It's a welcome return for the Wexford wonder Paula O'Reilly with a song that #TEAMw21 imagine may well split the songwriting community, in that it details the dilemma of having material that is
"Too close to the bone"
It is possibly a songwriters curse to be woken up with a late night melody that won't go away in the same way that it can also be a relief to be able let feelings out rather than keep them bottled up however if the results never get to see the light of day it seems a little sad. Many of the greatest songs are deeply personal, they just manage to hit a universal feeling that all of us can empathise with. For the moment Paula's are locked away so let's focus on what has been released.
Musically Paula is initially mainly singing to a relatively simple musical palette of acoustic guitar, organ and piano yet the overall sound is far richer than that description may suggest. The opening lines detail the need for a creative release into lyric format.
"All of these words spin around my mind - pouring out every line"
Paula's outright openness and honesty definitely creates a bond between singer and listener
"I leave my lyrics on the page
I'll hide it away, hide it away hide it away
My leather bound notebook's
Bursting with words I'll never sing
My head rings with songs I'll never sing."
After the first chorus there is the arrival of a gentle percussion and some electric guitar embellishments but it is Paula who holds the listeners interest and we can but imagine her alone in her room pouring over these creations that few if any will ever hear, though as she will remark
"Believe me writing it out is my only therapy"
The backing may increase in volume as the song develops yet each time does it is more than matched by Paula's impassioned delivery which transforms a humble song into a stirring anthem, topped off by the arrival of a fiddle player.
This is quite possibly Paula's best work yet and given the thought process behind it that probably comes as no surprise - it bodes well for her album to follow in January.