All those years watching famous big brother Jools tickle the ivories on the front room's baby grand have finally paid off for Christopher Holland.
The younger Holland plays like the older - and sings uncannily like Jools' former Squeeze colleague Glen Tilbrook.
And if 2005's Butterfly Effect was the showing-plenty-of-promise album, Everything You can Imagine is Real is the finally stepping-out-of-sibling's-shadow record.
The world is definitely Christopher Holland's oyster.
Everything You Can Imagine Is Real is packed full of consummately crafted infectious tunes.
Holland, helped by Hummingbird's honey-voiced Edwina Hayes, mixes up bouncy summery pop with laid-back country and exquisite less effervescent numbers such as Rhythm of Life.
Like Squeeze's Tilbrook and Difford he's also gifted in the quirky songwriting department. Mother Nature is a prime example with its 'you've gotta be a part of it not apart from it'.
Musically, you can hear influences such as John Lennon and Neil Young. And Where Did Love Go? has all the sugar sweetness of the Monkees' Daydream Believer.
Holland's extensive use of instrumentation is impressive: on one track, the gorgeously textured Love Is, you get the piano, accordion, mandolin, mellotron, flutes and triangle.
Consequently, Everything You Can Imagine Is Real has a real warm feeling throughout.
You really cannot help but like the record - it's feel-good from start to finish with not a bad track in sight.
The only criticism is that Holland has, for reasons best known to himself, included two songs Falling and White Stripe (a dead ringer for Neil Young's Don't Let It Bring You Down) that were on the last album Butterfly Effect.
Rock 'n' Reel Nov/ Dec '07
Christopher Holland - Everything you can imagine is real * * * *
Opening with a fuzzy guitar riff that brings to mind the Moulin Rouge version of Bolan's Children of the Revolution', it soon becomes clear that Chris Holland is one seed that hasn't fallen very far from the tree. Having served as the keyboardist for both Squeeze and Jool's Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, his solo album sounds like the best bit of both, mixed in with a summery Beach Boys vibe... Click the thumbnail for full review. |
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Belfast Telegraph 22 April 2005
CD of the week: Christopher Holland's Cosmic Harmony, BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Christopher Holland's Cosmic Harmony, Butterfly Effect (Flutterby Records) * * * *
Christopher Holland owes a lot to Squeeze. Jools Holland's wee brother spent much of his young life watching his talented sibling rehearsing with the band in the front room of his house. And that has clearly rubbed off. He plays like Jools and he sings uncannily like Glen Tilbrook!
On his latest album, Butterfly Effect with his Cosmic Harmony, the younger Holland proves he is unashamedly old-school pop. What you get are infectious tunes which are consummately crafted and often charming with many of the songs held together by deceptively melancholy keyboard refrains.
From the off, Christopher and chums, explore every wee nook and cranny of old-style pop. Along the way, warm textured sounds mingle with hypnotic bouncy music - making Butterfly Effect a superbly listentable album. Among some very good songs, are a number of little gems; Under Her Smile - the gentle opener - is in the latter category as is White Stripe which is reminiscent of Neil Young's Don't Let It Bring You Down.
Elsewhere, there is the enchanting Last Little Piece of My Love and Whispering Wind, a classy pop ballad, reminiscent of 10cc's I'm Not In Love. But the best of the bunch is the exquisite Falling with its quirky Sgt Pepper-esque instrumental happening midway through.
Q REVIEW APRIL 04
CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND
BROTHER SUN SISTER Q STAR RATING MOON
BEAUTIFUL RECORDS *** Good * * *
Jools' younger sibling calls in a few favours. With writing credits for both Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, it's no great surprise this self-financed debut should bear more than a passing resemblance to Holland's big brother's old band Squeeze.
Still, he's a strong summery songwriter in his own right, thankfully also avoiding the whiskery rhythm and blues he plays as part of Jools' big band extravaganza. With such old hands as Sam Brown and Laurie Latham also on board, it's no surprise the results are hardly cutting edge, but if keyboard- friendly retro types such as Keane came up with some of this they probably wouldn't be too disappointed. Danny Scott.BLUES NEWS
BBC Nottingham Music
(BBC Nottingham Website) May 2004
Christopher Holland – Brother Sun Sister Moon
Following in big brother’s shoes
WHO: Younger brother of Jools
WANNABE CASHING IN; By no means. He’s a talented musician
in his own right, a member of Jools’ band and toured with the
likes of Paul Weller and Stereophonics.
SOUNDS LIKE: Squeeze. His vocals are much more Glenn Tilbrook
than big brother and his compositions have that catchy Squeeze feel
to them. Indeed there’s a Difford/Tilbrook song on here (No Disco
Kid),
VERDICT; Listen to this on a summers day morning and you won’t
go far wrong. Definite shades of Stevie Wonder in there. You could
call it lightweight pop but these songs are eminently listenable.
It might be nepotism but he wouldn’t be out of his depth with
a solo spot on Later…
I-POD; Summer Girl
LABEL; Beautiful Records.
RATING 3.5/5
Nigel Bell.
BearTown
Congleton on the web l5.5.04.
Christopher Holland
Brother Sun Sister Moon
We are family …. like all good brothers Christopher Holland helps
out his elder, slightly more famous brother Jools, by pounding keyboards
and a cheesy sounding organ in The Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.
Often he’ll play support slots when on his brother’s tour;
last time I caught a show at the Victoria Hall he manfully turned
in half an hour or so of decent melody and lyric that more than reminded
me of his brother’s old mates in Squeeze. A chummy kind of boogie
and stomp that gets rarely heard these days but somehow perfectly
captures the power pop era. (Huge hint, every home should own a copy
of Squeeze’s Greatest Hits). Anyway back to the boy Christopher.
“Brother Sun Sister Moon” besides being the title of an
incomprehensible l970’s film,, is a very accessible piece of
work and I have to say one of the best releases my ears have been
introduced to this year.
Chris Holland has got a lot of talent, probably more than his sibling,
who these days seems to make album after album with showy friends
and big name vocalists. He wants to look in his own group; not only
do they have the divine Sam Brown but his brother can barrel house
and swing with the best.
Look for influences, however, and you’ll find more than a passing
nod to the Kinks, Small Faces, the aforementioned Squeeze, The Band,
classic soul and even a bit of Gerry Rafferty and probably lots more
that I don’t have time or space to type out. Each track rides on a sunny tune and great harmonies and the opening ‘Summer Girl’ really should be all over the airwaves. “Gone with the Wind” begins with chords that sound like
“Up on Cripple Creek” before meandering into a lazy romantic
strum. “Long as we’re together” is a Stax blast of horns and
percussion with a rollicking chorus. “Without you in my Life”
is a jazzy blues. Look I could whitter on, but I think you get the drift that this really
is one you shouldn’t let slip away.
Like his brother or not, you can’t deny that Christopher Holland
stands here as his own man with his own distinctive music. Do yourself
a favour.
S.J.
SONGBOOK
Winter Issue – Jan-April 2004-07-01
Christopher Holland is younger brother of Jools and like his older
sibling, plays keyboards. He was inspired to make music by the front
room sessions of Jools’ band Squeeze back in their early days.
After some years with B Sharps, also featuring Chris’ twin brother Richard on drums ( and guitarist Lisa Covington). Chris
continued to play with the likes of Green on Red, Stereophonics and
Paul Weller as well as a regular stint in Jools’ Rhythm and Blues
Orchestra. Brother Sun Sister Moon is his debut album on his own Beautiful
Records label. It’s a tasty selection of pop confections with
a distinct 60s influence – aided in no small part by the use
of a battery of vintage keyboards – and while it’s very
radio-friendly there is plenty of substance too. Based on the evidence
of this classy set we’ll no doubt be hearing a lot more from
Chris as a solo act.
GET RHYTHM
Incorporating Holley’s Comet
16.4.2004
CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND
BROTHER SUN SISTER MOON/Beautiful Records
You may not know Chris Holland but if the name rings a bell it’s
because he’s the brother of Jools and he also plays with Jools’
Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. This is pleasant enough fare, sounding
like he’s been listening to a lot of seventies Stevie Wonder
and Beach Boys. There are layers of keyboards the obligatory Hammond
B3, some nice dated synth sounds and is that a Mellotron?) and harmonies.
The problem is that there’s just too much of it all and the songs
themselves suffer as a result, making it all sound a bit mushy. It’s
not the production at fault, rather the mix where he hasn’t left
any space for the songs to breathe. Funnily enough I was talking about
World Party’s Goodbye Jumbo album last night and that’s
got what this album is looking for. On the positive side there’s
some damn good songs here –‘ No Disco Kid’, ‘Gone
with the Wind’ ‘Love is the Answer’ only problem is
there are too many tracks and the album starts repeating itself. 16
tracks? Chop it down to 12 and each song will sound individual, a
bit of remixing (too many double tracked vocals). Holland has real
talent and a better voice than his brother but it has to be harnessed.
His next album will be interesting with some of these songs worth
a reprise.
MAVERICK -
March 2004
Christopher Holland
Brother Sun Sister Moon
Beautiful Records
* * * *
In between touring
with his older brother’s band (The Jools Holland Rhythm &
Blues Orchestra), and recording with the likes of Stereophonics and
Paul Weller, hugely talented keyboardist Chris Holland has found time
to put to tape sixteen glorious tracks of his very own. Playing by
ear from the age of seven, Chris wrote his first song aged 12, and
began touring with his first band B Sharp, at 16, once he’d finished
school. He insists he always wanted to play guitar, but with all of
Jools’ pianos lying around the house, what was a boy to do.
BROTHER SUN
SISTER MOON is his debut and he produced and mixed most of the songs
himself. His affinity with the keyboard is immediately apparent: Summer
Girl, the first of a series of radiant tracks basking in its warm
glow. And the showcasing of vintage organs doesn’t let up throughout
its 51 golden minutes, providing a surreal hazy soundtrack to a modern-day
summer of love. Combined with the harmonies of guitar and his soft
John Lennon voice, it’s hard not to envisage the day-glo vibrancy
of the swinging sixties; long days in the California sun, hanging
out at Venice Beach, cruising Sunset Boulevard or tripping out in
Laurel Canyon. Stretching on into the l970’s and ‘Long As
We’re Together’ is pleasantly reminiscent of the Jackson
5’s One More Chance while ‘Daffodil Sky’ reeks of the
disco funk explosion and ‘It’ll Be Alright’ is a gospel-tinged
slice of joyous pop. Music welcome in any decade and in any weather.
HK
CLASSIC ROCK
SOCIETY March /April 2004
Christopher Holland
Brother Sun Sister Moon Beautiful Rcords
Christopher
Holland is the younger brother of Jools and although this album is
his debut release as a solo artist, he is a regular member of his
big brother’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. Jools himself makes a guest appearance as do fellow Rhythm & Blues
Orchestra colleagues Gilson Lavis, Mark Flanagan and Sam Brown.
Holland has
a light, airy voice, not unlike that of Glenn Tilbrook and that, plus
his ear for a great melody, gives the songs a distinctive Squeeze
like quality and the overall analysis is an album full of pleasant
pop rock with a very summery feel.
Steve Ward.
5th October
CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND - BT004 CD
BROTHER SUN SISTER MOON - Nova via Pinnacle
Christopher is, of course, the brother of famous Jools, with whom
he performs in his R&B orchestra. Yet, there is more to young
Chris than meets the eye. On this sixteen track CD he: sings, plays
a variety of keyboards and has composed most of the tracks.
However this
is not an R&B album. If you are looking for influences try Bill
Withers, Stevie Wonder and Groovin period young rascals. But it is
Deptford's blue eyed boys Squeeze, who spring most readily to mind.
If you close your eyes and listen closely, it could be them.
A variety of
sonic mneumonics peppers the mix. The pleasant opening track has Pet
Sounds keyboards. Elsewhere funky wah wah guitar, backwards Byrdsian
guitar, double bass, mandolin and the ubiquitous Sam Brown embellish
the tracks.
Irelands greatest
living writer John McGahern writes without chapters to move the reader
effortlessly along. Chris adheres to the same principle, flowing from
track to track. Like Little Feat's Last Record Album or The Notorious
Byrd Brothers, there are few discernible joins. This makes for a pleasant,
if not earth shattering listening experience. However, the CD is a
fine example of Chris' craft and musicianship.
