriter
    Aug 27, 2021
    80
    The title says it all, giving an impression of wistful repose and a genuinely soothing serenity that’s become Villagers’ signature style. These Fever Dreams are well worth holding on to.
  3. musicOMH.com
    Aug 20, 2021
    80
    This is an album that demands to be properly listened to though, not reduced to background music – properly immerse yourself in Villagers’ Fever Dreams and it’s an experience you won’t want to wake up from.
  5. DIY Magazine
    Aug 19, 2021
    80
    Here, the sonic experimentation finds his production and arrangements reaching the same imaginative heights. A thrilling and unpredictable addition to Villagers’ gleaming canon.
  6. The Independent (UK)
    Aug 19, 2021
    80
    In the past, Obert’s fractured lyricism has sounded too blunt against such stark instrumentation; here it’s as though his words are being bathed in moonlight, coaxed softly into being. A wonderful, lucid dream of a record.
  7. Mojo
    Aug 17, 2021
    80
    The free-est, fun-est, most psychedelic Villagers record so far. [Sep 2021, p.76]
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  8. Uncut
    Aug 17, 2021
    80
    At its best here, this produces minor masterpieces like the shimmering romance of "The First Day" or "Circles In The Firing Line," a lithe and bristling combination of John Grant and John Misty. [Sep 2021, p.35]
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  9. New Musical Express (NME)
    Aug 17, 2021
    80
    O’Brien keeps us under with rich, sophisticated soul vibes, oceanic piano, languid sax solos and an overlying tone of optimism.
  10. The Skinny
    Aug 17, 2021
    80
    A record imbued with full faith in the minor masterpieces that dominate Villagers' fifth studio album.

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Best Album of 2021

User Reviews

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User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Ricko
    Sep 22, 2021
    8
    On studio album number 5, Villagers move away from the traditional and veer into a trippy rainbow coloured soundscape. This is a record thatOn studio album number 5, Villagers move away from the traditional and veer into a trippy rainbow coloured soundscape. This is a record that absolutely oozes brightness and colour. "Fever Dreams" is a double edged sword. It marks Villagers most ambitious and experimental album since 2013's "awayland". There is so much going on that it really takes many listens to get any bit below the surface of what is going on. On the other side, with Conor O'Brien a master songwriter at this stage, it's a pity in some ways that he has focused his energies on creating pop based sound collages at the expense of the songs. This isn't to say there are no songs here, of course there are. My point is that the songs are not vintage Villagers number. They have however provided a skeleton or canvass for delightful decoration and flourishes. While this may be ever so self indulgent, in the context of Villagers back catalog, albums like this and the aforementioned "awayland" nicely complement the other more song based albums. Ultimately, what "Fever Dreams" proves is that O'Brien is one of the finest Irish talents of his generation.… Full Review »
  2. wouterman
    Aug 25, 2021
    9
    villagers know how to capture a hallucination trip without losing the listener. so good ❤️
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