Spotlight - Villagers / Conor O'Brien

And so it comes to this - the boys at bal bearing their sensitive sides full bore on the web. Looking for absolute brutality? Shards of feedback to carve a loved one's remains? Bedroom twee? Weak electropop buzz band hubris? We got none of that today. No, us here at BAL got something a little different for you lot: an interview and concert selects from visiting Irish imports, Villagers. The Domino-inked, Mercury-Prize-almost-winning Conor O'Brien project played a packed headlining set at Mercury Lounge last week. Naturally, we were able to whip out the big boy and snap some face.

Fresh off their tour with Ra Ra Riot, OBrians Villagers play ruminative, verbally dexterous pop, and while their arrangements are straightforward, the winding prose is deceitfully complex. Hearing them on record vs in the room - another thing becomes clear: these dudes are deceptively tidy and quiet on record. In Mercury's small space they were pleasantly fucking loud - a definite plus.

As you'll see in our piece, band leader Conor is eloquent and earnest about his music. May he have success on our shores!