Allan Clarke shines, even without the Holliesby Anonymous

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May 06, 2007: Allan Clarke decided to break from his Hollies image, and really got into his solo act, recording material that just wouldn't have worked with the Hollies. Headroom fits the bill for a good classic rock album but it was too nitty-gritty bluesy for me. The tracks "Who?" and "Shift Lovin' Lady" are his best work there. The next album, Allan Clarke, takes another turn by featuring some soulful female backing singers. This album was much more interesting to me, and Allan really put his raw emotion into it. Disc two was another matter - I would pay the full price for this disc alone! Many of the tracks seem like showtunes - I've Got Time could easily be a soundtrack. Much of it reminds me of a more powerful Barry Manilow or Air Supply - that may be a turnoff to some, who would probably call it over-produced. But I replay it frequently without tiring of it. His version of "Blinded By the Light" is more edgy and less tiresome than Manfred Mann's. "Light a Light," "If You Walked Away," and "Sunrise," are beautiful love songs. "Hallelujah Freedom" really gets me dancing. "We've Got Time" and "Living in Love" are solid mid-seventies light rock. "The Long Way" is a good ballad. "Finale" is a beautiful instrumental medley of the main themes from 7 of the album tracks. The powerful work on all three albums should have made Allan Clarke a household name.