[10.03] The last couple of years have seen the Bay Area produce a staggering number of great pop musicians: Rogue Wave, Audio Out Send, Citizens Here and Abroad, and Truxton (formerly known as Hansi), just to name a few. You can now add John O'Brien to that list, because this is some of the best pop music I've heard all year, be it in the Bay Area or beyond.
John O'Brien writes some of the catchiest songs you've never heard. Although singer-songwriter oriented, more often than not it comes accompanied with a full band. His music, not unlike locals Rogue Wave, has a quality that sounds both current and stuck in the early to mid-'90s as well. Upon first listen, this record sounded immediately familiar and comfortable to me, but at the same time I can't really name a single band or other performer that he sounds like. Obvious influences would probably be Matthew Sweet, Big Star, The Beach Boys—but there is a country-ish tinge to John as well, reminiscent to The Court and Spark or Jackson Browne (sans the heavy amount of piano).

My only worry about this record is that it might get lost in the shuffle, given the high density of popular and prolific musicians in this area, and the fact that the record is self-released and has no one really pushing it. But one thing is for certain, if you like pop music and you hear this record, you'll be doing voluntary PR work amongst your friends for John O'Brien, wanting them all to hear this great new record you just found. —Jake