JULIANA HATFIELD SINGS OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN

Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John (2018)

Juliana Hatfield

1. I Honestly Love You
2. Suspended In Time
3. Have You Never Been Mellow
4. A Little More Love
5. Magic
6. Physical
7. Totally Hot
8. Don't Stop Believin'
9. Please Mr. Please
10. Hopelessly Devoted To You
11. Xanadu
12. Dancin' 'Round And 'Round
13. Make A Move On Me
14. I Honestly Love You (Reprise)*

*Track 14 is not on the vinyl LP but included on the digital download card.

Bonus 7-Inch Track List

1. Deeper Than The Night
2. Heart Attack

Availability

The album was announced in January 2018 (with the above support from Olivia) and released on April 13, 2018 through the major streaming and download sites.

Vinyl, CD, and Cassette versions were available via a multitude of ordering options at American Laundromat Records, with some options also available through Cargo Records UK.

In December 2018, a further limited edition vinyl version was released with alternate artwork.

On February 15, 2019 the two songs from the bonus 7-inch were released via streaming and download stores.

Personnel

Juliana Hatfield – vocals, producer, guitar, keyboard, bass, drums
Pete Caldes – drums
Ed Valauskas – bass

Quotes From The Press Release

Juliana:

I have never not loved Olivia Newton-John. Her music has brought me so much pure joy throughout my life. I loved her when I was a child and I love her still. Her voice and her positive energy and her melodies have stood the test of time and they give me as much pleasure now as they ever did. Listening to her is an escape into a beautiful place. She has inspired me so much personally and I just wanted to give something back; to share some of these tremendous songs, reinterpreted, with love, by me

American Laundromat Records:

One dollar from the sale of every album will be donated to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (ONJ Centre), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing patients with cancer access to leading medical treatment, breakthrough research, and the best in wellness and supportive care.

Credits

Guitars, vocals, keyboards: Juliana Hatfield Drums: Pete Caldes Bass: Ed Valauskas

Except bass and drums on "I Honestly Love You" (both versions) by Juliana

Engineered by Pat DiCenso and James Bridges at Q Division in Somerville, MA. Mixed by Pat Dicenso except "I Honestly Love You" (Track 1) mixed by Scott Litt and assisted by Clif Norrell.

Mastered by Sean Glonek at SRG Studios in Hamilton, NJ

Design & illustration by Nicole Anguish / Daykamp Creative

Reviews

Gina, Fools Rush In:

Hatfield says in her liner notes that she has always found Newton-John’s work inspiring and positive, and that completely virtuous stance shines through in her interpretations of it: there’s nothing cynical or kitschy in her choice of artist. Unlike the usual goofy ‘70s covers many bands choose, there’s absolutely no irony here: instead, Hatfield successfully injects her vision into ours, so that, at the end of the record, rather than dismissing her, we learn to have that same kind of faith in her too.

Chris Martin, Atlanta Auditory Association:

If I had not known this was an album of ONJ songs I would swear the rocking “Totally Hot” and “Make a Move On Me” were Hatfield originals. If you ever listen to Hatfield’s music, then you know disco is far from her sound, so I was curious as to how she would handle the tunes “Magic” and “Xanadu”. Staying true to the originals she nails both giving them a hint of the disco vibe while grounding them with perfectly placed guitars.

Jeff Gemill, The Old Grey Cat:

Aside from a sped-up “Dancin’ ‘Round and ‘Round,” the arrangements hew close to the originals, though the pop and pop-country overtones are replaced with the punky pop-rock embellishments that have long accented Juliana’s work. Electric guitars are often at the fore – even on the opener, “I Honestly Love You,” which is raw and real.

The epiphany: These songs are as much a reflection of Juliana’s soul as her own compositions. It’s “This Lonely Love” brought into the open for all to see and share.

aLfie vera mella, Cryptic Rock (5/5):

The 1980s and the 1990s may be both heralded as prolific and proficient ages of music in terms of outputs and stylistic diversity. Taking this into consideration, Hatfield’s homage to Newton-John is a completion of a circle. It is, therefore, a doubly worthy contribution to the 2010s own streak of musical greatness that is surely to be hailed in the decades to come. CrypticRock gives Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John 5 out of 5 stars.

Glenn Gamboa, Newsday (4.5/5):

With “Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John” (American Laundromat), Hatfield not only showcases the sturdiness of Newton-John’s undeniable catalog, which spans country, pop and rock, but by amping up the edges serves as a reminder of the barriers the Aussie singer broke through in the ’70s.

Christopher Long, Ink 19:

For longtime Newton-John admirers, the 14-track collection will take ya on a friendly-feeling trip down memory lane. However, it’s the non Newton-John fans – the young folks who weren’t around back in the old days, as well as Hatfield’s fervent followers, who will reap the greatest joy from this set, as it stands tall on its own, simply as a solid, new rock release.

Jim Fusilli, The Wall Street Journal:

At its best moments, the album finds Ms. Hatfield paying respect, but not fealty, to Ms. Newton-John’s familiar versions. Its best cuts—including “Dancin’ ’Round and ’Round” and “A Little More Love,” both from “Totally Hot”—call to mind not the originator, but the bright side of Ms. Hatfield, thus liberating the recording from the glum responsibilities of a nostalgia exercise.

Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone:

Pop supernova Olivia Newton-John and alt-pop heroine Juliana Hatfield both possess winsome sopranos, and this delightful album filters Newton-John's biggest hits through Hatfield's slightly grungier sensibility. Hatfield's obvious affinity for the source material is evident throughout, with her coy take on the late-Seventies smash "A Little More Love" and her heartfelt version of the Grease showstopper "Hopelessly Devoted to You" being particular highlights.

Robert Peacock, The Wee Review:

This album’s niche, then, but not pure gimmick. You might need to love both women to truly love this album, but you wouldn’t be disappointed if you were a fan of either, or even a curious bystander. Respect to Hatfield for being so hopelessly devoted to Newton-John and full marks for the cover art which does a good job of capturing the vibe.

Grant Walters, Albumism (5/5):

If you’re a fan of Newton-John’s or Hatfield’s, there are plenty of reasons you’ll want to put this record on and bask in its thoughtfulness. If you’re not familiar with either but appreciate an intuitive, talented artist giving voice to a batch of compelling compositions, this album’s for you too.

Jeff Rogers, saukvalley.com:

That new take on old songs works best where you might least expect it. Hatfield’s version of “Physical” is fun, where the original was kind of annoying. A reworking of “Xanadu” dials down the gloss just enough to let the subtle, fuzzy guitar give the undeniable earworm of a song an interesting twist. Same with “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “A Little More Love.”

Hyperbolium, No Depression:

Hatfield has internalized these songs and their artist in a thousand bedroom and car singalongs, and filters them through the original artistry they helped inspire. The contentment of “Have You Never Been Mellow” retains its optimistic mid-70s introspection while being deepened by Hatfield’s additional decades of life experience, and “Hopelessly Devoted to You” could just as easily be Hatfield singing about Newton-John as it was Sandy singing about Danny. This is a treat for fans of both Newton-John and Hatfield, and the only thing missing are some Grease photo cards to stick inside your locker.

Ian Rushbury, Under The Radar:

There's a great mix of reverence and alt-rock on this record, which moves Sings Olivia Newton-John from an idea that was better in planning than in practice onto a different level. About two or three songs into the album, you'll forget that it's a "concept" album and just enjoy it for what it is—a really strong collection of songs that just happen to come from an unlikely source. Now all we have to do is wait for the Olivia Newton John Sings Juliana Hatfield album.

Artwork

The Xanadu "Duet" Mix

Magnificent work by Jake Fogelnest:

Endorsed by JH too: