olio - untitled

Olio

Untitled
AD4 Records; 2014

3.6 out of 5

By Demiera Harris

Listening to Olio, I was struck with a particularly vivid image in my head. Picture it (and bear with me here): a band decides to go on a time-traveling trip. They bring with them the topics of the present, the electronic technology, and some snacks, and end up in a time where funk and soul are the main focuses of music. Using the setting of their new environment and incorporating the tools of the future, they create the 12-track album Untitled. 

Even with most of the songs containing a similar base ideology, a lot of them stood out to me. “Idi It Girl” has all of the soul of all your favorite 70’s songs, and I even heard some reflections of Stevie Wonder’s “Always” in the lyrics – which were actually used rather perfectly in the context of the song. The lyrics are rather humorous and I like the wordplay in the title. The wailing guitar solo was a really nice touch. 

“Caught Up” sounds like what I would expect to hear from a boy band that matured and wanted to incorporate some funk rock into a pop song. Vocals just don’t sound the way they used to these days, but “Boom” is a nice reminder of what really strong male harmonies used to sound like back when that was THE thing to do. 

“Dance” is, for lack of a better way to describe it, a very pop groove dance song. You will want to tap your feet and shake your hips and maybe even make a whole choreographed line dance to this. I would be very surprised if this doesn’t turn into a party hit one day

“Once In A Lifetime” is a gentle, emotional song. I like how it starts with piano chords and vocals and waits until a bit later to add sweet guitar strumming, and finally granting the appearance of the meat of the song. 

Having listened to the whole experience, I have to say I think Olio is a rather refreshing band simply for reminding me of that old school vibe I used to hear my parents play all the time. Not only do they have a clear respect for and love of old music, but also they know how to bring modern elements to the table so that they clearly have a niche in the music world that has evolved to its current point. Take a listen to Untitled if you want some groovy music that’ll move your heart and get your blood pumping to boot.

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