Search - David Olney :: Eye of the Storm

A song writing genius in his early days

Roger Jönsson | Lund, Sweden | 08/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"David Olney is probably the most underappreciated singer-songwriter of our time. This was his first solo-record and it is slightly subdued compared to his later, more confident work like "Deeper Well", "Roses", "Border Crossing" and "Through A Glass Darkly". The music is acoustic, a little hesitant, and the arrangements are perhaps a tad too soft. The sound is also slightly muddled. The songs are uneven, but his great talent and originality is apparent on several tracks, like "Queen Anne's Lace", "Saturday Night And Sunday Morning", "If It Wasn't For The Wind" and "A Dangerous Man", which is a recitation about the last moments in the life of Lawrence Of Arabia. Olney's melodies are often beautiful and simple but his lyrics are highly imaginative, full of twists and surprises. Who else would have thought about writing "Titanic" as a tragic love song from the iceberg's point of view!? David Olney has been labeled a "singer's songwriter" and his old friend Townes Van Zandt often cited him as an inspiration. This is not his best record, but it's still great."