Conor O’Brien is the doe-eyed face of rising Irish troupe Villagers. At the moment he’s sitting at home, a rare place to catch him, while his band are in a bout of downtime during their typically busy touring schedule.
“I’m at my kitchen table. My housemate’s dog is licking my feet,” the 29-year-old frontman jokes, clearly enjoying the chance to soak up the mundanities of day-to-day life.
“[The tour’s] been going really well, we’ve been getting to play in some beautiful places recently and the sun is always out, which makes us pasty white Irish boys feel crazy.”
Self-deprecation aside, Villagers have enjoyed immense success since the release of their debut album Becoming A Jackel in 2010. The sleeper hit drew comparisons to the likes of fellow indie-rock outfits Mumford And Sons and Of Monsters And Men, immediately thrusting the then duo into the limelight of the blogosphere.
But how does a band follow up such a blindingly glowing start to a career? It’s here that the infamous tale of The Dreaded Sophomore Album inevitably makes its way to the forefront, bringing with it attention from nosy media questioning and interrogating a fresh-faced group’s ability to follow-up on their debut’s unexpected accomplishments.
“I guess I was just searching for new ways to be excited by sound.”It’s something that O’Brien openly admits affected him, and how could it not? From piecing together his first album in his humble Dublin abode to seeing it being nominated for the sought-after Mercury Prize and then taking out the Ivor Novello – it’s a big lifestyle change that rattles every first timer.
“The only pressure I’ve ever felt in relation to my writing comes from myself. I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself to stretch the boundaries of what I think is achievable in a song,” he says, elaborating on the self-imposed weights holding him back during the recording process.
“It can be very stressful but it’s addictive, uncomfortable and ultimately rewarding. It’s a nice thing when people dig your stuff.”
It then took everyone by surprise when O’Brien unveiled Villagers’ new record {Awayland} in January this year and it sounded markedly different to the delicate folk stylings that had initially won over critics and fans alike.
It saw Villagers residing on unfamiliar and unexpected sonic terrain – no longer were they resting on their acoustic laurels but instead their sound had been augmented with electronic influences and experimental orchestrations.
In fact, the sophomore release was originally blueprinted as an entirely synth-driven project. Whilst the finished product is more like a hybrid between Becoming a Jackel’s earnest folk roots and a Radiohead-inspired brand of integrated electronica, it still marked a bold new era for Villagers.
“I guess I was just searching for new ways to be excited by sound,” O’Brien explains with enthusiasm. “I’m quite obsessed with arrangements and how they can affect the emotional impact of the song. Synths and samplers are very expressive tools when it comes to this – the possibilities are exciting.”
Narrative directions, too, have been altered in their approach. Villagers’ introductory anthems were steeped in poignant, dimly-lit atmospheres – largely inspired by O’Brien’s personal struggles including the death of his sister – but this time around the frontman’s musings took on a different light and resulted in what he describes as “a cleansing record”.
“It’s just a different record, I guess. I’m in a different headspace so the music reflects that. I’m searching for something ethereal, serene and ultimately peaceful,” the songwriter ponders, seemingly unplagued by the anxieties that drove his previous works. {Awayland}, as gleaned from its name alone, has a palpable essence of unencumbered escapism; this freed headspace O’Brien mentions seems to directly translate into the new recordings.
“I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself to stretch the boundaries of what I think is achievable in a song.”On this notion of escapism, Villagers are flying over to Australian shores on the weekend for this year’s Splendour In The Grass festivities. It’ll be their first visit since 2010, back when the band consisted of just O’Brien and keyboardist Cormac Curran.
“We came over as a two-piece and played Sydney and Melbourne. They were good shows, Melbourne was particularly good if I remember correctly. Good times,” O’Brien reflects fondly, though his mind is more focussed on this weekend’s shenanigans.
“I’m super excited. For sure, especially since we’re getting to bring the full band over this time. It’s going to be a good little tour,” the Irishman buzzes, before finishing with a wise lesson he took home from his last visit, “I think we’ll be those ones in shorts and t-shirts, your winter is as hot as our summer.”
Since they were three years ago, Villagers has expanded from a duo into a fully functioning quintet. Despite O’Brien previously being “terrified of bands” following the breakup of his previous act, The Immediate, welcoming three new members into Villagers has been a highly beneficial transformation.
“It was a very natural and slow process from my perspective. I wouldn’t really describe it as a change from duo to full band – it’s just a slightly more collaborative recording process. As a live group we were a full band pretty much from the get go,” he explains nonchalantly, almost with an audible shrug.
As his housemate’s dog continues to lick his feet, O’Brien feels the need to point out he’s still being productive.
“I’m writing quite a lot at the moment actually, by my slow standards at least,” the Irishman jokes. “For the next six months we’re just going to keep touring and I’m going to try find as much time as I can to write and demo new stuff. I think we’ve got a masterpiece in us yet.”
Those are some reassuring fighting words.
{Awayland} is out now through Domino.
Villagers Splendour 2013 Sideshows
Tue 30 July – The Corner Hotel, Richmond – VIC
www.cornerhotel.com
Thur 1 Aug – The Factory Theatre, Marrickville – NSW
www.factorytheatre.com.au/
Fri 2 Aug – Fly By Night, Fremantle – WA
www.flybynight.org
