Stereo Embers The Podcast 0337: Damian O'Neill (The Undertones, That Petrol Emotion)

“An Crann”

Damian O’Neill is best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the legendary band The Undertones. One of Northern Ireland’s most successful bands, the Derry outfit got their start in 1974 and featured
Damian’s brother John on rhythm guitar. The band pretty much tore things up, releasing nearly 15 singles and four classic albums and which still sound as vital today as they ever have. The Undertones
are one of the greatest bands of all time and their exhilarating blend of pop and punk remains as dynamic and rousing as ever. The original lineup called it a day in 1983, though a revamped version of the band would reform years later and put out two excellent albums which are strong additions to the band’s legacy. The O’Neill brothers went on to form That Petrol Emotion, who ruled college radio in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, putting out fifteen singles and six fabulous albums, including Manic Pop Thrill and Babble. O’Neill stays busy, putting out a solo album of experimental electronica, playing in a band called The Everlasting Yeah and keeping the Undertones going on a full-time basis. O’Neill’s new album AN CRAN is a largely instrumental affair that was recorded at his home and features acoustic guitars, mandolin, bass, organ, vibraphone, toy marimba and glockenspiel, melodica, mouth organ, squeezebox, kalimba, bells and various percussion and human voices. Influenced by French, Japanese, American and British music, the album demonstrates that O’Neill is one of the great composers. His compositions are thoughtful arrangements that evince poetry, narrative dexterity and musical finesse. They’re melodic and harmonic soundscapes that evoke verdant vistas, Tokyo nightclubs and Parisian waterways. This is one of the most compelling albums of 2023, put together by one of the true masters.

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