HOLLY AND THE ITALIANS Albums Now Available on iTunes

Holly Beth Vincent produced two fantastic - though very different - albums in the early 1980s: The Right to Be Italian from 1981 and Holly and the Italians from 1982. These new wave classics were reissued on CD in 2002 by Wounded Bird Records, but quickly went out of print and are currently fetching hefty prices. The good news for those unwilling to pay an arm and a leg for the CDs is that both LPs are now available as downloads on iTunes.

The Right to Be Italian, credited to Holly & the Italians, is full of high-energy, melodic power pop with an edge. One listen to the raucous, Ramones-style opener I Wanna Go Home lets you know you're in for something special, and the album never lets up. Classic singles such as Tell That Girl to Shut Up and Youth Coup are simultaneously poppy and rough around the edges. Vincent and her Italians even manage to inject the punk spirit into a 60s girl group cover, Just for Tonight.


Vincent dropped the Italians and followed-up The Right to Be Italian with a confusingly-named solo release, Holly and the Italians. This is a completely different affair, one marked by introspective themes and somewhat murky production. Even so, it is just as essential as its predecessor. Lush, melodic opener Honalu makes you feel as though you're in a strange dream, and is probably one of the most unique pop songs you'll ever hear. It kicks off an album that truly forges a sound all its own. Holly and the Italians even includes a trippy, dramatically different version of For What it's Worth, originally by Buffalo Springfield.

Both The Right to Be Italian and Holly and the Italians are absolutely essential for any fan of new wave. Unfortunately, the iTunes versions don't include the bonus tracks included on the CDs, but it's still great news for those in search of the albums that they have been made available again. Go get 'em now!