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10.0
107199
10.0 |
The Irish Times
It may be O’Brien’s most instinctive album to date, but intimacy, melody and good old-fashioned songcraft clearly remain as important as ever
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8.0
107200
8.0 |
The Skinny
Irishman Conor O'Brien's journey to classic songwriter status continues. Might as well hand over those Ivor Novello's again now
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8.0
107201
8.0 |
Clash
What makes this a must listen is the sense of a master songwriter having more fun than ever
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8.0
107202
8.0 |
Mojo
His most varied sonically, yet is perversely his least fussy, happy to let a simple melody be carried by his distinctively sweet, slightly prim diction. Print edition only
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8.0
107203
8.0 |
Q
An impressive reminder of what made him so special in the first place. Print edition only
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8.0
107236
8.0 |
The Independent
Villagers’ most assured, and daring, album
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8.0
107261
8.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
This is a songwriter who has mastered his craft and now has applied a frivolity to his record and the outcome is the most essential release to date
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8.0
107269
8.0 |
DIY
Their commitment to delivering rich, well-crafted studio albums continues to set them apart
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8.0
107282
8.0 |
NME
Their most ambitious record to date, a dance-influenced model in craftsmanship
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8.0
107325
8.0 |
Drowned In Sound
The Art of Pretending to Swim masters the difficult trick of doing what fans love an artist for, while subtly making creative strides in a new direction
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8.0
107728
8.0 |
musicOMH
It’s difficult to say whether this will be the record that finally pushes Villagers through to the big time, but in any event it seems as if being a well-kept secret rather suits them
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7.5
107279
7.5 |
Under The Radar
A remarkably encompassing record for a group that has been lauded as exclusively one genre of music
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7.0
107204
7.0 |
Uncut
It's a quiet knockout. Print edition only
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7.0
107478
7.0 |
All Music
If this doesn't always sound like what one would expect from Villagers, its emotional impact shows that it's clearly O'Brien's work
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6.0
107223
6.0 |
Loud And Quiet
Overall, ‘The Art of Pretending to Swim’ is an interesting representation of renewed belief and cycles of faith – even if at times it pushes things a little too far
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6.0
107228
6.0 |
PopMatters
Villagers' music is pleasant and easy to listen to without being simple, and has catchy melodies that don't reach the level of massive pop hooks
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5.0
107218
5.0 |
Exclaim
It's easy to see why singer-songwriter types feel pigeonholed over time, so you really can't get mad at Villagers for taking the risk in open water. But pretending can only buy you so much time — let's hope they don't ditch the floatation devices just yet
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