Search - Rick Astley :: Hold Me in Your Arms

Fun and enjoyable, but more of the same

J. Derek Reardon | KC, MO, USA | 04/18/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Looking at the cover to Hold Me in Your Arms, you can see how similar this 1988 follow up release is to Rick Astley's phenomenally successful debut Whenever You Need Somebody - a similar shot of Rick with his name in a box and a relatively long title. And upon listening, you easily find further similarities - this is another fun, addictive Stock Aitken Waterman production that picks up where the last album left off."She Wants to Dance with Me" starts the album off in familiar territory - a catchy, dancey pop tune that was a top 10 hit. "Take Me to Your Heart" is an equally happy and up-tempo song that continues the Rick euphoria. Still fun and pop-ish, "I Don't Want to Lose Her" is more shallow and not as anthemic as the first two songs. "Giving Up on Love" switches to more of a groove, but again there is a lack of depth that even Rick's great voice can't fill. "Ain't to Proud to Beg" is Rick's remake for this release. While I hate it when artists mess with classics, Rick does a good job by updating the song slightly and giving it that classic Rick feel and depth. The next song, "Till Then (Time Stands Still)," returns to the happy, up-beat pop formula that had worked so well for Rick. The sugar high continues with the happy yet trite "Dial My Number." The lyrics "Just pick up the phone and dial my number" always bothered me for some reason - Rick can do better. "I'll Never Let You Down" is a strong, flowing song, but it lacks a little depth on the orchestration that Rick's voice almost fills. With a funky r&b groove, "I Don't Want to be Your Lover" gets back to the formula and is a fun, danceable attitude song. The album concludes on a strong note with the title track "Hold Me in Your Arms," this release's version of "It Would Take a Strong Strong Man." It is a fantastic, beautiful song that really showcases Rick's talent; this should have been another huge hit.An enjoyable release, I give Hold Me in Your Arms 4 stars. It is very easy to compare this release to Rick's first release since the sound is so similar (Stock Aitken Waterman strike again). I love the sound, but it didn't progress or take further advantage of Rick's talent. Furthermore, the content and style starts wearing a bit thin, resulting in more songs that miss the mark slightly. However, there are a lot of strong songs on this release. And despite my criticisms, it is still a fun, head-boppin' kind of album that has me singing along every time.If you are new to Rick Astley, and you are interested because of his light rock radio standards, I would first recommend Rick's debut album Whenever You Need Somebody. If you love that release and it leaves you wanting more of the same, then definitely buy Hold Me in Your Arms - it is well worth the money.[Please note that, without a track listing shown here, I am assuming this import version has the same 10 songs as the original 1988 US release.]"

Editorial Review

Earl R. Sutton | Detroit, MI, USA | 11/06/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Apart from 'She Wants to Dance With Me,' Astley's second album didn't have songs as strong as those on his debut. Most of the album was pleasant dance-pop filler, showing the weaknesses of the Stock, Aitken & Waterman production team. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide" [refers to Album Release Date: 1989 Label: RCA/PWL]"

Great consistency for a second LP. Rating 100%

radiogold | Sydney Australia | 05/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rick never lost any of his punch with his second album, "Hold me in your arms". The first single of this album "ain't to proud to beg" went top 3 in October 1988, on the AMS top 20, and also scored modestly on the ARIA charts. This album also contains "take me to your heart" and "She wants to dance with me", which both come across with heavily infectious dance grooves. Other monster album tracks include, "Dial my number" and "Giving up on love", both good upbeat multi harmony sounding songs. Other tracks worth mentioning are "hold me in your arms", "Till then (time stands still", and "I don't wanna loose you" This disc comes across with a good consistency of dance hits and love ballads."