Customer Reviews

Holy Water

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I think we can all agree that the old Bad Company albums with Paul Rodgers on vocals are rightly viewed as classics. I also think that if you take an honest look back at those albums, you'll see that those last few albums were not on the same level as Bad Company or Straight Shooter. The band needed a shot in the arm and got just that when they hired former Ted Nugent vocalist Brian Howe. Howe was the perfect choice for the arena rock decade, and his tenure in Bad Company is still criminally underrated.

I know this kind of AOR/arena rock is almost universally ridiculed now, but plenty of us who grew up in that era can still appreciate an album full of big guitar hooks, rock anthems, bic-flicking ballads, and an unapologetic use of keyboards. Bands like Damn Yankees, Bad English, Foreigner, and of course Bad Company embraced this sound, and rode an unexpected second wave of popularity as a result.

Bad Company's 1990 album Holy Water is (pardon the pun) the high water mark for the Howe-era lineup. This album starts with the powerful title track and then hits you with the song "Walk Through Fire", which is one of the era's absolute best rock songs (Lou Gramm's "Midnight Blue" is the other). It doesn't let up there, instead charging through rockers like "Stranger Stranger" and "Fearless" as well as the hit ballad "If You Needed Somebody". Someone already noted that the album loses a little steam in the second half, but even the average song on Holy Water is still better than many of their contemporaries' best efforts.

This is about as strong an AOR album as you could ever hope to find. The first half easily deserves a 5-star rating, and the second half is worthy of at least 4 stars. Holy Water may remain shunned by old school Bad Company fans, but it's one of the era's best rock albums, and one that all 80's/early 90's rock fans will definitely want to check out.

Edition Notes: Wounded Bird reissued Holy Water in 2010. Like all of their reissues, it has not been remastered nor does it include any bonus material. If you already own a copy of Holy Water, there's no need to replace it.

I really love the song Holy Water, with its big-power-song rhythms and lyrics. Bad Company provides an entire album wrapped around that feeling.

If you've heard Holy Water and don't like it, then let's be honest, you probably won't like this CD. That's what the whole CD is about - blasting guitars, loud vocals about overcoming obstacles and getting to your goals. If you buy a new age CD about oceans, you get lots of soothing songs about the ocean. If you get Holy Water, you get lots of charge-you-up, you-can-do-it songs about relationships. That sounds fine by me!

Walk through Fire is of course about facing obstacles to get to someone. Stranger Stranger is about a hot, humid daydream. The other songs have their own variations, but mostly this is a long power-opus to the power of the individual who Knows What He Wants and is Willing to Go Get it.

There are plenty of other CDs out there for those seeking complex guitar solos and multiplex harmonies. Sometimes you just want a belting-it-out song that screams of leather jackets and smokey bars. This is the one!

I am a big fan of the Bad Company with Brian Howe at lead vocals. I believe this is the best cd from his era. Songs like: Stranger Stranger, Holy Water, If You Needed Somebody & Boys Cry Tough really show his range & power. Also, there are no fillers on this cd so you can stick in the cd & play it all the way through without skipping tracks.

Being of the opinion that Paul Rodgers is a god would lead you to think I'd slag off this album like so many others seem keen to do.

However accepting that Brian Howe is a completely different singer with a different style, means you can listen objectively to this album and appreciate it for what it is.

Brian's vocals have never been better and Mick's guitar complements it both on the rockier tracks and the power ballads.

Simon Kirke adds the usual flawless beat and also gets a short solo outing at the end which is also well worth a listen.

Producer Terry Thomas seems able to bring out the best in all concerned and certainly helped pen a tune or two of note.

More polished than the previous collaboration but still with enough grit to please out and out rock fans as well as the old AOR mob.

Boys cry tough, and Holy water are by far the stand out tracks along with If you needed somebody and With you in a heartbeat, which make this a worthy successor to the excellent Dangerous age.

By far the best work Brian has done since side one of Ted Nugent's Penetrator album, and while Paul Rodger's is not at the helm of Bad Co I'll take this as an enjoyable alternative.

The shear fact that a band can go through an utter reformation and come up with this good a work is well, rather incredible. Bad Company was Paul Rodgers' baby. His bluesy vocals and no-nonsense style made for some unforgettable rock history. But along comes Brain Howe and Terry Thomas. The glimmer twins on two amazing projects. Holy Water ends up being the pinnacle of this tandem. The material is breathtaking. Crushing drums from old man Simon Kirke and rediculously scrumptious pop-metal grooves from old timer Mick Ralphs. But it's Thomas' production work that exumes all the 1989 rock potential from this corporate logo. "Holy Water" has one of the best guitar intros in rock history. "If You Needed Somebody" is a perfect fill for the top 40 of the day. "Fearless", "Stranger, Stranger" and "Walk Through Fire" contain enough octane for a quick trip to the moon and back. And all those cowbells. Thomas knows how to fire up this combination. He also sings backing vocals and seems to know which buttons to push at any moment. Every song is a potential hit single. For a real treat, check out the Simon Kirke vocals on "100 Miles", the album closer that actually works. For AOR in 1989, nothing surpasses this collection. A work of art comprised of all the right ingredients. This album went platinum for good reason. It's that good!

One of the better albums to come out in the early 90s! True, this will never be the same style Bad Company we got in the 70s. I think trying to compare the two Bad Company's is like night and day. I think you should just take what each one has to offer and rock!

Holy water shows the public that Bad Company still play good quality rock and roll. The material here is a good sample of pop metal music. For older fans this may not be so good, but is really recommendable for younger listeners more familiarized with late 80's early 90's music scene.

Brian Howe makes this record soar with his vocals, enough said. You have to listen to it to be purely amazed by his talent. Mick Ralphs really does well here, going along with Brian's powerful vocals. This record is a must for rock fans. No garbage here.

While I admit that Brian Howe is not a replacement for Paul Rodgers, Bad Company clearly has not lost a step in producing rock and roll. Every song on this album is driving rock and roll. Although Howe is no match for the vocals of Paul Rodgers, Bad Company has provided him with 13 opportunities to show what he's got; and he delivers.

this is the greatest album EVER. period. you can do anything to the sound of this album. get laid, make love, drive, be depressed, be elated, anything. it is the ultimate all-purpose album! rock on 4ever. ~~~emily