Brendan O'Shea News

Be Here Still

Brendan O'Shea, from Killarney South West of Ireland, has written and recorded a beautiful bombshell of a record. It's understated in comparison to the power-pop rockers that command the airwaves but confidently delivers radio friendly, real deal songs that wrap around the listener, enticing them to contentedly hum along, shuffle their feet and smile.

After leaving Ireland in the late 90's, O'Shea has by now become a veteran of New York's East Village songwriter scene. He's shared stages with The Cowboy Junkies, 10,000 Maniacs, Elliott Smith, Interpol, as well as with many Irish indie superstars on both sides of the Atlantic.

With or without a guitar in hand, O'Shea excels at drawing people in, using a palate of warm colorful moods and phrases. Whether on his newest release, "Be Here Still", his follow-up to the well received 2003 debut, "In the Light", or on stage in a club on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, he is the consummate host and creates no less than a menu of chorus laden delights.

With it's supremely uncluttered production, courtesy of Ed Tinley, Karl Odlum, and Ike Reilly, "Be Here Still", recorded in Chicago, NYC, and Dublin is up there with David Gray's "A Century Ends", with its grounded stories of ordinary peoples' lives. It evokes images of candelit conversations with friends and lovers past and present. It's melodic, warm, and imbued with quietly rousing arms in the air of immediacy, thanks to a tight, yet dynamic rhythm section, and strings by Julia Kent and Rob Moose of Antony and the Johnsons.

The opening track "Tired Eyes" is a sauntering tale that plants Irish immigrants in the hustle of NY yet firmly represents, not the lost, but the young, savvy, cosmopolitan Irish and their integration and advancing in the New World. Throughout this record, there appear touches of this new american home, with faint nods to southern roots songs, which seamlessly attach to hints of O'Shea's past musical affilliations. You'll see the shadows of Irish rockstars of late, Irish traditional melodies and the poetic flair of the countryside, as on the track, "Still", but it's not soaked with sentimentality and none of it ever wielded so much, as to hide the man himself.

"Be Here Still" is like the jumper you always reach for first when the autumn comes around. It's all very late Saturday and into Sunday morning, when you've had your fill of all the fuss in the city; any city. It's inviting, familiar, yet quietly invigorating, like a slow motion dance of such power that it fixes you where you stand....

Picture an Irishman, in New York, standing with arms open wide....telling you the kettle is on and he's got something he wants you to hear.

In The Light Reviews

We love "In The Light"! Reviewer: cloud nine and cloud seven Internet Music Radio, "Gone Fishing for Blue Skies", loves the world of Brendan O'Shea.

Reviewer: Kamilla Brendan is doing a wonderful job in the business, he's pretty unique to my taste , the melodies are very simple and the lyrics are rather familiar to all of us , however something about his music makes it i sensational

Reviewer: Isabelle Really nice music! Sweet, melancholic... i love it!

Reviewer: richard the best debut album i`ve heard since david grays white ladder!stunning

Reviewer: JB If you like beautiful music you're gonna love this cd. Pure and straight to the heart music. My advise, listen to it, surrender and see what happens.

Heart wrenching songs Reviewer: Chantel Songs that will pull on your heartstrings and paint pictures in your mind.Can't wait for the new album to come out.

extraordinary is the right title! Reviewer: Barbara Wonderful album, great talent! Brendan is not only a nice guy, he's also a great musician! I hope, there will be an other one! Thanks!

After the live show,everything that i expected and more Reviewer: Leonard o Regan Great cd,fantastic lyrics and music,very well crafted and presented

extraordinary Reviewer: Philip O Neill This album is brillant with a mix of instruments to give a sound that is pleasing to the ear, especially "all fired up" which has both amazing lyrics and some good fast acoustic guitaring. i await to the day of his next album!

Reviewer: Anne Marie These are songs that stay with you and take on different levels of meaning each time. Definitely a "must have" CD for fans of deep, quality music.

GREAT NEW IRISH MUSIC . GREAT BASS PLAYER SKIP WARD Reviewer: CLARE MCINTYRE FRESH LYRICS, GREAT BEAT, AN IMAGINATIVE STORY TELLER.

FABULOUS RECORDING QUALITY!! Reviewer: PEGASUS A brilliantly recorded album. Really makes you feel as though you're in the room with the musicians. Well produced yet not over-produced like so many other albums I've heard lately. The songs are pretty ok too!

A breath of fresh air, beautiful songs Reviewer: Martin Mc Cormack This album is simply beautiful. Stories come to life and the melodies stay with you all day. Can't wait for the follow up.

great stuff Reviewer: gdev What a great album. Hollowmoon and dismantled really stand out for me. A great performer. Saw him down in the Sirius arts centre, cobh a few times. A fantastic buy!

We saw him live-fantastic -CD is all we expected - excellent! Reviewer: Diana I had not heard of Brenden O'shea until we saw him perform at the Canoe Club in Hanover, NH. He was an excellent performer. If you get a chance to see him live - take it! The CD lived up to our expectations. Good production quality -same great songs.

Worth every penny! Reviewer: Doug I first saw/heard Brendan in February 2002 and had waited for the release of this CD for quite a while. To say the least, this CD was well worth the two year wait... This record is at times schizophrenic - Brendan explores the dichotomy between the highs and lows of real life, and that songwriting draws any listener in.

Great release! Talented songwriter. Reviewer: Anne This album is really special and soulful. Brendan is obviously a great songwriter who sings from the heart. The lyrics to these songs stick with you. A great buy!

Brendan Rocks! Reviewer: Jason This CD is really great! I bought it after catching him at a club after another band and was hooked on the spot. He's really talented, and has a great stage presence. Maybe if we buy enough of his album, he'll put out another one.

What a Find! Reviewer: Anthony I can't recommend this cd enough.... I have been listening to it constantly since the day I got it. Every song has its own unique character. Do not hesitate to buy this cd... you will not be disappointed.