I’ve been so busy of late my music acquisitions have slowed considerably, but fear not – there is no danger of the Odyssey running out of content anytime soon. On that note, here’s the first of three albums I own by this artist.
Disc 1867 is… Bathtub Love Killings
Artist: Olivia Jean
Year of Release: 2014
What’s up with the Cover? Our fearless heroine confronts her doppelganger as they lay in parallel hammocks, dueling through the eyes. Each no doubt thinking “if I were to drown her in a bathtub, would I also drown?”
The Olivia on the right looks like she’d be willing to risk it.
How I Came To Know It: I read a review of her 2019 album “Night Owl” which led me to her back catalogue. Which is…this.
How It Stacks Up: I have three Olivia Jean albums and I’ll put this one in at…#2.
Ratings: 3 stars
When it comes to having the cool factor, there’s none more cool than Olivia Jean. Pinup girl meets rock and roll goddess, Jean’s music is fresh and fascinating and while it sometimes falls short, it is never from lack of trying.
Jean’s ambition to do something new with something old is an instinct she wears on her sleeve. While there is lots of decades-old rock and roll tropes on “Bathtub Love Killings” Jean puts the twist on them at every opportunity. These are songs that feel like they would be heard late in the evening at an Andy Warhol party, but by a time travelling superspy.
Wait a minute? Am I just describing an Austin Powers’ movie? Let’s pretend that didn’t happen and move on…
“Bathtub Love Killings” is produced by Jack White and his influence is evident in the riff-forward guitar work and melodies that thump you over the head with their abrupt power.
“Mistakes” gets us off with a bang in exactly this style, with a tinkling three notes following by a blast of guitar that somehow creates the most unlikely (but pleasant) hook. This song also shows off Jean’s talent for phrasing, which makes up for (and sometimes masks) a vocal that is good, but is never going to blow any doors down. She’s about precision, not power.
After this, we get the coquettish “Merry Widow” which on first blush seems fun until you realize it is about a woman in underwear that is designed for appearance not comfort, and who is wearing it for all the wrong reasons. It isn’t the best song on the record, but I like the way its theme sneaks up on you. Would pair well with St. Vincent’s “Savior” for all these reasons.
On “Green Honeycreeper” we get one of several funky basslines on the record. It’s a great groove, but the vocals feel a bit flat. I think it is a deliberate artistic decision to give it an out of sorts mood, but that doesn’t mean I liked it.
While Bathtub Love Killings always orbits around a pinup sensibility (often turned on its head, as in “Merry Widow”) it still manages to show a lot of stylistic range. Sometimes these songs are pure rockers, and other times they are sixties-inspired bubblegum pop. On “Haunt Me” Jean manages to blend both sounds with a bit of late sixties country music for good measure.
“Haunt Me” also benefits from an inspired ‘traditional’ hook, and Jean’s best vocal performance. The song’s structure lets her show off her mad phrasing skills, and the tune hangs in that part of her head voice that lets the sweetness of her tone show off. It isn’t a song requiring power, but rather nuance, and that’s the territory where Olivia Jean excels.
There are a couple songs that have a bit too much of Jack White’s fingerprints, notably “December” which is a good song but feels more like him than her. Maybe they are just similar in style anyway, but it is a little too close, and despite being 100% written by Jean, I would’ve liked this one with less Jack vibes, and more go-go dancing vibes.
The record’s range is sometimes its downfall, simply because Olivia Jean is never afraid to explore a new approach. Sometimes these songs feel more like an experiment than a decision to pick a sound that best serves the song. These songs are ear-candy to the cynical music critic looking to be surprised, but sometimes I just want a coffee, and not a pumpkin spiced latte.
Before I depart, a shout out to Jean’s musicianship, which is top notch. She plays multiple instruments on the record and is excellent at all of them. There is a lot of talent on display throughout all aspects of the album, from the songwriting, to the arrangements, and the delivery. While all the experimentation leaves things uneven, it hits more often than it misses.
Best tracks: Mistakes, Reminisce, Haunt Me, Excuses, Deadly Hex
No comments:
Post a Comment