Dale Olivier - A Grand Tour Of Sorrow / Wishing (Matchbox)
UK release date: 24 November 2003
With a promising opening that echoes the reflective charm of REM's Everybody Hurts, A Grand Tour Of Sorrow in fact ends up as little more than a poorly organised excursion in song writing. Dale Olivier's voice tries very hard to be in the same league as folk / indie crooners such as Mark Morris (The Bluetones) but saying there is a little room for improvement would be like telling a priest that the Pope is vaguely religious.
Wishing briefly puts this angsty musician in the line with The Coral or Del Amitri, but alas it's not long before he's wandering, lost as a Japanese tourist in London.
The reason singer / songwriters such as Damien Rice have charted this year is quite simply because they are good. With this performance, however, Dale Olivier should be seeking alternative employment.
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