Despite the cover where your thoughts go astray to a 'Film Noir', and then we are not talking about his EP from 2011, this new album by David Onley is an example of how pleasant Americana can and should sound. He released his previous album 'Do not Try To Fight It' in 2017, but his solo debut album 'Eye Of The Storm' dates back to 1986. In between there are a series of albums where the counter with this 'This Side or The Other' 'on' 30 '.  David Onley was born in Rhode Island and developed over the years as an excellent singer-songwriter. In 1971 he came into the picture as a guitarist with Bland Simpson's band. Later David also came into the vocal vocals as a singer with 'The X-Rays' with which the album 'Contender' (1981) was released. The big international breakthrough came in 1988 with the album 'Deeper Well'. In the early 90s, David Onley became one of the most influential singer-songwriters in the Nashville scene.  'This Side or The Other' is about the best that Nashville has to offer and was produced by Steve Dawson. On the album we find 10 songs ranging from delicious Americana to poetic-feeling songs where you get an indication of the result of a life of more than 30 years as a singer-songwriter.  Opener on this 'This Side or The Other' looks a bit like sweet-and-sour country, a song that he wrote with a Johnny Cash in mind. It is also clear that the years begin to get a grip on the timbre of David Onley though you can best interpret this as 'gray charm'.  A wall has two sides, it can protect or it can separate. The subsequent 'Wall' can also divide you. A song that can lead to some controversy nowadays in American politics, and can therefore be somewhat sensitive. 'I Spy' can be called a dark country. It can also come from a film track of Quentin Tarantino, you can view it as black and white with the final result, gray.  If you think that a 70-year-old outlaw can no longer write about love, you just have to listen to 'Running From Love' with 'Open Your Heart' as well. He wrote the title track 'This Side Or The Other' with the story of a father and son who, despite the walls of a prison between them, would never be separated from each other. Brought here in a gripping duet with Anne McCue.  Finally he brings 'She's Not Here' from The Zombies. No matter how hard you search, you will not find 'them', even though some 'wall's are being taken down here on this' This Side or The Other'. Despite a cover, a beautiful conclusion.