The hit single {&"Have You Never Been Mellow"} carried {$Olivia Newton-John} right back to number one, six months after {&"I Honestly Love You"} brought the singer to that coveted position for the first time. The title track is a masterpiece of songwriting by her producer, {$John Farrar}, an exquisitely pleasant melody with a sunny and peaceful theme. Having covered {$John Denver}'s {&"Take Me Home Country Roads"} on the {^Let Me Be There} album in 1973, {$Newton-John} goes back to the {$Denver} catalog twice on this project, including her beautiful rendition of one of his lesser-known gems, {&"Follow Me,"} with {$Farrar}'s lush {\country-pop} instrumental backing. {&"The Air That I Breathe"} was a hit for {$the Hollies} when {$Newton-John} was filling the airwaves with {&"I Honestly Love You"}; she does a nice interpretation of the {$Albert Hammond}/{$Mike Hazlewood} song here, along with an intriguing look at {$Rick Nelson}'s {&"Lifestream."} The album also includes a soulful reading of {$Graeme Hall}'s {&"And in the Morning"} and a {$John Farrar}/{$Hank Marvin} composition, {&"It's So Easy,"} a fun melody that is not the {$Buddy Holly} title of the same name. Years after it was recorded, {^Have You Never Been Mellow} continued to stand as an entertaining and full album by a woman who would record hits for another 11 years. The title track opens the album and it closes with former producer {$Bruce Welch}'s co-write of {&"Please Mr. Please,"} a pretty {\pop} tune that went Top Three. From beginning to end {^Have You Never Been Mellow} is {$Olivia Newton-John} showing why she could hold her own on the charts with as powerful a star as {$Elton John}. Recorded at {@EMI Studios}, London, it has impeccable sound and a special vibe. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide