Massachusetts-based artist Molly O’Leary has put out another new track, “Echo.” It is off of their upcoming LP, Marigold, recorded and produced by Will Hoge, set to release February 23.
Each song on Marigold showcase O’Leary’s evocative vocal style, giving homage to their influences such as Alanis Morissette and Brandi Carlile, yet tracing a sonic palette favorably comparable to indie folk/rock artists like Girlpool, Mirah, and Azure Ray, all while combined with the “I deserve to be here” mentality.
The progress and growth O’Leary makes with Marigold extends past the recording and production but onto the album as well. They also add that recording with Will Hoge and his team was honestly one of the best experiences of their life. The two met when O’Leary opened for one of his co-headline gigs with Thursday’s Geoff Rickly in Boston. David Axelrod served as the engineer on the album, while drummer Megan Coleman and keyboard Mark Masfield lent their talent and inspiration.
Molly O’Leary on “Echo”:
“I wrote this song for my big brothers. I wanted them to know that even as we get older, I will always need them. My brother Tommy is a drummer, and my brother Teddy is a cardiologist (a heart doctor). Hence the references to the drum and the heart in the bridge. I think it’s interesting that both of their jobs have to do with pulses, with beats. There are other references in the song to this theme but I’ll leave them unsaid for listeners to find. Also, Megan Coleman is on drums for this song, and the whole record, and she completely nailed it. I especially wanted this song to be drum-focused and I love how it came out.”
O’Leary has frequently used their songwriting to channel awareness about mental health and social justice. Their music serves as a companion to their professional work as a therapist. Despite this, Marigold represents an artistic breakthrough that mirrors O’Leary’s progress in their journey towards healing. They display these breakthroughs to a culmination of nearly a decade’s worth of therapy and growth. Some of them came through on their previous LP, Holding Space, and O’Leary shares that it was massively about recovering from an eating disorder. With Marigold, O’Leary brings their audience along to experience a newfound space to confront deeper seeded wounds.
2024 Tour Dates:
February 6: Someville, MA @ The Jungle
February 24: Providence, RI @ ASKEW (Album Release Show)
March 3: New Bedford, MA @ Sight V Sound
March 13: Amherst, MA @ The Drake
