The Hollies: "Head Out Of Dreams" track by track discussion thread

The twelfth and final frack from 'Staying Power' is 'Let Love Pass'. A piano and synth led ballad which allows the vocals, both lead and harmony to shine, although I don't like what sounds like 'bought in from elsewhere' harmonies starting at around the 2.20 mark. Written by Rob Davis and Chris Braide it has become a firm favourite for the closing song in concert. I find it a bit maudlin, in the same way 'It's In Every One Of Us' is, their other choice of concert closer for the last twenty years. The shorter in-concert finale excerpt is better than the studio version. 3.5/5

 

There's a good selection of fan-filmed clips of show-closer 'Let Love Pass'. Peter, with Tony, Steve and Ray all around the one microphone.

 

Taking something of a liberty here, but as we're between albums, here's what Peter (and his other group Frontm3n) has been up to in Lockdown. It'd suit The Hollies nicely. 'I Won't Let You Down'.

 

And, here he is again with, what I'd like to think is his main band the 'lockdown' version of 'Air That I Breathe'. Tony's house looks nicest. Can anyone make out what the various award discs are at Bobby's and Ray's?

 

And why not as we're here in lockdown, Allan Clarke 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother'. Anyone know what the third gold disc on Allan's wall is for? I know '20 Golden Greats' and 'Hollies Live Hits'.

 

Bobby's awards include Gold discs etc for 'Twenty Golden Greats' (EMI 1978), probably also for 'Hollies Greatest' (Parlophone / EMI 1968) and 'Hollies Live Hits' (red Polydor label 1977),

there is probably the USA Disc for Epic's 'The Hollies Greatest Hits' LP which is the third Gold Disc on Allan's wall behind him - a bit odd as that album while certified gold reached no.157 on the US chart yet the 1967 Imperial 'Hollies Greatest Hits' LP reached no.11 in the USA but does not appear to have any gold certification however the enties on wiki are not always correct as that does not show any gold or silver discs for either 'Twenty Golden Greats' or 'Hollies Live Hits' where clearly we can see Allan and Bobby - and of course the other band members - DO indeed have such awards on their home walls !

Ray's singles Disc would be for Mud hits such as 'Tiger Feet' (UK no.1 single) and other Mud hits, any Gold LP discs would probably be for 'Mud's Greatest Hits' album

 

It's that one in the 'still' from Allan's 'He Ain't Heavy' YouTube clip above which I'm wondering about. I'd say it looks like the Imperial label 'Hollies Greatest Hits' album.

 

'Let Love Pass' - I agree that it's kind of maudlin. Kind of a disappointing way to end an album that was better than I had expected. 3/5

 

We now move to the second (and currently final) Hollies album of the twenty-first century, 'Then, Now, Always'. The album was initially self-released by the band via their website and at concerts in 2009 in a 'digipack' eleven track album, before EMI took up the option to release the album more generally in 2010 with an additional track tagged on at the end. Recorded at Ray Stiles home studio once again, but on this occasion Bobby's drums were used throughout, and recorded at MJM Recording Studios in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.

The album cover is a painting by Colne artist Mark Nelson, who co-wrote with Bobby Elliott two of the tracks on this album. I'm sure I recall some links with Colne based band the Milltown Brothers (who have a Matt Nelson and Simon Nelson in the band and had a couple of hits in the early 1990s). According to 'Pendle Today':
"Mark is an urban artist renowned for his use of bright colours to show the way that urban landscapes merge with the surrounding natural countryside. Mark exhibits nationally and Rachel Hidderely, Head of British Art at Christies London and a collector of his work, said: “I collect Mark Nelson’s work because he makes the ordinary look extraordinary.”

Track One from 'Then, Now, Always' is the title track, 'Then, Now, Always (Dolphin Days)' and is written by Bobby Elliott and Mark Nelson (discussed above). It's been a long time since Bobby's previous songwriting output for The Hollies, (Transatlantic Westbound Jet) and for this one the lead vocals (and harmony) are taken by reluctant vocalist Tony Hicks. It's a lovely biographical piece, which suits Tony's vocal ability along with some nice guitar work. It's not the first, nor probably the last time I will suggest Tony should tackle more lead vocals. That would mean they'd have to record another album though...

Record Collector's review tells us "it’s founding member Tony Hicks who fittingly kicks proceedings off with the folky autobiographical title track, charting the group’s history from their Manchester roots via “the bus stops and carousels” to world acclaim".

It has been a key part of recent tours with the concerts only (full song) lead vocal from Tony Hicks (it used to be 'Too Young To Be Married', he should do both!) and it always goes down well. One of the best songs from The Hollies in recent(ish) years. 4.8/5

In anticipation of our thread reaching this point , The Hollies official YouTube channel has just a couple of days ago added this photo montage to go with the song.

 

Bobby can tell you a little about those 'Dolphin Days' too, also just added to YouTube a couple of days ago:

 

There's limited live footage of 'Then, Now, Always (Dolphin Days)', which is a shame.

 

'Then, Now, Always (Dolphin Days)' - it's always nice to hear Tony taking the lead. Good number. 4.71/5

 

Track two from 'Then, Now, Always' is 'If You See Her' written by Mark Read, who we know about from A1, and Hanne Soervaag, who is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. She has had some chart success in Norway, releasing several albums (as Hanne Sorvaag). Most of her songwriting success seems to revolve around Eurovision. Her 2016 album 'Featuring' includes the track 'The Bad One's The Best One', featuring Peter Howarth.

'If You See Her' has a prominent drum beat from Bobby and guitar work in the background, but for me doesn't hit the mark. There's no guitar solo, and there's no memorable melody. Disappointing. 3.1/5

 

Hanne Sorvaag and Peter Howarth - 'The Bad One's The Best One'. In the recording studio.

 

No disappointment as far as I am concerned

I really like 'If You See Her' - it has that great Tony Hicks 'echoey' guitar memorable from 'I'm Alive', some fine subliminal backup guitar lines, supporting organ work and terrific emphatic Bobby Elliott drums which are a revelation after the drum programming of the preceeding studio album

Peter Howarth again takes all vocal roles here doing all the harmonies behind his lead vocal

the track is a welcome uptempo guitar fronted pop/rocker the style that I feel suits The Hollies best and they should have followed much more as opposed to all those slow melodramatic often melancholic ballads they became so obsessed with as time went on during the seventies...which in the end cost them dearly !

 

I think I find the guitar work a little too subliminal! If it was higher in the mix - as the drums are it would help. It lacks memorable tune for me unfortunately. The next track for tomorrow is much better.

 

well the guitar hook is right up front and I really like the slower higher pitched backup guitar that plays behind Howarth's lead voice on the verses while Bobby is allowed to let loose on his percussive power throughout plus there is a sense of a tight band unity here too

give me powering guitar fronted tracks like this - and like; 'Slow Down', 'Tip of The Iceberg','48 Hour Parole', 'Crossfire', ''If The Lights Go Out', 'Laughter Turns To Tears' etc any day over those slow dreary mournful ballads !

 

'If You See Her' - this one works pretty well, IMO. It's a pretty punchy number, and I like that Bobby Elliott's work is so prominent in the mix. Memorable refrain too. 4.09/5

 

According to Joel Whitburn's massive Top Pop Albums 1955-2016, you're correct that while the 1967 Hollies Greatest Hits was their highest-charting album, it was never certified Gold.

However, Whitburn does show the 1974 album Hollies achieving RIAA Gold status, though its highest chart position was #28.

 

Track three from 'Then, Now, Always' is 'One Touch'. Mark Read again, with Stefan Olsson and Fred Johannson. The two Swedes have a recording studio in London (here) if you feel you need more information, both have a short biography on the recording studio's website.

'One Touch' sees a very welcome return for Tony Hicks' fantastic work on his guitar-sitar. The mix shows off all the components on this song, from the drums, to acoustic guitar, the guitar-sitar, to the strong vocals with harmonies. There's a memorable tune which helps this one stick in your head. One of my favourites on the album. 4.5/5

No live or promo performances for this top-tier 'Howarth Hollies' song which is a shame.

 

The label for Allan's disc looks like the Imperial label, as would have been on the greatest hits album from 1967.

 

yeah I would say it's the Imperial 'Greatest' of 1967 that made no.11 in the USA - wiki may have omitted mention of that getting a gold disc award

I mentioned how by now they really should be featuring at least five or six more modern songs recorded with Peter Howarth and Steve Lauri from those two studio albums in the concert set list - and dropping a few of the pre 1965 very 'pop' early hits (they should be featuring more Clarke eras album tracks too in my opinion)

- also very 'pop' later songs such as 'Jennifer Eccles', 'Listen To Me' and 'Sorry Suzanne' might now be rested in favor of later sixties / seventies album tracks instead

'One Touch' featuring Tony on guitar-sitar would be an ideal more modern album track to follow 'The Baby' in the concert set list surely ?

 

'One Touch' - nice one! It's about time the electric sitar came out of the attic.

Really good vocal from Peter Howarth too.

4.39/5

 

Track four from 'Then, Now, Always' is 'Passengers'. Not the Elton John '80s hit of the same name, but a new song written by 'Staying Power' main writer Rob Davis, on this occasion with Shelley Poole. Most sources seem to refer to their being a singer and songwriter Shelly Poole, and I think it is most probably the same person. If so, she is a multi platinum selling British singer and songwriter. The daughter of Brian Poole of the classic 1960s group Brian Poole And The Tremeloes, Shelly formed the chart-busting band Alisha’s Attic in the late nineties with her sister Karen.

Her website refers to other artists she has written for, as does 'The Songwriting Academy' which says: "Shelly is also a highly respected award wining songwriter and has worked closely and had hits with talents as diverse as Janet Jackson , Massive Attack, Jack Savoretti ,Mark Ronson, Gary Barlow, Westlife, Boyzone, Paloma Faith , Michael Gray, Zucchero amongst many others".

'Passengers' is a pop song in the style of the other Rob Davis tracks previously considered. A guitar led song which helps the track along, but nothing to my mind which makes it stand out on the album. A pleasant album track, and there's nothing wrong with that, but nothing more. 3.1/5

 

'Passengers' - I agree that this song is not very memorable. Definitely an album track, but it's a decent one. Not much more to say about it. 3.21/5