Good compilation - excellent sound quality
10/12/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Hollies were the #2 singles group in England for most of the 60's (behind the Beatles, of course!). And this compilation gives you all of the Hollies' British singles (except the first two) and in chronological order.The Hollies are best known in America for "Bus Stop," "On A Carousel," "Carrie-Anne," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (which was the group's first hit after Graham Nash left for Crosby, Stills and Nash), and two huge hits in the 70's, "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)" and "The Air That I Breathe." (The latter two aren't included because this is a 60's compilation, however they are widely available elsewhere).Again, this is a singles compilation. The Hollies, like the Beatles, also had great songs on the B-sides. These often delved into psychedelia and showed you a slightly different side of the Hollies. The group also had some great album tracks too! But to touch on all the Hollies' highlights would need a double-CD (or more) compilation. So, about the singles...15 out of the 18 tracks were Top 10 hits in England: 1) "Stay (Just A Little Bit Longer)" (#8, 1963), a cover of the #1 US hit by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs (which I believe might still be the shortest #1 hit, running under two minutes); 2) "Just One Look" (#2, 1964), another American R&B cover, this time from Doris Troy (who later sang backup on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon") - these American R&B covers were common at the time, the Beatles' and Rolling Stones' early albums were full of them; 3) "Here I Go Again" (#4, 1964); 4) "We're Through" (#7, 1964); 5) "Yes I Will" (#9, 1965), recorded a year later by the Monkees under the title "I'll Be True To You"; 6) "I'm Alive" (#1, 1965); 7) "Look Through Any Window" (#4, 1965); 9) "I Can't Let Go" (#2, 1966); 10) "Bus Stop" (#5, 1966), the group's breakthrough hit in America; 11) "Stop! Stop! Stop!" (#2, 1966); 12) "On A Carousel" (#4, 1967); 13) "Carrie-Anne" (#3, 1967); 15) "Jennifer Eccles" (#7, 1968); 17) "Sorry Suzanne" (#3, 1969); and 18) "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (#3, 1969). The other three went Top 20: 8) "If I Needed Someone" (#20, 1965), a Beatles cover from "Rubber Soul"; 14) "King Midas In Reverse" (#18, 1967); and 16) "Listen To Me" (#11, 1968).When I bought this CD, I'd never heard of the label and didn't know what to expect. I was very suprised by the clarity and consistency of the sound. All tracks are in stereo, with some being the newer stereo mixes. (For example, the mix of "Bus Stop" I always hear on the radio has the vocals in one speaker and the instruments in the other; a very primative mix. The mix here has the vocals separated (left and right) and the instruments in the middle, allowing for a much more satisfying mix.)To wrap up, this is a good collection of the Hollies' hits of the 60's. Just remember there's much more to this group. Stopping here is kind of like listening to the Beatles' "1" CD without ever hearing "Sgt. Pepper" or "Rubber Soul", etc. (The Hollies are no Beatles, but you understand the comparison.) Good job on this compilation, label people!"
Awesome Hollies Greatest Hits CD!
T.J. | USA | 09/27/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've been waiting for awhile for a Hollies greatest hits CD that has my favorite Hollies songs on it. This is the one for me. The only thing I was worried about when I ordered the CD was the sound quality, but the sound turned out to be great! Every song is in stereo and is very clear. There isn't one bad song on the whole CD! My favorites are "Stay," "Just One Look," "Bus Stop," "Stop Stop Stop," "On A Carousel," "Jennifer Eccles," and "Listen To Me." This CD will make you want to buy more Hollies CDs. Get it without hesitation! It's for a Hollies fan of any calibre."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1