SINGLE REVIEW: Reese O’Neil – Heretic

’…Whether solo or working with fellow musicians, it is clear that O’Neil is a creative force that deserves to be acknowledged…’

One quarter of Merseyside’s finest female four-piece, Thalia’s Grace, recently Reese O’Neil has had quite the busy autumn. Not only did we receive the brilliant ‘Keep Me Warm’ from her band, O’Neil has gifted us a look into her solo talents with her debut single, ‘Heretic’.

What is perhaps most immediately striking about this track is O’Neil’s unique approach to structuring her song; the lead instrumental melody arrives in the form of a bubbling bass guitar performance, whilst the percussion, acoustic guitars, and brass allusions are layered atop as an ethereal musical cloud. It’s as if she has taken the minimalism of bedroom pop, and lanced it with a substantial bass presence to anchor the whole affair; the melodrama of ‘Heretic‘ becomes tangible and weighty, as opposed to drifting away with the slightest of breezes.

All of this serves as a wonderful backdrop to O’Neil’s vocal performance, which sees her employing gentle pop melodies with a folkish delivery, ensuring that her performance is both compelling and accessible, yet not without intimacy and heart. The narrative of a one-sided love is delivered with a wonderful degree of vulnerability, and is certain to resonate with many, although through O’Neil’s religious imagery and overall lyrical choices, it perhaps may prove particularly compelling to queer listeners; it is not difficult to read the track as the experience of queer love when one in the relationship is unable to come out, perhaps through internalised denial, or perhaps through external circumstances.

For a debut single, ‘Heretic’ is a remarkably creative and vulnerable experience to behold, with O’Neil forgoing amateurish tropes and constructing something that feels as though it might have been written by a musician many years into their career. Whether solo or working with fellow musicians, it is clear that O’Neil is a creative force that deserves to be acknowledged.

For Fans Of: Manchester Orchestra, Agnes Manners, Phoebe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast, The Oh Hellos

Features photo credit belongs to @georgkaroo.

Follow the artist on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify