Customer Reviews

Hold Me Up (Reis)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this CD to hear "Two Days in February," with the lines "everything's wrong, well it's alright." Those lines best sum up the vibe on this early Goo Goo Dolls album. These songs feel wrong to those of us who began with "Dizzy Up the Girl" and even "A Boy Named Goo" but after a few listens I guarantee you will find it to be alright as well. "There You Are," an unusually upbeat song by Johnny, is a charming and infectious tribute to someone who saves him from his potential self-destruction. "Just the Way You Are" is a similar song but darker. Robby shines too, especially on the carefully written "So Outta Line" and the insanely funny "Out of the Red." For those that want to mellow out, try "You Know What I Mean," "22 Seconds" or the awesome "Kevin's Song." And, of course, combine the best of both worlds with the duet with Johnny AND Robby on "Hey." This is an album that honestly deserves its positive reviews. It's one of my 4 favorites, all of which are the Goos!

"Hold Me Up" is a great indicator of things to come. Listening to it, you can really hear where the Goo Goo Dolls were going. Moving away from the punk stylings of their second album "Jed" and notable song "Up Yours", this album shows how their music will turn into the follow up "Superstar Carwash" with beautiful ballads such as "We are the Normal" and "Stop the World". However, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This album truly is a turning point in their carrers. Its a playground of harmonies and instruments, and a place for trial and error. This album refined their style, yet maintained the energy that so many bands lack in later albums. Songs such as "22 seconds" (a little ditty about being off key) add a balance to the simply beautiful "Two Days in February". This album is really charming, in that, the recording quality is perhaps a step above a stereo in a garage, but the music has the heart of a grammy winner. This is a great album to buy if you are a modern Goo fan, waiting for the next album, or just wanting more. If you like the lyrical "Iris", or "Name", you'll love to hear these lesser known tunes, all of which being as equally impressive.

This albumn will give you an indication of the punk roots of the Goo Goo Dolls and also show you their work towards what they have become as a band today. Much edgier than its follower, Superstar Carwash, but more melodic than its predecessor, Jed. I cant say enough about those of you who learned to love the Goo Goo dolls through their more recent radio hits. You must work your way backwards and see how this band evolved. They DO NOT make bad music and this CD is no exception.

I'm choosing not to do a track by track review on this disc for the time being since I'm basing this review on my third listen. Anyways. Hold Me Up is a really good CD, but you've got to let it grow on you. Yeah, the production isn't the best, but "Hey"! This isn't for you raised on radio kids who dig "Iris"(I happen to be one of them, don't worry). Excuse me, who dig "Iris" and nothing else. (not me) I bought this disc as a continuation of my backwards journey through Goos history. If you're interested in buying this album, try not to wean yourself on Dizzy up the Girl, A Boy Named Goo, Gutterflower, and even Superstar Carwash. You'd be surprised. This is raw (yet poignant) music with attitude and heart, and quite frankly, a freak show of music. There's pop-ish songs that could be hits now (There You Are, Just the Way You Are, and my personal favorite, Hey), two covers, pop-punk and punk rock songs (On Your Side, Laughing, So Outta Line, and the great Out of the Red, which sounds like Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Traveling Band" --- maybe another influence, see Jed's take on "Down on the Corner"), and touching, beautiful songs, like (again) Hey, Two Days in February (garage recording!), and the instrumental Kevin's Song. Plus the joke track 22 Seconds featuring ex drummer George, the terrific Prince cover ("Never Take the Place of Your Man"--featuring the incredible Lance Diamond!! w00t.) and the grungy, Nirvana-esque You Know What I Mean. (I really liked "Million Miles Away" too... The Plimsouls? ;x)If this was released in either of two time periods, 1992 (after Nirvana's "Nevermind") or 2002, it would have sold tons more. Awesome in a lot of parts, great in others, and GOOD in a few... Buy this one now.. Prolly my second, if not favourite Goo's album, aside from Superstar Carwash. Buy Jed, too!

and that is what this is. true, the drummer sings one track. true, 'two days in february' may sound like it was recorded in a garage. but this is still the goo goo dolls, and even here, you can see that they were gonna make it someday. the songwriting is great, the playing is to match. the incredible lance dimond, a buffalo local, sings the goos rendition of prince's 'never take the place of your man', very well.

of note on this cd...'just the way you are'...'there you are'...'kevin's song' (instrumental, believe it or not, and pretty good!)...'million miles away'...'two days in february'...roughly half of the cd is great, then a few songs good, a couple okay and then a few mediocre.

definetly a must for the fan, but maybe not a really good buy for a first-time goo goo dolls cd.

this is true balls-out american rock 'n' roll ... not the currently polished "ready for MTV and the mall" version of the goo goo dolls most of the reviewers seem to appreciate. the goo goo dolls can go into whatever direction they care to but this is the album that got them close to the replacements and husker du.

Hold Me Up, the third album from Buffalo trio the Goo Goo Dolls was originally released in 1990. Much rawer sounding than more recent releases, you would surprised at the punkiness of opening track Laughing if all you had heard was Iris. Although often criticised by fans of their newer material, Hold Me Up is still a good album. The production could be better, and the tracks are no where near as polished as the sparkling Slide, but this is still a power pop album at heart. The Goos trademark catchy choruses are still there, as are the full-on drums and skillful guitar playing. Robby tends to sing the majority of songs and his voice is definitely more suited to harsher tracks, such as Out Of The Red and Know My Name. However, John gets a few occasions to shine on my favourite tracks Just The Way You Are and There You Are. He also sings well on the acoustic Two Days in February. Now a live favourite, this little ditty is a hint of ballads to come, such as Name and the afforementioned Iris. 22 Seconds is more of a comical interlude than a song, and Kevin's Song, an instrumental, showcases the trio's talents at their best. Overall, a good album, not as amazing as A Boy Named Goo, but definitely a taster of the fantastic music to come.

There are songs on this album, particularly "There You Are" and "That's Just the Way You Are" that would be enormous radio hits if released today. They are catchy, wonderful pop-rock songs as are most of the songs on this album. I'm a huge Replacements fan and I know these guys get accused of ripping them off but they never did--they just didn't hide their influences. Neither did The Stones and no one complains about them. It's great to see guys like this succeed as well as they have but one listen to this album--still arguably their best--and it's clear they had the right stuff all along. As The Trouser Press Record Guide said of this album, it's "a must for fans of cheap beer and Cheap Trick". Pick it up when you get a chance.

The Goo Goo Dolls were honing their chops back in 1990, getting ready for the multi-platinum success that awaited them. Before all that, however, there was the fast, gleefully recorded punk/metal/pop of "Hold Me Up." Critics of the Goo's more polished and sappy later work should give this CD a try, which has more in common with Tim by The Replacements than Bon Jovi. The confident Robby Takac handled vocals on such speed rockers as "Laughing," "So Outta Line," "Out of the Red" and "On Your Side." The less sure-of-himself (at the time) Johnny Rzeznik stood behind the mic for the more melodic, subdued songs, which has always given these guys a special dichotomy. Takac's songs tend to be faster, and his voice is much raspier. His tough, take-no-prisoners attitude offsets Rzeznik's more reflective, sentimental and tuneful approach. Hints of Rzeznik's future songwriting come through on such standouts as "There You Are," "You Know What I Mean" and the glorious instrumental "Kevin's Song," which boasts sweeping hooks, a chugging riff and even a tinkling piano. The Goo's even put their rockin' spin on a soulful cover of Prince's "Never Take the Place of Your Man," sung by the "incredible" Lance Diamond; a "nah, nah" chorus at the end enhances the song even more. Between Rzeznik and Takac there is a perfect blend of fast punk, next to the more melodic, sentimental sound and lyrics of Rzeznik. Talent and good songs were bursting at the seams by the Goo's and many other rock bands back in 1990, and this album represents the energy of that great time.

I'm an owner of all 6 Goo album. Whenever I'm down, this is one of the album I go to. Majority of the songs just makes you want to just dance in your seat (eg. Laughing). But even the songs that are more slow tempo (eg. You Know What I Mean) are great songs with great meanings that actually makes you want to think. An album that makes you laugh and think at the same time? I think you can say that's a great album :)