No frills and bare bones, Vance Joy's second full-length album Nation of Two is dreamy and delicate, drawing on the influence of a fulfilling relationship that adds substance and meaning to life. Unfortunately, the album itself is lacking such meaning; it's all style and little substance.
Nation of Two rarely strays from the upbeat, harmonious vocals that made Vance Joy successful in 2014 on Dream Your Life Away; each track illustrates unique instrumental arrangements and soft vocals he is well known for. "Saturday Sun" and "One of These Days" are euphoric and rich in melody; if you can make it past the dull, stale lyrics they album offers, fans of Joy or even indie folk will find something to like. "Alone With Me" and "Like Gold" are reminiscent of your typical campfire songs. They're catchy and fun, but lack originality.
The album ends with "Where We Start," but the lack of progression on the track gives Nation of Two a weak send-off, leaving very little impression behind. Throughout, Joy touches the bare minimum of indie folk, never really transcending the genre. Nation of Two is based solely on acoustic sounds that hardly push Joy further as an artist.
(Atlantic)Nation of Two rarely strays from the upbeat, harmonious vocals that made Vance Joy successful in 2014 on Dream Your Life Away; each track illustrates unique instrumental arrangements and soft vocals he is well known for. "Saturday Sun" and "One of These Days" are euphoric and rich in melody; if you can make it past the dull, stale lyrics they album offers, fans of Joy or even indie folk will find something to like. "Alone With Me" and "Like Gold" are reminiscent of your typical campfire songs. They're catchy and fun, but lack originality.
The album ends with "Where We Start," but the lack of progression on the track gives Nation of Two a weak send-off, leaving very little impression behind. Throughout, Joy touches the bare minimum of indie folk, never really transcending the genre. Nation of Two is based solely on acoustic sounds that hardly push Joy further as an artist.