Album Review: Olympic Girls

As a proud owner of the Tiny Ruins mini LP Hurtling Through, which was recorded with Hamish Kilgour (The Clean, The Great Unwashed etc) my anticipation levels for this LP were high. Not quite Johnny Cash eating cake in a bush high, but pretty up there.

The album opens with the title track Olympic Girls which is the perfect atmospheric opening song, the arpeggio guitar is expertly delivered in a lilting, swaying home from the pub at 2am pace, before Holly Fullbrook’s strong yet relaxed voice comes sailing out of the lap top speakers.

As I put this on I was retrieving dry washing from the line on a sunny hot Dunedin afternoon, the album’s first few tracks made the accompaniment perfectly.

By the time track 4 Sparklers ignites I’m back inside, and on second listen pick out the opening words: “I wrote your name in cursive on the air, flailing my arms around me, conducting down to the wire”.

Holly consistently pulls great lyrics out of the bag. For example, in song 5, Holograms there’s a phrase, “I saw the grim reaper, and I gave him the slip, saved by a Darth Vader novelty helmet.”

In some ways it’s tough to review an album when it’s being lauded and applauded far and wide.

The New York Times said “She is always looking uneasily toward the next line, or moving toward mysticism. In sentimental contexts, she generates lines of wicked ambition.”

Simply put, this is a songwriter’s album. Her songwriting is stunning, rhythmically, melodically, lyrically.

I wish I could make it a 6 out of 5 stars…let’s just say it’s an inflated 5 stars.

My only regret is that my link to the album only lasts for ten streams for review purpose, unlike the old days when physical copies are sent to reviewers.