The Hollies ‎– Hollies Sing Hollies

Hollies Sing Hollies was the group's somewhat self-conscious follow-up to Hollies Sing Dylan — in the U.S., it formed the bulk of the He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother LP, with that smash single (totally unlike anything else on the album) overshadowing the rest of the record. If the Hollies began to lose credibility as a frontline rock group, the blame must rest with this album. The songwriting is generally melodic and very pleasant, but little of it is particularly memorable, and the arrangements mostly have a light rock/pop feel to them, closer to Gary Puckett & the Union Gap than to the Beatles. There are one or two very good songs, including “Please Let Me Please,” with crisp rhythm guitars and slashing lead parts as well as a catchy central melody and an even better chorus. The group generates a heavier sound on “Do You Believe in Love,” and it works, and Allan Clarke's “Soldiers Dilemma” is a rare foray into topical songwriting that's even more striking, heard in the context of the group's soaring harmonies. “Marigold”/”Gloria Swansong” is an ambitious attempt at a suite that doesn't sustain interest for its length, and “You Love 'Cos You Like It” is more lightweight pop, pleasant but not competitive with most of the group's surviving rivals. The weaknesses of this album are spotlighted by the bonus tracks from the 1996 CD reissue on France's Magic Records label — including the killer single sides “Sorry Suzanne,” “Not That Way at All,” and “He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, all of which show more confidence, invention, boldness, and clarity than the material it is supposed to augment on the original album. The French import is to be preferred as those bonus tracks significantly elevate the value of the original album.