Kathy Olsen and Neil Friend’s pairing as Blonde & Grey doesn’t break new musical ground. Anyone searching for artists who are obsessed with reinventing the songwriting wheel is advised to look elsewhere. The retired high school music teacher and singer/songwriter, respectively, are neck-deep in this for the thrill of self-expression alone though, I am sure, they wouldn’t mind earning a few nickels they can rub together. I believe their first album together, Face the Music, will pocket them some coin.
These are definitely songs any listener can put in their pockets for a rainy day. They hold up under repeated listening. Blonde & Grey set an immediate tone for the release by opening it with the title song. It’s a subtle but important sign of Olsen and Friend’s confidence in the material and rates among the album’s best works. “Mud Mills Road” underlines the duo’s commitment to creating a full-bodied vocal experience. Olsen and Friend’s voices are different but enormously complimentary.
“Settle With Yourself” is much more musically straightforward than other songs on Face the Music. This makes it a good match for the lyrics. Friend’s writing reaches one of its zeniths with this piece as he writes about overdue personal reckonings with concise and pointed lines. It provides one of Olsen’s finest turns on flute as well. The duo looks back into the misty recesses of folk music’s past and rebirths the venerable “Corrina, Corrina” as “A Bird That Whistles”. It mixes modernity with a faithful approach to the folk music stalwart. Olsen’s vocals and flute both deliver the goods here.
Her flute playing and vocals reach another height with “Gracie’s Grace”. Olsen’s debt to Joni Mitchell shines through bright during this track – it is a technically satisfying performance as well as deeply emotive. While she handles the majority of the vocals for this track, Friend takes over as lead vocalist for its follow-up. “Trying Too Long” is varied both musically and lyrically, but many listeners will be very taken by the latter. It’s a testament to his skills that Friend finds so many variations playing on the song’s title.
“Watch It All Disappear” ranks among the best tracks on this album. There’s considerable artistry shaping this track into its full result but none of it ever feels or sounds calculated. Instead, “Watch It All Disappear” strikes me as a much more relaxed performance as if the principals involved are certain of where they’re going and know how to get there. The album closer “Minute by Minute” is a worthy finale with its brisk backbeat and wide-open vocals. Friend and Olsen are going for broke here and the sheer joy in the performance is impossible to miss. This song ends Face the Music on an upbeat musical note and helps the album leave an even more positive impression on listeners. They’ve hit upon a path that should bear more fruit if they pursue it. Neil Friend and Kathy Olsen have a natural feel for working with each other that you don’t often stumble on, but their album Face the Music sparkles thanks to their chemistry.
Chadwick Easton