Don't Stop Believin' in Olivia Newton-John (review)
By Bob Darden, Critical Writer
Probably the most attractive performer in music is Olivia Newton-John. With a face like that, and a voice that soft and wispy, she could read the Denton phonebook and sell copies.
Usually she just barely uses that marvelously sweet voice, singing middle-of-the-road pop songs… Tin Pan Alley stuff with lots of strings. But occasionally, like on her hugely successful “I Honestly Love You,” the voice and the song (and the eyes, no doubt) all come together to create a truely stunning piece of work. When her little-girl voice cracks at the end of “Honestly,” it sends shivers down your spine.
But that’s usually the exception to the rule, and her latest album, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” doesn’t have anything of the “I Honestly Love You” caliber on it. Which, incidentally, isn’t to say it isn’t a nice, pleasant album.
THE SONGS on “Believin’” are once again all soft pop numbers. It’s designed to sell to older couples, Christmas shoppers and record store impulse buyers, mainly because of the beautiful cover. As on previous works, much of the music is written and arranged by John Farrar.
The musicianship throughout the record is pleasant enough, though not particularly inspired. Farrar makes sure that the focal point of the album is Olivia’s little voice and that nothing extra (like the music) gets in the way.
OF THE SONGS themselves, a few-“Sam,” “Compassionate Man” and “The Last Time You Loved” have the potential to follow the title tune as single releases. Actually, it really wouldn’t matter which number was released - they all sound pretty much alike.
Perhaps the best thing that could happen to Olivia would be for MCA to give her a crack at another producer/arranger with some new ideas. There are a lot of songs that Olivia’s style could do wonders with: early stuff by Dave Mason, Rita Coolidge, Harriett Shock or Karla Bonoff.
It’s hard to tamper with success, of course, but this little lady is too talented to keep under wraps forever. (Now, if we could just teach Farrah Fawcett-Majors how to sing, we’d be in business!)