Review Summary: "And I'm floating in the sky/And I wish you could be/Wish you could be here"
Every decade of music has its own confusing flowchart of events. The sixties are no exception to this rule, a room with many corners. And in a particular corner of that room is The Hollies, who out of all the British Invasion bands are most similar to the Beatles. And this may inspire my interest in their work. Among their core strengths were their ear for harmony (think more abrasive than The Byrds) and their songwriting partnership of lead singer Allan Clarke, lead guitarist Tony Hicks and Graham Nash, who needs no introduction. His pure and honest tenor is instrumental in not only this band's sound, but also with Crosby, Stills and Nash.
But before we can get to that point, we have to backtrack and discuss the Hollies' seventh studio album. Leading up to Butterfly's conception, when Pet Sounds hit the airwaves, everyone listened, and when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band followed, everyone was obligated to compete or respond. This led to a lot of beautiful and ambitious attempts, and others that fell flat and came off pretentious. Graham Nash, doing the same drugs as Lennon, McCartney and Wilson, was equally inspired to put forth his best effort, and took a leadership role for the creation of this album. Butterfly falls somewhere between Sgt. Pepper and Love's Forever Changes, but with its own blissful air that created a smart balance between ambition and fun.
But to be specific, this album is abundant with acoustic guitars, whether they're picking, plucking or driving the distance. Under them are a popping bass line by Bernie Calvert, who plays the instrument with more edge than you'd expect. And what sets this album apart from the band's earlier work is its interest in brass, woodwinds and particularly its use of strings in many tracks. In a sense it draws comparisons to The Moody Blues' Days Of Future Passed the way it flirts with such instrumentation. And to be clear, the mono version layers these instruments to create a solid an even mix with the reverb the songs deserve. And I urge anyone interested in this album to listen in mono.
"Dear Eloise" opens the album with a theme of hope and yearning. The song acknowledges a long distance love written from a fellow who, with his unrelenting optimism, yearns for Eloise to read his letter in-between the lines and find the message that's clear as day to the listener (hint: that he wants her back). It's interesting to think The Zombies started off their masterpiece Odessey And Oracle in a similar fashion with their love letter in "Care of Cell 44". But instead of summoning waves of nostalgia and melancholy like that album does, Butterfly would rather get lost and dig everything. The second track flows to the third with a chorus of away, away, away, and away we go into the most psychedelic slice of Butterfly pie. "Maker" bathes in the sound of curious sitars, plucking guitars and strings that fly higher than Nash in his drug-induced haze. Yes, this is a drug song! 'Don't you just pity me,' he sings, perhaps channeling his guilt for being the one drug-user in the group.
You'll find that while many of the tracks have fade-outs, they're accompanied with something to think about, whether it be the sound of seagulls, space, or bizarre pitch-shifting to substitute traditional key changes. And while the lyrics aren't as profound or explorative as the group's contemporaries, they characterize the band and this album's atmosphere. I find these tracks make up for their lyrical shortcomings with childish curiosities. "Charlie And Fred" tells a touching story with a succinct harmony, while "Elevated Observations" characterizes Allan Clarke's attempt at a drug song without indulging himself. Nash's vocal section that bridges the track speaks of a searching for the right level of observation, capturing a sort of movement through the driving drums and acoustic guitar, before returning to its peaceful origins, having found the perfect place up on the hill.
The album ends more intimately than you'd expect, with Nash painting a lovely picture in his mid-range, backed by the most gorgeous orchestration yet. After a listen to this album, I certainly feel like I'm floating, like I'm digging everything the same way Nash is here. And while many great albums are stylish and dramatic, this album is trying to see the fun in every situation.
Though with historical context in mind, this feeling was likely something of a distraction for Nash, as he sings 'back to reality' in "Maker". Butterfly's lead single, the excellent "King Midas In Reverse", didn't do much on the charts, and following this album, the rest of the Hollies opted to try an album of Bob Dylan covers next. Meanwhile, Graham Nash is as inspired as ever, trying and failing to make "Marrakesh Express" work with the group. So, that's where the Hollies' creative peak comes to an end, and where the cocaine-fueled years of Crosby, Stills and Nash begin.
Perhaps my love for this album is just a soft spot. Butterfly tries things in a way that doesn't tell you, "Look at me!" Instead it says, "Haha, am I doing this right? Hold my hand so we don't get lost!" The collective harmony is clear as the day these songs depict, and man, Nash's voice is so indicative of the music he makes. I find myself polarized by some of my favorite pieces of music getting bitter reviews by people who hold a grudge against its creators. Well, this album gives that vibe that it would be so happy for you to give it a try, and it won't be mad at all if you don't like it. 'Step inside my doorway,' they sing, 'there's no admission fee at all'.
