2013 – Sleeping Trout
Music
By Phillip Smith; Mar 14, 2015
Michael ONeill
has a special talent, when it comes to songwriting. One listen to I Like it Like That, is good proof he can just
as easily write for the mainstream country fan, as well as for the indie roots
music enthusiast. One thing is for sure,
the songs in I Like it Like That are steeped
heavily in Americana.
The first two tracks, “Raise
a Glass”, and “When You Come Around”, remind me a lot of the self-reflective
songs of Roy Orbison during his
career revival in the Eighties. They’re both quite nice. ONeill croons with heartfelt emotion on “Feel Her Heart Break”, a
somber song about a bad relationship. The steel guitar on this track is a very
nice touch.
ONeill
captures the spirit of John Prine in
“Running Out of Time”. This ode seems to
say, life is way too short to spend all of our time here on Earth trying to
figure out who we are. “On Time” strikes
a chord, paying homage to the Grateful
Dead. Complete with Jerry Garcia influenced guitar and
vocals, this ditty is carefree and enlightening.
“ Real Deal” is a perfect pop
country song. Catchy energized hooks and rockin’ bluesy riffs make this a
boot-scooting favorite. The alternate version
of this song featuring a side of fiddle performed by Tim Crouch, is even better.
For more info on Michael
ONeill, visit his website http://michaeloneillmusic.com/
