Soulstream is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Holly Johnson, which was released in 1999 on Johnson's own label, Pleasuredome. The album, which was recorded at Johnson's own home studio, contains a re-working of his hit song with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "The Power of Love", as well as a re-working of his 1994 single "Legendary Children (All of Them Queer)".
In 2010, Johnson picked "Soulstream" as his favourite track from the album. The album's title came from a quote from Stevie, a film about the poet, played by Glenda Jackson.[2]
Three singles were released from the album. "Disco Heaven" reached No. 85 on the UK Singles Chart and "The Power of Love" reached No. 56. The previous year, in 1998, "Hallelujah!" was also released as a promotional only single.[3]
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo in 1999, Johnson said of the album: "I definitely had a creative urge to fulfil. I had written a book and was producing art, but I was still writing songs as well. Now, though, it's harder because I run my own record label as well as the music. I really hope people like this record but, if they don't, tough."[1]
On its release, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian noted the album's "decidedly spiritual bent", with some of the songs containing a "rather pat optimism". She added: "The message would resound more profoundly if it were accompanied by some decent tunes, rather than colourless beats-by-the-yard that do nothing for Johnson's reedy voice." Sullivan picked "Disco Heaven" and "Legendary Children" as the album's two best tracks.[5]
In a retrospective review, Jon O'Brien of AllMusic wrote: "Soulstream isn't without its charms, but after such a lengthy absence, Johnson needed to recapture the glorious pop spirit of his previous outfit if he was to make any impression on a chart scene vastly different from when he left it, something its clichéd and disappointingly bland sound resolutely failed to do." He noted the "infectious camp Euro-disco" of both "Hallelujah" and "Disco Heaven" but felt most of the songs sounded "at least five years out of date".[4]
Track listing
Original release
All songs written by Holly Johnson except where noted.
"Lady Luck" – 4:20
"Soulstream" – 5:05
"Disco Heaven" (Sicario Club Mix Radio Edit) – 4:15
"Don't Give Up" – 4:15
"Hope" – 4:52
"The Best Invention" – 4:31
"Hallelujah!" (Eric Kupper Radio Mix) (Holly Johnson, Nick Bagnall) – 3:58
Alan Munroe, Clare Johnson, Jack Jones, Jayne Casey, Joel Jones, Wolfgang Kuhle – "I love you" vocals on "All U Need is Love"
Jimmy Gallagher, Tony Barlow – saxophone
Dave Bishop – alto saxophone, flute
Richard Henry – trombone, baritone horn
Paul Spong, Steve Waterman – trumpet, flugelhorn
Simon Gardiner – flugelhorn
Boguslaw Kostecki, Gavyn Wright, Roger Garland, David Woodcock, Dermot Crehan, Eddie Wilson, Elizabeth Edwards, Jackie Shave, Jonathan Evans-Jones, Mark Berrow, Patrick Kiernan, Peter Oxer, Rebecca Hirsch, Rita Manning, Rolf Wilson, Simon Fischer, Vaughn Armon, Wilf Gibson, David Nolan, John Bradbury – violin
Peter Lale, Bill Hawkes, Garfield Jackson, Kate Musker, Katie Wilkinson, Philip Dukes – viola
Anthony Pleeth, David Daniels, Jonathan Tunnell, Martin Loveday, Paul Kegg, Tony Lewis, Jane Fenton – cello
Nick Ingman – string quartet and flugelhorn arrangements
Chris Toole, Andy Grey, Laurence Cedar, Tony O'Neil, Nick Bagnall – programming
References
^ abJohnson, Debbie (9 October 1999). "If anyone had told me then I would still be here now, I'd have been very surprised". Liverpool Echo. p. 13.
^Ashley Smith (29 December 2010). "Holly Johnson Questions". Slade Discography Website. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
