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When listening to a band I’m interested in for the first time, I typically react in one of two ways. The first and most often of the choices, is too be slightly annoyed, skimming songs to get an all over vibe for the contents, and slowly after a period of time, the music manages to creep into my cynical psyche. The rare and elusive second reaction is to listen and immediately feel the music touch my soul. When this happens, if you’re an intense music lover like myself, the music becomes a life changing experience. The reason I say life changing is because you know you’re different after listening. Dale Olivier has managed to capture my skeptical heart without hesitation.
Track listing:
01 Mary
02 Cry
03 Firewater
04 Grand Tour of Sorrow
05 Bittermoon
06 Lonely Child
07 What a Feeling
08 Walking out to Winter
09 Tired Eyes
10 Wishing
11 Forever
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Dale Olivier was born in an apartheid era South Africa. Loving music and being consumed by it at an early age, he did something most people only dream of doing. He decided to throw caution to the wind and move to London with only a single guitar in tow. The UK was the place where many of his musical influences derived and also the place where he felt his dreams could come true. Soon after arriving he formed a few different bands, but after some frustrating experiences decided to go solo. This is something every indie rock lover can be thankful for. Dale Olivier delivers music that is hypnotic, entrancing, emotional and heart-felt.
The first track “Mary” is a perfect opener. The violin accompanist, Claire Watts, adds to the dimension of this dynamic track. The cryptic and haunting tune is about Dale’s aunt, who suffers from Down syndrome and resides in a mental institution. Although it wasn’t originally intended to become a single, Dale released it with a bizarre video featuring him in a 1960s straight jacket. “Grand Tour of Sorrow” takes the listener on a trip through the life of one dealing with issues of love, alcoholic despair, jealousy and desperation. My favorite track on the album, “walking out to winter”, has insightful lyrics stating “I’m learning slow how to trust your words parallel with paranoid and pale”. “Wishing” is a ballad of epic proportions. The melancholy tune delivers an intense vocal performance with lyrics that remind you to embrace life.
“Fountainhead” is the second album to be released, following “Winter Colours in Summer”. His next album entitled “Hope and a Northern Girl” is due out March 1, 2004. The title for his second release is an exemplary choice for this masterpiece. The eerie album takes you on a voyage through some of Dale's emotional and painful, personal journeys. The lyrics are honest, dark, and profoundly poetic. The accompanying instrumentation is simply incredible. “Fountainhead” is a combination of unique vocals intertwined with numerous instruments including a pleasant acoustic guitar, lingering strings, classic piano, haunting organs and chilling violins that cannot be forgotten. This is a rare treat for indie music lovers, or for anyone who appreciates quality music. It’s no wonder MTV hasn’t been receptive to him. He’s too good for them.
-Christine Beals 01/16/04
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