Villagers – {Awayland} (2013; Domino)
Following his critically-acclaimed and Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Becoming A Jackal, singer-songwriter Conor O’Brian describes his sophomore effort as “a trip through a musical landscape, as a tribute to your sense of wonder. It travels through space and time and leaves you back for dinner.”
{Awayland} is certainly an evolution from the folky simplicity of his debut to an atmospheric, electronic-laced fantasy world.
Lyrically, O’Brian shows maturity in his songwriting. With less focus on troubled relationships, he instead opts for a greater sense of storytelling and a political conscience.
Songs like “In A New Found Land, You Are Free,” with its sensitivity and acoustic lullaby quality, give ode to Villagers’ roots, whereas lead single “Waves” crashes and flows with an apocalyptic swell of instrumentation and electronics.
Overall, {Awayland} is fresh and experimental, showing bold ambition, though retaining Villagers’ poetic charm.
Trial Track: “Waves”
Rating: 8/10
– Paul Traunero
Minotaurs – New Believers (2013; Static Clang)
Wow. Canadian multi-piece group Minotaurs have produced nothing short of a masterpiece, packing unparallelled energy and sonic power with larger-than-life trumpets, dramatic piano riffs, punchy baritone sax, sultry vocals and well-placed hints of violin.
The liveliness that Minotaurs’ brassy arrangements pack is absolutely irresistible. Each fast-paced track is sure to leave anyone with functional ear canals slack-jawed, engaged in their newfound infatuation with indie-afrobeat.
Not only is New Believers an auditory pleasure to behold, but the cultured-citizen-of-the-world in you can feel good about it too. “Make Some Noise” was written by instrumentalist Nathan Lawr as the Quebec student protests were going strong, and “Open the Doors” is a swingy, albeit dissatisfied, response to the G20 issues in Toronto.
New Believers is an indispensable addition to any music library, especially those in need of a refresher. With the resonating crispness of the album’s very first notes, Minotaurs is sure to make a new believer out of you.
Trial track: “New Believers”
Rating: 9/10
– Stephanie Ullman
The Joy Formidable – Wolf’s Law (2013; Atlantic)
The Joy Formidable’s follow up to their first album, The Big Roar, takes a plunge into a kaleidoscope of indie music paradise.
Wolf’s Law has done a great job in unfolding a diverse array of emotions, weaved together by the bands stellar collaboration of instrumentals and vocals.
The North Wales-based indie group has been touted by last.fm as “primal epic grunge rock à la The Breeders, Arcade Fire and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.”
Listening to each track in Wolf’s Law puts you either in a moment of accomplishment, as seen in “Tendons,” of adrenaline in “Hurdle” or resentment in “Silent Treatment.”
“The Ladder is ours” is a stand-out favorite for setting the album’s tone. It gives a sense of getting ready for a new adventure. In fact, it is a great album to listen to on a road trip.
When you put all of these tracks together, they create a great piece of artwork that reflects life.
Trial track: “The Ladder is Ours”
Rating: 8.5/10
– Saturn de Los Angeles
