Mike O'Brien

1) Mike O'Brien, Cockfight (Independent) An incredibly well written, played and arranged folky roots debut. It might seem like a bit of a critic stunt to put this above some of the other better-known releases, but Cockfight is pretty damn close to a perfect album. As the boys say: "Big-tiiime." (myspace.com/mikeobrientunes) - The Hour

April 19th, 2007
Seven Night Stand

Join the MO'B
Brendan Murphy
bmurphy@hour.ca

Sometimes, as in the case of Mike O'Brien's solo album, I receive the music very near deadline and have to listen and review it within a short couple of hours. For some this would mean giving it one of those noncommittal reviews that says nothing and neither offends nor praises anyone too much. I, on the other hand, have immense faith in my gut, perhaps because it is located much more closely to my balls than my brain, and gave the album a 4.5 out of 5. Subsequent post-deadline listens buoyed my faith in my deeming it a classic, but it was at the Divan Orange album release, backed by Ideal Lovers (whom you can see at Casa this Friday), that I was able to pat my discriminating taste on the back.

The songs sound as good live, if not better, as they did on the self-titled CD - the boy sure can write a hook - and the band is essentially a cast of musical superstars in their own right, each capable of releasing an equally happening solo album. Check out his MySpace page for a taste, then get your hands on the full-length. For the record, I don't champion new local acts because I like to help, or because I think that in this overwhelmingly globalized new world of music there is an urgent need to focus on community and neighbourhood projects to keep us all sustained and sane: I do it for the glory and, naturally, part of all the future royalties that they may accrue. I'm still waiting on my Land Of Talk money. - Montreal Hour

April 12 2007

Mike O'Brien (Independent)


MIKE O'BRIEN
Brendan Murphy

4.5/5

For those who haven't yet heard of Mike O'Brien, who's been skulking in the background of countless folk-country-rock shows, this will rectify that situation in short order. The opener, Spain in '72, has a little touch of Broken Social Scene and hints at the wide net that this cat is casting, but he soon gets down, on Braid Song, to the folk rock songs that make the best of his ample geetar skills and alternately warm and growling voice. A voice that is at times shoulder-to-shoulder with Lenny Cohen's. There's the whimsical cover of O Misère, a summer jam called Summertime and Lemonade, and plenty of times when his lyrics ("I think I'd spend my day with you/ Maybe not the whole day but at least the afternoon" - No Blues) fight to steal the show. Check the score up there: This is great, not good.

- Montreal Hour