Random Hold View From Here Genres:Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock 2001 reissue for UK act described by Peter Gabriel as one of the best band's he's seen in a long time. Gabriel guests on one of the 27 tracks.
2001 reissue for UK act described by Peter Gabriel as one of the best band's he's seen in a long time. Gabriel guests on one of the 27 tracks.
CD Reviews
Dark Arty New Wave
Daniel Fahnestock | Wichita, KS USA | 09/30/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Anyone who is seeking this out because they are a fan of David Rhodes' wonderful minimalist guitar stylings will not be disappointed. The sound is a bit dated, sounding like a soundtrack for the urban landscape of the very early eighties. I always think of the film 'Return to New York' for some reason when I listen to it. Being a reformed new wave kid I don't find this detracting at all, however. Also features Pete Phipps (Glitter Band, XTC) on drums (boffo!). The live tracks are a bonus, but not essential. The production is relatively simple, owing more to producer Pete Hammill (Van der Graf Generator) than the first choice for producer (Peter Gabriel). Stand out tracks are "The Ballad", ""Avalanche" "Etceteraville" and "Montgomery Clift"."
I've been waiting for this
D. A. Hosek | Santa Monica, CA USA | 02/29/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Having enjoyed David Rhodes' contribution to the Plus from Us compilation and waiting in continual disappointment for his long-promised solo album I figured at least there was some slim hope of the Random Hold stuff being released on CD and here it is.The music is a mix of new wave and progressive with the opening tracks being amazingly proggy sounding (almost King Crimson-like in their rhythms and harmonic structure). The more New Wave-ish stuff sounds an awful lot like Kid Creole to my ears. If you're wondering if it's worth the money, I would say sure. You get well over two hours of music between the two discs."
Not Random At All!
Stacey H. Drucker | The city by the bay | 05/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"RH was a group that was before their time, and never got the success and appreciation they so richly deserved. Doomed to failure by perhaps too much too quickly, followed by not enough support, they nevertheless produced two albums' worth of wonderful, dark, savage, pre-New Wave tunes. When people talk about the "new" Emo music, I laugh and suggest they get their ears on some Random Hold.
In addition to playing with Peter Gabriel for the past 25 years, David Rhodes has done a great deal. [...]."
I'll add my 2 cents.
MyPenName | 03/04/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Freaking out of this world when I played it for the first time in 1980. Bliss. Every single composition. I was turned on to the album Etceteraville (the abridged version of this) by a reference to Random Hold on the liner notes on Peter Gabriel 3 (one of my most played albums ever); that along with Hammill's listing as producer. My thinking was "I like the dark, edgy, violent rhythm guitar, Rhodes plays on PG3, so I buy this RH album here in the bin," having appeared within a few months of the PG3 release.
Gabriel couldn't have done this group justice. Hammill really put together a sawtooth-waved, menacing, formalist masterpiece in Avalanche (which this album is, with live stuff of uneven merit tacked onto the unused part of Disk 2).
If you can find Avalanche on vinyl, so much the better.
If you like songs like P. Gabriel's "Not One of Us," I believe you'll like this CD."
An excellent overall compilation
Frederick Goldston | Co. Springs, Co. United States | 08/28/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a must have for collectors of 80's music. These tracks are a joy to listen to and the sound is not dated. I turned my 19 year old son on to Random Hold and he likes them better than the crap the recording industry is slopping out now! Granted the original analog recording over to digital lacks in fidelity, but adds to the rare historic charm. My favorite tracks were Central Reservation, Precarious Timbers, Etceteraville, What Happened, and the title track. After 20 years I still don't tire of them. Buy this now...you won't have regrets!"
