Portland – Dublin’s five-piece indie folk outfit Villagers, headed by mastermind Conor O’Brien, have succeeded in producing an album full of beauty and sincerity, a serene interlude to the madness of the outside world. Villagers’ exquisite Darling Arithmetic is the band’s third album of beautifully crafted new-wave indie folk. Its predecessors, 2010’s Becoming A Jackal and 2013’s {Awayland}, were both critically acclaimed. Becoming A Jackal was also nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2011. Darling Arithmetic, however, takes even more risks with its sound. The album is laden with steady acoustics and echoing background effects that accentuate lead singer O’Brien’s calming vocal presence.

O’Brien originally envisioned Villagers as a solo project after the break-up of his band The Immediate. O’Brien eventually employed Tommy McLaughlin, Danny Snow, Cormac Curran and James Byrne to join him after the release of his 2009 EP. With the release of Becoming A Jackal, Villagers soon were recruited to support Neil Young and Tracy Chapman as well as Grizzly Bear. Darling Arithmetic only proves why Villagers have accumulated the success that they have. Expert, intimate songwriting and carefully produced acoustics attribute to the album’s power to stay with the listener for longer than the 36 minutes that the nine-track album consists of.

The album’s opener, “Courage,” sets the tone for the album that is filled with songs reflecting on love and heartbreak. It begins with O’Brien’s smooth vocals and just an acoustic guitar. With the first mention of courage, the production heightens, slowly adding in drums and keyboard, but never adding too much to overshadow the important lyricism that reflects the song’s meaning of courage: courage within yourself.

“The Soul Serene” is arguably the album’s catchiest track. O’Brien’s vocals draw the listener with the use of repetition, asking them to “Step into the soul serene” and wondering out loud: “Where have you been all my life?” The soft acoustics are accentuated with the addition of the cello and a lingering electric call, which all but begs you to stay listening–they still have more to say.

For an album dealing with romantic subject matter, Darling Arithmetic’s lyrics confront the ever rising and falling emotions that come with love and loss. “No One To Blame” is a self-deprecating look at heartbreak. O’Brien is unafraid on this track, with somber, honest realizations accompanied, at first, simply by piano. The song confronts these feelings immediately: “Excuse me while I die / A thousand times / Before I meet / Your eyes / With mine.” The song only becomes more unyielding with the next verse: “Excuse me while I try / To be somebody / that you might decide / to like.” Along the lines of “Courage,” “No One To Blame” is ultimately a self-reflection: “Guess I got no one to blame / but myself.”

Darling Arithmetic is an example of songwriting power of, in a sense, transcending genre because you can and because it works. The album as a whole is masterful in its simplicity; it leaves you thinking about it long after it is gone.

Darling Arithmetic is being released this week. Track Villagers ‘ tour dates here.

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Dakota Smith

Raised in Los Angeles by two former Deadheads, Dakota was bound to love music. The soundtrack of her childhood would include both Elvis’ (Presley and Costello), Frank Sinatra, Oasis, Nirvana and Van Morrison. Dakota left the comfort of sunny Los Angeles for the snow-covered Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado to pursue her English degree at the University of Colorado. While studying abroad in London during her last year of college, she changed her mind about a career in academia and began to write. She moved to Portland shortly thereafter. When she’s not working on her collection of poetry and essays, or dancing, she can be found listening to anything from Acid Rap to Folk to Indie Rock.

Follow her on twitter in case she says something funny: @LikeTheStates

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