People --- Hothouse Flowers --- 1988 (London)
Something of a force in Irish rock music in the late eighties, the debut album from Dublin's Hothouse Flowers was also their most successful, though they're still recording and releasing albums. This album secured a place in Irish music history as being the biggest selling debut album in Ireland, a record it still holds. With a mix of rock, pop, soul, gospel and Irish traditional music, Hothouse Flowers tapped into a
zeitgeist that netted them a number two slot in the UK album charts and a single that fell just short of the top ten.
It opens on bright piano and guitar, Liam O'Maonlai's narrative vocal almost recalling the likes of Dylan and Waits on “I'm sorry”, bubbly organ and uptempo drumming kicking the song in with a gospel-style vocal backing as O'Maonlai goes into a normal style of singing, with a strong, raunchy voice that demands attention and pays homage to the great soul singers of the past. Their biggest hit single is next, and “Don't go” is built on a frothy piano melody, Liam's vocal almost scat at times, kind of wandering and laconic, while Dave Clarke (no, not that one!) keeps a steady rhythm on the drumkit. Some great sax from Leo Barnes adds to the pure joy engendered by this song, and the gospel chorus is back, then “Forgiven” is again gospel-inspired, but a slow, bluesy style song this time, much more guitar led with hardly any piano, and more surprisingly, given the nature of the song, no gospel chorus.
Things stay slow and gospelly for “It'll be easier in the morning”, built on a solid organ melody with some really nice brass, and the return of the gospel chorus. Great bit of fiddle provided by Andre Previn's daughter, Lovely. Though his voice is not in the same league, you can certainly draw parallels between Liam and Meat Loaf; the same power and passion, almost religious fervour in some of the songs, and the undeniable charisma of the man, who not surprisingly became the focus and face of the band. “Hallelujah Jordan” is another song based on guitar rather than piano (and Liam plays both, but we assume the main guitar parts here to be played by his compatriot Fiachna O'Braonain), more great backing vocals --- uncredited, as far as I can see --- and a song that could have been written by Paddy McAloon or Ricky Ross.
“If you go” becomes really the first ballad, very powerful and dramatic, with some great violin --- uncredited, but may we assume that's Lovely Previn as well? --- and a standout sax solo right in the middle that only adds intensity and power to the song, Liam singing his heart out with real passion and conviction, but it's “The older we get” that forms the standout track for me. A gentle, laidback ballad that slowly builds from quiet and tranquil beginnings to a strong, punchy climax built on guitar, bouzouki and mandolin, with almost progressive rock leanings, it's filled out by slowly swelling Hammond organ, then the percussion gets more powerful as the intensity rises. It's a real anthem, and should have been a single, but wasn't.
Things pick up then and rock right out for “Yes I was”, guitar and piano meshing in perfect harmony, more triumphant gospel rock in the Church of the Hothouse Flower, then a track I was convinced was a single (though Wiki says otherwise), but was certainly popular on Irish radio when this album was around. “Love don't work that way” is a real boogie blues rocker, with lots of sax and piano, but personally --- and I'm probably the only person who would even notice, never mind say, this --- I find the melody is a little too close to an early Supertramp song, from their self-titled debut in fact, called “It's a long road”. When I heard this song, I was convinced that HF had ripped Supertramp off. And maybe they have, but then that album is such a relatively obscure one it's unlikely the guys have ever heard of it, much less heard it. Nonetheless, it spoiled my enjoyment of the track, and still does to this day. That said, it's a rocky, uptempo number, and short enough to have been a single.
It's followed then by the longest track on the album, at a little over six minutes, “The ballad of Katie.” As the title suggests, it's a slow song, written in the lyrical style of a western, cowboy sort of song, something like Icehouse's “Heartbreak kid”, with a solid organ melody carrying the tune and again some soulful sax from Gary Barnacle. I also get a certain feeling of Nick Cave or Cohen about this track too. I must say though I do find it a little overlong, and it has a very disappointing, damp squib ending. “Feet on the ground” is a faster gospel rocker, with a lot of INXS's “New sensation” in the melody, and given the fact that “Kick” was only released the previous year, well...
I don't want to keep accusing the Flowers of plaigarism, but that's twice now I can hear other songs in theirs. Could be coincidence, homage, who knows? At any rate, “Lonely lane” is a nice mid-pacer, with great organ and guitar and another narrative vocal from Liam, more sax helping the song along until the album closes on “Saved”, perhaps an appropriate title for an album so heavily influenced by gospel music. A nice semi-ballad, it has some interesting sitar passages but ultimately it kind of leaves me cold.
TRACKLISTING
1. I'm sorry
2. Don't go
3. Forgiven
4. It'll be easier in the morning
5. Hallelujah Jordan
6. If you go
7. The older we get
8. Yes I was
9. Love don't work that way
10. Ballad of Katie
11. Feet on the ground
12. Lonely lane
13. Saved