Journeyman drummer
Steve Holley has provided some of the most solid and creative beats for
Paul McCartney,
Kiki Dee,
Joe Cocker,
Julian Lennon, and
Ian Hunter over the years, and though he recorded a couple of tracks in the U.K. in January of 1980 (included here), those beats never got the opportunity to be heard backing him up until the release of
The Reluctant Dog, a 13-track collection of melodies and feelings that are well worth the wait. For those put off by the manufactured pop that
Phil Collins runs off the assembly line,
The Reluctant Dog will provide much satisfaction. Produced by
Holley and bassist/guitarist
Keith Lentin, the album is chock-full of surprises -- the short and sweet instrumental "Punta del Este (with daughter Amanda Holley on flute) and a bubbling
Genesis-like "Entertain You" to mention just two.
Holley (also listed in many credits over the years as Holly without the "e") delivers splashes of
Beatles on one of the early tracks, "For Better or for Worse," which resembles
the Fab Four's "Free as a Bird" phase, though recorded 15 years before that classic hit the Top Ten. This early recording features
Holley on vocals, glockenspiel, piano, and drums, with Nick Pearson's electric guitar and
Phil Curtis on bass. The drummer was concerned about adding the two decade-old tracks into this mix, but they bring much to the set.