Physical album review

Physical But Clinical

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN ‘Physical’ (EMI EMC 3386)

OLIVIA CAN get physical with me any day but preferably not while this album is playing. The girl’s been down country roads and emerged with a wider understanding of the music than most would give credit for.

However, the title is a little misleading because the overall feeling is fairly relaxed. OK, there are a few lively numbers to get to grips with “Landslide” being the strongest, but such clinical backing matched with that oh so perfectly pitched voice, leaves a whacking void under the heading “Balls”.

She can do it, and the sleeve pictures indicate a willingness to ‘lay it on yer, but for some reason producer John Farrar’s decided to go for technical perfection. Understandable when you consider Olivia’s dedicated followers - but then again old habits die hourly these days, so a good oportunity may have been missed.