Review by Patrick Joseph
"Hey Darlin'" is an energetic and inspirational piece of music. O'Shea's vocal performance is comfortable and engaging, drawing listeners into the music and delivering its message with conviction and class. The rhythm section creates massive energy over which the music can float. A well-written song is done true justice by a truly excellent band recording and a showstopping vocal performance.
Lyrically, "Hey Darlin'" is a love song with depth and integrity. The mature and relatable lyrics make the message extremely powerful.
"You're my one true love from heaven above, my bright north star, still raisin' the bar."
The conviction in O'shea's vocal delivery is palpable.
"Hey honey you get so much right, still the voice of reason when we fight…may we always be each other's light."
Wise and honest, these are lyrics that will strike a chord and demand attention.
The arrangement of "Hey Darlin'" is tailor-made to strike at the heartstrings while presenting fun and uplifting vibe. The overall vibe of the music is reminiscent of classic indie-art rock, maintaining a very cool edge while still offering crisp execution of well-conceived musical ideas. Excellent writing, instrumental playing, and vocal performance create a true gem of a song in "Hey Darlin',"...a wonderful and lovely song.
About Helen O'Shea
Helen O'Shea is an Irish-born Princeton NJ based singer, songwriter, recording artist, and show producer. She has partnered with two-time Grammy-winning producer Marc Swersky for all of her recordings to date: "Mama Told You…"; "Turning Tides…";" A Little Christmas Kindness,"; and her latest release, "Know You're Enough." Helen's original songs tell life, love, loss, and legacy stories. In 2021, she received a "Communicator Award" for her song "Someone Is Waiting," and both she and her daughter Lauren O'Shea were nominated for an HMMA Award (Hollywood Music In Media) in the Americana section for their original duet "Stay Here Now." She has produced the annual music fundraiser "Music For Moore" five years in a row, raising an average of $7,000 per year to support local children with special needs to attend summer camp, as well as producing music events for Princeton Public Library, Arts Council at Princeton and McCarter Theater. Helen is currently working on a stage show for local theaters in March 2023 and a monthly songwriter series to be launched in Fall 2022. Currently, she is completing her fifth recording project with Marc Swersky – which is still untitled. Helen leads two bands in New Jersey – "Shenanigans: Songs of Ireland, Old & New" – keeping the traditional songs her mother taught her back in Ireland alive - and "The Shanakees" - named for the Gaelic word for "storyteller" ("seanachai") - performing her original songs in the style of "AmeriCeltiCana" - Americana with a Celtic twist!
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