The surprisingly weak result of a concerted effort by both band and label to push
the Beach Boys back into the Top 40 (they succeeded, barely),
Holland continued the muddy sound of
Carl and the Passions - So Tough. The highlights here --
Carl's "The Trader,"
Brian's "Sail on, Sailor" and "Funky Pretty" -- are marginally better than their immediate predecessors, though "Leavin' This Town" (from recent addition
Blondie Chaplin) is rather tiresome. Also,
Al Jardine and
Mike Love's three-part "California Saga" shows the effects of their environmentalist spirituality left to bake in the sun a few minutes too long (though the conclusion, "California," is a solid return to the harmony-laden sun-and-surf '60s). "Only with You" is yet another tender ballad given an excellent reading by
Carl. [
Holland was made available in 2000 on the two-fer compilation Carl and the Passions - So Tough/Holland.]