Maura O'Connell Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Maura O'Connell continues her winning streak on Don't I Know, inviting some of the industry's best songwriters and studio musicians to highlight her spectacular voice. Although she began her life and musical career in Ireland, O'Connell has one of the most uniquely American voices in Nashville today, and her choice of material has long been the only thing rivaling her voice as far as quality goes. This album is no exception, as O'Connell honors songs by Patty Griffin, Tim O'Brien, Jim Lauderdale, Kim Richey, and newcomer Mindy Smith, who provides a strong contribution in "Going Down in Flames." Working again with producer Jerry Douglas, O'Connell has similarly surrounded herself with some of the best musicians in the contemporary folk family, including Viktor Krauss, Edgar Meyer, Russ Barenberg, and of course Douglas on Dobro and lap steel. Highlights include "There's No Good Day for Dying" and the Patty Griffin song "Up and Flying," both of which are soul-baring explorations into love, life, and moving on in one way or another. The album culminates in the stark and haunting "Time to Learn" which, although darkly minimal, offers glimmers of sunlight and hope in the cracks of the stone walls her songs construct. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A number of fascinating opposites characterize Maura O'Connell's approach to music. Born and raised in Ireland, she currently lives in Nashville. She's recorded Celtic and country albums, but also worked with newgrass pioneers Jerry Douglas and Bela Fleck. Her rich, powerful voice, however, travels with her wherever she goes. Walls & Windows is her first recording in several years and her debut on the Sugar Hill label. This time she's backed by a full band with players like Darrell Scott and Dave Francis providing soulful, layered sound. This approach works well for O'Connell's potent vocals, providing lots of cushion on upbeat pieces like "Every River" and "Walls." Her song choice, as with previous projects, serves her well. She has chosen several pieces by Patty Griffin, including a passionate version of "I Wonder" with a backing vocal by the writer. There are two tracks, "To the Homeland" and "A Far Cry," by relative newcomer Malcolm Holcombe, and a lovely version of Van Morrison's "Crazy Love." "Blessing"'s emotional tug reminds one of Tony Price in a late-night bluesy mode, while a mellow version of John Prine's "Sleepy Eyed Boy" offers the perfect note to close the album on. It's refreshing that a singer purposely chooses to interpret and expose goods songs as opposed to writing new ones. Producer Ray Kennedy finds the right balance between singer and material, delivering a recording infused with rhythm and depth. Walls & Windows will be warmly welcomed by O'Connell's fans and anyone who enjoys soulful music. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wandering Home is an apt title for Maura O'Connell's first all-Irish album since leaving the Old Sod. The players are a who's who of modern Celtic music -- among them guitarist Arty McGlynn, fiddler Ciaran Tourish (of Altan), and bouzouki player Donal Lunny -- and the tunes are mostly traditional, if not always rendered in a strictly traditional style. For instance, there are shades of Roy Orbison in the more operatic moments of "I Hear You Calling Me," and her bluesy adaptation of an old folk tune such as "Irish Blues" has more than a hint of Billie Holiday to it. Needless to say, these are not the strongest tracks on the album. The transcendent moments come on the more hardcore trad numbers -- her heartbreaking rendition of "Teddy O'Neil," her revelatory take on the old chestnut "Down by the Sally Gardens" -- and on the startlingly out-of-place "Down Where the Drunkards Roll," which is one of the grimmest songs Richard Thompson ever wrote, but which O'Connell manages to imbue with a warmth and humanity miles removed from the jaded resignation of Linda Thompson's original version. Jerry Douglas is a brilliant producer and knows just how to showcase O'Connell's stunning voice. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Stories is Maura O'Connell's tribute to great singer-songwriters, and as such it features songs by a number of the usual suspects, including John Gorka ("Blue Chalk") and Shawn Colvin ("Shotgun Down the Avalanche"), as well as a gently lovely rendition of Lennon and McCartney's "If I Fell." The jazzy, stripped-down guitar and bass accompaniment on "The Town Can't Get Over You" provides a nice counterpoint to the lushness that characterizes most of the album, but the high point is probably Mary-Chapin Carpenter's gorgeous (if slightly trite) "Wall Around Your Heart." Any songwriter would be grateful to have a singer like O'Connell interpret his or her music -- she combines an Ella Fitzgerald-ish respect for the composer's work with an equally impressive ability to make that work her own, and her voice is a thing of exquisite, honeyed beauty. This disc is highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This album, produced by Bela Fleck with string arrangements by Edgar Meyer, is one of O'Connell's cleanest and most uncluttered releases. Her voice sounds beautifully free; while some of her recordings sound forced, this one is relaxed and natural. This album demonstrates why she is often compared with Mary Black. The album's band is an all-star affair with Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Mark O'Conner and Nanci Griffith contributing, among others. Maura O'Connell can be given credit here for picking up Paul McCartney's "I Will" seven years before Alison Krauss. ~ Richard Meyer, All Music Guide
'Blue Is the Colour of Hope'
Release Date 10/27/1992
Tracks 10
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This charmingly eclectic album may be O'Connell's best. Working with producer Jerry Douglas, O'Connell finds sympathetic accompaniment on all these songs, whether its the piano and arco bass on the gently painful "So Soft Your Goodbye," the small-combo swing on "Love to Learn," or the full-band acoustic pop on "Still Hurts Sometimes." Though O'Connell records songs by Nashville stalwarts like Pat McLaughlin and Tom Kimmel, her ear for a wider range of material makes Blue Is the Color of Hope such a joy. "Bad News at the Best of Times," by rockers Paul Carrack and John Wesley Harding, is a real find, and O'Connell's cover of Mary-Chapin Carpenter's "It Don't Bring You" is simply gorgeous. ~ Brian Mansfield, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Irish interpretive singer O'Connell has suffered from the inability of her record company to figure out whether she's a folkie, a country singer, or a pop artist. Meanwhile, she keeps singing her heart out, cherrypicking the work of such writers as Paul Brady, Nanci Griffith, Linda Thompson, and others. If you already own the albums those writers have made, maybe she's redundant. However, great songs still benefit greatly from being performed by great singers, and if you're looking for a sympathetic sampler of the best of today's songwriters, here it is. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
