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Jan 22, 2016The bleak lyrics are countered by a perky tempo, setting up an interesting tension. If much of the album runs on familiar, well-oiled tracks, The Waves shows what Villagers can achieve when they stretch themselves.
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MojoJan 7, 2016The wiry Dubliner is stealthily building a similarly indelible songbook. [Feb 2016, p.92]
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Jan 12, 2016The drastic acoustic reinterpretation on this album feels like the song’s natural state, the long-building crescendo threatens to swallow the singer before he has finished saying his piece.
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Jan 15, 2016It is hard to ignore how limited, both musically and lyrically, the Darling Arithmetic tracks sound when played alongside their predecessors. However, despite its limitations, Villagers’ latest LP does succeed in producing some very worthy reinterpretations and weaving them seamlessly together, which is often easier said than done.
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UncutJan 7, 2016Conor O'Brien's luminous, emotionally resonant songs suit the warmth and intimacy of a live setting. [Feb 2016, p.84]
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Jan 25, 2016Ultimately, while the record will prove to be an enjoyable distraction for ardent fans, it’s hard to shake the feeling that these revamps might have been better saved for the live setting.
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Jan 14, 2016While half the fun is spotting the differences between the original and the remake, Where Have You Been All My Life? is also an excellent intro to Villagers, a summary of five years in one album.
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Jan 12, 2016It ultimately falls between two stools - not giving a true portrayal of a Villagers live show, and failing to mix-up tracks enough to justify this ‘re-imagining’ of older material.
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Jan 7, 2016He makes the odd misstep, with Hot Scary Summer’s slightly hackneyed melodies and The Soul Serene’s vague meaning lessening the album’s overall rawness. But, as with Bright Eyes, Damien Rice and other artists to whom Villagers are often compared, O’Brien shows signs of a visceral intensity.
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Jan 7, 2016The Damien Rice comparisons are unfair because O'Brien is, demonstrably, a much, much better musician than his compatriot. This album shows us that, but it's little that we haven't seen before.
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Jan 11, 2016The impression they leave is fleeting; neat arrangements and accomplished musicianship, but with wit and character seemingly in short supply.
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Q MagazineJan 7, 2016This isn't a bold project and they haven't been expanded nearly enough. [Feb 2016, p.118]