With the huge success of Have You Never Been Mellow, Olivia Newton-John joins Helen Reddy and Karen Carpenter as one of the decade's three white female MOR superstars. All three women specialize in packaged television music, most of it aesthetically worthless. Its commercial value, however, cannot be dismissed as accidental. Each artist embodies a distinguishable, if bland, female archetype with wide demographic appeal. Their albums are organized around simple, catchy tunes and produced with emphasis on the middle and upper ranges that carry best on portable radio. Production is streamlined to make the tunes move quickly ("Have You Never Been Mellow" plays at exactly two beats per second).

Newton-John's records combine standard MOR production with instrumentation borrowed from country music, and Newton-John, who is British born, affects a country-girl personality convincingly enough to sell to the country as well as the pop market. Her voice is very pretty, especially in the upper register ("And in the Morning"). She looks and sounds like a breathlessly innocent real-life doll. The smash title cut of her new album is its most ingenuous. Three other songs -- "It's So Easy," "Please Mr. Please" and Rick Nelson's "Lifestream" -- are possible followups, with "Please" the likliest contender. Newton-John's version of "I Honestly Love You" recently won a Grammy for record of the year.

Further reading on Super Seventies RockSite!: Olivia Newton-John: In Her Own Words Olivia Newton-John Lyrics

Though "Honestly" is an above average MOR single, it can't, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered a recording achievement. Which only goes to show that the Grammy, like the Oscar, rewards commercial success more often than creativity.

- Stephen Holden, Rolling Stone, 4/24/75.

Bonus Review!

Last year's new superstar shows no signs of slowing down this mix of country, soft rock and easy listening cuts designed to appeal to the fans she has garnered in all three areas. Miss Newton-John has developed into an excellent singer, she does not go out of her range (sticking to the softer tunes or the "Let Me Be There" kind of melodies her voice is best suited for) and stands as a remarkable example of musical versatility. Backed by fine production arrangements throughout, the set is basically an extension and progression of her last effort. Tunes have been carefully selected, with the John Denver/Tom Jans mode of easy country/rock the most predominant. Highlight may well prove to be a version of "The Air That I Breathe" that moves form an almost hymn like arrangement to a Spector type build and back. Few flaws here and an almost certain bet to strap her firmly in the superstar category for good. Best cuts: "Have You Never Been Mellow," "Loving Arms," "Wather Under The Bridge" (country flavor), "It's So Easy" (a good country rocker), "The Air That I Breathe," "Follow Me," "Please Mr. Please."

- Billboard, 1975.

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