Olive – Extra Virgin

Forever grateful that Music on vinyl release rare fan favourite albums like this on vinyl, would love Trickle next. Great pressing by the way and nice coloured vinyl.

Came to this back in the day expecting some kind of A Guy Called Gerald album or at least a Everything But The Girl one, but nah, it is a pop dubby affair where the most interesting stuff is on the dub programming. If you take it as pop, as pure pop, it is nice and there are enough hooks but precisely how every song must have a hook and a chorus and some catchy stuff hammered is what makes it a bit irritating.

"You're not alone" is a highlight because it has the most energy among the rest of the songs. I like the rest, I like the spacey quality of "Safer Hands" and "Falling", I would prefer "Outlaw" to have a bit more of a punch but then again, this was intended to be mainstream pop to be sold in massive quantities, and this is what it achieved.

All songs sound sped up on the LP - Anyone else notice this?

Does anyone know which remix of You're Not Alone that bonus track is? Roni Size perhaps?

Anyone any idea why music on vinyl is re-releasing nonsense albums like this except from creati g bad pressed re-issues ?

A milestone album. Of course, "You're Not Alone" was a major hit that eventually appeared in a wide variety of bootleg remixes as well, but there's so much more to this outstanding album. I'm not sure if it's the mastering or simply the way the album was mixed, but there's a weird and ever so enjoyable silent intimacy in the sound stage; you really can't put your finger on it. Without a doubt, this album is a definite staple of everything that was going on in dance in the mid- and late 90s, especially for those who were in their twenties back then and experienced everything first hand; the bonus disc is the ultimate proof of it. Paul Oakenfold, Roni Size, The Ganja Kru, Monkey Mafia, Matthew Roberts; all names that mattered a lot back then. Anyway, the main subject should be the first disc that contains the actual album. "Extra Virgin" runs deep, grabs by the throat, hits you where it hurts at times and takes you back to those carefree days of going out a lot, sleeping in all day and maybe even have another snog with the girl that you took home with you that same night and that was still in your bed the moment you woke up. We're dealing with an album that's not so much to put on while you get ready to go out, but more one for those lazy Sundays after a long night in the club. Maybe it's drizzling outside. Maybe the wind howls around your house. Maybe you're thinking about the one that might as well be the love of your life, but that person left town and you have no idea where he or she is. Maybe you're just on the couch, still in your pyjamas at four in the afternoon, reading a book. Maybe you're just sad or even depressed, but still you're O.K. and things will be fine by the time evening falls. Still, in the background, in all those cases, you're listening to "Extra Virgin" by Olive and you just know that one day everything's going to be alright. No need to delve deeper into the tracklisting, no need to delve deeper into the lyrics; just play the album from start to finish and let it soak in. That more or less sums it up, I think.

Am I the only one having surface noises on both discs?

Would love a vinyl version of this album :)

Very relaxing and smooth Album, some songs are nice to sing along , "you´re not alone" is my favorite track.