David Olney - New Album This Side Or The Other - Out August 24

DAVID OLNEY

THIS SIDE OR THE OTHER

Black Hen Music, Release Date: August 24, 2018

David Olney’s New Album Examines The Shadowy Situations Up And Around Walls, Over Borders and Asks For Open Hearts

Nashville, TN – One listen to the brand-new album, “This Side or The Other,” and you’ll know David Olney is a man familiar with the wandering life and yearning heart of a poet. After more than 30 years in music, he’s had as many incarnations as you can imagine. His resume has expanded to include acting, poetry and a popular weekly stream cast. All of this adds to Olney’s strength as a songwriter’s songwriter, and one of Nashville’s founding fathers of Americana music.  

While “This Side or The Other” is not a concept album, there are some recurring themes. The frequent reference to walls in these songs – walls being built and tumbling down – will suggest that while Olney has encountered more than his own share of walls, he is still trying his best to understand them.  

“I wanted to explore the idea of walls,” says Olney, “What does a wall mean? What does it mean to be an immigrant who comes upon that wall as a wanderer, someone lost and alone?” 

A wall in a song can be the symbolic blockage from one place to another or the flat finality of something coming to an end. In life as in art, Olney has scaled walls and torn them down. Yet, it’s not his own path he is particularly interested in exploring. David Olney has always been an observer, a student, and writer of life for as long as he could hold a pen.  

“I’m not comfortable writing about my own dirty laundry,” says Olney, “It’s better for me to look at characters and what they might be going through. When I write about the heavy stuff of life, it’s usually while I’m in someone else’s shoes.”  

“This Side or The Other” contains solid musicianship as good as anything Nashville has to offer, and a stark, moody production by Juno Award-winning producer Steve Dawson.  

“I look for a producer I can be relaxed around," Olney says, “And I really wanted to work with Steve on this record. And while I knew he was a good producer, I had no idea what a terrific musician he was until I had him play guitar on ‘Death Will Not Divide Us.’ He did a beautiful job.” 

The other musicians on “This Side or The Other” are Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Charlie McCoy, The McCrary Sisters, Fats Kaplin, Anne McCue and Olney’s regular band: Daniel Seymour on bass, Ward Stout on fiddle and Justin Amaral on drums.  

The ten songs on “This Side or The Other” have been compiled from new and old writings, as well as a few collaborations with friends. Olney says he enjoys collaborating. “Annie McCue and John Hadley cowrote the title song, ‘This Side or The Other’ with me. It’s currently my favorite song.” 

In “Stand Tall,” a song Olney’s been writing on-and-off for 25 years, he admits “I’m never going to change the way I am” – a sentiment that will gratify his longtime fans from all over the world, who like him just the way he is and only want more of the same.  

“Breaking out of your comfort zone,” admits Olney, “can lead to certain encounters with banana peels, but that’s the chance you have to take to get songs and performances with a certain edge. I tend to stay on the margin of the page. I’m always looking for that ‘otherness,’ staying a bit off center.” 

The sweetest song on the album, a plaintive love song called “Open Your Heart (And Let Me In),” is one-part plea and one part indictment of a would-be lover who’s missing the chance for real love.  

Olney’s last track is a rootsy cover of The Zombies’ 1965 hit, “She’s Not There.” It’s a delicious reminder that everything David Olney touches gets infused with a rare blend of dark chocolate. Despite it being the cover of a popular song, we hear words we’ve never heard in the same way before.  

But David Olney knows words. He knows what they can do, and when paired with a bitter/sweet melody, they can take on a life of their own.  

And maybe they can even tear down walls. 

David Olney Tour Dates:

June 22                              Moccasin Creek Festival                               Effingham, IL

June 23                              Lettersong Gallery                                         Louisville, KY

June 24                              Players Pub                                                    Bloomington, IN

June 30                              Private Event                                                 Mt. Juliet, TN

Aug. 17                              Pearl Street Warehouse                               Washington, D.C.

Aug. 18                              Empire State Railway Museum                    Phoenicia, NY

Sept. 15                             AmericanaFest hatWRKS Happenin’           Nashville, TN

Sept. 20                             EOP: Red Clay Music Foundry                      Duluth, GA

Oct. 12                               Musiekpodium Bakkeveen                           Bakkeveen - The Netherlands

Oct. 13                               In The Woods Lage                                       Vuursche - The Netherlands

Oct. 14                               Foundation Museum & Sculpture Garden Grootschermer – The Netherlands

Oct. 16                               Folk in de Walden                                         Oentsjerk – The Netherlands

Oct. 17                               Sociëteit Engels                                             The Hague – The Netherlands

Oct. 19                               Jozef Theather                                               Volendam – The Netherlands

Oct. 20                               Ramblin’ Roots Festival                                Utrecht – The Netherlands

Oct. 21                               De Oude Veiling                                             Aalsmeer – The Netherlands

Oct. 22                               Meneer Frits                                                  Eindhoven – The Netherlands

Oct. 23                               De Schalm                                                      Westwoud – The Netherlands

Flying Machine Records artist: Anne McCue - Blue Sky Thinkin' - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (February 10, 2015), Blue Sky Thinkin', from Anne McCue and it takes you to a different place. Opening the release is Dig Two Graves, a swinging blues track with smooth vocals and slick guitar work from McCue, joined by Dave Raven on drums, Carl Byron on piano, Dusty Wakeman on bass and Deanie Richardson on violin. Things You Left Out In The Rain is a cool period blues style track with silky vocals and great jazz style horn work from Jim Hoke (clarinet), Steve Herrman (trumpet) and John Hinchey (trombone). Spring Cleaning In The Winter Time is a light hearted track with some fleet fingered guitar work from McCue. Devil In The Middle, co written by Dave Alvin and David Olney features McCue and Alvin in duet and classic early blues instrumentation. This is that "New Orleans Jazz" in it's classic form. Featuring Hoke on clarinet, Randy Leago on sax, Steve Herrman on trumpet and John Hinchey on trombone ...Terrific! Long Tall Story has thata Memphis Minnie sound with McCue on vocal and dobro. lightly backed by Carl Byron on piano and Dave Raven this track has a nice swing and cool melody. Little White Cat is a bit more upbeat with some hot lap riffs by McCue. With backing vocals by Szu Wong and bass by Djordje Stijepovic this track almost has a gypsy sound. Very cool! It Wasn't Even Fun While It Lasted has a theme which most everyone can relate to. Strong piano by Byron and violin by Richardson dress this simple melody making it quite a pleasant venture. Save A Life has a 50's jazz sound with only basics for backing with finger snaps and cool bass riffs by Dave Pomeroy. Uncanny Moon has a really nice Latin feel with stylized drums and piano. McCue's vocals are very nice but her guitar work is beautiful on this track. My definite favorite. Cowgirl Blues has a memorable melody and simple instrumentation with basic blues fundamentals but presented in a more modern manner. Knock On Wood again gets that moody horn soaked feel and it is performed flawlessly. With McCue on vocal and guitar with Tisha Simeral on bass, Bill Huber on trombone, Herrman on trumpet and Hoke on clarinet, this is quite a cool track. Title track Blue Sky Thinkin', is a poppy track really allowing McCue to step forward on guitar with clever jazz riffs, blended with Byron on piano and Hoke on clarinet. A very nice conclusion to a solid contemporary yet rootsy blues based release.

Also want to comment that I really like the cover art which is also by McCue.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Deadbeet Records artist: David Olney - When The Deal Goes Down - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (July 8, 2014), When The Deal Goes Down, from David Olney. Opening with title track, When The Deal Goes Down, Olney stirs a country style rocker with a moving beat and cool backing vocals, Olney throwing down some authentic Nashville style guitar riffs. Acoustic ballad Little Bird (What I Do) is very nicely written and backed by sweet female vocals. Clean stylistic guitar accompaniment nicely compliments this arrangement. Jazzy Servant Job ponders a conversation between Job and God. Light hi hat work and trumpet highlights give this track a different feel. Ballad Soldier Of Misfortune has a Jimmy Buffett feel with piano, Spanish style guitar and island backing vocals. Something In Blue is one of my favorites on this release with a taste of old country western music. Cool! Scarecrow Man continues with a country western taste in the ballad area. Interesting lead guitar work on this track sets it apart. Why So Blue has a stylized Hawaiian style that was popularized in the US as country pop in the 20's. The steel guitar work on this track is real nice! Mister Stay At Home is a vocal duet with a twist of Dan Hicks or Red Clay Ramblers and some nice little guitar quips. Fun! Roll This Stone has a cool bass line giving this country flavored track a funky rumble. Wide open lead guitar work on this track also makes it one of the more entertaining tracks on the release. No Trace is another track with a loose Jimmy Buffett island kind of feel with a Tex Mex taste provided by accordion. Sad Saturday Night, a different kind of arrangement between acoustic guitar and tuba, leaves Olney as a sole balladeer. Big Blue Hole has a raw, punky, stripped down sound. Wrapping the release with this track sews up an eclectic bag of music.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

American Songwriter Premieres David Olney's Video for "Sad Saturday Night" Starting June 23rd

AMERICAN SONGWRITER TO PREMIERE

“SAD SATURDAY NIGHT” VIDEO FROM

DAVID OLNEY

Monday June 23^rd

Starting Monday, June 23rd, national magazine, American Songwriter will be premiering David Olney’s full length video for “Sad Saturday Night” from his forthcoming release, When The Deal Goes Down, on Deadbeet Records. This will be located on their website: www.americansongwriter.com  and will run all week until Friday June 27^th. This will be a great part of promoting this unique songwriter and roots music icon.

Produced by David Olney and Mark Robinson and recorded/mixed at Guido’s Studios South in Nashville, When the Deal Goes Down presents a dozen tales of roots music mayhem and delight, with the acclaimed singer/ songwriter backed by a cadre of some of Music City’s most creative players, including long-time Olney compadre Sergio Webb on guitar. The new album is the first time Olney and Robinson have worked together.

In this video, shot late at night in Nashville, David walks continuously through the streets looking at windows, staring at the people and obviously thinking about things as he does. He recruited Annie McCue, a California musician herself, to be the tuba player following the man around town, and with a pinstripe suit and a derby hat, it was a match made in video heaven. He picked her because of her mixed bag of auras that range to “angelic”, “Charlie Chaplin-esque” and “fearless”.

“Olney has created such a memorable set of distinctive characters and dramatic scenarios … seems like a soundtrack to a novella or stage production.” --- Michael Berick, Blurt Magazine

So tune to Americansongwriter.com starting Monday 6/23 and be Olney-ized….

Master Storyteller David Olney Stacks the Deck on New Studio Album, "When the Deal Goes Down," Coming July 8 on Deadbeet Records

Master Storyteller David Olney Stacks the Deck on New Studio Album, When the Deal Goes Down, Coming July 8 on Deadbeet Records

Singer/Songwriter Will Celebrate New Disc with Grimey’s Too/Howlin’ Books In-Store on July 8 and Special CD Release Show on July 9 at The End in Nashville

NASHVILLE, TN – Master storyteller David Olney announces a July 8 release date for his latest studio album, When the Deal Goes Down, on Deadbeet Records. Produced by David Olney and Mark Robinson and recorded/mixed at Guido’s Studios South in Nashville, When the Deal Goes Down presents a dozen tales of roots music mayhem and delight, with the acclaimed singer/ songwriter backed by a cadre of some of Music City’s most creative players, including long-time Olney compadre Sergio Webb on guitar. The new album is the first time Olney and Robinson have worked together.

Olney will offer his hometown Nashville fans a special treat with a double-dose of performances to celebrate the new album: on July 8, a free in-store show and CD signing at Grimey’s Too/ Howlin’ Books (1702 8th Ave. South); and on July 9 a full-blown CD release show (with special guest RB Morris) at The End (2219 Elliston Place). Later this summer, David Olney will make his debut as a Shakespearean actor in the annual Nashville Shakespeare in the Park Festival. During the extended run engagement (August 14 – September 14) at Nashville’s Centennial Park, Olney will play the part of Lord Amiens in a modern version of As You Like It, and also contributes new original music to the play.      

Bolstered by Olney’s wicked sense of humor, counterbalanced with his knack for writing both dramatic and insightful lyrics, When the Deal Goes Down takes listeners on a wild ride of emotions from love and hope to fear and despair, all the while being entertaining as-hell. From the comedy of “Mister Stay at Home” and “Servant Job” to the tragedy of “No Trace” and “Scarecrow Man,” the new CD convincingly covers both the bitingly funny and chillingly stark sides of the street – and doing a fair bit of jaywalking in between them, too.

“I thought it might be helpful to God if I told him (or her) what I wanted from him (or her),” he says about the origin of the album’s title track. “God answered with a lightning bolt that just missed my head. What a kidder!”

On When the Deal Goes Down, he once again has several co-writes with long-time collaborator John Hadley, including the song “No Trace” “I pictured it in Africa, but it could also apply to West Virginia. Or anywhere in North or South America. Or the land of Canaan. Or the planet Earth. You get the idea,” Olney confides.” They pair up once more on “Mister Stay at Home,” a tune Olney says “has a jug band feel with some Mills Brothers thrown in. Grumpy old guy decides to go to town and have some fun. Hey, wait a minute, I resemble that remark.”

One of the most visual and visceral tracks on the new album is the mesmerizing “Scarecrow Man.” “There are any number of things in life that can do us in but what really terrorizes us are the demons we create in our own minds,” he says about the song. “They don’t disappear until we breathe our last breath.” And then he adds, “This was originally a Cha Cha.”

David Olney’s music has been compared to Tom Waits and Johnny Cash, and he has had songs recorded by Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Del McCoury, Lonnie Brooks, Tim O’Brien and Steve Young, among many others. Over a career that span four decades, he’s recorded more than 20 albums and toured around the world. In 2013, his song, “Postcard from Mexico,” was prominently featured in the hit ABC-TV series, Nashville. His YouTube channel has become must-see destination for web fans every Tuesday with his “You Never Know” video shorts featuring the story behind a song and its performance, along with other personal observations, as well as music videos and classic poetry recitations, such as “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

“Olney brings to mind other acclaimed storytellers like Ray Wylie Hubbard and Randy Newman and his work holds its own with this esteemed company,” wrote Michael Berick in his Blurt review of an earlier album, adding, “Olney has created such a memorable set of distinctive characters and dramatic scenarios that this work seems like a soundtrack to a novella or stage production.”

Fans can pre-order When the Deal Goes Down in both digital download form as well as CD,  including immediate download of 2 tracks in the high-quality format of their choice (MP3, FLAC, and more), plus unlimited mobile access using the free Bandcamp listening app. They’ll also get the complete album the moment it’s released. To find out all the information on this offer, visit http://davidolney.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-deal-goes-down

For more information on the artist, go to www.davidolney.com

DAVID OLNEY ITINERARY

7/8                         Grimey’s Too/Howlin’ Books In-Store Show & CD Signing              Nashville, TN

7/9                         The End (CD Release Show)                                                                        Nashville, TN
7/12                       Private Concert                                                                                                 Whitefish, MT
7/17                       Machinery Row (solo show)                                                                        Great Falls, MT
7/18                       KGLT-FM Presents Live from the Divide (w/Sergio Webb)             Bozeman, MT      
7/19                       Waterworks Art Museum (w/Sergio Webb)                                        Miles City, MT
7/20                       The Murray Bar (w/Sergio Webb)                                                             Livingston, MT
8/2                         Musical Heritage Center @ Fiddle & Pick                                               Pegram, TN

8/6                         Music City Roots                                                                                               Franklin, TN 
8/14-9/14            Shakespeare in the Park – Centennial Park                                          Nashville, TN
8/20                       The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
8/27                       The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
9/3                         The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
9/9                         Public Library Concerts (w/ Marshall Chapman, RB Morris)            Nashville, TN
9/10                       The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
9/17                       Idaho Songwriters Ass/Sapphire Room (w/Sergio Webb)              Boise, ID
9/20                       Challis Arts Council Presents:  (w/Sergio Webb)                                 Challis, ID
10/25                     Huntington Hill Concert Series (w/Sergio Webb)                                Rochester, NY
10/26                     East Village House Concert Series (w/Sergio Webb)                         New York, NY
11/1                       Balsam Mountain Inn (w/ RB Morris, Brennen Leigh)                       Balsam, NC
11/12-11/25        The Netherlands & Germany
12/12                     Pinetop Mystics Presents: (w/Sergio Webb)                                       Nacogdoches, TX
12/13                     Red Dragon Concert Series                                                                          Baton Rouge, LA

Additional dates forthcoming ….