Lush, shimmering, subtly layered and emotionally resonant, For So Long As I Can Remember is a clear contender for top ten 'pure pop' lists. The work of Geoffrey O'Connor, who has long pleased fans in bands such as Crayon Fields and solo work, as well as production success for other artists, he again proves that his songcraft is of the highest order. Whether he can contend in the 'solo' category, I leave to the jury, as he doubled the perspective and emotional charge of his songs by inviting an Australian female artist to join him on each of the album's eleven tracks. The concept is intriguing; the results are superb.
Venturing into affairs of the heart, and particularly the troubled kind, O'Connor could have come across as a sad, solitary figure, albeit a very stylish one. But with his late night croon supplemented with his guest artists, we have the equivalent of a 3-D musical short story for each song. We previously featured "What A Scene" (featuring Sui Zhen) (link), but that is only the beginning for our ears. We are particularly taken by the title song, the shimmering disco of "Foolish Enough" (featuring Laura Jean), the lush pop of "Renee" (featuring Sienna Thornton) and the darkly shaded "Tunnel of Love" (featuring Jess Ribeiro). This is a richly rewarding listen, and may even make you feel better about the lovelorn tears you have shed in your life.
For So Long As I Can Remember is out now via Chapter Music.
No comments:
Post a Comment