DAVID OLNEY

Film Noir

2011-05-24

On "Film Noir," a concept EP, David Olney evokes a gritty, Big-City-After-Dark disquiet. Equal parts lonely bluesman and method actor - Johhny Cash and Leon Redbone and Tom Waits - Olney creates songs like little movies based on grimy, dog eared paperbacks. These brand new songs all sound as if they were found, covered in dust, in a back alley Used Record Store. "Frank is Gone" is a jangly blues shuffle like an anxious junky walking the streets. If Cab Calloway had lost it all and traded his white tux for a torn felt hat and barn coat, he would sing "Blue Moon Hotel." "$20 Serenade," nearly an homage to Tom Waits street characters, is an ancient sounding gimp walk tragedy with a B-movie twist. "Blues Don't Care" and "Sunset on Sunset Boulevard" are both hollow, lonely songs to steal your joy. Reviewed By: Todd Townsend.

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 02/2014

    ROOSEVELT DIME
    FULL HEAD OF STEAM

  • reviewed 08/2007

    FIONN REGAN
    The End Of History

  • reviewed 05/2015

    Lyal Strickland
    Balanced on Barbed Wire

  • reviewed 04/2016

    Brian Fallon
    Painkillers

  • reviewed 09/2007

    DONAVON FRANKENREITER
    Recycled Recipes

  • reviewed 02/2005

    Nanci Griffith
    Hearts in Mind

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.