MAZ O’CONNOR
Love It Is A Killing Thing
Four years have passed since the last album from Maz O’Connor, and some might assume things have been quiet in the meantime. In reality, quite the opposite is true. During that period she has written an award-winning musical based on an Irish legend - currently being considered for a transfer to London’s theatreland - and welcomed her first child, achievements that deserve at least equal congratulations.
Her fifth album marks both a departure and a return. Rather than focusing on her own songwriting, Maz has turned to traditional folk songs that echo the music of her childhood and her early introduction to the genre. In doing so she follows a path well sung by artists such as Joan Baez and Jean Ritchie, and by collectors like Cecil Sharp. Many of the songs gained renewed popularity during the folk revival, and O’Connor approaches them with sensitivity, pairing her haunting, expressive voice with sparse but deeply emotive arrangements.
Several of the selections, including “Let No Man Steal Your Thyme,” carry the familiar moral warnings of traditional balladry, cautioning young women against giving away their affections too lightly. Others feel more domestic and playful, perhaps reflecting the changes in her own life. Songs such as “The Counting Song” (known by several titles in different versions), “Come and I Will Sing You,” and “Jenny Put the Kettle On” evoke the warmth of music shared with children.
The nine tracks were recorded live in the studio with collaborators Zack Hobbs and Anna Rheingans, whose contributions are central to the album’s charm. The result is an intimate recording that breathes fresh life into well-loved material.
O’Connor herself has described traditional songs as being polished over time like pebbles smoothed by the tides, and this album illustrates that idea beautifully. It makes for gentle but rewarding listening—a thoughtful interlude before she returns to her own songwriting, something listeners will no doubt look forward to.
Love It Is A Killing Thing