Black Hollies Albums (3)
'Softly Towards the Light'
Release Date 10/6/2009
Tracks 10
Label Ernest Jenning
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After recording two albums in their home studio, the Black Hollies left the bachelor pad and ventured out into the real world -- or at least as far as Hoboken, NJ, where they shacked up inside the Pigeon Club to record 2009's Softly Towards the Light. Earlier albums introduced the band's swirling, reverent brand of '60s psychedelia, but Light couches those fuzzed-out guitar solos and double-tracked vocals in a more appropriate context, adding nostalgic production and a wider range of instruments to the mix. Justin Angelo Morey has always been the group's captain, but his bandmates do their own share of ship-steering this time around -- particularly Jon Gonnelli, who eschews his usual guitar duties and focuses on a wealth of Mellotron, keyboard, and organ parts. The chief agenda of every Black Hollies album is to evoke the '60s, a decade that inspires every facet of the band's songwriting, and Softly Towards the Light accomplishes that task with the most appropriate production of the band's career. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
'Casting Shadows'
Release Date 2/12/2008
Tracks 10
Label Ernest Jenning
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What The Critics Say
With their feet planted in the '60s and their heads swimming in the clouds, the Black Hollies offer up a second batch of vintage rock & roll with Casting Shadows. These ten tracks will sound familiar to anyone who picked up the band's Crimson Reflections debut -- or, for that matter, anyone familiar with the gritty psychedelia of the Seeds, the Standells, or any act that might've played the Electric Circus in 1968. And while fuzzy guitar riffs and vintage tube amps have become customary accessories for many 21st century bands, the Black Hollies sound tighter, grittier, and altogether trippier than most of their retro-minded peers. Casting Shadows doesn't just borrow from the counterculture era -- it lives it, from the "holy moly, I'm so stoned!" cover art to the smart packaging (which borrows its ideas from old vinyl records) to the songs themselves. Tracks like "Bruised Tangerines," "Hamilton Park Ballerina," and "The Autumn Chateau" are every bit as kaleidoscopic as their titles suggest, with guitar tremolos and Farfisa organs sharing space alongside the occasional sitar and harmonica. If Casting Shadows aims to be the musical equivalent of an acid trip, then frontman Justin Angelo Morey is the group's Timothy Leary, leading his three bandmates through blues rave-ups ("That Little Girl"), swampy rock ("Running Through Your Mind," a close relative to Them's "Baby, Please Don't Go"), and all the psychedelic stops in between. Of course, not everyone will love the Black Hollies' dedication to an era that is possibly older than the band members themselves, and Casting Shadows could very well be criticized as lacking any sort of forward-thinking, modern sensibility. But that's likely the point, and the Black Hollies make a strong case of remaining stuck in the past. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
'Crimson Reflections'
Release Date 3/14/2006
Tracks 10
Label Ernest Jenning
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
At ten tracks running just over a half-hour, this debut from the NYC-based garage revivalists Black Hollies could be considered an EP. But the disc is power packed and by the time it's done, there isn't much left to say. The album is filled with snappy riffs and a '60s psychedelic esthetic borrowed from both British ("Crimson Reflections Through Looking Glass Mind" sounds like it was recorded around the Stones' "Dandelion"-period, "Come and Tell Me" would have made a great Searchers tune) and American ("You've Been Gone Too Long" cranks out a Standells/Seeds-styled vibe) sources. While the quartet won't win any originality contests even among contemporary bands such as the Chesterfield Kings who mine similar territory, they attack this music with appropriate raw power. You may find yourself playing "spot the riff" on much Crimson Reflections, but that just adds to the fun. And even when the group steals from sources as obvious as the Beatles (hey, there's the "Taxman" lick in "Get Yourself Together, Girl"), the effect is more joyous celebration than flippant rip-off. The tunes never overstay their welcome, nailing a groove and then moving on. The energy explodes out of the speakers and is as contagious as pink eye. Lead vocalist Justin Angelo Morey sounds inspired throughout spitting out his lyrics to these ten originals and the dueling lead guitars on the opening "No Need to Be Rude" are nearly as crude as anything the Sonics ever laid down on tape. Fans of Little Steven's Underground Garage radio show will eat this up, but anyone interested in garage rock's roots will enjoy the Black Hollies' animated offering. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
