The Hollies (1978) Feet on the Ground- LOST 70s GEMS

The Hollies' 1978 album, A Crazy Steal, was indicative of some of the direct influences of The Bee Gees, Elton John and in particularly one moment, Bruce Springsteen but this is one of their finest albums in years and far greater than their 1976 albums, which were steeped in the same tempo bubblegum pop numbers.

The album opens with the Writing on the Wall, that's the song title, it's pure countrified soft rock,/slow piano ballad stuff but the indelible harmonies keep it peddling over sweet and easy for the ear. It's a fairly decent Elton-esque 70s ballad with a moving saxophone solo and I am not a Sax fan so that is really saying something as it just drips in euphoric heartbroken soulfulness. What Am I Gonna Do starts with the same basic structure to the verses but explodes into the awesomely cooing choral chant, it's one of the best chorus hooks I've ever heard while the rest of the track is more plodding piano, strings, synth, harmony laden soft rock with a strong Wings vibe from the Live and Let Die strings and drumbeat combo, to the Jimmy McCullough sounding guitar solo. Let it Pour is a little too smooth and ear caressing in it's mix of mellow keyboards, electric piano and strings and treated vocal creating a hushed mix up until the clumsy multi-ARP solo. Burn Out is a Bruce Springsteen knock off complete with fast talking hip references, organ and choir backing a upbeat piano and animated shout outs to people; the solo is pure electric fire as always. Hello to Romance is a Bee Gees rip off form the whispered vocal, the twinkling electric piano to the steadily intensifying vocals leading into a soaring string laden chorus stack; this was pretty much based on Love So Right, though the production of the strings make it stand out more than the original. Of course the middle eight with it's gurgling synth and heavy funk overtones reflect the Bee Gees more than anything; not a subtle steal but a crazy steal, the title of the album referenced in this song but for the wrong reason. 

 Amnesty is a little too slow but carries an amiable message and more spirited piano, harmony and strings soft rock balladry, undercut by another three-dimensional solo. Caracas is brilliant jam of smoky lounge room jazz, cold ARP string ensemble and funky guitar yacht rock, the horn work is smooth and fluid with a reverbed punchiness adding some Latin American trippyness. Clown Service mixes country and western lovelorn confessional to Floyd Kramer piano work, bobbling along is some mighty fine harmonica and high quality country guitars. Feet on the Ground is simply the last and bets of the album with it's fresh melody carrying a less rigid bubblegum vocal but a more looser, natural soul vocal that Barry Gibb or even Elton would deliver; also the track is memorable for it's heavenly layers of synthesizers coursing through and a fantastically composed country blues solo.