Name: That Golden Time
Brand: Villagers

Tax rate EU

Default:19

Supplier EU

Rough Trade

Total Cap

Format detail

140gm LP sleeve with spot gloss on front and back covers 12 page - A5 booklet

Colour details

Discogs ID

Limited edition

Colour

Gold

Format Music EU

Extended format

Extended format: Yes

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Download code

Download code: Yes

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Release date

2024-05-10

Format multiplier

Catalogue number

WIGLP521X

UPC / Barcode

887828052134

Gold LP

Standard:20

Black

Extended format: No

WIGLP521

887828052110

Black LP

Capacity Wallet with Printed Inner and 20 Page Booklet.&nbsp;

Download code: No

WIGCD521

887828052127

Artist

Villagers

Label EU

Domino

Genre EU

Singer Songwriter

Newest Listed Items

Domino is an independent label founded in Putney, South West London by *a694357* and his partner Jacqui Rice in 1993. The label initially focused on American acts such as *Sebadoh*, *Pavement* or *Royal Trux* before signing British acts in the late '90s.

The label operates a US division, located in Brooklyn, which output was initially identified by its own catalogue number schemes, DOMUS then DNO (used until 2013), when the releases handled by the UK headquarters are identified by WIG (albums) and RUG (singles and EPs) catalogue numbers.

The company operating the label, *Warp Records*, diversified, establishing a publishing arm and a series of labels (*Double Six Recordings*, *Weird World Record Co.*, *Rephlex*, ...).

Villagers is an indie folk band hailing from Dublin, Ireland. Formed in 2008, the band has gained a dedicated following with their unique sound and heartfelt lyrics. Drawing inspiration from various genres, Villagers' music combines elements of folk, rock, and alternative to create a truly captivating listening experience.

With influences ranging from Fionn Regan to Laura Marling, Villagers have carved out their own distinct musical identity. Their introspective songwriting and haunting melodies have garnered critical acclaim and earned them comparisons to renowned artists such as Damien Jurado and José González.

Whether it's the delicate guitar work or the emotive vocals of *Conor O'Brien*, Villagers' music has a way of resonating with listeners on a deep level. Fans of indie folk acts like Great Lake Swimmers and Lisa Hannigan will find themselves drawn to the evocative storytelling found within each track.

Following the kaleidoscopic adventure of Villagers’ fifth album Fever Dreams, award-winning Dublin singer-songwriter-instrumentalist-dramatist Conor O’Brien returns with the intimate inventory, That Golden Time.

After the band-centred sessions of its predecessor, That Golden Time’s solo-centric core was not forced on O’Brien by lockdown. “For me, That Golden Time has an internalised voice, so much so that I almost found it impossible to let anyone else in,” he says. “It’s probably the most vulnerable album I’ve made. I played and recorded everything in my apartment, and finally, towards the end, invited people in.” Invites went out to, among others, Irish legend Dónal Lunny [Planxty, The Bothy Band] on bouzouki, American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick on violin, and a group of players that O’Brien had first seen performing in a tribute to one of his great loves, Italian composer Ennio Morricone, who added soprano vocal, viola and cello.

The understated poetry within That Golden Time is effortlessly carried by gorgeous melodies and sublime instrumentation. In “No Drama”, as the narrator pleads for respite from the vicissitudes of life, O’Brien equates an orchestral swell with an appeal for quiet beauty and peace. “Behind That Curtain” is a rare moment of musical discombobulation as a solemn, soulful ballad hands over to a jazzy coda, “It’s the sound of deafening alarm bells inside your head,” remarks O’Brien. Exploring these themes further, there is also a secondary image of a coin on the artwork (an Irish twenty pence piece) to which O’Brien explains: “The types of physical currency change throughout time, but the essential power relationships and bartering principles persevere throughout the cosmetic changes.”

As the album comes to its conclusion with “Money On The Mind”, we find a moment of serenity with a ray of hope. The very last line, softly crooned, is “My money’s on the mind, truth be told,” a shout-out to the resilience of the human spirit. The moth might be disorientated, but it swerves the flame to live another day.

That Golden Time

Music EU

Discover That Golden Time by Villagers. Intimate inventory of vulnerability and sublime instrumentation. Vinyl records available from Rough Trade.