Jamie O'Neal - Shiver

Now here's a dilemma. Jamie O'Neal, who arrived in Nashville by a circuitous route that wound through Australia and Las Vegas, could forge an entire career as a talented Jo Dee Messina/Faith Hill clone. "No More Protecting My Heart" sounds exactly like the kind of L.A. bubblegum that Messina virtually exercises to in her videos, and it's impossible not to conjure the image of Hill on the shimmering seduction of "Shiver." But here's where the dilemma starts. Though this album marks her debut, O'Neal is a fully realized performer with a Ferrari of a voice. She's also an arresting and original songwriter. Example: "There Is No Arizona," a resonant, almost disturbing tale of broken promises and love denied, set to a sultry blues. There's nothing else like it on country radio, but chances are, O'Neal has lots more offbeat gems stashed where that one came from. Will she follow the road less traveled or the guaranteed path to megawatt success? The next album tells the tale. --Alanna Nash Amazon.com

LOVE this CD!

I listen to this CD over and over again. I had really enjoyed an earlier release by Jamie O'Neal and this is every bit as good. March 15, 2008

Her Own Thing

Jamie O'Neal's debut album, Shiver, is most definitely about singing and vocals. The instruments and the notes they play are very much in a supportive role. I'm a bit surprised this album was characterized as a country CD, it doesn't have that feel to it very often. There is a distinct lack of "twang." A piano is heard more often than any other instrument. This album is unique, Jamie's own thing. Jamie sings very well, and the songs have good lyrics. The album as a whole just isn't lively enough for me to give it 5 stars. Fans of heartfelt, emotional singing may feel this is a 5, however. Decide for yourself. The songs:

When I Think About Angels
There is No Arizona - disappointment after guy's talk about starting a life in Arizona together turns out to be just talk.

No More Protecting My Heart - very lively and jubilant, kinda Billy Joel-like, one of the few faster ones.

She Hasn't Heard It Yet - marriage is dead, wife just hasn't quite realized it.

Rescued Me
Shiver - very heartfelt love tune

The Only Thing Wrong - a little more rhythm to this one

Sanctuary - faster song, is more like typical modern female country than preceding tunes

Frantic - frenetic tune about hubbub of modern life, a rare song not about love/relationships

Be With You - haunting closer tune July 22, 2007

Upbeat contemporary country

Jamie made a great start to her career with this album, which yielded a number one country hit although at one time it seemed that it would be her only album - the follow-up took five years to appear. On this album, the songs are generally upbeat. Jamie has a strong, powerful but well-controlled voice that sounds great on any type of song. Jamie co-wrote eight of the ten songs with a variety of co-writers.

The album opens with the upbeat When I think about angels, which suggests that Jamie is happy with life. It is followed by a classic tale of sadness, There is no Arizona, in which a woman (not Jamie) is promised a new life in Arizona by a man who goes there but never returns to take her there. The next song (Where we belong) is about a couple being strong despite disagreements. No more protecting my heart (the first of two songs not co-written by Jamie) is about a woman finding love for the first time having previously been fearful of love. Another sad song (She hasn't heard it yet) is about a woman who senses that her man is going to leave her but is somehow trying to delude herself that he's still interested in her.

The next two songs (You rescued me, Shiver) find Jamie returning to her main theme of being happily in love, but these are followed by two songs (The only thing wrong in my life, I'm still waiting - the latter is an original song, not a cover of the Diana Ross classic) in which the man who she loved so much has left her. Next is a great duet with Mark Wills (I'm not gonna do anything) - this is the second and last song that Jamie didn't co-write. Jamie returns again to her main theme of being happy in love with the next track (Sanctuary) while Janie uses the final track of the original (Frantic) to explain that likes to live life in the fast lane. A further track (To be with you) has since been added to the album. There is also a version of the album with a further bonus track (All by myself).

Jamie is a singer with a wonderful voice who should be a major star but isn't. If you are a contemporary country music fan, you should give Jamie a listen. With three sad song easily outnumbered by seven happy songs, this is an album that will bring some sunshine into your life. July 30, 2005

What a way to start!!

I, like many others, was turned on to Jamie O'Neal through her debut number 1 single "There is No Arizona." After becoming somewhat disillusioned with country music it was like a breath of fresh air. It was different and edgy..in country terms. It had a great feel and I loved the voice. I purchased the album and there are some standards on there as well as some realgroudbreaking stuff. I love the ttle track. The accompanying video wasnt so bad either. I found "To Be With You" also had a different feel from most country. Jamie is an incredible songwriter and she just shines vocally throughout the album. I eagerly await her new cd as it has taken so long for the true follow up(her shelved cd is out there too and it is great). Overall this is one of my favorite cds of the genre and a worthy purchase as it breathes new life into a genre that has been stagnant since the departure of Garth Brooks.
January 22, 2005

Great debut album!

When Jamie O'Neal came onto the Nashville scene in 2000, I was blown away by her talent. I rushed out to buy her debut album SHIVER, and I still listen to it all the time. Unfortunately, her follow up album ON MY WAY TO YOU was never released, she left Mercury Records before it was released, but she's working on a new album for 2005 on Capitol Records.

The first single was the haunting "There Is No Arizona", a sad ballad about a woman who realizes she's been played the fool and lied to way too many times. It was an instant hit, as was the second single, the bubbly "When I Think About Angels". The title track was the third single, which is one of my favorite ballads on the disc. It's a great ballad with a good chorus. I also really like the ballad "I'm Still Waiting", a song about loss and waiting for someone to come back, even though they won't.

Other singles from the album included the duet with Mark Wills (who also used to be on Mercury Records but has since been dropped) "I Don't Wanna Do Anything Without You", and the uptempo "Frantic". She really proved herself as a songwriter, and a singer, so it's a shame that her career hit a bit of a bump.

There's some really nice ballads like "She Hasn't Heard It Yet", "You Rescued Me", and "To Be With You", which closes off the album, it's another haunting ballad that seems to unravel and draw you in. "Sanctuary" is a good uptempo song as well. Any of the songs on the disc could have been released as a single.

This is a great debut album. If you haven't heard of Jamie O'Neal yet, pick this album up! You won't be disapointed! I hope her next album brings her back into the spotlight. June 30, 2004

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