Villagers – Where Have You Been All My Life?: Back-catalogue ‘reimagined’ to interesting effect

Less than a year after releasing the third (largely self-played and self-recorded) Villagers album, Conor O’Brien has re-gathered his bandmates for a “reimagining” of their back-catalogue.

It might sound like a cynical cash-in, but these tracks, recorded live at London’s famed RAK Studios, are given new, interesting angles for the most part.

Set the Tigers Free becomes a languid, laid- back folk number and The Waves a haunting, skeletal tune.

Hot Scary Summer benefits from additional instrumentation, and a swoonsome, delicately rollicking rendition of Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman caps things off nicely.

The collection mostly highlights just how good a songwriter O’Brien really is, regardless of his style, tempo or methods.

[ wearevillagers.com ]