Customer Reviews

Along The Red Ledge

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hall & Oates' 70's releases are like musical schizophrenia...sometimes Pop, sometimes Rock, sometimes Soul or R&B. Even after they scored hits with "Rich Girl" and "Sara Smile," interested music buyers couldn't tell just exactly they were getting when they bought an H&O album. "Along the Red Ledge" continues this trend to (mostly) positive effect.

The original "A" side is a collection of tunes in a Pop/Soul vein, though "Melody for a Memory" has it's share of rock guitar. This is the side where Daryl shines most as a vocalist. At times harsh and sardonic, then wistful and contemplative, his vocal arabesques are as impressive as they are unique to him. Of the two singles, "It's a Laugh" and "I Don't Wanna Lose You," the latter is the real winner, awash in a glorious Philly Soul arrangement. Even the gimmicky stereo separation of "The Last Time" seems to pay homage to R&B recordings of yore.

With "Alley Katz," the album turns to a more guitar driven sound, akin to hard rock but miles from Heavy Metal. Oates' more subdued vocals are featured on a couple of tracks from this set, and he sounds fine. Though H&O and their backing band are more than up to the challenge, at least two of these tracks ("Alley Katz" and "Pleasure Beach") are predictable and dull. "Don't Blame It On Love" and "Serious Music" are standouts, along with the atmospheric closing cut, "August Day." This song is one of the most affecting tracks on the album, conjuring images of "heavy grey" skies and wistful regrets.

Within a couple of years after this album, Hall & Oates nailed that elusive synthesis of Pop, Rock and Soul and began a string of top-selling singles and albums. Though "Along the Red Ledge" isn't as successful at bringing those styles together, it is a pleasureable listen and a memorable album overall.

-Mic

ALONG THE RED LEDGE, a Hall and Oates recording made in 1978, may be one of their finest, beaten only by their finest work, such as ABANDONED LUNCHEONETTE, MARIGOLD SKY, and BIG BAM BOOM.The reason this is so overlooked is that in the late 1970s, their records were in a commercial decline, thus not matching the successes made by the "silver" album or BIGGER THAN BOTH OF US. But strangely, the late '7os Hall and Oates albums had better selections, quality, and more experimentation. ALONG THE RED LEDGE would prove to be the best of them.

There are plenty of strong tracks here, and this record's first tune, the #20 hit "It's a Laugh" may be the least of them. Hall and Oates try quite a bit of different music here, ranging from raging punk-like guitars ("Alley Katz," and "Don't Blame It on Love") to swirling string arrangements ("Serious Music")to their hometown Philly-style soul ("I Don't Want To Lose You"). And while those are strong, Hall and Oates do very best on this album with the lighter songs, particularly "August Day," and "Have I Been Away Too Long." But the absolute highlight of ALONG THE RED LEDGE has to be "Melody For a Memory," a definite lost H&O classic that, to this date, has gotten almost no attention. The melody itself is powerful, while it eventually builds from calm, quiet instrumentation to loud, heavy rock guitars.

There are a few questionable elements, such as the vocals in "Have I Been Away Too Long," or just "Pleasure Beach." That song is a very underrated piece of music, and while it remains not a really great H&O song, it is certainly better than some paint it to be.

ALONG THE RED LEDGE, even with its flaws, presents a H&O fan with some Hall and Oates's finest work. It's definitely the best album Hall and Oates put out before they produced themselves in 1980, as it has the musical diversity and range necessary for a great record.

When you mention Daryl Hall & John Oates, most people snicker while memories of cheesy videos and slick soul-tinged 80's pop dance around in their heads. Too bad no remembers this gem of an album. It's an artistic triumph that reaches heights H&O never quite acheived again (although the two albums the proceeded it, 'X-Static' and 'Voices' came close). I was just a kid when 'Red Ledge' came out but even back then, I was blown away. Twenty-something years later have done nothing to diminish my enthusiasm. Songs such as "Don't Blame It On Love", which features Robert Fripp's ethereal Frippertronic guitar trills, a sick Caleb Quaye buzz-saw guitar solo, mad chord modulations and an unreal multi-layered vocal harmony break right in the middle of Quaye's solo, will leave you with your jaw on the floor- whether you like H&O or not!! "Serious Music", with more stellar harmonies, classical-styled harpsichord and another killer Quaye solo, is one of John Oates' finest songs. They band gets their soul shoes on for "The Last Time" (featuring a Spectoresque intro and George Harrison on acoustic guitar!!) and the Gamble & Huff-like rave of "I Don't Wanna Lose You". But these songs aren't the slicker pop-soul oriented efforts H&O produced in the '80's. These are tough, complex tunes with meaningful and sometimes poetic lyrics that reveal different meanings long after you've first heard them. RCA records probably thought that this would be the album that brought H&O into the big time, but instead, it was the worst selling album they'd had up to that point. Apparently, people who wanted "Sara Smile-part 2" couldn't grasp the experimental nature of this collection- and people who were fans of the music being made by the musicians H&O were hanging out with at the time (Fripp, Todd Rundgren, Rick Neilsen) didn't take H&O seriously enough to pay attention. It's too bad. Had this album been a hit, H&O may have experimented further, instead of moving in the slick direction they took after this grand commercial failure. Of course, things worked out pretty good for them in the end. And even on their most popular albums they always made room for a few tunes that pushed the envelope. But if you want to hear musicians at the height of their creative powers, this is an album that will shock fans and doubters alike.

I have always loved this album, ever since I first heard it as a distracted college student in 1985-86. I could only find it on vinyl, and there was no room in my dorm room for a record player. The college had a sound studio or something, where you could actually bring your album and a cassette tape and they would dub it for you for free. I spent some wonderful hours in that studio, listening with headphones as I was suddenly immersed in this album, Abandoned Luncheonette, Beauty on a Back Street and Bigger Than Both of Us.

Along the Red Ledge tends to be called underrated, and I have to agree. They show a depth here, musically and lyrically, that is simply amazing. I find myself wanting to hurl all kinds of hyperbolic praise on this album, and once you hear it, you'll understand why. I find myself not as impressed by It's a Laugh (don't know why, it's just kind of there for me), but it segues beautifully into Melody for a Memory, which is an awesome duet. The Last Time and I Don't Wanna Lose You are also favorites. Alley Katz is fun, silly and pretty hard rocking all at the same time. When I read their autobiography, I inferred from it that George Harrison had actually played on this track (the book doesn't say specifically, though). From there I assumed that they had given him the guitar solo, although when I played it for a diehard Beatles fan, he said it wasn't Harrison's style. I'm not sure I get why you would have someone like George Harrison play on a song and not give him the lead guitar solo. But I didn't realize the significance of the other heavy hitters guesting on this one.

Serious Music is actually just what it says, and you have to listen to the right music or listen with the right company of friends to hear homages to Bach and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. I admire them for writing this one.

Pleasure Beach never gets any mention, but I really like it. To me it's like a typical Beach Boys song married to the cynical lyrics Daryl and John are sometimes capable of. That juxtaposition makes you want to dance to it, and think. Can't go wrong with that combo. And August Day is just poetry, another favorite of mine. Between the synthesizers and what sounds like Frippertronics, and Daryl's haunting vocal...you just have to hear it.

The only reason I don't give it five stars is because I'm not absolutely in love with every song on the album. Don't Blame It On Love doesn't do that much for me, sorry. But I can't WAIT to hear this remastered! There was a period between the Silver Album and this one, including Bigger Than Both of Us and Beauty on a Back Street, where they really did a lot of gorgeous work and you realize just how great it is when you hear it remastered. This album has needed the remaster treatment for a long time, and it finally now gets its due. And yes, I'm writing this before I've actually listened to the remastered version. But I honestly can't imagine loving it more than I already do.

After the harder rocking "Beauty On a Back Street" failed to generate any hit singles, Daryl Hall and John Oates cut what was basically a double A-Side album. "Along The Red Ledge" was half the Philly Soul one tended to expect from the duo, the second half was fairly forceful rock. Although it remains one of my all-time favorite H&O albums, it again didn't have a smash hit and the fortunes of Hall and Oates still continued a commercial decline.

But "Along The Red Ledge" maintains a fanatically cultish following because Hall and Oates were still not content to just retread the same formula that RCA obviously expected of them. Despite a fantastic top 40 single in "It's a Laugh" and a couple of songs that sure sounded radio ready, the soulful "I Don't Wanna Lose You," "The Last Time" and the gorgeous "August Day," this disc still didn't bring H&O back to superstar status.

Pity for the folks that passed by in 1978. Intrigued by punk rock, "Alley Katz" (featuring Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick on guitar) is the biggest blast of guitar to ever be placed on an H&O album. You also get the musical punning of John Oates' "Serious Music," as if to prove once again that he is not just 'the other guy' in the group; it's one of "Red Ledge's" best songs. Hall and Oates obviously thought enough of this album to pull two songs for the "Ultimate" collection, and since RCA seems to be letting it slip back into Out Of Print status, you should "Along The Red Ledge" before it falls back into the abyss.

I discovered Hall & Oates round their Rich Girl period. Going back took me to the absolutely wonderful "War Babies" (yes, I am a Todd R fan) album. And waiting for the new one eventually led to buying this one the day it hit the shops. Great bunch of songs. I share what other reviewers have said, but let me just stress there are guests like George Harrison, Todd Rundgren and Robert Fripp on this album. Fripp's guitar work, and the composition itself, make "Don't blame it on love" a wonderful listening experience that is worth the album alone for those loving - along with the two guys from Philadelphia - what Mr. Fripp did in 1977-78: producing Peter Gabriel's second album, Daryl Hall's "Sacred Songs", and his own artistic pinnacle "Exposure". The Brit guy himself used to call the above a "Trilogy".

I always loved this album although this is definitety a forgotten one. Why? It is not for lack of quality songs b/c there is plenty of good stuff here.

Probably b/c this album rocked a bit harder than the others and maybe confused their fan base. It has a great supporting cast of musicians you would never expect including members of Cheap Trick. It also is heavily Todd Rundgren influenced and it sounds like Todd!

"It's a Laugh" and "I don't want to lose you" are typcial H&O numbers and should be included on the normal compilations. "Pleasure Beach" "Alley Cats" and "Blame on Me" are hard rockers.

If you are a real fan of this band you will know that live, they are a hard rocking band. This album represents the live H& O.

The only problem with this cd is that when I got mine (about 6-8 years ago) the qulaity of the recording was not as good as it should be. It was not bad but not what you should expect off of a cd.

The first H&O album I ever bought and ranks with Voices as one of my favorites. This was also the first tour I saw. I saw Daryl and John at Western Carolina University. What a rockin show. This was a great concert album, all but overlooked now. Too bad, some of these songs knock you over live. Alley Katz and Pleasure Beach both need to be heard live to be truly appreciated. This album is the one I use when people try to lump Daryl and John into "that soft rock 80's duo". Yeah right. If all you know is the 80's you don't know Hall and Oates. Buy this while you can. RCA seems to be letting the CD's slip out of print again.

The first five songs are worth the cost and then some. Good lyics and memorable hooks, even a beach music tune! If you ever owned an 8 track player, this disc will take you back...

This recording, although less of a commercial success than most of their records, reflects some of the finest writing and musicianship the duo has ever put together. With terrific guest appearances from Todd Rundgren, Robert Fripp, and others, you owe it to yourself to have this one in your collection.