Meko Brain - Wonderment (2024)

Wonderment is a picture of economy: the words, arrangements, and instrumentation are all directly aimed at serving the song, whose inner core is formed by O'Brien's clean, mellow acoustic guitar alongside melodic, gently probing basslines (care of Zeus sideman and Yaehsun's Jason Haberman), and the wonderful Ringo-meets-Levon Helm drumming of the legendary Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith, Rheostatics). This stage of the album was masterfully recorded by Gavin Gardiner (MOONRiivr, Wooden Sky) at his All Day Coconut Studios, home to many recent projects coming out of Toronto and beyond.

A product of the pandemic, Wonderment reflects O’Brien’s desire to focus on what’s most important in life. “Songwriting, in some ways, is like a check-in with yourself,” he says. “Are you doing your best? Are you showing up for those you love?” Even a cursory listen to these songs will attest to these themes; the album's warm sound is mirrored in its vast empathy, positivity, and self-awareness. Rendered in pleasingly sunny vintage leaning hues, masterfully dressed in muted electric guitars, glistening, lightly trippy keyboards, woodwinds, tight, subtle backing vocals, and mixed by Robbie Lackritz (Feist, The Weather Station), Wonderment is a veritable feast for the ears.