Ages and Ages are a plucky bunch from Portland, Oregon. Their second album Divisionary has been out for all of 5 months now and I must say, it’s rather good. It’s release completely passed me by, as did their debut album Alright You Restless, but they gathered some attention in their native country with Barack Obama using one of their tracks for his campaign.
Their own brand of happy-clappy folk pop means that when you search for them on the interweb, it’s not long before you hear them described as “secular”. Such titles would normally be considered redundant except that their selection of life-affirming ditties complete with choral arrangements and – yes, clappy bits – means that they have a decidedly campfire hymnal quality about them. On closer listening, the band pick up on themes of self-belief and responsibility and a rejection of established norms.
Tim Perry, the brains behind the outfit, has openly stated that the band want to tackle the apathy and old fashioned ideas prevalent in their part of the world, citing climate change deniers as one example.
What we end up with are a selection of songs that are uplifting, positive but lyrically challenging and somewhat at odds with the music. Hymns for the godless, if you will.
Amen to that.
Amen to that.