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10.0
49566
10.0 |
Entertainment.ie
An astounding album. The first 'must-have' album of 2013 - mesmerising, from beginning to end
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10.0
49680
10.0 |
The Independent
With results both as pleasurable, as inventive and as absorbing as these, there seems no danger that the impact of {Awayland} will be merely momentary
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9.0
49708
9.0 |
Bowlegs
Awayland is a breathtaking opus and every gasp is worth taking
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9.0
49724
9.0 |
The Quietus
A treasure trove of an album, brimming with ideas, most of which work and all of which, at the very least, prove that O'Brien is not simply another little-boy-lost lamenting the fact his parents wouldn't pass him the salt, but a songwriter of real note
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9.0
49548
9.0 |
Clash
{Awayland} is just brilliant. It’s different enough from ‘Jackal’ to stand on its own and infiltrate fans of new bands and different styles, from Alt-J to Grizzly Bear, while those who already love Villagers will lap it up
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9.0
49550
9.0 |
Drowned In Sound
A far more magnificent progression from Jackal than any of us could have hoped for
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8.6
50720
8.6 |
The AU Review
A literate and intricate affair both musically and lyrically.
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8.5
50336
8.5 |
The 405
It's a leap into the great unknown, and it rips up the singer-songwriter rulebook in favour of something far more ambitious, even when at its most straightforward
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8.0
53174
8.0 |
All Music
The creative progression O'Brien exhibits here leaves no lingering questions of doubt whether he would succumb to the dreaded second album syndrome
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8.0
49551
8.0 |
State
Villagers are as book-smart as ever, but they’re learning to use their intelligence in new and dazzling ways
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8.0
49556
8.0 |
Uncut
The edges may be sharper, the outlook less austere and self-contained, but Villagers are still defined by songs which deliver hook upon hook
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8.0
49557
8.0 |
Mojo
Not only richer music, but also better lyrics: more economical, less didactic, more enticing. Print edition only
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8.0
49562
8.0 |
Q
O'Brien is a songwriter out of step, out of time, and when he hits his lyrical stride, out of this world. Print edition only
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8.0
49648
8.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
There’s a balanced mix of wistful folk, and rockier, more radio-friendly offerings which lure in the casual listener, ensuring an enduring record that warms the cockles in these frosty fledgling weeks of 2013
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8.0
49651
8.0 |
Evening Standard
Things fall away a little towards the end but there is rich promise here
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8.0
49655
8.0 |
The Guardian
The dazzling imagery comes with a rollercoasting voyage through acoustic soul, brass and – a new development – electronica
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8.0
49689
8.0 |
Independent on Sunday
It's that rare commodity: an album to immerse yourself in and spend time with, both things no one does any more
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8.0
49694
8.0 |
The Observer
O'Brien remains a gentle soul: the instrumental title track is beautiful, while In a Newfound Land You are Free is as delicate as anything he has produced
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7.5
49549
7.5 |
BBC
The mood this time round is tangibly different
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7.0
49609
7.0 |
NME
Where there was tension and urgency, now there's bigger, poppier and probably more commercially-viable folk songs that don't quite pack the same punch
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7.0
53560
7.0 |
Consequence Of Sound
O’Brien, or Villagers rather, succeeded in creating an album rife with adventure and tragedy, made even more addictive with each listen
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6.0
55123
6.0 |
Blurt
Accessible yet intelligent, prog without pretension
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6.0
49619
6.0 |
The Fly
O’Brien’s voice is beautiful and his songwriting often adventurous, but there are times when the aim isn’t as true as it could be
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6.0
49879
6.0 |
No Ripcord
Villagers ought to be applauded for their ambition to heave themselves away from expectation, and then mourned for their lack of conviction which discards them back into it
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5.5
49699
5.5 |
Pitchfork
An album which too often has big ideas and little proof of how he arrived at them
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