Soulstream (Holly Johnson album)


Soulstream is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Holly Johnson, which was released in 1999 on Johnson's own label, Pleasuredome. The album, which was recorded at Johnson's own home studio, contains a re-working of his hit song with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "The Power of Love", as well as a re-working of his 1994 single "Legendary Children ".
Johnson recently marked the track "Soulstream" as his favourite from the album. The title of the album came from a quote from Stevie, a film about the poet, played by Glenda Jackson.
Three singles were released from the album. "Disco Heaven" reached No. 85 on the UK Singles Chart and "The Power of Love" reached No. 56. The previous year, in 1998, "Hallelujah!" was also released as a promotional only single.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo in 1999, Johnson said of the album: "I definitely had a creative urge to fulfil. I had written a book and was producing art, but I was still writing songs as well. Now, though, it's harder because I run my own record label as well as the music. I really hope people like this record but, if they don't, tough."

Critical reception

On its release, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian noted the album's "decidedly spiritual bent", with some of the songs containing a "rather pat optimism". She added: "The message would resound more profoundly if it were accompanied by some decent tunes, rather than colourless beats-by-the-yard that do nothing for Johnson's reedy voice." Sullivan picked "Disco Heaven" and "Legendary Children" as the album's two best tracks.
In a retrospective review, Jon O'Brien of AllMusic wrote: "Soulstream isn't without its charms, but after such a lengthy absence, Johnson needed to recapture the glorious pop spirit of his previous outfit if he was to make any impression on a chart scene vastly different from when he left it, something its clichéd and disappointingly bland sound resolutely failed to do." He noted the "infectious camp Euro-disco" of both "Hallelujah" and "Disco Heaven", but felt most of the songs sounded "at least five years out of date".

Track listing

Original release

All songs written by Holly Johnson except where noted.
  1. "Lady Luck" – 4:20
  2. "Soulstream" – 5:05
  3. "Disco Heaven" – 4:15
  4. "Don't Give Up" – 4:15
  5. "Hope" – 4:52
  6. "The Best Invention" – 4:31
  7. "Hallelujah!" – 3:58
  8. "All U Need Is Love" – 5:32
  9. "Legendary Children " – 3:38
  10. "The Power of Love" – 5:03
  11. "Urban Jungle/In The House of the Rising Sun" – 7:08

    Soulstream (Expanded Edition) (2011)

Disc 1 – Original Album

  1. "Lady Luck" – 4:19
  2. "Soulstream" – 5:04
  3. "Disco Heaven" – 4:15
  4. "Don't Give Up" – 4:14
  5. "Hope" – 4:52
  6. "The Best Invention" – 4:30
  7. "Hallelujah!" – 3:58
  8. "All U Need Is Love" – 5:32
  9. "Legendary Children " – 3:37
  10. "The Power of Love" – 5:03
  11. "Urban Jungle/In The House of the Rising Sun" "– 7:08

    Disc 1 continued – Bonus Tracks

  12. "Legendary Children" – 4:13
  13. "The Power of Love" – 5:33
  14. "All U Need Is Love" – 4:54
  15. "In The House of the Rising Sun" – 5:31
  16. "Legendary Children" – 1:25

    Disc 2 – The Dance Remixes

  17. "In the House of the Rising Sun" – 5:35
  18. "In the House of the Rising Sun" – 5:03
  19. "Disco Heaven" – 7:03
  20. "Disco Heaven" – 6:22
  21. "Disco Heaven" – 6:57
  22. "Disco Heaven" – 7:10
  23. "Hallelujah!" – 6:07
  24. "Hallelujah!" – 7:54
  25. "Legendary Children" – 7:06
  26. "Legendary Children" – 7:58
  27. "Legendary Children" – 6:49