Rating:
Genre:
Gospel
Release Date: 07/12/2005
Michael Olson seemed destined to inherit the Christian
adult contemporary crown that
Steven Curtis Chapman relinquished by 2005, the year of
Olson's debut release on
Rocketown Records. He possessed a formidable tenor, a knack for writing acoustic
pop gems, even the wispy blond hair. And unilateral songs such as
"I Believe in Jesus" and
"New Every Morning" could easily be mistaken for vintage
Chapman. Fortunately for his fans,
Long Arm of Love balances lighter leanings with an assortment of strong
pop fare that dabbles in acoustic
funk, drum loops. and
blues-rock. Think
Andrew Peterson meets early-career
Jars of Clay, with the makings of
Matt Redman and
Michael W. Smith thrown in for good measure.
Olson plays guitar, piano and drums on various tracks, which makes it sound more cohesive than it might be from just a singer/songwriter and his backing band. Plus, the youthful vigor in his tone brings life to lyrics that come across a bit innocent at times. One wonders how he "paid the price and learned [his] lesson" as described in the title track. But overall,
Love was an impressive debut that held
Olson up to high expectations for the remainder of his career.
~Jared Johnson, All Music Guide
;)
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