Tag Archives: gonna

Jennifer O’Connor’s Lyrics Cut Straight to the Heart of a Desperate Situation

by DarrellBarreiro Posted on March 7, 2016

Mother Jones

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Jennifer O’Connor
Surface Noise
Kiam

Courtesy of Kiam Records

Thanks to her dry, deadpan delivery, Jennifer O’Connor could fool a careless listener into thinking she’s cool and detached. Au contraire. On her fine sixth album, and first outing in five years, this unassuming yet gifted singer-songwriter quietly injects her catchy folk-pop with shots of undiluted raw emotion, telling gripping stories of hearts in turmoil without slipping into cheesy melodrama. As evidenced by the use of her music in an iPhone ad and such TV shows as Orange Is the New Black, O’Connor can craft smooth melodies you’ll want to hum all day, but her real gift is the casually tossed-off lyric that cuts straight to the heart of a desperate situation. “Where do you go, when the road ahead just ends?/’Cause you made the same wrong turn over and over again,” she murmurs in “The Road,” while “It’s Gonna Get Worse” finds her calmly asking, “Tell me why you stand there, staring at your feet,” adding tersely, “Take out the trash.” Elsewhere, the hushed closing track “Black Sky Blanket” would do Lou Reed proud. Title to the contrary, Surface Noise is insightful, subtle, and intriguing.

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Jennifer O’Connor’s Lyrics Cut Straight to the Heart of a Desperate Situation

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After 45 Years, "The Velvet Underground" Stands the Test of Time

by HoseaCXByw Posted on December 3, 2014

Mother Jones

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The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground—45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition
Polydor/Universal Music Enterprises

Following the radical and overpowering White Light/White Heat, the Velvet Underground’s third, self-titled, album initially seemed like a lesser effort, but it has more than stood the test of time. With cofounder and main creative foil (or foe) John Cale out of the band, leader Lou Reed assumed complete control, crafting a set of relatively understated songs that range from rockin’ (“What Goes On”) to surprisingly gentle (“After Hours”).

At six discs, 65 tracks, and five hours of music, this behemoth collection offers plenty to savor (although casual fans might prefer the two-disc distillation). If three different mixes of the original album suggests overkill, the mono version does reveal different textures to the music, while a fourth disc of sessions for an abandoned fourth album contains a slew of genuine gems, including the raucous “I’m Gonna Move Right In,” a touching “She’s My Best Friend,” and an early look at the Reed standard “Rock & Roll.”

The final two discs, featuring live performances from November 1969, are simply terrific, highlighted by the exuberant “We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together,” a 30-minute-plus take on “Sister Ray” and the anthemic “Sweet Jane.” Nearly a half-century later, the raw heart and tender soul of the Velvet Underground are wondrous indeed.

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After 45 Years, "The Velvet Underground" Stands the Test of Time

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