Despite my long-time fondness for Bloodshot Records (we’ll avoid mention of their recent ignominious end) and Americana out of Chicago, somehow Nora O’Connor has heretofore gotten past me. After hearing My Heart it’s clear that this speaks only to the embarrassing gaps in my musical knowledge and says nothing at all about O’Connor’s talent or musical friends and partners, who include Alejandro Escovedo, Kelly Hogan, and Neko Case, as well as her own band, the Flat Five. In fact, a quick internet search turned up a cover of the Handsome Family’s “Drunk By Noon,” and an absolutely smoking version of John Prine’s “Angel Of Montgomery” with both Escovedo and Hogan. Clearly, I’ve got some catching up to do.
As of this writing, O’Connor has been touring as a singer and multi-instrumentalist for Neko Case, and right off the bat you can hear why her strong, clear voice would blend well with Case’s. In fact, it’s easy to imagine the two singing lead-off track “Sore,” which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Neko Case album. Press materials make comparisons to Linda Ronstadt, and there certainly is some of that ’70s AM radio vibe to several tracks, such as “Cambridge Cold” and “It’s Alright Now,” which are smooth and gentle. However, I tend to come down on the side of tension and melancholy (hey, I’m working on it!), and the lovely, downbeat “Grace” is among my favorite songs here.
Which is not to say there isn’t plenty of lyrical tension, and the instrumentation is always lush while still affording plenty of space for O’Connor to express joy, sorrow, and some things in between. And speaking of musical friends, her Flat Five bandmate Jon Rauhouse, who has played with everyone from Jon Langford to KT Tunstall, also lends his wonderful pedal steel to the album. The record ends on a high if sad note with “Fare Thee Well,” a melancholy parting paired with a soaring chorus. Of course, it’s another favorite.
While it’s true I might prefer a little more grit here and there, I was listening to this album in the car when my girlfriend said, “I like a lot of music that is similar to this, and I can tell right away that there is something different about this woman.” That’s high praise, I can tell you, and My Heart is honest and authentic in every way. If you are a fan of any of the above-mentioned artists—or, say, Freakwater, and the vocals of Janet Beveridge Bean—I’m sure you’ll find much to enjoy in this record.
