Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The following quote from the Hollies' Allan Clarke is taken from the 1990 CD titled Epic Anthology. Assuming he spoke these words before this Live Hits album came out on vinyl in 1976 or 1977, he was positively prophetic. He says of the Hollies' 1970 single release, "I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top": "We do that a lot better today. It would be nice to do a live album with that on it as we do it now." He spoke the truth. This live performance of "I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top" is a stunner. It has an emotional charge that's missing from the original studio version of years ago. Most of the rest of this CD is nearly as good. "Bus Stop" is a killer. "Carrie-Anne" is all the more charming because of Tony Hicks' audible "crack-up" courtesy of his bandmates. I knocked off one star for the inclusion of a couple of lesser songs in lieu of "Pay You Back With Interest" and "On A Carousel" and the fact that a couple of Pete Wingfield's synth/keyboard riffs are a bit overblown (but he does do some really nice work). Bernie Calvert's meaty bass lines are superb, Bobby Elliott's spirited drumming is as good as rock 'n' roll gets, the guitar work of Terry Sylvester and Hicks (listen for their fills) is classic, and Clarke's lead vocals -- whether alone or blended with Sylvester's and Hicks' glorious harmonies -- showcase a real pro at the mike. As a rule, I'm generally not fond of live albums. But this one, originally released at a time when disco, punk and corporate rock ruled the airwaves and virtually every "New Releases" wall across the United States, still serves as a reminder that the Hollies remain one of the all-time great pop/rock bands.
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