Holly Golightly "Up Against The Empire" 1998

On this laid-back live outing, Holly Golightly sounds a little like a caffeinated Kendra Smith (Opal, Rainy Day). She eschews psych-rock in favor of folk, blues, and low-key R&B, but her insouciant delivery evokes a similar sort of casual, romantic world weariness -- not unlike the iconic character so enchantingly portrayed by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's…...The performances are loose and appealing, with spare instrumental backing spiked by frequent blasts of harmonica. The country-tinged original "If I Should Ever Leave" features the welcome addition of slide guitar and violin. There are plenty of whoops and hollers during the more rocking numbers -- from the audience or from the band; it's hard to tell -- but they rarely overwhelm or distract from the music. Up the Empire may not be the best place to start with Ms. Golightly's oeuvre, but it isn't a bad place to end up -- especially if you'd like to re-create the experience of an intimate, neon-lit juke joint where all the kids meet to tap their toes, snap their fingers, and clap their hands to the slinky beat. - AllMusic Review by Kathleen C. Fennessytrax:
01 Won't go out 02 I can't stand it 03 Come the day 04 You ain't no big thing 05 If I should ever leave 06 The Ride 07 Troubles on my mind 08 An eye for an empty heart 09 Believe me 10 Look for me baby 11 It's all over now 12 Mellow down easy 13 unknown track