Album Review: Sometimes (October 16, 2020)

The Context – Raised by professional musicians, the native Aussie Jamie O’Neal spent her adolescence traversing the continental United States to perform with her parents and sister at a variety of gigs. In the late 1990s, O’Neal notched a role as a songwriter and backup vocalist in Nashville before earning a recording contract with Mercury Nashville in 1998. Shortly thereafter, the Sydney-born product proved that she could compete with the vocal prowess of country music’s early 2000s female crooners in the likes of Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Sara Evans, and Jo Dee Messina.

Adhering to the patented “Nashville Sound” famed for blending elements of popular music into the country genre, O’Neal released her 2000 debut Shiver to much critical acclaim. Shiver propelled to number 2 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers list and later earned a Gold certification due in part to two number singles on the country charts in “There Is No Arizona” and “When I Think About Angels.” 2005’s LP Brave and its single “Somebody’s Hero” (number three on the country charts) was the closest O’Neal ever got to her initial success.

The Content – 2020’s Sometimes—O’Neal’s first record since 2014’s Eternal—launches with a radio-friendly ballad where the artist laments on lost love in “Wreck Me.” The singer-songwriter then delivers a fresh take on her first hit with “There is No Arizona 2.0.” With harmonies from guest vocalist Lauren Alaina and sharper production than its turn of the century predecessor, the second iteration of “There is No Arizona” is a pleasant paradox of nostalgia and freshness. “Closer to Closure” is the first instance of a track fitting the mold of 2020 American country music in its more modern technologically driven production, yet the seemingly unapparent alterations to O’Neal’s powerful vocals make it a noteworthy song.

The album’s namesake track, “Someone’s Sometimes,” is a highly emotive duet with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Paul White of The Civil Wars. For the second time, O’Neal turns back the clock on “Somebody’s Hero 2.0” where the message of the oft overlooked actions of mother’s is ever apparent in the quarantine climate. Plus, the track highlights the mature vocal versatility of 16-year old singer-songwriter Aliyah Good. “Spin the Bottle” and “Jealousy” are back-to-back tracks that hold a Carrie Underwood-like swagger in terms of lyrical focus and vocal inflection. The penultimate reissue of an O’Neal classic is “Trying to Find Atlantis 2.0,” where O’Neal and her contemporary Sara Evans sound shockingly similar. Of the four updates, “Trying to Find Atlantis” sounds closest to its original issue.

Another nod to the title, “Sometimes It’s Too Late” is perhaps the most intimate, melancholic track on Sometimes. “Prettiest Wreck” appears to be the fun-loving epilogue to the “Wreck Me” intro. Martina McBride’s appearance on “When I Think About Angels 2.0” reminds listeners of her reign as one of the chieftains of country music in the 2000s. To bookend the record, O’Neal brings an optimistic selection in “The World Goes On.”

The Skinny – As her fourth LP, Sometimes may be the best collection within Jamie O’Neal’s illustrious career. Sometimes is a recollection of country music’s penchant for showcasing strong-willed and powerful female vocalists with the contemporary production quality of the genre. O’Neal’s songwriting could have been a little more poignant as it is highly repetitive and indicative of prototypical country music lyrical composition, yet O’Neal’s voice, the flurry of features, and the production make Sometimes a desirable record overall.

The Rating – 6.5/10

Sometimes