Come On Over album review
Olivia Newton-John - Come On Over (MCA).
Though Olivia Newton-John has been considered more of a market confection than a serious musical artist, her new album goes a long way toward proving that her talent may be real.
In the past, what is essentially an honest lovely and expressive voice has been relegated to pristine politeness. It’s undoubtedly not her fault. She has always been an intended victim of her image as a result of being beautiful in a wholesome and conventional way and her producers and those around her have cultivated her as a precious rose. If Olivia had ever been able to write her own songs or otherwise assert herself it might have been easier for her to receive some critical acknowledgement, but she’s never really been more than a studio patsy.
Since she side-stepped, albeit lightly, into country and western, however, with songs like Let Me Be There, some of the general personality associated with the music has been allowed her.
Her new album, mostly in the modern country ballad vein, still shows no real edges or even proper character lines, but there is obviously a greater depth to the release than before. It lays mostly in the versatility of the songs and arrangements.
In some cases, such as Dolly Parton’s haunting Jolene or It’ll Be Me, co-penned by producer John Farrar and Hank Marvin, legendary Shadow’s guitarist, the songs are biting enough that the singer has to counter with some insistence of her own. On the ballads, the arrangements are more fair and judicious than usual, and Olivia expands to fill the available space.
It’s still a highly prejudiced album in its commercial intent but it’s not crass and that’s the difference.