belfast telegraph gives christopher holland four stars
The Belfast Telegraph said Jools' much younger brother, Christopher Holland (who isn't even 40 years old yet), "plays like Jools and he sings uncannily like Glen (sic) Tilbrook! On his latest album, Butterfly Effect with his Cosmic Harmony, the younger Holland proves he is unashamedly old-school pop." I guess listening to Squeeze evolve since the age of about 11 or 12 has an effect on you. (I know it has to me, though that's not reflected in my musical talents, I'm afraid.)
The Jools World site has a further description of the album: "Recorded during the summer months of 2004, Butterfly Effect is a joint collaboration between Chris and Lisa Covington, an original member of B Sharp, the band Chris formed whilst still at school. A hugely infectious and contemporary soulful pop album with 1960s/70s influences but a definite ear to the future, Butterfly Effect comprises 13 self-penned songs and a range of vintage keyboards."
posted by bitterspice @ 03:23
1 Comments:
This isn't actually a comment on anything you've said about Chris Holland - but it is the reviews I promised you. Feel free to move it if you have a better place for it:
The Chicago show was hands-down, the single best Glenn show I have ever
seen, Squeeze or otherwise. He and the Fluffers have melded into one
beautifully orchestrated organism.
The band took the stage after 11 p.m. and played until about 1. I don't
have a set list - I was too swept up in the moment, I did get pictures
though, and I'll be sharing those shortly. Our sartorially-challenged
hero was wearing some jeans that were badly torn and frayed at the
bottom, red Keds and his gray button-down shirt. The hair is at an
optimal length!
His voice is 99% now - he's avoiding some of the highest notes,
(splitting up was never our inten-TION) but generally, he sounded
terrific and powerful. He was chatty, he was fun, he did "Mussels" as
the opening number of the second half of the set, while roaming through
the crowd - the crowd of very 400 excited people. I can't say enough how
electric the atmosphere in that club was. Stephen was simply
magnificent. I don't have a large enough vocabulary to describe what he
does. Suffice it to say, he had everyone mesmerized.
The Band did all the favorites, plus These Boots Are Made for Walking.
And as for Maidstone, he was very polite in explaining that the band
doesn't know the song. I managed to get him to admit (after the show)
that maybe it would be prudent for the band to learn it.
We hung out at the bar until we were booted out at 3:45. The drinks were
free-flowing, and we got to chat for a long time. I got to spend time
with 1-L and her wonderful husband Glen, their friend Cindy, Jackie the
amazing pastry chef, Lauren, Josh, Blair - Rodney... lots of friends
showed up, lots of familiar faces. It was great seeing everyone.
As for the west coast - he, first of all, asked me to explain to all of
you that he LOVES YOU and appreciates your support. He said that it
wasn't possible for him to do a tour of the whole country, and since
he'd been there last in October, he hoped everyone would realize it
wasn't a slight - he just wanted to hit some places that were easy to
drive to. New York to California just isn't possible right now.
Glenn is starting to work on some songs for the new album with the
Fluffers. As for those demos - it seems that things have been slowed
down because of the record company (Universal, I think he said? I'm not
sure, please correct me if you know the answer) He's got permission to
release them now, and in return, he's given his permission for the
entire back catalog to be re-released. He said he was being very
meticulous about finding the right bonus tracks for these, and that it
would be awhile.
And now for the bad news.Ok, not "bad", exactly, but just kind of "sad"
in a selfish kind of way. Glenn isn't coming back to the US until next
year. With solo tours of Japan, Australia, and summer concerts in the UK
planned, he's got a full plate. He wants to get back into the studio.
I've been used to seeing him 2x a year now, and I'm spoiled. But you
know, he's got a life too.....
And now, onto Milwaukee.
Milwaukee is a beautiful city - very green and although it is on Lake
Michigan, as is Chicago, has a very different look and feel. I generally
like it there, and I have always been impressed with how much I like the
clients I work with from Wisconsin. And they have these adorable accents
there, and say things like "ode hay". Someday I am going to stop at the
Mars Cheese Castle and the Bong recreation area.
My review is going to seem like a little bit of a "dis", and I'm sorry
if it does. But after the wild roar of Saturday's show in Chicago, I
think I would have been disappointed by almost anything.
It wasn't the Fluffers. It wasn't Glenn. They worked their hung-over
tails off and sounded brilliant. It was the crowd. The venue was set up
with tables and chairs, and nobody wanted to dance. I've never been at
GT&F show where people just sit and clap. He invited us to get up and
dance, and nobody took him up on it.
I knew Glenn had his work cut out for him when Jim Bianco, the kick-ass
opening act, started making jokes to lighten the mood. He got a big "woo
hoo" from the audience when he said (jokingly) that he'd been to church
in the morning....
When Glenn came on, I tried hard to stay in my seat, but it wasn't
possible.. I got up to dance and an 18 year old came with me. I begged
and bribed people to dance, but they just thought I was on drugs. And I
wasn't - I swear. I was completely sober. I too was hung over. Glenn
finally broke the ice by the second act, by going to the back of the
venue where the bar was, and he and the band performed on it, with Jim
Bianco and his trio joining them on accordion and the tiniest little
trumpet I have ever seen.
They switched to playing from 45's and under - working fewer of his solo
stuff in the mix. He did "Walk Away", which literally blew some of this
tiny crowd of about 40 out of the water. For Up the Junction, I had
company up dancing at the front, but it didn't last for long. When the
Band left the stage to get ready for the encore, people jumped out of
their seats and begged for more. Simon ended the show by diving into the
cymbals - which, in turn, fell off the stage and onto my body. No harm,
no foul, but it was funny. They loved him, but I don't know. They had
less energy. Maybe that's because it was a Sunday show, or maybe because
the crowd was a bit older. About half stayed after to meet and greet the
Band. One guy was so blown away by one of Glenn's amazing solos that he
rushed the stage to give Glenn a high five. During Take Me I'm Yours,
Stephen broke into a full rendition of "Funky Town".
Simon left for London a few hours after the show to go be by the side
of his very expectant girlfriend. He's being replaced by a guy from
Nashville, but I didn't get the details. Simon will be back shortly, and
is anxious to be on the road with the band. Thank goodness for Chris the
bus driver (sweetheart of a guy, by the way who introduces the Band with
a mini stand-up routine) and the manager (whose name escapes me, which
is sad, because he was absolutely lovely and so kind to me) - they held
everything together and took off that night for MN.
I invite anyone else who was at either show to fill in the gaping holes
in my report.
Exhausted, overjoyed, and depress-edly yours,
Michelle
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