Customer Reviews:
 That girl could sing October 21, 2008
Mystery Iris (Milwaukee, WI)
I bought this because I couldn't get that girl could sing on I-tunes. It was worth the money.
 Brings back memories April 5, 2008
Melody Mcfarlane (Tennessee)
I ordered this cd to replace my old LP record. I've always been a fan of Jackson Browne and this was one of my favorite albums. As I listen to this cd, it brings back precious memories of my youth..the good ol days. You will not be diappointed.
 Deserves a better press March 31, 2008
Friendlycard (Norfolk, UK)
How on earth do you follow stellar albums like 'Late For the Sky', 'The Pretender' and 'Running On Empty?' This was the problem confronting Jackson Browne in 1980. To be sure, 'Hold Out' doesn't really compare with its predecesors - let's face it, not a lot does compare with those epics - but, taken on its own terms, it deserves a better write-up than it's tended to get.
If heightened expectations were one problem, another was the structure of the album, with the best material saved for side 2 of the original vinyl offering. 'Disc Apocalypse' kicks out a good beat, but isn't really Browne-type material - the high-point, for me, is a superb vocal contribution from Rosemary Butler. 'Hold Out' isn't bad - very 'Pretender' in tone - but 'That Girl Could Sing' is, for me, the low-point of the album. 'Boulevard' is better - and, courtesy of compilations, has enjoyed greater longevity than the other tracks on this album. This said, we rather meander towards the end of what would have been side 1 (on vinyl) with pretty mixed feelings. Many might not have persevered....
........and what a mistake that would have been! In the second half the album, 'Hold Out' takes off. 'Of Missing Persons' finds Browne back on full power, and so does 'Call it a Loan' - both are beautiful tracks, and either could have graced his earlier albums. 'Hold On Hold Out', the concluding epic, is another outstanding track.
If you temporarily forget the predecessor albums and judge 'Hold Out' on its merits, it isn't a bad album - three stars for the first half maybe, but definitely five for the second, and certainly four stars taken overall.
excellent as well as timeless June 11, 2007
M. Diane Wilkerson
Since the 70's and earlier this artist has influenced a whole generation with his introspecctive, and thoughtful lyrics,as well as in musical composition. He is timeless. Yhis man has songs yet to write, even. There is not one song on this album that I ever skip on my ipod. I skip none on any of his albums. Hold On Hold Out is really so optimistic, yet real.
Some Nice 80's Music from Jackson Browne September 22, 2005
Jesse Trent (Chesterton, IN)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This probably isn't JB's finest effort. In fact, this is the release just before "Lawyers in Love" and soon thereafter, JB went into full scale political mode.
And no wonder. Some of these songs are a little cheesey. Especially the rhyming/rap in the middle of the "Hold On, Hold Out" song. "Of Missing Persons" is a song about someone famous, I think maybe Elvis, but I can't be sure. It's quite possible that some JB fan could elaborate more detail on this. It's kinda sad and ballad-like, but the chorus is nice, albeit confusing ("And you can sing this song on July the 4th; In the sunny south and the frozen north" - Frozen on the 4th of July? This ain't Saskachewan).
There are only 7 songs on the album, and the first four (which make up side 1 of the vinyl version) are pretty great. In fact, it was those songs that haunted my memory so much that I finally broke in and got this CD. "Disco Apocalypse" has JB telling you that everyone can rise above on the dance floor, which, coming from him, sounds kind of cheesy, but the tune is great. The title track, "Hold Out" has some great piano and keyboard in it. "That Girl Could Sing" was slighted on his double greatest hits CD in favor of some of his political tunes, which is a shame, because it's probably the 2nd best song on this album, and was played quite regularly on the radio when it first came out. I really like the guitar sound on this song. It's unlike any other sound I've heard from a guitar. Then there's the classic "Boulevard," which was the only tune to make it to his double greatest hits CD. This song is great rocking JB fare.
Overall, not that great of an album. But I think it's still worth it, at least to me, for the first 4 songs.
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