Monday, May 16, 2011

Pure Pop for Then People

In case you hadn't heard, there's a new Hollies box set just out. It's called (accurately if not imagintively) the Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years, and it's apparently got every note they recorded between 1963 and the end of 1968, when Graham Nash departed to join you know who.



Hollies purists can debate whether the right mixes (stereo vs. mono) of various individual tracks were used (according to what I've read on the intertubes, some of the decisions have struck fans as arbitrary). But given that the consensus also seems to be that the remastering is really good, and given the bargain price -- six discs for 35 bucks -- I think the set is probably worth an investment, even if, like me, you've already shelled out for previous Hollies boxes.

Oh -- and have I mentioned it includes a heretofore unreleased live show from May 24, 1968? In stereo? With Graham?

Well, it does. And from it, here's the still fresh as paint "Carrie Anne..."



...sounding about as glorious as you could hope. Paul McCartney and Mickey Dolenz were in the audience, by the way.

[h/t Sal Nunziato]