The Hollies
The Hollies' Greatest Hits (Epic/Legacy 86463)

This album is one of my guiltiest guilty pleasures. Even though I've mostly rid myself of the idea that anything is "good" or "bad" to listen to – I mean, my whole credo is "You like what you like" – I still feel some undeniable embarrassment for liking the Hollies as much as I do.

But I've been going back and reassessing groups like the Hollies and the Lovin' Spoonful, and the conclusion I keep coming to is: what's not to like? Who cares if there are few bands less "cool" to be into these days – this is good goddamn pop.' Fully half of the songs are less than three minutes, of the other half, only one is over four. That's the way it should be!

Depending on where you live and how annoying your oldies radio station is, you may be burned out on some of these songs, but I'd say it's more likely that most people haven't heard most of these songs. The big hits are "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," (the four minute song, and the weakest cut by far), "Bus Stop," "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress," "Stop, Stop, Stop," "On a Carousel," "Carrie-Anne," and "Dear Eloise." The songs are more incessantly melodic than the Beatles' early output, almost to the point of bubblegum, but never quite stepping over into 1910 Fruitgum Co. territory.

The big draw for me is the consistently amazing arrangement of three-part harmonies, which never gets cloying like with so many 60s pop groups (The Association, for example). Graham Nash was the big name from the Hollies, and no matter what you think of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, you're bound to be bowled over by these songs. All the right chords in the right places, bridges that go somewhere, and all them harmonies. For me, this CD is like catnip, and for me, a toilet is like a litterbox.

The "Side 2" songs never got as much play as the "Side 1" songs when I was a kid playing the vinyl version over and over, but they're almost as strong, including a cover of the Doris Troy classic "Just One Look," as well as the more "mature" Hollies greats "Pay You Back With Interest," "King Midas in Reverse," and "Long Dark Road." I could listen to this album forever and never get tired of it, and I'm almost ashamed to admit I think "Long Cool Woman" absolutely rocks. It may be CCR-lite, but it gets me groovin' every time.

The remastered version adds the band's one big 70s hit, "The Air That I Breathe." This inclusion makes the Greatest Hits the most attractive Hollies disc on the market (previous editions did not include it). Perhaps the musical climate will turn around so that the Hollies become cool once again. Oh, wait, they were never cool to begin with. Oh well, I'm still glad to be out and proud about the whole situation.

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Review by Dorian Brine