Website Comments and Review

The story of Holland is a convoluted one, involving the band decamping to Holland, a last minute substitution of Sail On Sailor for We Got Love, and a Brian Wilson fairy tale added as a bonus EP. Foreign territory seemed to inspire songs about home, hence the California trilogy of Big Sur, Beaks Of Eagles and California.


The ultimate result is something of a mishmash, carrying through the general soulful slant of So Tough. Sail On Sailor, a song with as convoluted origin as it parent album is a powerful blend of solid songwriting and soulful singing, and rightfully stands as one of the group's highpoints of the 1970s. The remaining tracks are mostly in the good but not great vein, although Mike's Big Sur is a very pretty tune, Only With You is classic Dennis romantiscm, while Leaving This Town is a great testament to the contribution Rikki and Blondie made to the band.

The fairy tale has some interesting musical moments, and offers a revealing insight into the Mind of Brian, circa 1972, although it remains more a curiosity than a major work

Overall, a very solid album, probably not the place for a new fan to start, but still an important part of the history of the group.

RATING: 7.5 out of 10