The lingering prejudice against the Hollies is probably due to two things: the huge success of their treacly single, "He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother)," and a kind of snobbish conviction that the group Graham Nash left years ago for high-minded artistic reasons could never do anything noteworthy again.

The current Hollies are, in their charming way, as appealing as any group and it would be childish to begrudge them the commercial hits that enable them to continue to produce such sweetly anachronistic albums as this one.

The excitement generated by these 11 predominantly group-written tunes harks back to some earlier period in British rock, the time of "Hello Goodbye" or "Carrie Ann" or, especially, "Itchycoo Park." Just as fans waited for the next marvelous confection from the Small Faces, Hollies' listeners will be intrigued with this band's cut-to-cut inventiveness and desire to please.

In orechestrated ballads and sinuous struts Allan Clarke's capable and versatile voice sets the pleasing pattern: He becomes, in turn, a prisoner in the dock, a bereft lover, a rock star touring the U.S., a stylish teenager hungry to learn the hip jive. The words are inessential: Attitude is all.

The crisp and very professional production by Ron Richards and the Hollies makes fun respectable. The amazing repertoire of effects at the group's command results in a kind of aural history of what can be achieved in a three-minute tune: here a taste of the Buffalo Springfield, there some psychedelic wah-wah juxtaposed with mouth harp, Moog and jet-plane phasing side-by-side with Everlys' voicings, then a bit of "Zaba-dak" echo, followed by a stretch of the old Hollies' harmonies. There are Chuck Berry riffs, echoes of Elvis and Buddy, a slow lovelorn lament reminiscent of Bo Diddley. The rewards of pop -- that's what this album is about.

Rock & roll still means what it did ten years ago to the Hollies and they convey it with exuberance and style and wit. No one else is doing what they are doing now. No apologies are necessary, and no patronizing permitted. The Hollies are wonderful.

- Tom Nolan, Rolling Stone, 6/20/74.

Bonus Reviews!

But you see what kind of thinking it inspires. Damn Hollies, messin' with my head again.

- Noel Coppage, Stereo Review, 8/74.

It was three years ago when Allan Clarke, then lead-singer of the Hollies, spoke to me about his personal hopes and dreams. He told me that he wanted to prove something to himself, and if in two years time it didn't work out, why then he'd have to admit he was wrong. Two weeks afer this meeting Allan Clarke left the Hollies for a solo career. Two albums, and very little success, followed this strike for freedom. Now Allan Clarke has returned to the Hollies. His return marks one of the finest moments in the band's career.

The moments of sheer beauty on this album, called just Hollies, far outweigh the bad. Listen to the fantastic ballad by Clarke called "Don't Let Me Down." Easily the strongest song he's ever written, it establishes a new role for one of the last decade's most distinctive lead vocalists. Now, Clarke should be recognized as one of our best songwriters too. He has the power to take a very simple love story and give it incredible depth, through its melody line and performance.

Terry Sylvester has yet to prove himself the equal of his predecessor, Graham Nash, but his day may be coming soon. With his song "Pick Up The Pieces," he shows a marked move forward. A delicate love-song about the re-molding of a broken marriage, he writes: "love is yearning, I knew you well." It's a charming lyric that matches the haunting melody line and the clear delivery by the band's high harmony singer. His solo album is set for release in the near future and it will be interesting to see what it brings.

"The Air That I Breathe" is a magnificent single that zoomed to the top of the English charts, marking the band's first English hit since "He Ain't Heavy -- He's My Brother." Written by Albert Hammond and Lee Hazlewood, the ballad, which builds to a soaring harmonic climax, is given a classic delivery.

Remaining tracks, including "Trans-Atlantic West Bound Jet" and "Out On The Road," both written for Swedish lead singer Mikael Rikfors, who has since returned to Sweden. Strangely, a random test pressing of the original tracks prove Rikfors to be the better singer of the songs, but this would never justify his return. "Love Makes The World Go Round" was written years ago by Clarke/Sylvester for a rock musical called "Oh Flux." The mid-fifties feel works nicely on the song, and thinking back on "Isnt' It Nice" and "Perfect Lady Housewife," both on the Moving Finger LP, and both from the show, it sounds as if it might have been an interesting production.

But back to Hollies. Somehow or other, this band has never received the attention they deserve. Isolated single hits are not the answer, they make wonderful albums that should be listened to... so, stop reading this and get to it!

- Janis Schacht, Circus, 8/74.

For the soft-rock crowd there is this immaculate recording. The drums are a little anemic, but the cymbal -- the kind with the jangly rivets in it, we suspect, sounds fine, and the back-up instruments are quite good if slightly bodiless. Even the (essentially monotonic) electric bass is well handled. A professional job. Ron Richards and the Hollies, producers; Alan Parsons, engineer.

- Ralph Hodges, Stereo Review, 4/76.

Hollies scholars herald Allan Clarke's homecoming as a return to form, but though the material is their most playful in years -- the slyly circular "Love Makes the World Go Round," the slyly hyperbolic "Out on the Road" -- the old lightness is gone, probably forever. I mean, soul is soul -- at times the sham intensity here is almost baroque. We are not charmed. B-

- Robert Christgau, Christgau's Record Guide, 1981.

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