My new album “Feel Some Love” is now available to stream on all major platforms. Here is a handy link to many of the places where you can find the record. Here’s what one reviewer said:
“There was always the likelihood that a follow up to “Vanishing Act” would be good, but this album often exceeds expectations. Maybe it’s that Ed spent so long honing everything to perfection; maybe it’s that the performances sound especially optimistic after a couple of tricky years of pandemic living and that a sense of freedom seems to lift everything. Whatever it is, “Feel Some Love” is even stronger than “Our Little Secret,” and cements O’Connell’s place as one of adult pop’s finest songsmiths. Despite playing very safely in terms of tone, between some superb hooks and friendly arrangements, this scores a place among 2022’s best discs.”
Hello Friends – My new album “Feel Some Love” will be released on October 14, 2022.
Producer Jared Bartlett was at the helm once again, and we assembled a small band of ace D.C. musicians to record 15 songs “live” at 38North Studio in Falls Church, Virginia earlier this year. Although the guys knew each other to varying degrees, the five of us hadn’t previously collaborated as a unit, but the results from these sessions were very special.
All of the electric guitars, and a lot of the acoustic guitars, are the work of the endlessly inventive Buddy Speir, whom I’ve been lucky to have play on all of my records. Scott McKnight (Jelly Roll Mortals, The Neighbors) plays bass, as he did on my first album. And Grammy-award winning songwriter, D.C. legend and overall mensch Jon Carroll (Starland Vocal Band and tour pianist with Peter Wolf, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rodney Crowell and many others) was also along for the sessions, playing piano, organ and other keyboards. Last but not least, Chuck Sullivan (co-founder of BandHouse Gigs, and member of too many D.C. bands to list) played drums, congas and percussion.
Chuck was instrumental in getting this record rolling when we found ourselves sidelined in 2020 from our gig as members of our friend Jonathan Mudd’s band. At Chuck’s prompting, we used the time helping each other complete our respective new records. (Look for Chuck’s album to follow soon in 2023.)
Ed, Buddy, Scott, Chuck, Jared and Jon
“Feel Some Love” includes 14 new songs (including a bonus holiday tune), plus a rollicking cover of “Sad and Lonely,” which first appeared on “Famous Potatoes,” the debut album from The Neighbors, D.C.’s beloved 1980’s pop-rock band. All four Neighbors (Peter Gilstrap, John Moremen, Scott McKnight and Steve Woehrle) reunited to sing on the tune.
Speaking of harmonies, Parthenon Huxley, Thomas Walsh (Pugwash), Robert Harrison (Cotton Mather, Future Clouds and Radar), Kennedy Wright (Danger Bird), Laura Tsaggaris, Todd Wright and Ryan Wright all sing on this record, too.
I was privileged to be one of the backing musicians for Newmyer Flyer’s June 2018 tribute show dedicated to the music of Little Feat.
I first became aware of Little Feat via the Byrds, who covered “Truck Stop Girl” on the “Untitled” live album. Around the same time, I read Ed Ward’s review of the “Strawberry Flats” single in Rolling Stone. The adolescent me later bought the first Little Feat album upon its release in November 1970 and played it incessantly. And 48 years later, Little Feat still marches on.
With his first charting title as a teenage writer at Metric Music dating back to 1962, Randy has penned too many classic songs to fit into just one evening, but we are going to be playing selections from throughout his five decades (and counting) as one of America’s most brilliant and insightful songwriters and social commentators.
It was a rare treat to play behind Tom Lofgren, David Kitchen, LEA, Billy Coulter, Bill Williams, Karl Straub, Alex Vans, Ty Braddock, Laura Tsaggaris, Luke Brindley and more at the Newmyer Flyer John Lennon Birthday tribute October 10 at The Hamilton Live in D.C.
Here’s “Strawberry Fields Forever,” featuring Tom Lofgren, David Kitchen, Bill Williams, Trevor Specht, Ronnie Newmyer, Chuck Sullivan and the Czarkowski Strings, and “Hey Bulldog.”
And here’s a version of “Cry Baby Cry” with Bill Williams, Karl Straub, Evan Pollack, Brian Goddard, Trevor Specht and the Czarkowski Strings.
On the day after what would have been John Lennon’s 75th birthday, I am joining with some of my favorite D.C. artists for a Newmyer Flyer production of A John Lennon Birthday Tribute, at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening, October 10. Artists appearing include David Kitchen, Karl Straub, LEA, Luke Brindley, Billy Coulter, Tom Lofgren, Bill Williams, Levi Stephens, Laura Tsaggaris, Ty Braddock, The Sweater Set, Alex Vans, Mike Smith and more. We’ll be performing Lennon songs from The Beatles, as well as from his solo catalogue. Tickets are available here (and they are going fast). A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
The Washington Area Music Association released the 2014 Washington Area Music Awards (aka the Wammies) nominations, and “Vanishing Act” received some Wammie love as a nominee for best pop rock recording. And a number of the musicians who played or sang on “Vanishing Act” were honored with their own nominations, so shouts out to Karl Straub (best country recording, songwriter of the year), David Kitchen (best pop rock vocalist, best pop rock group), Todd Wright (best pop rock vocalist, best pop rock instrumentalist, producer of the year), and Chris Watling (best roots rock instrumentalist).
And Happy 2015! The year-end brought a slew of “best of” lists, and “Vanishing Act” appeared on many of those that were focused on power pop. It was especially gratifying to be included on lists that included many of my own 2014 favorites.
Special thanks to Absolute Powerpop (and Stephen Ferra) for ranking “Vanishing Act” as #3 on its Top 75 of 2014, and to Power Popaholic (and Aaron Kupferberg) for listing it as #6 in the Power Popaholic Top 20 of 2014 (along with a very cool video countdown).
Thanks also to Pop That Goes Crunch (and Jeffrey Raskin), along with the estimable producer of “Here Comes the Reign Again” Andrew Curry, and Brazil’s Power Pop Station (and Paolo Milea), for including me in their respective year-end nods. I also got a chuckle out of John Borack’s year-end review roundup for Goldmine, where he suggests I am a “kindly grandfather” or “an accountant” (wrong on all counts, I’m afraid).
All of the aforementioned folks do so much to foster and promote the power pop community, and those of us who toil in this vineyard are very much in their debt.
And speaking of modern-day saints, thanks to the folks who run the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, an international song contest (its name notwithstanding), where it is an honor . . . just to be mentioned, but where many of my friends were recognized this year. Special shout-out to Kelly Donahue and Jonathan Babu, who dominated the children’s music category (and Jon plays drums on both of my records).
Finally, thanks to everyone who played and sang on, purchased or otherwise supported “Vanishing Act” — you made 2014 a great year for me. Forward into the past!
Many thanks to musical Renaissance man Bill Bentley for including “Vanishing Act” in the Bentley’s Bandstand end-of-the-year roundup of recent releases:
Edward O’Connell, Vanishing Act. Can the swinging scene of Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello circa 1978 live today without sounding dated? Without a doubt, if Edward O’Connell has anything to do with it. His first album released four years ago hinted that something was stirring in our nation’s capital, but didn’t quite hint what O’Connell has captured today. It’s a sneak attack of rock proportions, full of zest and smarts and just plain rock certitude. Without going overboard, the songwriter zaps the synapses of love and luck and everything else that makes life a pulsing puzzle, and does it with an energy that hasn’t been quite heard before. For out-of-left-field surprise, color Edward O’Connell pop purity for people now. Nick Lowe would likely approve.
Thanks to Alan Haber’s Pure Pop Radio for including Vanishing Act in its stellar lineup of Pure Pop Radio’s favorite records of 2014.
It’s a great list of records, including many of my favorites, too (Bill lloyd, Marti Jones, Robert Crenshaw, Jamie Hoover), as well as new bands to discover.
Pure Pop Radio writes:
Edward O’Connell | Vanishing Act Four years on from his 2010 debut, Our Little Secret, Edward O’Connell returns with, not surprisingly, another great record. In our July 10 station update, I wrote that “Vanishing Act is everything a great melodic pop album should be and then some.” Songs include the insanely catchy “My Dumb Luck” (with its George Harrison-esque slide guitar lines), the equally infectious “Severance Kiss,” and “Lonely Crowd,” with a decidedly Tom Petty vibe. With not a single note or clever lyric wasted, Vanishing Act is one of this year’s greatest musical achievements.
