Villagers unveil new single 'Fool'

Villagers unveil new single 'Fool'

Today, Villagers are pleased to unveil new single ‘Fool’, taken from the forthcoming fourth album The Art Of Pretending To Swim, due for release on September 21st via Domino.

‘Fool’ is a romantic battle-cry from the centre of a technological dystopia. The video, directed by Bob Gallagher takes the lyrics as a starting point for the narrative: “So here is my bleeding heart… Will you take the pain away?”  

Gallagher explains further: “The video is a surreal take on a marriage proposal, which is the ultimate gambit in love. The scenario pushes how much Conor's character is willing to overlook his partner's shortcomings, and convince himself that everything is fine. You could call it foolishness but you could also consider it a kind of optimism, striving to see the best in a situation.”

Stream ‘Fool’ here.

Following the exquisitely sparse, intimate aura of 2015’s Darling Arithmetic, Conor O’Brien’s new record reconnects with the multi-faceted approach of Villagers’ 2010 album debut Becoming A Jackal and 2013’s {Awayland} while adding a new-found soulfulness, rhythmic nous and dazzling panoply of sonic detail, both analogue and digital, creating feverish moods while writing effortlessly accessible tunes. Balanced with subtle aspects and lyrical themes that embrace existential fears and hopes in this desperate, technologically-centred dystopian age, The Art Of Pretending To Swim is the most brilliantly realised Villagers album to date.

The album was written, produced, mixed and primarily performed by Conor O’Brien in his Dublin studio.

Watch the previously shared video for ‘A Trick Of The Light’ here, also directed by Bob Gallagher.

The Art Of Pretending To Swim is available to pre-order on Domino Mart-exclusive deluxe LP (includes 10” of a 12-minute version of ‘Ada’ and B-side ‘This Is The Art Of Pretending To Swim’ plus signed lyric booklet), Deluxe LP (includes ‘Ada’/’ This Is The Art Of Pretending To Swim’ 10”), Standard LP, CD and Digitally.     

Villagers live dates

Tues 25th September – Rough Trade East, London **SOLD OUT**

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Wed 17th Oct – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

Thurs 18th Oct – Art School, Glasgow

Fri 19th Oct – Gorilla, Manchester

Sun 21st Oct – Wardrobe, Leeds

Mon 22nd Oct – O2 Academy 2, Oxford

Tues 23rd Oct – Hackney Arts Centre, London **SOLD OUT**

Thurs 25th Oct – Arts Club, Liverpool

Sat 27th Oct – Metropolis Festival, RDS, Dublin

Tues 30th Oct – Trinity, Bristol

Wed 31st Oct – Old Market, Brighton

Thurs 1st Nov – La Madeleine, Brussels

Sat 3rd Nov – Zoom, Frankfurt

Mon 5th Nov – Vega, Copenhagen

Tues 6th Nov - Gruenspan, Hamburg

Thurs 8th Nov – Kesselhaus, Berlin

Fri 9th Nov – Hybrydy, Warsaw

Sat 10th Nov – Futurum, Prague

Mon 12th Nov – Doornroosje, Nijmegen

Tues 13th Nov – Melkweg (Old Hall), Amsterdam

Wed 14th Nov – Trabendo, Paris

Fri 16th Nov – Le Boucau, Biarritz

Sun 18th Nov – Kafe Antzokia, Bilbao

Mon 19th Nov – Chango, Madrid

Tues 20th Nov – Razzmatazz 2, Barcelona

Thurs 22nd Nov – Ridotto Teatro Regio, Parma

Fri 23rd Nov – Spazio 211, Turin

Sat 24th Nov – Port-Franc, Sion

Mon 26th Nov – Papiersaal, Zurich

Tues 27th Nov – Kulturkirche, Cologne

Wed 28th Nov – Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht

Tickets