Olympian [Single]

Olympian [Single]

by GeneGene

Overview

Two of the three B-sides of "Olympian" don't quite match the sheer greatness of the first four singles' non-LP stuff -- in fact, a tape of those ten songs may even beat the debut Olympian as a best representation of Gene to date. "I Can't Decide if She Really Loves Me" is their weakest cut of any kind to date, lacking the highs and hooks of their other releases, but it's still not bad, thanks to Martin Rossiter's forthright words, Steve Mason's comely touch on the guitar, and the gentle piano touches. Not much of a chorus this time, though. Likewise, their BBC version of the Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down" (John Lennon's B-side of "Get Back," from April, 1969, later found on the compilations The Beatles Again on vinyl and Past Masters, Vol. 2 on CD) doesn't seem that suited to the Gene treatment. Rossiter's vocal is more agonized and worried than Lennon's, reinventing the chorus's title words -- Lennon sounded so stoned, lazy, and out of it -- which makes it worth hearing, but it sounds a bit rushed and never really settles. However, the smashing "To See the Lights" is fantastic, a rare look at the more punk side of Gene, the pretty popsters, with Mason ripping off the punishing licks like a young Paul Weller circa All Mod Cons. This thing zips big time and makes purchase mandatory. And if you haven't bought the LP yet, wait 'til you get a load of the epic A-side!

Product Details

Release Date: 02/05/2021
Label: Demon Records
UPC: 5014797904507
catalogNumber: 7904507
Rank: 73172

Tracks

  1. Olympian
  2. I Can't Decide If She Really Loves Me
  3. To See the Lights
  4. Don't Let Me Down

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