Keith Olsen has produced classic albums by Fleetwood Mac and Pat Benatar. He’s also lent his talents to Na Leo’s twelfth studio album, "Feel the Spirit." He has reworked such Na Leo classics as "Saving Forever" and "Flying With Angels" and given them a new sound.
Unfortunately, Olsen seems to lack understanding of the subtleties and nuances of Na Leo’s music and as such, can do little more than render them as bland as a Bryan Adams outtake.
Olsen’s name may give the album commercial viability and a genuine chance at crossover success, but it wipes away every trace of "local" sound that was present in Na Leo’s earlier releases. Lehua, Nalani and Angela croon on a Bee Gees-penned track ("Love You Inside Out") that bears absolutely no resemblance to "Local Boys" or "Changalang Blues" or... anything. It’s the typical Bee Gees track in every way.
The update of Na Leo’s signature, "Flying With Angels," is a second-rate version of Heart’s "These Dreams." The background is full of over-orchestrated synthesizers. The instrumental break is redone and the tempo is slowed to a narcotizing pace. The old adage of not fixing anything that isn’t broken has never been more true. The remix adds absolutely nothing to the song.
The Daniel Ho-written "Simple As a Sunrise" has become a piano-based, string-backed top-40 piece of white toast. The beautiful, spare, honest sound of the song that appeared on Na Leo’s 1998 album has been given a Celine Dion makeover. Ho’s wonderful slack key playing is AWOL.
The songs not penned by Na Leo on "Feel the Spirit" are nearly unlistenable. The aforementioned Bee Gees song is the cream of the crop in a set that includes "Listen to Your Woman" — a watered-down R&B girl-power anthem with embarrassingly clichéd lyrics. The lyrics on "Don’t Be Afraid" are even clumsier.
A producer with a better ear and a more keen sense of what makes Hawaiian music unique might have reworked Na Leo’s songs into something that fans of local music might appreciate. Widespread commercial appeal and traditional Hawaiian elements of sound are not mutually exclusive. Olsen was obviously aiming to make a pop album with Na Leo and it shows.
Na Leo, "Feel The Spirit," Mountain Apple Company, 2005.
Comments
Post a Comment
![[ Music ]](/graphics/music.jpg)
![[ Rating: 10_of_50_stars ]](/graphics/1.0_of_5.0_Stars.jpg){kind=small}