Marykate O'Neil
Encyclopedia
Marykate O'Neil is an American indiepop singer-songwriter, currently based in New York City. She is known for her quirky, literate pop sensibilities. She recently released her fourth solo effort, Underground (Nettwerk/71 Recordings), on February 3, 2009, following 2002's self-titled album (which made it onto CMJ's 'Best of 2002' list), 2006’s 1-800-Bankrupt, and 2008’s mkULTRA EP. Her work has previously been hailed by critics as "witty, angsty goodness" [ and "pure magic".
, O'Neil ended up singing and playing guitar in the indie-pop outfit piewackit. Though the band had a deal with I.R.S. Records
and was pulling off shows with Ida
, Mary Lou Lord
, Juliana Hatfield
, Lois
, and Elliott Smith
, things fell apart, and O'Neil moved to New York City.
In 2002, she recorded her self-titled debut album, financing the project with pre-approved credit cards. The record caught on among fans of literate pop, and reached the top 10 of the CMJ charts, which monitors airplay of music on college and independent radio stations. Three songs from Marykate O'Neil were covered by Japanese film and television star Tomoyo Harada
. The Nettwerk
music group picked up 1-800-Bankrupt and re-released the album, broadening O'Neil's exposure. In 2006 O'Neil's song "Mundane Dream" was featured in the Sundance award-winning film Stephanie Daley
starring Tilda Swinton
, Amber Tamblyn
, and Timothy Hutton
.
Along the way, O'Neil has befriended like-minded musicians and writers forming a community of players who reappear on all of her records and are her own 'The_Wrecking_Crew_(music)|wrecking crew]]' of sorts. Members include Matthew Caws
(Nada Surf
), Lianne Smith, Ken Maiuri (Pedro the Lion
, The Soft Drugs
), Brad Jones
(Josh Rouse
, David Mead
), Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo
, Sleater Kinney) and Jill Sobule
. Jill Sobule
has also co-written a number of songs as well as produced O'Neil's records. O'Neil and Sobule met in the 90's when O'Neil was a member of piewackit playing at a festival in LA with Jill Sobule, Frente!
, and The Murmurs. O'Neil is also known for her DIY ethic and typically records song tracks in her home, as well as doing her own album artwork.
Biography
O'Neil's music is melodic timeless pop, while her semi-satirical personal narratives land right in modern times. While attending Boston UniversityBoston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, O'Neil ended up singing and playing guitar in the indie-pop outfit piewackit. Though the band had a deal with I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
and was pulling off shows with Ida
Ida (band)
Ida is an indie rock band from New York City. They are known for their three part harmonies, sparse, minimal, often quiet arrangements, and for their three singer-songwriters...
, Mary Lou Lord
Mary Lou Lord
Mary Lou Lord is an indie folk musician, busker and recording artist.-Biography:Mary Lou Lord first gained notice playing acoustic guitar and singing in and around Boston's subway stations Lord became friends with...
, Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield , is an American guitarist/singer-songwriter and author from the Boston area, formerly of the indie rock bands Blake Babies and Some Girls. She currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
, Lois
Lois
Lois was a popular female baby name particularly in North America and other areas in the English speaking world during the first half of the 20th century, named after the pious grandmother of Saint Timothy mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:5. The original name in Greek is Λωΐς , meaning "desirable",...
, and Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
, things fell apart, and O'Neil moved to New York City.
In 2002, she recorded her self-titled debut album, financing the project with pre-approved credit cards. The record caught on among fans of literate pop, and reached the top 10 of the CMJ charts, which monitors airplay of music on college and independent radio stations. Three songs from Marykate O'Neil were covered by Japanese film and television star Tomoyo Harada
Tomoyo Harada
Tomoyo Harada is a Japanese actress, singer, and lyricist, and was a popular idol in the 80's. She was cast in numerous films and TV-series since her beginning in 1982 in the leading role of the original TV-series Sailorfuku to kikanju...
. The Nettwerk
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
music group picked up 1-800-Bankrupt and re-released the album, broadening O'Neil's exposure. In 2006 O'Neil's song "Mundane Dream" was featured in the Sundance award-winning film Stephanie Daley
Stephanie Daley
Stephanie Daley — retitled What She Knew for US television — is an award-winning 2006 film starring Amber Tamblyn, Melissa Leo, Tilda Swinton and Timothy Hutton. The film, which received a limited release in North America on April 20, 2007, focuses on the issue of teenage pregnancy...
starring Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Mathilda "Tilda" Swinton is a British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. She has appeared in a number of films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, The Beach, We Need to Talk About Kevin and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her...
, Amber Tamblyn
Amber Tamblyn
Amber Rose Tamblyn is an American actress and poet. She first came to national attention in her role on the soap opera General Hospital as Emily Quartermaine, followed by a starring role on the prime-time series Joan of Arcadia portraying the title character...
, and Timothy Hutton
Timothy Hutton
Timothy Tarquin Hutton is an American actor. He is the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which he won at the age of 20 for his performance as Conrad Jarrett in Ordinary People . He currently stars as Nathan "Nate" Ford on the TNT series Leverage.-Early life:Timothy...
.
Along the way, O'Neil has befriended like-minded musicians and writers forming a community of players who reappear on all of her records and are her own 'The_Wrecking_Crew_(music)|wrecking crew]]' of sorts. Members include Matthew Caws
Matthew Caws
Matthew Caws is the lead singer of the band Nada Surf. His parents are Peter Caws and Mary Ann Caws.- Biography :...
(Nada Surf
Nada Surf
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, the New York band consists of Matthew Caws , Ira Elliot and Daniel Lorca .-Early years:...
), Lianne Smith, Ken Maiuri (Pedro the Lion
Pedro the Lion
Pedro the Lion was an indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. Singer-songwriter David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. T. W. Walsh is considered to be the sole official band member besides Bazan. In...
, The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs is an American indie rock band fronted by ex-Pedro the Lion member T.W. Walsh, featuring percussionist Jason Cammarata, bass player Ken Maiuri, guitar player Mike Murray and guitar and keyboard player John Beck of Emergency Music....
), Brad Jones
Brad Jones
Bradley Jones also known as Brad is a retired Australian racing driver. Jones now acts as team co-principal with his brother Kim in the V8 Supercar racing team, Brad Jones Racing.-Motorsport career:...
(Josh Rouse
Josh Rouse
Josh Rouse is an American folk/roots pop singer-songwriter.-Biography:Born in the small town of Paxton, Nebraska, he moved to various places in the Midwest during his childhood due to his father's military career...
, David Mead
David Mead
David Worth Mead is a Nashville-based pop singer-songwriter, best known for his soaring vocals and such albums as Indiana and Almost and Always...
), Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
, Sleater Kinney) and Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
. Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
has also co-written a number of songs as well as produced O'Neil's records. O'Neil and Sobule met in the 90's when O'Neil was a member of piewackit playing at a festival in LA with Jill Sobule, Frente!
Frente!
Frente! are an Australian alternative rock group, formed in 1991. The original lineup featured singer Angie Hart, founder and guitarist Simon Austin, bassist Tim O'Connor , and drummer Mark Picton...
, and The Murmurs. O'Neil is also known for her DIY ethic and typically records song tracks in her home, as well as doing her own album artwork.
piewackit
- sockmonkee (1997, Rock-It Records), produced by Michael Deming (LilysLilysLilys are an American indie rock band formed in Washington, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly...
, Apples in Stereo, The Pernice BrothersThe Pernice BrothersPernice Brothers are an indie rock band. Formed by Joe Pernice in 1996 after the breakup of his old band, the Scud Mountain Boys, and including Joe's brother Bob Pernice , the band recorded their first album, Overcome by Happiness, for Sub Pop in 1998...
) - "boyfriend" 7" single (1997, Aargh Records)
- "prime time" 7" single (1997, Aargh Records)
- featured on Somewhere Between Heaven and Xanax compilation on Pop Narcotic
Solo
- Marykate O'Neil (2002, 71 Recordings), produced by Michael Deming & Jill SobuleJill SobuleJill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
- 1-800-Bankrupt (2006, 71 Recordings), produced by Roger Moutenot & Jill SobuleJill SobuleJill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
- mkULTRA (EP) (2008, Nettwerk/71 Recordings), produced by Marykate O'Neil, Roger Moutenot & Jill SobuleJill SobuleJill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
- Underground (2009, Nettwerk/71 Recordings), produced by Marykate O'Neil, Jacob Lawson, Roger Moutenot, & Jill SobuleJill SobuleJill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
Compilations
- International Pop Overthrow - Vol. 4, "Mundane Dream" (2001, Not Lame Records)
- Right to Chews: Bubblegum Classics Revisited, "Get Down" (2002, Not Lame Records)
- International Pop Overthrow - Vol. 5, "Still Waiting" (2002, Not Lame Records)
- What a Concept!: Tribute to Teenage Fanclub, "Traffic Jam" (2004, Not Lame Records)
Music videos
- "Nashville" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH2C3RUaYO0, off Underground, directed by Michael K. Anderson
- "I Sleep With My Clothes On" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUpvbRk7hCQ, off 1-800-Bankrupt, directed by Marianne Petit
- "Past All The Stars" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULcyFSZ_Pko, off 1-800-Bankrupt, directed by Marianne Petit. This video was featured in a 2006 IFCIndependent Film ChannelThe Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
short film series. http://www.medialab.ifc.com/film_detail.jsp?film_id=2124 - "The Sky Is Falling" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1gkM2DxayU, off 1-800-Bankrupt, directed by Marianne Petit
- "Secret War" http://www.skifeets.com/secretwarweb.mov, off 1-800-Bankrupt, directed by Craig Eastland
- "Secret War" live from the Living Room in NYC, April 12, 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmh9dcLmjUc
- "Green Street" live from World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, October 9, 2008, by Frantone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNpV3aEI6_o
Selected press
- Artist spotlight & interview from NewBeats, 2002 http://www.newbeats.com/oneilinterview.html
- Review of Marykate O'Neil from Splendid E-Zine, Jul. 23, 2002 http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=3235394463330183
- Review of 1-800-Bankrupt from Filter Magazine, May 2, 2006 http://www.filter-mag.com/artists/interior.174.html
- "My Favorite Things" feature article on PopMattersPopMattersPopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, Jun. 7, 2006 http://www.popmatters.com/features/mft/oneil-marykate-060607.shtml - Feature in Worcester Telegram, Jul. 7, 2007 http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070607/COLUMN14/706070365/-1/eworcester
- Single review of 'Green Street' (off Underground) in the Boston Globe, Oct. 7, 2008 http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2008/10/07/green_street_by_mary_kate_oneil/
- Interview feature in the Cambridge Chronicle, Oct. 10, 2008 http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/fun/x811428801/Marykate-ONeil-sings-at-Lizard-Lounge
- "Under the Radar" feature on MetromixMetromixMetromix is a network of local entertainment websites backed by a joint venture between media companies Gannett and Tribune Co. A guide to local restaurants, bars and clubs, events, concerts and movies, Metromix is currently available in over 60 markets. In late 2009, the company launched 27 new...
, Dec. 19, 2008 http://atlanta.metromix.com/music/article/under-the-radar-35/881064/content - Underground included in Most Anticipated Albums of '09 from Blurt, Jan. 02, 2009 http://www.blurt-online.com/features/view/252/
- Review of Underground from Allmusic []
- Review of Underground from Sentimentalist MagazineSentimentalist MagazineSentimentalist Magazine is an American magazine of indie rock music and culture, published quarterly.Launched in New York City in 2001 as The Sentimentalist, it changed its title to The Sentimentalist Magazine with Issue 14, and then dropped the definite article from Issue 16. As of January 2008,...
, Feb. 3, 2009 http://www.sentimentalistmag.com/2009/02/03/marykate-o%E2%80%99neil-underground/ - Feature in the Hudson Sun, Feb. 4, 2009 http://www.wickedlocal.com/hudson/homepage/x1596621747/Marykate-ONeil-releases-third-album