Ah! Another from the Song for Calgary contest. We were going to say something not terribly supportive about this single, but James Muretich beat us to it: [center][img width=451]//7ca49eb9f67ba1319ef136f9d52cd8b8.cdn.bubble.io/f1729390823332x720485851153689600/richtext_content.jpeg[/img][/center] [b][size=4]Olympic music falls far short of Games gold[/size][/b] By James Muretich (Herald staff writer) The Olympics may bring out the best in athletes but, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have the same effect on musical artists attempting to celebrate the Winter Olympics in Calgary. They seem intent on battling it out for a gold medal for musical mediocrity. If you thought Neighbours Of The World was mind-numbingly mundane in its crooning about Calgary setting your spirit free, just check out some of the professional and rank amateur recordings that are trying to cash in on Olympic fervor. There's no end to quasi-spiritual, sports clichés and their being cloaked in mindless, melodramatic elevator music. Chartwell Records has seen fit to release an entire album - entitled Dream On The Horizon - A Tribute To The Olympic Spirit! - by an entity called The Big Picture. The liner notes state that the music "has been created to express all humanity's desire and potential." If this is humanity's potential, it's time to start hanging around street corners sporting placards predicting the end of the world. The Big Picture is capable only of small-screen sentimentality. Its puerile pop music drifts lazily by while unknown singers warble about climbing hills, freedom, passing the torch and having a personal relationship with victory. The only track on the recording of real interest is the teaming of classical guitarist Liona Boyd and rock guitarists Alex Lifeson (of Rush) and Rik Emmett (of Triumph) on Hands Of Man (vocal and instrumental versions). However, not even this triumvirate of talented guitarists can rise above the unconscious need for oozing Olympian clichés and trite music. Then there are the singles of singular non-merit. Calgarians Lewis David Levin and Susan Stevens lend their voices to a song entitled We Are Calgary on the independent Amazin' Records. It sounds like a local TV commercial and features lyrics such as: "Couldn't think of a better place, don't know a better time or way to show the world just who we are; to tell everyone about a bright new star. We are Calgary, proud of who we are." Heck, I love Calgary, but not to the point of embracing such a vacuous tribute. Calgarian Les Howard has had two of his tunes - This City and The Age Of Canadian recorded in Los Angeles by vocalists Jara Lane and Bronwyn Allen. This City is a countryish ode to "this city so pretty in the moonlight" that is sung from the point of view of someone returning to her beloved city and feeling "the courage of a mother defending her child." The Age Of Canadian is a mild rocker celebrating, what else, the Great White North. Even Col. J. Fred Scot Elementary School has gotten into the swing of things by releasing its own single entitled Calgary - A Symphony!, sung by its Grade 5 and 6 students. It's actually the best of the lot: the enthusiasm of the children wins out despite lyrics that somehow try to make you believe Calgary has "a heart filled with music." And I thought those rush-hour motorists were just screaming at each other when all along they were singing. It's enough to make you appreciate David Foster's Winter Games theme, featured on his new recording (The Symphony Sessions) and also to be included in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. True, it sounds like Frank Mills in a mildly progressive frame of mind, but at least the award-winning Canadian producer/composer knows how to throw in those little dramatic flourishes which should make the tune pleasant accompaniment to pictures of skiers dashing across the snow. Oh well, let the Games begin. I'm sure the Olympic spirit will survive even these songs.
