The Hollies - A's, B's & EP's

Title: A's, B's & EP's Artist: The Hollies Release Date: 3/2/2004 Re-Released On: 1/4/2005 Label: EMI Music Distribution Album Type(s): Greatest Hits UPCs: 4988006824065, 724359681726, 0724359681757, 766485305541 Genre: Rock Styles: Early Pop/Rock, British Invasion, Soft Rock, Merseybeat, Contemporary Pop/Rock, AM Pop Moods: Bittersweet, Innocent, Wistful, Bright, Epic, Plaintive, Yearning, Autumnal, Carefree, Earnest, Gutsy, Laid-Back/Mellow, Playful, Reflective, Romantic, Rousing, Sentimental, Springlike, Sweet, Gentle, Poignant, Amiable/Good-Natured, Cheerful, Happy, Soothing Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 3 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. (Ain't That) Just Like Me
2. Hey What's Wrong With Me
3. Searchin'
4. Whole World Over
5. Stay
6. Just One Look
7. Keep Off That Friend of Mine
8. Talkin' 'Bout You
9. Lucille
10. Here I Go Again
11. Baby That's All
12. I'm Alive
13. You Know He Did
14. Honey and Wine
15. Mickey's Monkey
16. I Can't Let Go
17. Look Through Any Window
18. I've Got a Way of My Own
19. So Lonely
20. Stop Stop Stop
21. It's You
22. On a Carousel
23. All the World Is Love
24. Carrie Anne

Year Type Label Catalog # 2005 CD EMI Music Distribution 53386 2004 CD EMI Music Distribution 596817 2004 CD EMI Music Distribution 96817

No other editions were found for this album.

EMI's A's B's & EP's series -- which takes a page out of the See for Miles playbook -- gets its strongest entry to date with this 24-song Hollies entry. The beauty of the A's B's & EP's collections is that they restore the original order to the release history of a group's hits, juxtaposing familiar A-sides with their often extremely obscure B-sides. Thus, "(Ain't That) Just Like Me" stands next to the very early Allan Clarke/Graham Nash original "Hey What's Wrong With Me," and "Searchin'" is back with its original companion side, the equally early Nash/Clarke original "Whole World Over." Coupled with the fact that the CD uses the finest master sources, in original, first-generation mono transferred in 24-bit digital audio, this disc gives one a chance to hear the Hollies putting their best foot forward (their singles were stronger than their LPs in those days), including some quirky songwriting -- most notably the Tony Hicks/Bobby Elliott original "Keep Off of That Friend of Mine," with its catchy bridges and highly animated lead guitar part, and the trippy "All the World Is Love" -- in the highest quality sound that the music has ever had. The result is the best showcase many of these obscurities have had since 1964-1965, leading to the revelation that not all of the group's obscurities are important simply as obscurities -- a few, like "Baby That's All," are so beautiful that they deserved to be much better known, while others, such as "You Know He Did" and "I've Got a Way of My Own," are more of interest to collectors and hardcore fans, but the former outnumber the latter on this CD. The disc comes with a decent overview of the band's history, though no annotation about the songs themselves, nor is the latter really that essential -- these were pop singles after all, only asking that they be enjoyed, and this disc shows precisely how well the Hollies lived up to that goal, on their B-sides as well as their A-sides. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Name Credits Martin Hutchinson Liner Notes