Search - Hall & Oates :: Atlantic Collection

What's wrong here??

Bill Janowski | Elmhurst, IL USA | 03/13/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"What was intended to be a substitute for 'No Goodbyes' is disappointing - not because of the music, but with the omission of the 'rare' track 'Love You Like A Brother,' which should have been included.



And do we really NEED 8 of the 9 'Abandoned Luncheonette' tracks here when you'd be better off with that CD in its entirety??



If you can't buy this used, find the Japanese import of 'No Goodbyes' or the original Atlantic LP. The 'less is more' rule would apply here, especially taking into account H&O's later overload of RCA compilations, which they probably have no control over.



"

Essential for fans unfamiliar with H & O's early recordings

Bill Janowski | 03/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Atlantic Collection" is absolutely essential for fans who only discovered H & O during their halcyon years with RCA. For sure,
they hit pay dirt with a consecutive run of hits on RCA starting with "Sara Smile", but not before having experimented with
different musical styles which appealed to them individually while they were signed to Atlantic. The smooth synthesised soul sound we have come to associate with H & O is a fusion of folk, rock & r & b styles that first found expression in the grooves of their four Atlantic albums. Rhino has culled the best cuts for this superb collection which shows more sides to the duo than we shall ever know from listening to their radio hits. With insightful liner notes, excellent track selection and a thoughtful product design that respects chronology, what more can fans ask for ? "She's Gone" - pure magic and their most sublime recording ever - alone is worth the price of the album....but there're lots more hidden gems. The critics didn't think much of H & O's Atlantic albums when they first hit the market. They may have lacked the spark that was to fire their subsequent and commercially more successful work with RCA but H & O's was never able to replicate the freshness, variety and innocence so evident in their earlier recordings with Atlantic once they became a hit factory. The best things in here are from "Abandoned Luncheonette", the weaker ones from "Whole Oates". The "War Babies" tracks have improved with time. Savaged by critics for Todd's Rundgren's heavy handed production values at the time, listening to them today, I must say they have never sounded better. "Atlantic Collection" is a must buy for all H & O fans. For newer fans, there is much to discover here."

Hall and Oates before MTV***

J KRUZ | BKLYN NY USA | 08/04/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was never a big Hall and Oates fan, but I enjoyed some of their early songs, so I took a chance on this collection...hoping to hear some cool songs I had never heard on the radio...I was surprised to find that this is as solid a collection as I own...and I have a vast CD/LP/tape collection. I had never known that Hall and Oates were as folksy, soulful,and mellow a blend of pop as you can find. A cool CD for any collection. I bought this a few years ago, and still I listen to it every now and then...and remember how great it is. I think its well worth tracking down."