Stay With The Hollies – THE HOLLIES***

Talking 'Bout You/Mr Moonlight/You Better Move On/Lucille/Baby Don't Cry/Memphis/Stay/Rockin' Robin/ Whatcha Gonna Do 'Bout It/Do You Love Me/Its Only Make Believe/What Kind Of Girl Are You/Little Lover/Candy Man

Manchester beat group The Hollies debut LP features the UK dynamic No. 8 hit single Stay, and the first Graham Nash composition Little Lover. Over the next decade The Hollies would release a string of exceptional singles, but they were never quite able to cut the mustard in the album stakes to the same extent. (UK:2)

"The first Hollies album reveals a band who, like most of their contemporaries, began by concentrating on R & B covers. They were already employing three-part harmonies, and here they sound enthusiastic but wayward. Significantly, the harmonies are at their best on It's Only Make Believe, pointing the way towards a more pop-oriented direction."

"Some of the rhythm and blues is impressive, particularly their version of Chuck Berry's Talkin' 'Bout You, but most of it, particularly another Berry cover, Memphis, indicates that they couldn't compete with the likes of The Rolling Stones or The Yardbirds."

"The Hollies fail to show the range The Beatles had with their debut, this being fourteen songs that all chug along in much the same fashion as each other."

"The hit single here is Stay which is at least as impressive as the first couple of Beatles singles, but for the fact that The Hollies didn't write it themselves."

"The likes of Rockin' Robin are hideous; much better is You Better Move On. The Hollies have a mean guitar sound though; some of the solos outstrip the efforts of The Beatles around this time."

"The Hollies never got the respect other acts did on the albums front, and to this day are seen as a singles act by many. The lack of variety here is the main killer, the sound becomes a whine after a while. All in all, hardly essential stuff and even fans of The Hollies many hit singles can probably steer clear of this début set."