Hothouse Flowers have their London Records albums collected via Cherry Red Records offering a great overview of one of the finest Irish bands in the land.
Released: 30th May 2025
Label: Cherry Red Records
Format: CD
HOTHOUSE FLOWERS
Formed by school mates Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna Ó Braonáin in Dublin in 1985, Hothouse Flowers garnered a great reputation from many quarters with their blend of traditional Irish music, soul, gospel, and rock. Through four albums, they achieved great success with their first three albums hitting number 1 in Ireland and the top 10 in the UK. They have performed at the Eurovision Song Contest (in 1988), been featured on The Grand Tour and supported fellow Irishmen U2 over the years.
PEOPLE
Hothouse Flowers arrived on the musical map with their single Don’t Go. Its energetic rhythm and catchy chorus helped it get international attention. Feet On The Ground was also a single; whilst not gaining as much chart success as Don’t Go, it further solidified the bands growing reputation.
Elsewhere on the album, the opener, I’m Sorry, is gospel tinged cracker – as a track one, side one for a debut album it is glorious. The Older We Get, the song this set is named after, is another soulful cut that showcases Liam Ó Maonlaí’s exquisite voice.
Unsurprisingly, the extra tracks included here are dominated by the singles. Don’t Go has single edits, acoustic renditions and live cuts. There are live tracks from Manchester and Berlin from 1988 and 1987 respectively. Hearing the band playing live showcases them in all their glory and gives a glimpse into why they gained such a strong following.
HOME
Home comes out rocking; Hardstone City is a pulsing track that carries the impetus of People into album number two showcasing a growth and evolution in sound. The reflective and gospely Give It Up was released as a single and hit the top 20 in the UK. Another up tempo track that carries Hothouse Flowers’ signature is Give It All Away. It moves from high riding rocker to soulful ballad throughout.
Shut Up And Listen sticks more firmly to bluesy ballad and I Can See Clearly Now is a cover of the Johnny Nash classic. It was this song that was used on the curtain raiser for Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour. It features the band playing live on the show, and however many years on, shows just how powerful Hothouse Flowers are as a band. In closing Home, the band include Seoladh Na Ngamhna; a short traditional Irish song. It is a perfect end to another brilliant album.
As far as extras go, there are more live performances from Scotland and Australia as well as a collaboration with The Dubliners on The Rose.
SONGS FROM THE RAIN
Songs From The Rain is a more emotional record. The songs are more introspective and the sound is a lot more vast. Again, it is clear to see how Hothouse Flowers evolved their sound through People, Home and to Songs Of The Rain.
This Is It (Your Soul) opens the album; immediately there is a slower tone as Liam leads the band with his voice. Straight away, the mood is different. There is definitely a sense of looking inwards. One Tongue feels like a euphoric release with great piano and an anthemic beat. An Emotional Time borrows a little from Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game in its opening guitar line. Liam shows a different side to his voice as it builds to a brilliant crescendo.
STANDOUTS
Good For You is a standout track with a real power ballad feel. The band create a towering sound that reaches for the sky. Isn’t It Amazing opens with a hypnotic bass line and harmonic guitar sound that weaves with the saxophone. Some of the guitar motifs are evocative of fellow Dubliner’s U2, and The Edge. Another standout is the rousing Thing Of Beauty – it is just that; a thing of beauty. It’s a song that feels like a culmination of how Hothouse Flowers built their sound to achieve their goal of transcendence.
Extras in the boxset consist of B-sides and odds and sods. A cover of Elvis’ Suspicious Minds misses the mark a little, but a rendition of Bob Dylan’s Forever Young feels more apt for Hothouse Flowers. Let The Rhythm Take You Home sees the band in full gospel mode as the tempo is fast and exultant. It’s a snapshot into the rhythms that the band deliver live. Thank You For Believing is a funky and playful number and Carry On also shows a real fun side to the band.
BORN
It took five years for Born to emerge. In 1998, the band returned with their fourth album. It is clear that the sound and production is completely different. Whilst there are plenty of great songs here, there is something ‘missing’ from earlier albums.
Turn Up The Reverb opens with a looped intro that places the song firmly in the late 1990’s. Liam’s voice is still strong but the sound is a little harder. As the title suggests, the song plays a lot with distortion and the guitars are more shrill. You Can Love Me Now is a really nice song that sees more processed drum sounds being used.
The title track has a deep bass intro which really works and shows again the bands funkier side. I Believe is one of the more epic pieces here; it’s a standout track on the album for its depth. The guitar solo lines are epic and the rhythm is very loose.
In amongst the final host of extras here are a set of demo versions. As far as these go, this stuff is for the completists. The appeal here is that a lot of these demos have never been released. Of these, Hurt is a definite one to listen to. The opening, again, feels very dated but when the track gets moving it is a really decent track.
THE OLDER WE GET
As Hothouse Flowers got older, like any good band, they evolved their sound. Their early trio of albums are three absolutely top notch albums. The Older We Get collates them brilliantly with their respected extras. Hothouse Flowers continued to record two more studio albums after their London Years. Their live shows are always great fun and they celebrate their first two albums on tour in June 2025.
Check out this powerful live version of I Can See Clearly Now from The Late Late Show on RTÉ One. You can buy The Older We Get here.
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