Album Review: Divisionary by Ages and Ages

Ages and Ages’ debut LP, Alright You Restless, was an ambitious, conceptual piece of sing-along, clap-along, stomp-along pop rock that vaulted the band into elite company. That first record pontificated upon the throes of isolation as a form of revolution, elated choral melodies anchoring shimmery guitars and tight rhythmic interludes throughout. The Portland conglomerate’s second album, Divisionary, is a lot of that, too; there are plenty of goosebump-raising hooks and uplifting crescendos to write home about.

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AgesandAges took their time working on this follow-up to their joyous 2011 debut Alright You Restless, and despite the loss of close friends and family members, the band -- led by Tim Perry -- found that the best way to combat the darkness was through their celebratory, affirming music. What underlies the handclaps and radiant melodies on their sophomore album Divisionary are songs that noticeably delve deeper into philosophical and darker themes than the wide-eyed optimism that engulfed their debut, and marks the evolution the band have undergone. Still, ever the optimist, Perry's lyrics often end up dealing with letting go of painful memories by taking a step back and trying to move on as they sing together "…and the weight that we left behind/we're all better off without it" on "The Weight Below.

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‘Divisionary’, explain Portland’s seven-piece choral-pop collective Ages And Ages, is a portmanteau of ‘division’ and ‘visionary’, and though it might be a stretch to justify the latter, there’s much here that could prove divisive. The record is largely united by an atmosphere of glass-half-full exuberance, but Ages And Ages execute their ethos with varying degrees of success. ‘I See More’ is a pleasing romp à la Of Montreal back when they were bearable, while acoustic highlight ‘These Ravines’ has a whiff of The Delgados’ brilliant ‘American Trilogy’ to it.

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