Mary Margaret O'Hara
Miss America

Mary Margaret O'Hara: it may be presumptuous of me, but I'm almost certain that this name is entirely unknown in these parts, and after all, "Miss America" from 1988 is the only real LP recorded by this Canadian singer-songwriter. Compositional depth, a stunning voice, and great interpretative charisma; Mary Margaret had absolutely nothing to envy in many of her colleagues who established themselves in the '90s as stars of a new female singer-songwriter wave, especially her compatriot kd Lang, who debuted as a solo artist also in '88 with a far more immature and negligible album than this. Yet, the talented and vocally gifted kd, thanks to a strong image and high-level authors, was able to build a solid and lasting career; Mary Margaret O'Hara, who is instead a singer-songwriter and musician in her own right, stopped at her first album, then lost herself in a limbo of Christmas EPs, behind-the-scenes collaborations with more or less famous names and local live activities. Really a shame, because with "Miss America" the groundwork was laid for a high-level artistic journey that most likely didn't take off also due to a "blame" of a sober and understated image, far from the clichés of the glossy rocker.

Mary Margaret O'Hara debuts already mature, offering a singer-songwriter rock of great depth, sincere, intimate, and emotional, with predominantly blues undertones; we're still in the '80s but "Miss America" is already a step forward, perfectly in line with the more sober sound that will establish itself in the early years of the next decade. No trace of synths and electronics, electric and acoustic guitars alternating equally, accompanied by consistently incisive and characterizing bass lines and a very strong personality, far from that insipid radio rock so popular overseas. A unique and unmistakable voice, with a bitter and intense aftertaste, and the courage to start with a piece like "To Cry About": languid phrases, enunciated with class and sensuality, and time seems to almost stop, detaching from the rest of the world and slipping into a slow whirlpool of thoughts and emotions. A perfect, highly charismatic, and atmospheric opening, almost disorienting for a "rock" album, and it's just the beginning of a record that, especially in the first half, presents itself as a splendid succession of equally intense and perfect songs. I think especially of "Dear Darling", a charming country serenade, the perfect musical backdrop to hold a loved one and improvise a slow waltz, or the sunny and catchy "Body's In Trouble", relaxed yet measured rhythms, reggae reminiscences and a natural, charismatic, almost conversational singing, original and perfect, while the restless and reverberated "Year In Song", hypnotic bass and biting voice, anticipates with a totally different class the style of certain '90s rock.

The bass is indeed the principal instrument of "Miss America", its rhythm creates the foundations of languid and sinuous songs, with a bluesy and soft atmosphere like "When You Know Why You're Happy" or more compelling like "My Friends Have", accompanied in this case by evocative guitar phrases, and also the sighed and rarefied semi-acoustic ballad "Help Me Lift You Up". The sweetest "You Will Be Loved Again", languid and slightly melodramatic, in the most positive sense of the term, perfectly closes the discussion started by "To Cry About", no longer bitterness and sighs but hope and serenity. It might be that with "Miss America" Mary Margaret O'Hara gave all she had to give, or that she spontaneously chose a more secluded life, without the often suffocating pressures of career and the stage; it's a question open to many possible interpretations, and in a certain sense, further increases the charm of this album, the charm of rarity, of the unique piece. Regardless of this, it's still a great album, and a voice that speaks to the heart.