Search - Holly Johnson :: Soulstream

Holly's Back!

Darrin Brightman | Tucson, Arizona. | 12/14/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of Holly Johnson or Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Holly was the lead) are in for a treat. Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, Holly isn't dead...and he has kindly put together this collection to remind us that he's still kicking! "Disco Heaven," the first single, creates for us an image of life after death, where our past friends and partners dance eternity away, forever young and glamorous. Expect to hear it at your favorite dance club, this Hi NRG tune ain't no weepy ballad! "Hallelujah," awaiting release as a single as well, is another club track, musically on par with "Disco Heaven." Suggesting spirituality free from the bonds of organized religion, this will no doubt be a favorite for the Christian Coalition. Re-recordings of Holly's 1994 Hi NRG single, "Legendary Children (All of Them Queer)" and the FGTH hit ballad, "The Power of Love" (here scaled back, with more sincerity and less schmaltz), will doubtless be heard on the radio and in the clubs, as well. Overall, Holly's voice is as powerful as in his FGTH days, though possibly now more refined. He no longer has that Rick Astley-esque sound from his 1989 album, "Blast" (thank goodness!). Songs range from great dance tracks to ballads and most everything in between. Most of those in-between tracks have a FGTH flavor, but more "Liverpool" than "Welcome to the Pleasuredome."His lyrics are a bit more spiritual in nature, and a FEW songs do read almost like self-help books...not quite over the top, but close!"

Holly Makes a Comeback (4+ Stars)

jf783 | Portland, Oregon | 09/29/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After going into seclusion following the MCA Records dispute in 1991 - leaving his album Dreams that Money Can't Buy completely unsupported, many people thought Holly had succumbed to AIDS - this directly following the announcement that he was HIV positive. Changing his life dramatically, Holly decided to take himself out of the limelight while focusing on his painting career...yet he never stopped creating music. This album represents 10 years of introspective thought - it's really an excellent piece of work! If you're looking for the sassiness of Holly's Dan Hartman-produced album Blast (1989), you won't find it here... the sound is very mellow (aside from a couple of fun dance cuts) and very well executed . Holly's voice is smooth and sincere and definitely rich - he's a talented vocalist. This is an excellent album that gives us hope for more of his work in the future. Holly hasn't stopped creating and we get to savor the fruits of his labor!"