First Night (Jane Olivor album)

First Night is Jane Olivor's debut album.[3] It was released in 1976 via Columbia Records.[4]

First Night
Studio album by
Released1976
GenreFolk
Length34:34
LabelColumbia Records
ProducerJason Darrow
Jane Olivor chronology
First Night
(1976)
Chasing Rainbows
(1977)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauC−[2]

Critical reception

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William Ruhlmann stated in his AllMusic review that "Olivor seemed at the start of her career to be creating a new form of light pop music that plumbed the complex emotional depths first investigated by confessional singer/songwriters, yet employed a sophistication associated with an earlier generation of singers."[1]

Jonathan Frank of Talkin Broadway wrote, First Night was named Album of the Year by Stereo Review. Her early reviews compared her to Barbra Streisand and Edith Piaf.[5] Coast to Coast Tickets[6] and Corporate Artists[7] verified this as well.

The New York Times wrote that "within the stylistic context in which [Olivor] works, First Night is a fine record."[3]

Robert Christgau was critical of the album, writing that "her LP is marginally adventurous, but if she becomes a star it will be by embodying the half of Barbra Streisand that Bette Midler put in the garbage."[2]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."My First Night Alone Without You"Kin Vassy5:00
2."Come Softly to Me"
  • Gretchen Christopher
  • Barbara Ellis
  • Gary Troxel
2:16
3."Morning, Noon and Nighttime"
3:50
4."Better Days"2:49
5."L'important C'est La Rose"2:49
6."Carousel of Love"
  • Jeremy Stone
  • Jason Darrow
2:30
7."Vincent"Don McLean3:41
8."One More Ride on the Merry-Go-Round"3:57
9."Some Enchanted Evening"3:29
10."Turn Away"
  • Jeremy Stone
  • Jason Darrow
4:13
Total length:34:34

All track information and credits were taken from the CD liner notes.[8]

Charts

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Chart (1976/77) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 70

References

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  1. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. First Night at AllMusic
  2. ^ a b "Robert Christgau: CG: Jane Olivor". www.robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ a b Rockwell, John (September 10, 1976). "The Pop Life" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ^ Howell, Daedalus; Chronicle, Special to The (December 1, 2000). "Singer Jane Olivor Follows Comeback Trail to Marin". SFGate.
  5. ^ Frank, Jonathan. "Interview with Jane Olivor". talkinbroadway.com. Talkin Broadway. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Jane Olivor". corporateartists.com. The Bazel Group. 17 May 2008. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Jane Olivor History". coasttocoasttickets.com. Coast to Coast Tickets. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  8. ^ Olivor, Jane. First Night. Columbia. 1976.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 223. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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