200 Orange St. review/bio: The expansive talents of Sean McConnell can now be found at a new address: 200 Orange Street, the site of McConnell's childhood home and the title of his latest CD. The remarkable Mr. McConnell is an important new voice in American music. His powerful lyrics, haunting vocals, and unforgettable melodies leave listeners wondering how a performer with a only twenty candles on his birthday cake can find the depth of emotion to craft such music. 200 Orange Street is Sean's finest work to date. If you're a longtime McConnell fan, you'll be thrilled, but not surprised, by his latest CD. But if you're a newcomer to Seans music, prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey of mind and heart. It's a journey back in time to a place called Orange Street . . . and it's a journey that you won't soon forget. Career bio: "If you want to get up on stage, you've got to take em to a place where the people need to feel it. If you can't hit that note, you're not deliverin' the goods" Musician Kim Wilson once said. And in a world where superstars embarrass themselves with lip synching bloopers and where music is more about the money than the emotion, it is good to know that there are still artists like Sean McConnell who get it. Sean's music is about emotions. Showing incredible maturity for a 21-year-old singer-songwriter, Sean's music draws upon familiar themes of "life, love, pain, remembrance, and hope˜ as he encourages listeners to think and to feel, but not necessarily in that order. "For me it's about connecting with people," Sean says, "I love it when people tell me that one of my songs has helped them through a hard time, or that I found a way to express something that they couldn't express, or that one of my songs gave them hope when they needed it. That's what it is all about." Sean's music is memorable, in part, because of the haunting melodies that he weaves into the fabric of his music. Once songs like "Memphis" and "Tired of Waiting" get into your head, it's hard to get them out. Sean's music should probably come with this word of caution: "Warning: humming this music will become habit-forming." Make no mistake: Sean McConnell can hit the high notes, and despite his youth, he's been hitting those notes for over a decade. How did Sean get such an early start? For starters, he was born into a family of working musicians. Sean's parents were singer-songwriters who, in the 70's and 80's, were active participants in the flourishing Boston folk scene. It was there that Sean was introduced to the music of Harry Chapin, David Wilcox, and James Taylor, all of whom gave Sean an appreciation for the power of music. In response, Sean began playing the guitar at age 7 and started writing original songs by age 11. Sean's performances are both electric and intimate. Sean and his acoustic guitar blend together seamlessly on stage moving smoothly between high-octane numbers like "Runnin' from the Devil" to sensitive ballads like "Madly in Love with You." And his audience feels the power. Sean expresses, "when I am performing for a captive audience that is actually listening to the music, connecting with it and identifying themselves with it, that is one of the greatest feelings in the world." In the words of Danny Davenport, formerly of Warner Brothers records, "He will stir you inside out with both his music and his being; If you hear him and see him at work, you'll get it." And fortunately, it's not too hard to catch his act: just check out top-drawer venues like Nashville's legendary Bluebird Café. Sean McConnell possesses a powerful message and an extraordinary talent. He currently has three CD's to his credit, and he works regularly in the Nashville music community while earning his degree at Middle Tennessee State University.