''The Salvation Blues'' is the debut solo album by singer/songwriter
Mark Olson, released in 2007.
Olson's 10-year marriage to
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams (born December 23, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. Diagnosed with multi ...
had ended in divorce and he subsequently suffered from depression. He wrote the songs for the album while recovering in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, Wales. He recorded demos in Wales, Norway, Poland and Minnesota as well. Olson and the making of the album were the subject of a half-hour documentary, ''The Salvation Blues'', released by Grain Pictures.
Reception
Writing for
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
, music critic Thom Jurek praised the Olson's songwriting and wrote "Ultimately, it comes down to the songs, though. And Mark Olson has them here in spades. with the presentation being so utterly simple, a lot of weight rests not only on the singer, but on the lyrics and melody. And Olson delivers, though the often shining optimism of his offerings has been tempered in places by grief, loss, and the workaday living of everyday life that blends dream and reality as time rushes forward; still he champions humble human nobility in choosing life over death each and every morning... Salvation Blues is stripped down, modern desert country music at its very best."
Track listing
All songs by Mark Olson unless otherwise noted.
#"My Carol"
#"Clifton Bridge"
#"Poor Michael's Boat" (Olson,
Louris)
#"National Express" (Olson,
Williams,
Russell)
#"Salvation Blues"
#"Keith"
#"Winter Song" (Olson, Williams)
#"Sandy Denny"
#"Tears from Above"
#"Look into the Night"
#"My One Book Philosophy"
European bonus tracks
#"Copper Coin"
#"Your Time Will Come"
Personnel
*
Mark Olson – vocals, acoustic guitar, Wurlitzer on "My One Book Philosophy"
*
Tony Gilkyson
Tony Gilkyson (born August 6, 1952) is a Los Angeles-based musician. He is the son of Jane Gilkyson and songwriter/folk musician Terry Gilkyson, as well as the brother of singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson.
Career
Gilkyson is a former member of ...
– electric guitar
*
Greg Leisz
Gregory Brian Leisz ( ; born September 18, 1949) is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar.
Biography
Leisz grew up in the garage band cultu ...
– pedal steel, dobro, mandolin
* Zac Rae – piano, organ, Wurlitzer, vibes, Chamberlain, Mellotron
* David J. Carpenter – bass
* Danny Fankel – percussion, bongos
* Michele Gazich – violin
* Kevin Jarvis – drums
*
Ingunn Ringvold – acoustic guitar
* Cindy Wasserman – harmony vocals
*
Gary Louris
Gary Louris (born March 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band the Jayhawks and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the ...
– harmony vocals
Production notes
* Pete Lyman – engineer
* Kevin Jarvis – engineer
* Alfonso Rodenas – engineer
* Ben Vaughn – producer
* Joe Gastwist – mastering
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salvation Blues, The
2007 debut albums
Mark Olson (musician) albums