Villagers
Villagers are an Irish band from Dublin fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.
The… Read Full Bio ↴Villagers are an Irish band from Dublin fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.
They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1 and Tindersticks. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind (2009). Their debut album Becoming a Jackal was released in 2010 and was shortlisted for that year's Mercury Prize and their second album {Awayland} was released in 2013.
Conor O'Brien formed Villagers after the break-up of his previous band The Immediate. The very next day, O'Brien wrote the first song after waking up with a hangover. O'Brien's time as a guitarist in Cathy Davey's band was also critical to the development of his style as he had never before performed alongside anyone outside of The Immediate. Villagers gave their first live performance as a support act with The Chapters at a show in Whelan's in November 2008. At that point the band had previously only rehearsed together on two occasions. They had only seven songs, written by O'Brien and passed on to the rest of the band to learn.
Villagers performed on the seventh series of RTÉ Two's Other Voices television programme in 2009. The band's debut EP, titled Hollow Kind, was released in February 2009. It contained four tracks, all of which were written by O'Brien and performed by him too. The EP brought comparisons with Bright Eyes and Sparklehorse. Villagers then went on tour. They were a support act for Neil Young and toured across Europe with Tracy Chapman.
Villagers appeared at several festivals in 2009. They supported Bell X1 when they performed at Live at the Marquee in Cork on June 26, 2009. They performed at several music festivals in Ireland, including on the Sunday of Oxegen 2009, at Indie-pendence on August 2 and at Electric Picnic 2009, as well as at Latitude Festival in the UK. The Irish Times's Jim Carroll recommended their performance in the Body Soul Arena at Electric Picnic 2009 as "A must-see for those who dig ragged pop, eerie folk and heartfelt, emotional songs and sounds". They headlined Hard Working Class Heroes in 2009, with O'Brien attracting the ire of the audience when he requested some quiet during the performance. They gave a live performance at The Music Show in Dublin's RDS in October 2009.
The debut single of Villagers was "On a Sunlit Stage" and was released in October 2009.
On January 15, 2010, Villagers represented Ireland at the Eurosonic Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands. They were involved in efforts to raise funds in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. They embarked on a tour with Tindersticks in March 2010 and released the single "Becoming a Jackal" on April 17, 2010. A debut album Becoming a Jackal was released in Ireland on 14 May 2010, with a UK release in May and a US release due on 8 June 2010. The album immediately went to number one on both the Irish Albums Chart and the Irish Indie Albums Chart. It proceeded to continuously top the indie chart.
Said by Conor J. O’Brien himself:
- “Ultimately, I’ve learned that a song is not an isolated thing. You have to wash the dishes before you write a song. It should never be taken too seriously. It must be treated with joy and humour, regardless of the subject matter,” muses Conor, as he strokes his hairless chin.
- “The aim is to feel the songs out. If I don’t surprise myself, then it is a worthless endeavour. Indeed, I would apply this attitude to all aspects of this project. The songs are quite decisive, but I have no idea what I am doing, or where I am going.” Again, he strokes his chin, this time with a look of resigned confusion. “Once the songs took shape, I asked some friends of mine to help me play them to people. When they kindly agreed, I decided that we would present ourselves as ‘Villagers’ – I don’t really know why. I think I like the name because it doesn’t offend the songs.” With this, he puts his clothes back on and bids me farewell. On returning to my office, I slip on a banana peel and subsequently die.
The… Read Full Bio ↴Villagers are an Irish band from Dublin fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.
They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1 and Tindersticks. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind (2009). Their debut album Becoming a Jackal was released in 2010 and was shortlisted for that year's Mercury Prize and their second album {Awayland} was released in 2013.
Conor O'Brien formed Villagers after the break-up of his previous band The Immediate. The very next day, O'Brien wrote the first song after waking up with a hangover. O'Brien's time as a guitarist in Cathy Davey's band was also critical to the development of his style as he had never before performed alongside anyone outside of The Immediate. Villagers gave their first live performance as a support act with The Chapters at a show in Whelan's in November 2008. At that point the band had previously only rehearsed together on two occasions. They had only seven songs, written by O'Brien and passed on to the rest of the band to learn.
Villagers performed on the seventh series of RTÉ Two's Other Voices television programme in 2009. The band's debut EP, titled Hollow Kind, was released in February 2009. It contained four tracks, all of which were written by O'Brien and performed by him too. The EP brought comparisons with Bright Eyes and Sparklehorse. Villagers then went on tour. They were a support act for Neil Young and toured across Europe with Tracy Chapman.
Villagers appeared at several festivals in 2009. They supported Bell X1 when they performed at Live at the Marquee in Cork on June 26, 2009. They performed at several music festivals in Ireland, including on the Sunday of Oxegen 2009, at Indie-pendence on August 2 and at Electric Picnic 2009, as well as at Latitude Festival in the UK. The Irish Times's Jim Carroll recommended their performance in the Body Soul Arena at Electric Picnic 2009 as "A must-see for those who dig ragged pop, eerie folk and heartfelt, emotional songs and sounds". They headlined Hard Working Class Heroes in 2009, with O'Brien attracting the ire of the audience when he requested some quiet during the performance. They gave a live performance at The Music Show in Dublin's RDS in October 2009.
The debut single of Villagers was "On a Sunlit Stage" and was released in October 2009.
On January 15, 2010, Villagers represented Ireland at the Eurosonic Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands. They were involved in efforts to raise funds in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. They embarked on a tour with Tindersticks in March 2010 and released the single "Becoming a Jackal" on April 17, 2010. A debut album Becoming a Jackal was released in Ireland on 14 May 2010, with a UK release in May and a US release due on 8 June 2010. The album immediately went to number one on both the Irish Albums Chart and the Irish Indie Albums Chart. It proceeded to continuously top the indie chart.
Said by Conor J. O’Brien himself:
- “Ultimately, I’ve learned that a song is not an isolated thing. You have to wash the dishes before you write a song. It should never be taken too seriously. It must be treated with joy and humour, regardless of the subject matter,” muses Conor, as he strokes his hairless chin.
- “The aim is to feel the songs out. If I don’t surprise myself, then it is a worthless endeavour. Indeed, I would apply this attitude to all aspects of this project. The songs are quite decisive, but I have no idea what I am doing, or where I am going.” Again, he strokes his chin, this time with a look of resigned confusion. “Once the songs took shape, I asked some friends of mine to help me play them to people. When they kindly agreed, I decided that we would present ourselves as ‘Villagers’ – I don’t really know why. I think I like the name because it doesn’t offend the songs.” With this, he puts his clothes back on and bids me farewell. On returning to my office, I slip on a banana peel and subsequently die.
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Villagers Lyrics
A Trick of the Light My heart is spilling over Crashing on the ground I can't see…
Ada Ada, did you know You are the mud in which I…
Again Again Again I've found again (again) A space in my heart ag…
Becoming a Jackal The most familiar room Every implement was leading to you An…
Circles In The Firing Line I'm doing circles in the firing line No comfort in this…
Courage Took a little time to get where I wanted It took…
Darling Arithmetic Bring down the veil For all to see Shake off the rain And…
Dawning On Me I've been awake for so long now Just can't get to…
Deep In My Heart Deep in my heart I'm feeling the same And deep in my…
Earthly Pleasure Naked on the toilet with a toothbrush in his mouth When…
Everything I Am Is Yours I am just a man To bend all the wires Tight rope…
Everything I Am Is Yours (Live at RAK) I am just a man To bend all the wires Tight rope…
Fool Like any modern dog I choose what I can see From any…
Full Faith In Providence The more I know The more I care The more I dare…
Grateful Song The lights my sweet conviction Your time has finally come Th…
Hold Me Down I see the door But there's something in the way and…
Home The night's synthetic half-light Rolls over your steering w…
Hot Scary Summer Oh, Lord So you thank me for my hard work But you've…
I Saw the Dead Have you got just a minute Are you easily mad Let me…
In a Newfound Land You Are Free How heavy you are my new born child So viciously free So…
Judgement Call All the dirt and the worry left when I realized that…
Long Time Waiting This is enough to give your money a run Procrastinating til…
Love Came with All That It Brings She was just doing her thing That love came with all…
Momentarily It's the little things that devour The silly things that bur…
My Lighthouse You are needing a friend For to follow, for to fend And…
NEW! The Meaning of the Ritual My love is selfish And I bet that yours is too What…
Nothing Arrived Savanna scatters and the seabird sings So why should we fear…
Occupy Your Mind 'Cause it's the funniest feeling So let's slip inside Out of…
Old Man Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you…
Passing a Message I was carving my name out Of a giant sequoia tree I…
Pieces For a long long time I've been in pieces In the corner…
Real Go Give all you got And if you're feeling like you've had…
Rhythm Composer There's an ancient dog dreaming of another life But you som…
Set the Tigers Free Farewell to my only friend You've been so good to me Now…
Ship of Promises You see a mask from your window at night So you…
So Simpatico And ooh, so simpatico, you are the one for me And…
Something Bigger One, two, three, four When your blood is pumping And it's a…
Summer's Song The sun is overhead And your feelings fade The summer's in t…
Sweet Saviour Awaking from another dream I saw your picture on the screen…
That Day Can you hear me now Lying in this bed Embedded in this…
The Bell There is a sleeping dog Under this dialogue Obedient only …
The Meaning of the Ritual My love is selfish And I bet that yours is too What…
The Pact Do what you did yesterday, go on repeating 'Cos my heart's…
The Soul Serene So I go walking on the shore And wonder what I…
The Waves There are waves Up in the diamond sky Stronger than you and…
The Wonder Of You When no one else can understand me When everything I do…
To Be Counted Among Men Young Paul decides upon a future And he asks from her…
Twenty Seven Strangers The bus was late And forced us all to congregate Twenty-se…
Wichita Lineman I am a lineman for the county And I drive the…