Whispers And Sighs
Schoolkids, 2021
10/10
David Olney enjoyed a lengthy and esteemed career in the area of folk sounds, where his work was covered by legends like Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle, among many others. On this final LP, Olney is joined by Anana Kaye, a rising Eastern European vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, the guitarist and singer Irakli Gabriel and about a dozen others as they produce a wise and diverse swan song from one of folk music’s most treasured souls.
The album leads with the graceful strings of “The Station”, which, at 20 seconds, lays the foundation for the listen, and the emotive yet playful “My Favorite Goodbye” follows, where Olney’s expressive singing guides the timeless folk setting.
Elsewhere, the frisky “Thank You Note” displays Kaye’s diverse and unique, smokey pipes in an atypical form of Americana you could dance to, while “Behind Your Smile” flows with an orchestral quality in its eloquent and heartfelt instrumentation. “Last Days Of Rome”, a particularly exciting tune, then cranks up the volume with some guitar crunch amid an anthemic rocker that hints at the best days of The Stones.
Near the end, ““World We Used To Know” resides in ballad territory, where a poetic touch aligns with Chris Benelli’s deft drumming and a dreamy haze thanks to Austin Hoke’s cello, and “The Great Manzini (Disappearing Act)” exits the listen vocally strong and musically bare, as Kaye’s soft singing and Olney’s storytelling are met with gentle guitar and moody strings interacting with much sophistication.
Tragically, Olney passed away while on stage in early 2020, mid song. Fittingly, his guitar remained attached to this body. Though there’s nothing but bright spots in his vast catalog of music, this posthumous listen illustrates so much sage like intimacy and fuller moments that tweak Americana and folk in exciting ways, it sure seems appropriate to land at the end of his exceptional output.
Travels well with: Adam Carroll- I Walked In Them Shoes; Steve Earle & The Dukes- Ghosts Of West Virginia