8.

Villagers
Becoming A Jackal

To say this album has been ignored isn’t quite true, given it was Mercury nominated, but it hasn’t had the recognition one might have expected for such a quality debut. I would have thought with the right marketing this could be effectively sold to Mumford & Sons fans everywhere. In any event, the first record by Conor O’Brien (not to be confused with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes/Desaparecidos/loads of other bands fame) is a beguiling one which rewards repeated listens with haunting melodies, fantastic vocal harmonies and a genuine sense of soul. Becoming A Jackal is packed with passionate songwriting and playing. Musically, the styles vary from panoramic piano (‘I Saw The Dead’), via loner-with-guitar plucking (‘Twenty Seven Strangers’), to shiny pop (‘The Pact (I’ll Be Your Fever)’). What ties it all together is that every track is full of heart and has been beautifully crafted. Nothing is wasted, everything is clearly very deliberate. A proper album of quality songwriting.