The Ring of Truth (ALBUM)

Carla Olson was one of the best roots rockers to emerge from L.A.'s new wave scene in the '80s, and with the possible exception of the Long Ryders, no one slipped into the groove of folk-rock and country-rock with as much elan and commitment as Olson (she may well have been the best collaborator Gene Clark had outside of the Byrds). The Ring of Truth was Olson's first studio album in six years, and it finds her in excellent form; Olson's voice, tough but clear and full-bodied, sounds great, and the set kicks off with three especially fine originals from Olson: the tough-rocking "Loserville" and "Never Fade Away" and the moody "The Low Way." Olson also has a pretty impressive band on board, including former Electric Flag keyboardist Barry Goldberg; bassist Gregg Sutton, who's worked with Dave Alvin and Lone Justice; and John Sebastian, who adds a harmonica solo to a rollicking cover of Bob Dylan's "Won't You Please Crawl out Your Window." However, one of the album's best-known guest stars also turns out to be its most crippling flaw; former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, who's recorded with Olson in the past, contributes to a number of songs on The Ring of Truth, and while it's probably very difficult to tell a man who played on Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street that he needs to cut back on his soloing, the truth is his pointlessly extended workouts sink several tracks here, especially the nine-and-a-half-minute "Great Black Hole" and a cover of the Stones' "Winter" that meanders on for a torturous 12 minutes. Carla Olson is a great talent, and with a little editing The Ring of Truth would be a great album, but a little less instrumental showboating and more concise arrangements would do many of these songs a world of good.