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Released: February 2005

Rating: 2/10

Cat.no.: UWRCD1

For nearly three decades, Daryl Hall and John Oates have been standard bearers of blue-eyed Soul music.

Taking their cues from Motown stars like The Temptations, they evolved into a prolific hit machine responsible for some of the most memorable songs of the last thirty years. They are also the most successful duo in US chart history.

Looking at their CV – a string of classic hits, starting with She’s Gone in October 1976, followed by Kiss On My List, and Private Eyes, they peaked commercially in the UK in January ’82 with I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) and later the same year with the Motownish dance classic Maneater. Their biggest selling album was Private Eyes in the same year.

It was around this time I first saw them at the NEC Birmingham, and then in 1990 supporting Fleetwood Mac at Maine Road Manchester. On stage they’re a hot act, particularly Hall’s emotive vocal style.

This bumper collection sees the pair far more self-indulgent, covering some of their favourite songs, all done in Hall’s familiar ‘Philly’ mood.

The collection doesn’t work, prinicipally because it lacks the very thing they’re trying to convey: SOUL. Very little of their efforts do justice to the genre, except perhaps the single I Can Dream About You. The remainder are contrived and pretentious. Hall struggles with his disastrous falsetto on You Are Everything. Great Soul music comes from the heart, whereas this comes from the head and the production room.

Their objective was to "make old songs feel new again", but they’ve failed miserably. The duo’s own songs are usually superb: even the self-penned Soul Violins and Don’t Turn Your Back On Me fail to impress. Worst album in years.

The full list of tracks included are :

1. Let Love Take Control 2. Standing In the Shadows Of Love 3. I’ll Be Around 4. Used To Be My Girl 5. Soul Violins 6. I Can Dream About You 7. Don’t Turn Your back On Me Baby 8. Fading Away 9. Neither One Of Us

10. After The Dance 11. Rock Steady 12. Love(TKO) 13. What You See Is What You Get 14. Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love 15. You Are Everything 16. I’m Still In Love With You 17. Ooh Child 18. I’ll Be Around (7" edit)

Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008. For prints of any of Elly's concert pics online, email Elly or call 07765 862017.

DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.

PC games reviewed by the editor are on: