March 2005, Don Grant (Freight Train Boogie)

From the biography posted on his website, it appears that Michael O’Neill has wrestled with more than his fair share of demons, but, as the old aphorism goes, if it ain’t killed you, then it’s made you stronger. O’Neill has that weathered and time-worn look that harsh experience imparts, and the same is true of his music. The opening cut, “Tell Her”, has an aura of wistful regret over lives in divergence, while the next, “Run To Make It”, celebrates the grit and determination that gets one through the hard times. There’s some good and understated, (in that it doesn’t overwhelm the songs), lead guitar by Gary Ballard throughout the disc, and I think that therein lies the strength of from the beginning: there’s not a lot of flash and glitz here, those days “weren’t that pretty at all”, and are now safely in the past for this Cascadian. What you’ve got here is a collection of solid tunes from a survivor who has made his peace with his demons. They provided the inspiration for much of his music, but they no longer have the power to drive him. Lucky guy, lucky us: we get to listen to the denouement.