Olivia Newton-John - Soul Kiss (1985) (vinyl Lp) - €5,00

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Soul Kiss is the twelfth studio album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 25 October 1985 by Mercury Records in Europe, by Festival Records in Australia, and by MCA Records in the United States. 

It reached No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 29 on the United States Billboard 200. 

The album was produced by long-time associate John Farrar, who also co-wrote four tracks; the cover art features photography of Newton-John by Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts. 

The album's title track was released as a single and reached No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The follow-up single, "Toughen Up" (written for Tina Turner but rejected by her), failed to chart, except for a top-70 placement in Australia. 

A remix by Jellybean Benitez was released as a 12-inch single in 1986. 

"Overnight Observation" from Soul Kiss doesn't come close to the magic of those radio gems. 

It, like the front and back cover photos, seems a bit contrived, as does much of this album. "You Were Great, How Was I?" is a duet with Carl Wilson, and features he and Christopher Cross providing authentic Beach Boys harmonies. 

Despite the saxes of Tom Scott, the synths of Newton-John songwriter Tom Snow, and superb support from Lee Ritenour and the late Carlos Vega, the song feels like an outtake from John Travolta and Grease V. 

"Toughen Up" opens the album with power, but without the authority of "Physical" or the charm of her early country pop albums. The country market is completely abandoned here, and though "Toughen Up" gets more bearable after repeated spins, it is far removed from the gal who sang Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and the Bee Gees' "Come on Over" almost a decade earlier. 

Olivia looks like Missing Persons singer Dale Bozzio on the cover, and sounds a bit like her on "Toughen Up." "Soul Kiss." the title track, is actually a good, dark, moody song written by Mark Goldenberg, who also plays synthesizer on it. Producer John Farrar is on Synclavier and guitar, with Newton-John providing her own eerie backing vocals. 

The tune nicked the Top 20, and though that is three spaces higher than what "Come on Over" achieved in 1976, the earlier tune topped the A/C charts as well. 

Olivia seems to have abandoned her strongholds, adult contemporary and country, her superstar status not worthy of this temporary image, a transition which needed stronger material for this big a change. 

An excellent song like "Soul Kiss" could very well be Olivia Newton-John's cult hit because of the confusion of this project, a bit goth mixed with techno, it flies out of the park. 

The rest of the album misses the enduring texture of her hits from the Totally Hot album, "A Little More Love" and "Deeper Than the Night," moods that could have continued to work here. 

Still, Olivia Newton-John reigned as queen of the pop charts for a 14-year stretch, from "If Not for You" in July of 1971 to "Soul Kiss" in October of 1985. 

Side one

1.  Toughen Up - 3:46

2.  Soul Kiss – 4:29

3.  Queen Of The Publication - 3:52

4.  Emotional Tangle - 4:03

5.  Culture Shock - 3:48

Side two

1.  Moth To A Flame - 3:42

2.  Overnight Observation - 4:25

3.  You Were Great, How Was I? (Duet With Carl Wilson) - 3:42

4.  Driving Music - 3:38

5.  The Right Moment - 3:41

Musicians

• Olivia Newton-John – lead vocals, backing vocals, vocoder 
• Marcus Ryle – synthesizers 
• Greg Phillinganes – synthesizers 
• Mark Goldenberg – synthesizers 
• Billy Thorpe – synthesizers 
• Steve Kipner – synthesizers 
• Tom Snow – synthesizers 
• John Farrar – guitars, backing vocals, Synclavier vocoder, mandolin 
• Lee Ritenour – guitars 
• Larry Carlton – guitars 
• Steve Lukather – guitars
• Michael Landau – guitars 
• Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar 
• Nathan East – bass guitar 
• Carlos Vega – drums 
• Vinnie Colaiuta – drums 
• Geoffrey Hales – electronic drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Michael Fisher – percussion, typewriter effects
• Jeremy Lubbock – strings arrangements, keyboards 
• Gerard Vinci – concertmaster 
• Tom Scott – lyricon, saxophone 
• Gary Herbig – saxophone 
• Joel Peskin – saxophone 
• Larry Williams – saxophone 
• Ara Tokatlián – pan flute 
• Katey Sagal – backing vocals 
• Christopher Cross – backing vocals 
• Carl Wilson – lead vocals, backing vocals 

Technical

• Allen Sides – recording, mixing
• Tim Wilson – recording assistant, mix assistant
• Larry Brown – additional recording
• Rik Pekkonen – additional recording
• Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)

Artwork

• Norman Moore – art direction, design
• Helmut Newton – photography
• Herb Ritts – photography

Notes

Released:  1985

Format:  Vinyl, LP

Genre:  Synth-pop

Label:  Mercury Records

Catalog#  826 169-1

Vinyl:  Goed

Cover:  Lichte Gebruikerssporen (Gatefold)

Prijs: €5,00