Paul O'Brien

quotes and reviews

Review - Kieler Nachrichten, September 8th - Almut Behl

Too bad actually for the students, to miss out on this charismatic man, this power machine with bearish arms and beautiful stories. Because one day he saw the sunrise in his rear view mirror and turned his car around to go to the beach and not to school, and eventually decided to listen to his heart (music) instead of his head (school). good for the Kiel audience, to be able to get to know and to love O'Brien on his premiere with the Uli Kringler Trio at the well-stocked venue KulturForum.

Because: there's just nothing like the sensual live-experience in a highly concentrated atmosphere. Nothing like this warm, harmonic flow spreading on stage with the opener 'Sacred Line' along with a great, grooving calm; nothing like a creamy, slightly rough voice resonating between nasal and throaty, that just might be imputed to Elton John. (Does that make sense?)

But thank God O'Brien appears much more like a down-to-earth innkeeper, who personally serenades his guest while serving Guiness. There is so much humanity in his anecdotes and family stories about being an immigrant to British Columbia, about being a father and a friend, that when 'joy' rhymes with 'Beautiful Boy', the lump in the (female) reviewer's throat finally dissolves and falls from the eyes.

So beautiful are the dedicative anthems to his three children or beloved friends. So funny the anecdotes about amorous students who buy condoms from the pharmacist only to see him again at the dinner table as the beloved's father; the thoughts about the old lady next door, the kitchen of her house hanging above the cliff, the odes to the First Nation People of Vancouver Island, to the immigrant academics from Africa, Irak or China, who in Canada sell vegetables or clean floors for lack of acceptance of their diplomas. And as closely as this humorous melancholic, optimistic realist and, most notably, grateful romantic O'Brien interweaves joy with humility, as closely does his acoustic guitar interlock with Uli Kringler's world musical strings, featuring several different guitars and also several percussion instruments. In his fulminant trio with Lars Hansen on his majestic bass and Heinz Lichius, who can at the same time gently stir the brush and emphatically play the cymbals, the ensemble creates a fascinating blend that makes genres blur.

Lots of laughter, lots of space for quiet lingering, not a spark of kitsch owing to extensive moderation that also helped understanding the lyrics, lots of fun thanks to rhythm, many pop-elements, waltz, rumba, an acoustic ride across the Moroccan desert on Uli Kringler's Solo guitar, lots of uptempo and vehemence as opposed to the initial wistfulness, and a step dance on the Irish Bodhran-Drum complete a well and truly wonderful concert with jubilant applause. Thank you so much and do come again!

Quote - Vin Garbutt, Singer Songwriter,UK

"Paul O'Brien is a fine singer songwriter and musical craftsman. He loves his music and sings his songs with sensitivity and total committment."

Quote - Mike Silver, Singer Songwriter,UK

"Paul O’Brien’s new CD “Plastic” is brilliant; the writing, the playing and the arrangements are all clear and concise. The whole production lends itself perfectly to the warmth of his voice. From the first note you just know that you’re listening to real class. This is his best album yet, by a country mile."

Quote - Jez Lowe, Singer Songwriter,UK

"Paul has found a new home in Canada, along with a fresh new voice full of spark and meaning, and some great new songs, all backed up by decades of experience on the UK folk scene. This new mix is a very entertaining treat."

Review for 'Plastic' - Sheryl McKay, CBC Radio

I have been rather impatiently waiting for Paul O'Brien's new cd ....called 'Plastic'. I had a sneak preview of two songs in a live performance on my radio show a few months ago when Paul and his daughter Millie made an early morning appearance on the show. They performed in the lobby of the Royal BC Museum to an enthusiastic radio audience and I can still vividly remember the feeling of being there in the morning light and listening to the song 'Sunrise'. When they finished we all just sat there a moment before breaking into a healthy applause, we were just so moved by the words and by the emotion conveyed in the performance.

The other song they treated us to was another beauty 'For My Mary' and again the moment of listening had that feeling of being something special and rare. Paul manages to bring that immediacy and strong sense of emotion to the studio and to the performances on this new CD, he has a perfect voice for his subjects, strong warm and able to create a sense of intimacy with his listener he tells some very personal stories here, but they are stories we can all relate to, the relations with growing children, marriages, confusion over identity. He calls us to action with songs that ring like anthems and makes us cry with reminders of social injustice.

'Plastic' takes us on an emotional journey, with the sorrow of injustice in 'For My Mary' ( which made me sit at my desk and weep) through the bitter sweet of 'Walk Back Home' and onto the joy of the love song 'More Than I Am' and the playfulness of 'Skimming Stones' I like the range here and the emotional honesty in Paul's performance which is present on stage or on CD.

The musicianship is also terrific and the production from Joby Baker feels flawless.

Review for 'Sacred Lines' - Mick Glossop Producer (Van Morrisson, Saw Doctors, Men They Couldn't Hang)

This is a good album to listen to, well crafted songs and performances it is evident that you put a lot into creating an album of such high standard.

Immigrant Song - Robert Moyes, Boulevard Magazine

"Not surprisingly for a songwriter, O'Brien is articulate and a good storyteller- but as our interview progresses he goes deeper, proving to be one of the most measured, candid and thoughtful people I've ever talked with......So let's call this songwriter a working class poet then, one with a knack for straightforward language held aloft by a sweet gift of melody."

Review by Venue Owner - Trevor Bennet O’Beans Victoria BC

Over the past twenty three years I have been presenting many noteworthy musicians local, Canadian and from overseas.

A friend recommended Paul O’Brien to me. He suggested Paul was the most inspiring and innovative musician to come out of Victoria in a long time. Praise indeed, since that alumni includes David Foster and Alexis Puentes (Alex Cuba).

Not knowing what to expect, Paul arranged his own concert (with a few of his music students) in our venue. Part of me was expecting the usual, what is referred to in Ireland as “diddley-dee”, that is, a copy of traditional Irish music. Was I in for the surprise of my life!

Paul O’Brien is a singer-songwriter of enormous talent. Not since Gordon Lightfoot have I heard such thoughtful lyrics. His music arrangements are world-class, in fact that’s it, he deserves to be heard on a world stage!

I know we’ve all said at sometime in our lives….”I am witnessing a star in the making”. Well, nowhere in my life have I believed this to be more true than when first (and the many times since) I heard Paul sing his own compositions. They are truly deserving of a wider audience. Actually I think Paul wrote a new Canadian national anthem when he composed “Sunrise”!

        Good luck Paul. Vancouver Island misses you already!

Review 'Sacred Lines' - Chris Jaeger Premier Folk Music agency UK

Beautifully produced and beautifully performed....

Review for Sacred Lines - Mike Scott, Ashby Folk Festival UK

I'm awed by the beautiful production, then intrigued by the tight and careful lyrics. Now it's the melodies that get stuck in my head, the chord progressions and that oh so tidy guitar style of his and always that fantastic voice.

All of this would not be possible without the songs themselves. Paul has never written better than this. He is a listener. He picks up on real histories and issues, turning them into succinct musical stories, and there are so many examples of that here. 'Madrona' and the title track 'Sacred Line' and 'Romero', hurl themselves at you and make you want to sit down with Paul and talk about the people, their lives and what we can learn from them.....

Review for 'Sacred Lines' - Nicky Rossiter Rambles Net

The opening track is the title of the Cd, and it has a wonderful capacity to entrance
"Romero' is a fantastic track that should get some more airplay. It reminds me of the best of the folk music we grew up with. His singing in Spanish is wonderful and adds a new dimension to the song. It tells a story, has a moral and has a beautiful melody, what more does a song need?

'Path of History' continues the great tradition of story in song that makes music so important. The tale of the immigrant is extremely evocative and must strike cords with anyone who has moved to a new home in a new land. I particularly enjoyed 'Without a Trace'. Once more, he draws the listener into the tale, and you will be intrigued as to where the story leads.

The album closes with 'Oregan Sky' and the one thing you feel is that 11 tracks are too few. This is a CD you want to go on and on, but you will hear more of Paul O'Brien.

The National Forest Folk Club - February 13th 2009 - Mike Scott Festival and Club Organiser

This is Paul's first UK tour. We have waited too long to be able to introduce him to our audience, and to bring his beautiful music to our venue because we know how talented and professional he is. After this concert there is no doubt his return will be keenly anticipated , and we insist ours is the first gig he books in. His songs are a joy - thoughtful, carefully written with stories and sentiments which draw in his audience. He has one of the finest voices and singing styles on the folk scene, and his guitar and mandocello playing is just another skill which adds to the whole performance. Oh, and his brilliant work on the bodhran - don‚t forget that. We know all of that from listening to his outstanding recordings, but his personality on stage takes the whole thing to a different level.
Paul's songs were tastefully arranged, interspersed with fizzing sets of tunes which got the audience clapping and cheering from the get-go. Our audience were instantly won over. He didn't have to try very hard to market his CDs, the queues told the story of how enjoyable the performance had been. The night just flew by, over before we were ready for it to end. People who had never heard Paul before had been rewarded with one of the best concerts we have ever had. That speaks volumes, because we always book the highest quality artists on the scene. Paul O'Brien will deserve the profile he will achieve during this tour, and there is no doubt he will gain an even higher standing when he returns. Let it be soon.