Holding Back the River

For other uses, see Hold Back the River.

Holding Back the River
Studio album by
Wet Wet Wet
Released30 October 1989
Recorded1988–1989
Genre
Length48:58
LabelMercury
ProducerWet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet chronology
The Memphis Sessions
(1988) 		Holding Back the River
(1989) 		Wet Wet Wet: Live
(1990)
Singles from Holding Back the River
  1. "Sweet Surrender"
    Released: 18 September 1989
  2. "Broke Away"
    Released: 27 November 1989
  3. "Hold Back the River"
    Released: 26 February 1990
  4. "Stay with Me Heartache"
    Released: 30 July 1990
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[5]
Number One[6]
Smash Hits8.5/10[7]

Holding Back the River is the second studio album released by Scottish pop rock quartet Wet Wet Wet. Released on 30 October 1989,[8] the album, intentionally written as a lyrical follow-up to the band's debut album Popped In Souled Out, spawned the singles "Sweet Surrender", "Broke Away", "Hold Back the River" and "Stay With Me Heartache" and peaked at #2 on the UK Albums Chart.

Aside from the nine tracks found on the standard album, "How the Hell Did They Get There" appears as a hidden track on the CD and digital download versions, having previously been released as a B-side to the album's lead single, "Sweet Surrender". Outside of the UK, the album saw particular success in Australia, where it was certified Gold and re-released in the form of a limited edition coloured vinyl.[9]

  1. ^ "Wet Wet Wet: "We're all coming up to 50 now and no-one's died!"". Cambridge News. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Wet Wet Wet tweet their thanks to Carlisle". ITV News. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "Wet Wet Wet". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
  4. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Wet Wet Wet – Popped in Souled Out". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  5. ^ Lewis, Jonathan. "Wet Wet Wet — Holding Back the River". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Panos, Andrew (1 November 1989). "Review: Wet Wet Wet — Holding Back the River (Phonogram)". Number One. No. 332. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 43. ISSN 0266-5328. Retrieved 6 November 2022 – via Flickr.
  7. ^ Soutar, Mike (1–14 November 1989). "Wet Wet Wet: Holding Back the River". Smash Hits. Vol. 11, no. 21. Peterborough: EMAP Metro. p. 72. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 2 November 2022 – via Flickr.
  8. ^ "New Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 28 October 1989. p. 56. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  9. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.