As far back as I can remember, there has always been Hall & Oates. As an MTV viewing toddler, I would frequently see their golden locks and thick black mustache on the screen. I had always thought their hit singles were solid gold and I still have the copy of Rock & Soul Part 1 that my mother purchased when I was very young. It holds up. During my years at the record store, the 70's Hall & Oates records came through about as frequently as one would urinate. I never took the time to listen to any of them. There were always plenty of records to explore that were far more intriguing and not nearly enough hours in a day to critically or even casually listen to them all. Since leaving the record store, I've rediscovered my love of digging through thrift store record bins for new ear candy. Last week I picked up a copy of Hall & Oates "Abandoned Luncheonette", their 1973 album that many fans and critics consider a pivotal record for the duo in terms of their songwriting maturity. Now I've had a chance to listen to it and offer my thoughts.
Overall, not bad. The Daryl Hall penned opening number "When the Morning Comes" is a carefree blue eyed soul number that's very much "of it's time". It makes me wish more people used mellotron and Bernard Purdie on records made in this day and age. Following the strong opener are two John Oates compositions that are weak in comparison. Despite his incredibly smooth vocals, these songs strike me as a definite pre-cursor to the Jack Johnson breed of singer/songwriters that pollute the airwaves today (blech!). However, the smart arrangements and quality session players save the tracks from an immediate jump of the needle. "She's Gone" manages to jump out as the obvious hit that it is. It's songs like this that solidify the groups legendary status and make them seem right at home on Atlantic Records in the tail end of their golden age. It sounds like the best Gamble & Huff song that Gamble & Huff didn't write.
Side 2 opens with the title track, a rather cliched narrative but very strong musically. Two competent but forgettable ballads follow that aren't worth going into detail. And then the closing number, "Everytime I Look at You". THIS IS THE JAM! Nearly eight minutes of heavy funk, the likes of which I've never heard from these two old familiars. To add an unexpected twist to the formula, the closing minutes feature a banjo and country fiddle assault. This superb closing number saved the record from getting filed away or sold.
Twenty-some years after the introduction to Daryl and John's hit machine, I'm glad I've taken a step back to enjoy a full album that was released before my time. Regardless of it's weaker moments, this has been an enjoyable listen and I will be revisiting the highlights in future DJ sets.
RATING: 5/10
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