Let Me Be There album review
By Greg Shaw
There are a lot of interesting things about this album. First, it features “Let Me Be There”, one of the most pleasant surprises of early 1974 and of the strongest productions yet in the newly emerging field of female MOR/Pop. A great song, full of inspired touches such as the recurring bass voice that, for me, makes the record. And second. “Let Me Be There” is the only new song on the album. The rest of the cuts date from her UNI days and the album that followed her previous hit, “If Not For You”. That song is here, along with the follow-up, “Banks Of The Ohio”, which was written by Bruce Welch and John Farrar of the Shadows, a British instrumental group of the early ’60s that inspired everyone from the Beatles to Pink Floyd. Welch and Farrar also produced most or all selections on this album, another reason why it is so good.
Next to “Let Me Be There”, the standouts are “Banks Of The Ohio”, a nice “Angel Of The Morning” (although I think I’d love that song no matter who recorded it, even Melanie or Shirley Bassey), the overdone but still touching “Help Me Make It Through The Night”, Johnny Burnette’s “Just A Little Too Much” (you might recall Ricky Nelson’s version…) and of course “If Not For You”, which at least outshines both Dylan’s and Harrison’s renditions.
Of the rest, I don’t really care to hear another version of “Me And Bobby McGee”, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” or “If You Could Read My Mind”, and the disappointment of “Love Song” not being the Anne Murray number kept me from enjoying this one.
One wonders if Olivia simply hasn’t cut anything in the last year besides, “Let Me Be There”, or what. Personally, I’m ready to admit her to the top ranks of female vocalists. She’s got everything going for her she’s Australian, has a great voice, prefers big productions to acoustic guitars, has never recorded, “Amazing Grace”, and is extremely good looking. This album should bring everyone up to date on her past accomplishments, and make her many fans as anxious as I am to hear something new.
Editor’s note The reviewer rues the lack of new material, there’s a good reason for that. Olivia toured the UK in 1973 and then the United States quite heavily opening for Charlie Rich in April 1974 throughout that year, with a hiatus in the tour schedule for the UK 1974 Eurovision entry.