Villagers Ship of Promises (Domino)
4/5
By: Richard Brant
Starting with a sound somewhere reminiscent of 60’s bands like the Walker Brothers with howling vocals, strings, splashing tambourines over a slow drum beat, ‘Ship of Promises’ eventual slide in to the intensely steady thumping beats, commanding guitar and spectral sweeping organ interludes is quite unexpected.
It’s a building track that seems to grow to an elusive chorus that continues to evade. It reels you in as you wait for that chorus, but it never comes…it’s like waiting for that red bike you were promised for Christmas when you were twelve that never came to fruition…Darn you father!
You’re instead rewarded with a grander sounding return to that slow 60’s style encountered at the beginning. This allows you to bask in some respite before the guitar accompanied thumping drums grasp you again, dragging you towards the end in what sounds like an escape from some kind of crazy pagan Wicker Man-like ceremony, as high pitched vocals blast in and out.
O’Brien combines this captivating track with equally enchanting lyrics detailing hiding behind masks, living in denial, “sanitising” one’s self at church, before finding someone to confide in and run away with. He’s moved far on from his days of intricate guitar riff indie with The Immediate and his spell with Cathy Davy’s folk/rock pop and produced something quite strange, intriguing and – crucially - unique to him.
Artists in this article: Villagers
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