The concept is simple; when we fall in love with a record and cover it on herohill we reach out to the artist and ask for a song-by-song breakdown of their latest release, hoping to give the reader a window into the creative process. Whether it’s about the lyrics, the timing, the or finding the sound, we like to think these post offer up some inside intel and make the best records sound even better.

For Halifax’s Mike O’Neill, Wild Lines was a lifetime in the making. It’s a mature slice of pop, one he and his friends recorded slowly to let the flavors develop. O’Neill starts with the same building blocks as many before him, but his talent and ear for melody help push the results to new places. This, my friends, is a pop record.

I can’t recommend Wild Lines enough, but to sweeten the deal, I’m happy to offer up two tickets to the CD release show @ The Carleton on Feb 29th and a copy of record courtesy of Zunior. To enter, just leave your details in the comments section or email us [herohill AT gmail DOT COM]. The contest closes Monday afternoon, so for now enjoy an exclusive track from the record and a look behind the mustache, er, curtain.

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MP3:: Mike O’Neill – One Pair of Shoes
WEB:: http://mikeoneillmusic.com/

This Is Who I Am
If I ever wrote an instrumental for a car commercial this is it. Kinetic music under introspective lyrics.

Henry
Originally, I wrote this piece for a T.V. show. The song was spectacularly rejected by the director. So I wrote lyrics specifically about the rejection and I named the song after the director. Mike Clattenburg’s drums make the song. They informed everything that followed.

Colin
This is a love letter to Colin Mackenzie. He’s the most generous person I know. He is a patron to musicians and artists and a successful film maker in his own right. The lyrics were co-written with film director Andrea Dorfman.

Tidy Up
Half a blues song. The words “I want to get a word to your young” stuck so hard to the opening melody that I could only expand on it. Having no practical experience with children, I tried to think of things that I could say that might have helped me when I was young.

Calgary
Most of this song addresses various stereotypes about Western Canada. I also mention the oil sands. I hate the oil sands project.

Overtime
This was a theme for a wonderful radio show that never happened. Clattenburg inspired the piece. As he drove me home I asked him “What would it sound like?”, and he said “It’d be on banjo.” I finished it in 15 minutes. Laura Peek plays incredible piano runs in the middle.

Wasted Time
Once again, I find myself referencing “Born to Run” at the end of this tune. Charles Austin shines on guitar here. He actually had to fight me to get his idea down: “You’ll like it.” Eventually I did. It’s probably my favourite performance on the record.

Don’t Forget To Breathe
This song turned out to be about Charles Lindbergh and his solo flight across the Atlantic. I originally planned a softer Everly Brothers approach, but that idea was scrapped in favour of Clattenburg’s heavier arrangement.

Old Forest
This is a song about walking through Point Pleasant Park after Hurricane Juan destroyed eighty percent of the trees.

Say You Don’t Mean It
I love oldies radio. Here I try to break into the market. Music to keep you company as you fold your clothes. Mike Evin sits in on piano.

She’s Good
This is about everything changing in the house that you grew up in but realizing that it’s going to be okay.

One Pair of Shoes
My sister Mary summed up our practical upbringing this way: “Remember. We only had one pair of shoes.” So I followed that idea into a story about comfortable isolation. This is probably my favourite track on the record.