80. London O’Connor - “Steal”
London O’Connor reminds me of a DIY, Bedroom Pop, modern-day version of Prince. Now I know that’s a big statement, and one most people will disagree with, but just try and hear me out first.
He may not have the same level of skill and talent as Prince, but that’s exactly what makes him a modern day version. Artists no longer have to go through the proper channels and be approved by the powers that be before gaining a platform from which to release their soul to the public. They can let their creativity shine prematurely, before its completely polished and perfected, and the existence of such a possibility has created a whole new dynamic of sound that I gladly welcome. It lets artists explore the depths of their creativity, be themselves, and release work anytime and anywhere they want, without caring or worrying about what anyone else might think.
London O’Connor is one of those artists. He has a very distinct flavor of artistry to him, a genuine creativity that radiates throughout his work, creating a simultaneously beautiful and noxious allure. This track is of an especially infectious variety. It has a raw exuberance to it. One that it unabashedly itself. I love the off-kilter singing. The way O’Connor just goes for it, conveying emotion in a way that is wholly relatable to the unpolished voices of any listeners who might be singing along. It’s authentic, speaking from the soul without getting bogged down by convention or expectation. The chorus may not be “Purple Rain” quality, but I would argue that it captures the same emotion – maybe even more, because this time it’s not unreachable rock demigod emotion, but rather genuinely human emotion.
DISCLAIMER: Soundcloud would not let me post their version of this track and I couldn’t find it elsewhere, so I posted the version I have in my iTunes library. My only intention is to give the track praise and promote its greatness/expose others to its brilliance. If someone has a problem with this, please let me know and I will gladly remove it.
