The Irish indie rock band, Villagers, fifth studio album, That Golden Time, released on May 10. Founded in the early 2000s by Connor O’Brien, who’s known for his nuanced melodies and cutting lyricism, has naturally carried these qualities over into his work with Villagers. They seamlessly blend rock with heavy folk influences and have continued to explore that throughout their discography. O’Brien also wrote and produced all of the tracks on this album. The ten tracks in this latest album take on a more introspective tone and create a cohesive sound all the way through. 

That Golden Time kickstarts with “Truly Alone.” It’s a suspenseful and brooding track that sets the tone not only melodically, but lyrically as well “They keep on telling me that I’m out of line / Guess we can’t all be perfect all of the time.” The track abruptly cuts off at the end, helping to reinforce the theme of the song. ‘You Lucky Ones’ is also a standout on the tracklist. As one of the lead singles off of the album, the storytelling in particular is emotive and captures the depth of navigating complex relationships.

Sitting exactly halfway through the tracklist is the title track. It takes on a different aura than the tracks that precede it. “That Golden Time” feels very serene and akin to dream-pop.  The album continues on with track titles “Keepsake” and “Brother Hen,” before segueing into “No Drama.” This song taps back into some of the suspense that can be felt in the first track. The production of this track is also quite captivating, and it incorporates various production techniques over primarily piano instrumentals that make listeners feel like they’re on a lively musical adventure. The track also has hard-hitting lyrics like “When you make-believe, and you play the part/They can always tell if it’s from the heart/So you break the spell and you start to crack/And no drama will ever get it back.” The album continues onto the equally enthralling ‘Behind That Curtain,’ an intimately reflective piano ballad.

That Golden Time closes out with “Money On The Mind.” This song effectively wraps up the album and brings the themes of emotional turmoil and reflections on the fulfillment of a career in the music industry to a head. Overall, Villagers’s latest album plays on O’Briens strengths to create an insightful and emotive experience for listeners.