The 1981 Listening Post - Holly Stanton - Temptation

 Reviewed by Jim Coursey

Released: 1981 Holly Stanton Temptation Genre: Hard Rock / New Wave Rating: 3 out of 5 Highlights: What Did You Expect? Little information remains about Holly Stanton’s lone 80s album, “Temptation". [1] It was released on War Bride, the modern-facing imprint of parent Solid Smoke records, a San Francisco label known for their soul/R&B rereleases. The production quality is top notch, and it seems clear the label was angling to make a play for chart success, but history suggests that didn’t pan out. Like her labelmate Roy Loney, Stanton’s sound is clearly rooted in 60s-70s rock, but with an ear to the present. She covers Los Bravos’ “Black is Black” and The Beau Brummels’ “Just a Little”, but much of the album seems geared towards competing with chart-topping female rockers like Pat Benatar. Songs like “Just a Little”, “When I Go To Sleep” remind me a bit of the Go-Go’s, heavily inflected with the sound of 60s girl groups and teen angst, but she lacks that hint of camp that makes the Go-Go’s darker songs lovable and even a little fun. Standout “What Did You Expect?” throws a touch of anger into the mix and could just as easily be confused for a 90s indie rock song were it not for the occasional appearance of dated synths. “It’s No Use” meanwhile seems like a nod to “Regatta de Blanc” era Police. The album is enjoyable, but it doesn’t quite feel like a missed opportunity or lost treasure. For one thing, there’s little in the way of clear standouts. For another, there are too many ill-fitting synths adorning what is otherwise a sure-footed rock album. And maybe it’s just me but while Stanton has a great voice, it’s not always comfortable – there’s an unnaturalness to her voice as if she’s contorting it to do a character. (This issue resolves on later recordings though.) If there was a missed opportunity it’s that for whatever reason Stanton never got a second shot at an album while in her prime. “Temptation” leaves me feeling like there’s something more worth unearthing, had maybe IRS or a similar label picked her up. ********** 1. Stanton appears to stick around the Bay Area and self-released “Follow”, a solid 90s-sounding alt-rock album in the 2000s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1EZKZrYPnM