Nikki O’Neill
Stories I Only Tell My Friends
Blackbird Records
Chicago based singer/songwriter Nikki O’Neill has led a life as colorful as the skyline mural on the cover of her new album. Born in Los Angeles, she grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, before returning to the US to pursue her music. O’Neill cites classic soul performers like Pops Staples, Teenie Hodges, and Prince as major influences. Her songwriting has an Americana feeling with a sound reminiscent of Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile.
Stories I Only Tell My Friends is a collection of 11 original songs. The overall feel of the album is sunny and positive. Even “Newcomer Blues,” which tells of O’Neill’s struggles growing up as an outsider is upbeat. She sings about living in Sweden, Cold War-era Poland, and the US with the recurring theme, “My fate was in my hands.”
“Drive” opens the album with a cheerful road song. “Rainbow in the Cloud” is an easy rocking tune that uses a weather metaphor to show the power of love. She sings “A little grey won’t matter now, you’re the red, orange yellow and green, drive the blues from my heart.”
The soul influence comes through strongly on the rave up “I Just Knew.” The organ flourishes and twin guitar solos are first rate. “I Wish the Sun Would Shine on Me” has such a happy, singalong vibe that you almost don’t notice the lyrics are about having the “icky day.”
Bring a grumpy old man, all this positivity makes me uncomfortable sometimes. Then again, it’s good to have someone telling you things can be all right.
