defend the indefensible: Hall and Oates

I started picking up H&O here and there a few years ago, and used to describe it as a guilty pleasure. Now it's like, "If you don't get what's good about H&O, you don't know what th' heck you're talking about."

I saw H&O open for Lou Reed at the Felt Forum in NYC in 75? Can't say they left much of an impression.
I was only 14. Anyone else there?
j

they were my first concert; the "ooh yeah" tour when i was 6

The case against Hall and Oates has to be related to their 80s ubiquity. I never lived through any of that and as I discovered their albums in my parents collection was completely psyched by all the great pop music I discovered full of awesome hooks, great singing and some killer synth sounds.

Really solid soul songwriting, too. Complete working knowledge of Philly and Memphis, it would seem.

I was around during their eighties ubiquity, and since I didn't have MTV I had to rely on the radio, and they fit in nicely with Duran Duran, Bonnie Tyler, Prince, and everyone else.

I saw H&O open for Lou Reed at the Felt Forum in NYC in 75? C

Jesus fucking Christ are you kidding? I'm not worthy. We're not worthy, folks.

My mom used to have the Voices album on cassette and occasionally blasted it in the car. At the time that album epitomized embarrassing music only your mom would want to play with the windows down - seemingly just to embarrass you. Didn't take me too long to realize that it was just another case of my mom having better taste than I ever would.

"Big Kids"!

Damn, from everything I know about my mom's music tastes she's like the Boomer-era female voice of the "Losing My Edge" narrator.

"I remember being friends with everyone in Love and digging Forever Changes...when I was 14."

"I was there when Randy Newman sold albums out of the trunk of his car, and we all thought he was this funny Jewish piano man..."

"I remember when Hall and Oates were uncool for awhile, and I still flew their flag."

I never thought Hall and Oates were uncool. It depends on what your reference point is. If all you listened to were headbanger records, I guess so.

I read an interview somewhere with a bigshot record producer, who said that he'd only ever found two people who could reliably nail a vocal on the first take: the guy from Mr. Mister, and Daryl Hall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwAx-rzEKv8

up in the morning look in the mirror
I'm worn as her tooth brush hanging in the stand
my face ain't looking any younger
now I can see love's taken her toll on me

To me, the key to that clip is when the cat tilts its head back. That's when you know kitty's really feeling the music.

that is two great tastes that taste great together

great album tracks on H2O.. "Crime Pays" "Guessing Games" and "Delayed Reaction" especially

I wrote a few years ago that Marshall Crenshaw would have killed for the hooks in "Delayed Reaction."

might as well add "Open All Night" to that list..

"Italian Girls" isn't really my thing, however.

You don't drink vino rosso?

Free show in Brooklyn tonight...

http://www.brooklynconcerts.com/seaside.html

hall and oates? what's the TS thinking?

I expect the going-on-six-years revival to continue now that (500) Days of Summer turned "You Make My Dreams" into a dance routine.

keyboard cat is who did it~!

They were....ok last night. At first they came across as detached, Hall seated, strumming an acoustic, seemingly irritated with the stage mix. Oates more or less disappeared into the background after two solo turns at the mic. Hall was having trouble with the high notes, and Oates' voice was scratchy. But Hall warmed up to the crowd, his vocals stronger as the set went on. He finished the show at the keyboards, standing, rocking "I Can't Go For That." (An unlikely showstopper.) There's a boxed set in the works.

eMusic has the H&O catalog now.

"I Can't Go For That." (An unlikely showstopper.)
Not at all unlikely. Song fucking KILLS.

When I saw 'em last December, this was the setlist:

Out of Touch
Everything Your Heart Desires
When the Morning Comes
Family Man
How Does it Feel to be Back
Say It Isn't So
Las Vegas Turnaround
She's Gone
One on One
Sara Smile
Maneater
---------------
I Can't Go For That
Rich Girl
You Make My Dreams
---------------
Private Eyes

is it just me or are they everywhere lately? a box set coming out, too, to capitalize on the attention.

Oh yeah? is there a track listing?

Hall & Oates - Live at Park West Chicago 1983: http://www.sendspace.com/file/80zkel

ooh! is there a track listing?

. Intro/Family Man
2. Did It In A Minute
3. How Does It Feel To Be Back
4. Diddy Doo Wop (I Hear the Voices)
5. Italian Girls
6. Kiss On My List
7. Rich Girl
8. She's Gone
9. Art Of Heartbreak
10. One On One
11. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
12. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
13. Sweet Soul Music
14. Papa Oom Mow Mow (Band Intro's)
15. Funky Broadway
16. Sara Smile
17. Wait For Me
18. Maneater
19. Private Eyes
20. Open All Night
21. You Make My Dreams
22. Room To Breathe
23. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby

CNN interviews H&O. Ignore the terrible lede.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJZoPIJM6gI

So who's getting the box set? The AMG Review makes it sound pretty great, with live stuff from all different eras and, smartly, 3 discs of peak vs. 1 of post-peak.

Holy shit the way the bass and muted guitar go all spy-thriller starting at about 2:15 into 'Family Man'!

I adore that song.

they were on NPR last weekend (i think all things considered?) being interviewed and playing a few songs acoustic, which sounded pretty swank

Bcuz of the new box set I guess?

Also, the opening music of 'Can't Go Far That' represents some kind of perfect studio fairyland for me-- the calmly clucking muted guitar with quiet synth-pad response, then the little synth arabesque and the tinny-filtered voice-- MAJIKK

Great 12" mix:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv1ujZ93l2w

I don't have that!

Not too fond of the dance mix of 'Adult Education'-- prefer the radio version.

Those reissues from a few years ago = A+

Yes those are on eMusic now which is where I have been cherry-picking tracks. Unfortunately ended up with the wrong mix of 'Adult Ed'. So far I've gotten only the familiar tracks.

If I get one album in full should it be Private Eyes or H2O?

PRIVATE EYES

NO GET BOTH

Both really, but H20 is some kind of peak of early eighties mainstream pop experimentalism.

Yeah I'm leaning H20 at the mo.

I'd say there's a case to be made for Voices as well. More of an upbeat rock vibe with a bit of New Wave energy vs. the slightly more R&B direction of the next two - though they always straddled several camps - the music is already as polished and pop-radio friendly as it would get on their more popular albums.

I managed to get both H2O and Private Eyes with my remaining eMu credits by skipping the Oates-sung tracks (sorry Oates). "Crime Pays" is awesome!

Will probably get Voices next month. Am on big FM-rock kick at moment.

The fourth disc of this box set has post-1988 stuff, and, boy, talk about their muse taking flight. The hair isn't even excusable. Plus, their squishy mid seventies white R&B period is too heavily represented. However, I'd never head the Abandoned Luncheonette material. Matos is right: it's got a proto-Belle & Sebastian vibe: sunny, witty folk-pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHYE4D8n3Ts&feature=related

One of my personal faves of H&O.