Description
White Horse is the solo debut album by the American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer Michael Omartian, released on ABC Dunhill Records in October 1974. Re-issued in 1976 by Myrrh Records, a division of Word. The album was recorded by Tommy Vicari, Michael Lietz, and John Guess at Sound Labs and Hollywood Sound in Hollywood, California; with Michael Omartian producing and arranging. Mixed by Tommy Vicari. All songs written by Michael Omartian with lyrics by his wife Stormie.
Jazzy. Funky. Synthesized to the hilt. On White Horse Michael Omartian delivers the best solo work of his career as an artist. State-of-the-art technology and the finest studio musicians in Los Angeles helped craft an album full of nearly flawless progressive pop songs. Omartian’s keyboard and production innovations paved the way for keyboardists to come. Compassionate lyrics, stimulating arrangements, great playing marked the album. Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather of Toto fame once told Omartian that White Horse was something they used to listen to quite a bit and that they thought the album was a couple of steps ahead, even sonically, of everything that was going on in the record business at that time.
“Add Up The Wonders” was later covered by Peter Beveridge on his 1982-album Static on the Frequency released in Australian on Myrrh Records in 1982 (and re-issued by StarSong Records in the US the following year, re-titled Grinding Wheel), by Priscilla Engle on her self-titled 1986-album, and as well covered by Ole Børud of Extol fame on his 2002 solo debut album, Chi-Rho. “Jeremiah” was covered by Russ Taff on his solo debut album Walls of Glass released on Myrrh Records in 1983. “Right From The Start” was re-recorded by Michael Omartian on his instrumental album Conversations released on Reunion Records in 1986. In 2015 the album cut “Fat City” was included on a sampler album entitled Too Slow to Disco, Volume 2, a mainstream compilation series of ’70s Westcoast Yachtpop.
Trivia: During his lifetime Michael Omartian has contributed his talents to hundreds of albums as a producer, composer, arranger, and session musician. He is the first producer in recording history to have number one records on the Billboard charts in three consecutive decades – the seventies, eighties and nineties. With seventeen Grammy nominations including Producer of the Year, Album of the Year and Gospel Album of the Year, Omartian is a multiple Grammy Award winner. Additionally, Omartian has been recognized by The Recording Academy (NARAS) as Keyboard Musician of the Year.
WHITE HORSE – Michael Omartian – Producer: Michael Omartian – ABC/Dunhill DSD-50185
The renowed producer who once was a member of The Loggins and Messina band as a pianist now ventures forth with an extraordinary LP that proves that you never know just how many talents as artist has till he shows them to you. Omartian on this LP not only displays his poise and professionalism as a producer, but also as an artist on such tracks as «Fat City», «The Rest Is Up To You», «Take Me Down» and «Add Up The Wonders». A man of diverse talents, Omartian opens up new worlds with this LP. [CashBox Magazine, November 30, 1974, Album Reviews/Pop Picks]
Christian rock went high-tech with this producer/keyboardist/singer’s mainstream release, later picked up for the Christian market by Myrrh records. Artsy, progressive rock compositions with some pop hooks and classical influences, all with a unique style and sparkling clean production that ought to give synthesizer lovers plenty of opportunity to drool while they crank up their expensive stereos. Michael is composer of all the music and sings lead vocals, while wife Stormie provides the lyrics and assists on backing vocals. Michael utilizes numerous keyboards including synthesizers, clavinet, classical piano, organ and honky-tonk piano. Some tough electric guitar as well on the heavy brass-rock opener «Jeremiah», the climactic ballad «Add Up The Wonders» and the superb seven-minute apocalyptic progressive title track. «Silver Fish» and «Take Me Down» also reveal art-rock influences, while «Fat City» takes a fun clavinet-loaded sidestep into funky pop-rock. Just listen to that boy bang the ivories on «The Rest Is Up To You». On the quieter more contemplative end are moody ballads like «The Orphan» and «Right From The Start». This album has rightly remained a classic over the years. The Myrrh release (MSA 6564) comes in a single-slip cover, while the original Dunhill issue has a much nicer gate-fold cover. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]
Blasting off with the funky horns of «Jeremiah», this record cooks from beginning to end. Christian Contemporary Music has never been so hip. CCM in general has a reputation for being watered down and unemotional, but this record squeaked through without any dilution at all. Reminiscent in many ways of early Joe Jackson. Flamboyant and funky. Omartian has always been known for great songwriting and great production, but this record is his masterpiece. Standout cuts include «Silverfish», «Fat City», «The Rest Is Up to You», and the title track. [Mark Allender, AMG]
A Chance-Taker Who Succeeds
by Morgan Ames
High Fidelity Magazine, May 1975Michael Omartian is one of those people who covers every corner. He does not only basic arrangements, but also orchestrations; not only all lead vocals, but background vocal arrangements, many of which he sings; not only keyboards, but (as long as he’s up) percussion; not only execution, but production. And guess who writes the songs (lyrics by Stormie Omartian – more later). As if all this were not bad enough (for those with fewer talents), he is rumored to be still in his early twenties and also looks good.
Omartian’s new album for Dunhill is an integrated tour de force, thoroughly grounded in skills but still more intuitive than intellectual. This is rock and roll at its classiest. The categorizing doesn’t really work, but so what, it’s closer than folk or country. People need a certain amount of labeling so they don’t drown in over choice.
A great deal of the album’s emotionality comes from the lyrics of Stormie Omartian. Often they begin in darkness or frantic life despair only to break into sunshine later. “Add up the wonders and all of the numbers that people do. So much comes to nothing. . . . Gather the gladness in a rush-hour of madness, sell it all for a dime. Someone will come to buy it. .. . But you can lift my spirits high, like no one has before. … Your freedom has freed me too.”
There are times, among the songs, when I wish a lyric thought would be more pointed, more personal, and less symbolic. But such things are a matter of personal evolution; there is a lot of lyric writing in Ms. Omartian’s future – we’ll see. She also plays a major part in the background vocals, which are simultaneously hot and warm and done with the same level of competence as the rest.
Michael Omartian is a restless, active piano player, a chance-taker who usually succeeds. The same goes for his writing.
I have heard him called the best of the new breed, and this is true. It’s doubtful he thinks of himself as a breed at all, but rather as someone who has little choice but to go ahead with all his talents as the doors open. Godspeed.
MICHAEL OMARTIAN: White Horse. Michael Omartian, keyboards, percussion, vocals, songs, and all arrangements. The Orphan; Silver Fish; Fat City; six more. (Michael Omartian, prod.) ABC DUNHILL DSD 50185 $6.98
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/white-horse/1457354390)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Jeremiah” – 4:37
A2. “Fat City” – 3:09
A3. “The Orphan” – 2:01
A4. “Silver Fish” – 2:34
A5. “Add Up The Wonders” – 5:19
Side Two
B1. “Take Me Down” – 3:39
B2. “Right From The Start” – 2:30
B3. “Rest Is Up To You” – 2:47
B4. “White Horse” – 7:06
Note: The original ABC Dunhill issue features a gatefold sleeve while the Myrrh US re-issue (MSA 6564) comes in a single-slip sleeve. (Though Myrrh’s UK Edition, catalogue number MYRA 1048, with the Myrrh “Forest Trees” picture labels and not the Myrrh “blue and green” labels, also features a gatefold sleeve.) Digitally remastered and re-issued on cassette and CD by Myrrh Records in 1991, paired with Adam Again, as a part of the label’s Contemporary Christian Classics Series.
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