James O'Connor Behind the Scenes ReviewPortlaoise-based singer/songwriter James O’Connor is a man who knows how to write and deliver a melody and his second full length album, ‘Behind the Scenes’, has plenty of examples. The issue, for the most part, is the accompanying lyrics.

Things start off promisingly with Tightrope and its rich chorus recalling a more pop-centric Villagers. This is followed by the insanely catchy Can’t Take Money with its Tom Waits – tuba stomp and a Waits-ish lesson in personal finance to boot. Disappointingly, after the strong opening tracks, the album heads south.

It becomes apparent that the ideas from the first couple of songs are recycled throughout the album, both in terms of themes and patterns. These generally involve a life-lesson of some variety, delivered with all the subtlety of Portlaoise Prison. Coupled with the fact that nearly every song is written in the second or third person and there is a clear distancing between the listener and the performer e.g. Can’t Take Money (“you can’t take your money to the grave”), Keep Your Mind, which sounds like a preachy Jason Mraz, and Warmth Of A Smile (“it doesn’t matter what you’ve done”). In other places the lyrics are almost childlike: “it’s the simple things that make the world go round, the stars in the sky and the grass on the ground”. There is also too much reliance on harmonies, which while perfectly executed, feature heavily on every track to the point where their impact is lost.

Frustratingly, we then get the pared down Touch and Go – a moving paean to the struggles when you’re at the bottom and still looking down – which showcases what O’Connor can do when he has more faith in his own talent.

Small Town Syndrome has plenty of potential but the use of cheesy country sound effects cheapens it and distances us from the message it strives to convey. More sound effects, this time bombs and machine gun fire, are peppered over the end of War after War. It’s about war apparently. Falling Up with its tale of domestic abuse, delivered in an upbeat 4/4 fashion, lacks delicacy, its protagonist raising her kids “with two black eyes”.

The album suffers from classic solo performer syndrome and while his backing band, “The Friendly Strangers”, are, no doubt, skilled musicians, that’s exactly what they sound like – a backing band. O’Connor’s official website blurb refers to his “soul-bearing lyrics” but this is exactly what’s missing – a peak ‘Behind The Scenes’.