Nation of Two
| Vance Joy
Nation of Two
Nation of Two is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy. The album was announced on 3 November 2017, with Vance Joy explaining: "Nation of Two describes a perfectly self-contained couple; their world beginning and ending at the bed they share, the car they ride in, or any other place where they're together... the idea that their love for each other gives them their bearings; a point of reference that makes sense of life."-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
Show All-
Amplify
Get out there and have a listen. You won’t regret it.
-
Plugged In
A lot of popular music today is made up of crude, objectifying lyrics and explicit double entendres. Nation of Two, in contrast, feels … softer.
-
Thank Folk for That
While Vance has made no great leap in style from his Riptide days, the record is a strong second album, the tracks are amiable and the album will likely serve as a good summer soundtrack for many folky fans.
-
Daily Bruin
Vance Joy’s “Nation of Two” sounds like One Direction decided to give indie folk music a go.
-
The Guardian
Vance Joy supplies the answer on an album of songs about relationships written, seemingly, from the perspective of someone who has learned about them from watching the romcoms Matthew McConaughey was starring in during his dark ages.
-
KLSU
Unless you have an infatuation with Keogh’s warm voice and its delicate quiver (in which case “Nation of Two” provides handfuls of excitement), this album is no more than decent.
-
The Daily Nebraskan
The album is a step up from the last but is littered with dull lyrics and the occasional cliché.
-
Entertainment Focus
Overall, whilst Nation Of Two is not the most groundbreaking album in the world, fans of Vance Joy will love it.
-
The Musical Hype
Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy returns with an enjoyable, thoughtful, and well-rounded sophomore album.
-
The Stingray Blog
And whenever I think of the early months of 2018 in the future, I’ll think about Nation of Two. I’ve made it a part of my life. You should make it a part of yours, too.
-
Her Campus
The album will make you happy.
-
Music Insight
Because the beauty of Vance Joy is his ability to capture the most complex feelings and deliver them in the simplest, most seemingly effortless ways – and that’s a language understood globally.
-
Niner Times
While he still might deliver effective alt-rock anthems for the radio, I hope to see him go even further with how his soft-spoken lyricism could lead to something totally unexpected.
-
News Today
Sure, with “Nation of Two,” Joy may have lost the power of surprise, but he has replaced it with stronger songs that will stick with fans as long as “Riptide.”
-
Renowned for Sound
Given the album’s inherent lack of balance and its failure to truly engage the listener or deliver anything truly outstanding, it’s hard to imagine Nation of Two repeating Dream Your Life Away’s success.
-
Clash Music
Although occasionally over-sentimental and by its very nature derivative, it is impossible to deny that Joy can write a touching tune such as on 'Crashing into You'.
-
CU Independent
Overall, the album Nation of Two was impressive
-
Exclaim!
Unfortunately, the album itself is lacking such meaning; it's all style and little substance.
-
Music Connection
The record is musically sparse while lyrically more complex.
-
Honey Punch
“Nation of Two” is a stunning album that keeps us hopeful to find a love like the one throughout this record.
-
ALTWiRE
Every chorus on this album has a unique element which is one of the reasons why this album is a masterpiece.
-
Atwood Magazine
If Nation of Two confirms anything, it is that Vance Joy is a true artist who should not, and will not, be missed.
-
The Ratings Game
In my opinion, all these elements make “Nation of Two” a must-listen.
-
AAA Backstage
This kind of music is music to lift your spirits. Most of the songs involve happy, light-hearted messages which creates a really JOYful mood… get it?
-
We Plug Good Music
For me though, Nation Of Two is the perfect album to listen to on a long drive with old friends or while relaxing on a warm summer day – an album, easy to listen to and very romantic.
-
Titan Radio
Vance stuck to what he does best: Writing acoustic ballads of love, loss, and happiness, riddled with solo acoustic and ukulele tracks as well as songs backed by his band that add a great addition.
-
Now UC
If you haven’t listened to the album, make sure you make time do so, because it is defiantly an album to remember.
-
WRBB Radio
Nation of Two is like a five-dollar heart-shaped box of chocolates: a nice gift but after the initial excitement wears off
-
BC Heights
At its best, the album contains musical diversity that is captivating and unique. But at its worst, it is downright boring, repetitive, and colorless.
-
The Princeton LP
Ok, the airplane analogy is getting old, but Vance Joy? I think he’s just getting started.
-
AP News
Joy’s songs are nicely not overly produced, allowing a little charming vocal strain every once in a while.
-
The Prep Post
If you enjoyed Vance Joy’s first album, then I’m confident you’ll like his second–perhaps even more than the first.
-
When The Horn Blows
In a world where sophomore albums are commonly rushed out the door, it’s good to see Joy has taken his time with this. The result is a fresh and satisfying thematic album that will undoubtedly play well during this summer’s festival season.
-
The Sunday Times
Sounding like a one-man Mumford & Sons, Australia’s Vance Joy certainly does a polished line in earnest acoustic folk-rock.
-
Chattr
The upbeat, acoustic honesty sung with Vance’s vulnerable voice brings folk-pop to the front. It’s my prediction that these songs will get a whole lot of airplay throughout the year.
-
Immortal Reviews
While Nation Of Two has a lot of pop sensibility to it, it has a lot of rawness to it, as well.
-
Red Brick
Despite each song being incredibly easy to listen to and each track being technically good individually, as a whole, the album seems repetitive at times.
-
Daily Campus
His new stuff isn’t that different from his old stuff with different words, but the same message and definitely the same sound. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in an artist, but four years is quite a time with little musical growth.
-
Daily Collegian
While the sum of its parts isn’t Joy’s best work, he clearly has a ton of talent and it will be interesting to see what the 30-year-old singer-songwriter does next.
-
The Sentry
Despite this possible disappointment to old fans, it is still an enjoyable album that is fun to listen to.
-
KTSW
I suggest that Nation of Two is an over-processed regurgitation of uninspired, corny, antiquated sayings.
-
The Reflector
Listening to this album relaxed me, which makes it something I want to listen to all the time.
-
ISU Student Media
Overall, this is a very impressive production by Vance Joy. It flows very nicely with his freshman album “Dream Your Life Away” which was a huge success. Vance Joy is important to folk music and is setting the standard for other artists to follow.
-
Reading Eagle
Overall, Vance Joy's work in this album shows growth and an interesting exploration of his indie style.
-
Go London
Joy is a traditional songwriter working with old-fashioned ingredients: an acoustic guitar, hummable melodies and a high, keening voice.
-
The AU Review
Overall, the set is well constructed and Vance Joy’s amiable and delightful nature takes you through a lyrical look at love, lust and the messiness of relationships.
-
Muzik Speaks
The first half of the album is strong and I certainly think this album will bring new success to Vance Joy, but the second half is lacking in a couple of places.
-
The Lumberjack
If you are attempting to rekindle the flame and soak up some tears, then give “Nation of Two” a listen.
-
The Southington Observer
With the new album, Vance stretches himself with his musical arrangements. There is a fuller, more complex sound than his debut.
-
The Odyssey
His new album Nation of Two is incredible and such a great album to listen to when you're studying, driving, or just chilling with friends.
-
Thomas Bleach
While some of this album may be a little forgettable in parts this album does provide some big singalong moments and emotional vibes.
-
Grated Melon
Ultimately, the better tracks on this album are ambitious and bold, but they are all very similar.
-
20 Watts Magazine
What Nation of Two lacks in innovation it makes up for in consistency. While it did not fully quench the thirst for new music left behind by Dream Your Life Away, it provides us with some pleasant background music as we wait for more captivating releases.
-
The Red & Black
The album is thoughtful and not overbearing, with the total play time coming in at just under an hour. Overall, “Nation of Two” is the result of Joy doing what he does well and keeping his style consistent.
-
The Upcoming
It’s hard to shake the feeling that Joy is playing it far too safe with this album, hardly bringing any experimentation to the forefront and veering into moments of blandness.
-
Beat
The album is so very intimate and contained, that it's easy to feel like a fly on the wall in this pair of lovers’ bedroom.
Rate This Album and Leave Your Comments