Customer Reviews

Atlantic Collection, The

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

 

 

I'd say about 90% of those who disregard Daryl Hall & John Oates disregard them for reasons that have nothing at all to do with their music. If the two would have went by a different name (let's face it - just hearing 'Hall and OATES' is enough to crack one up), and if they would not have made any videos at the dawn of the MTV-era (which, being a new art-form at the time, absolutely NO director knew how to make without making an ass out of the artist<s> involved), they would not exactly be looked at as Simon and Garfunkel (who could?), but they would definitely be recieving more credibility today from the public in general; many more would lend an ear to them. But to heck with those who don't judge a musical act strictly for THE MUSIC ITSELF. For the true, open-minded music-listener out there, giving Hall and Oates - 'The Atlantic Collection' a listen is a good idea. This compilation disc, that contains tracks from the duo's first 3 (Atlantic) albums, and a few tracks that didn't make the cut, displays the formation of what would become their melody-making formula that would in later years end up making them the best-selling music duo of all-time. But let's start from the beginnning. The first 5 tracks on this compilation are from their '72 debut, 'Whole Oats'. "Goodnight And Goodmorning", "Past Times Behind" (track #6, which didn't make the album), and the lyrically synical, semi-Band-inspired "Fall In Philadelphia" demonstrate their rather folkish beginnings. However, the eight-note "I'm Sorry" already foreshadows a more Top-40-friendly sound to come while "Lilly (Are You Happy)" sneaks in the duo's Philly R&B/soul roots. And then there's the beautiful piano ballad, "Waterwheel", which showcases Hall's falsetto range. The next 8 tracks in this collection are from Hall & Oates' 1973 sophmore effort, 'Abandoned Luncheonette'. Hall's "When the Morning Comes" and Oates' "Had I Known You Better" shows that the duo were still in their folkish period, but this 2nd album of theirs would also have them pointing even more to R&B as shown on this compilation's best-known track, "She's Gone" (originally released as a single by Atlantic in '73, but not a hit-single until RCA would re-release it almost 3 years later). Daryl Hall's longtime girlfriend, Sara Allen ('Sara Smile') is actually first introduced (by John Oates) in "Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)" while another Oates-composition off 'Abandoned', "I'm Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man)" has the 24-year-old lead-singer feeling out of place at a concert full of teenagers; one of them teens being the lucky girl who he 'puts the moves' on (sly devil). While 'Luncheonette's title-track is a moody character-based, Broadway-like storyteller, both "Lady Rain" and "Laughing Boy" display a darker side to the duo (perhaps inviting Todd Rundgren for future service); the latter being a song that Daryl Hall in the CD's liner notes claims "wasn't about anyone in particular" though the listener would likely beg to differ due to its hauntingly emotional feel. Bridging the gap between the tracks off of 'Abandoned' and this compilation's remaining tracks, are the very pop-ish "It's Uncanny" and the very soulful "I Want To Know You For A Long Time" These 2 H&O tracks, the last 2 that they recorded for Atlantic, would end up appearing on a 'best-of' package ('No Goodbyes') that the company wouldn't release until 1977. Now to the 5 remaining tracks off 'The Atlantic Collection' - all 5 from the Todd Rundgren-produced NYC cult-classic (100,000 copies sold there at the time), 'War Babies'. Rundgren's stamp is all over this 1974 LP; especially on quasi-psychadelic tracks such as "Can't Stop The Music (He Played It Much Too Long)" and "Is It A Star". Originally funky, is "Beanie G. And The Rose Tattoo" while, despite this album's experimental/anti-Top-40 feel, "You're Much Too Soon" contains a sleek, popish guitar riff that definitely prophesizes the duo's late-70s/early-80s style to come (ex. "Wait For Me", "Private Eyes"). The lyrically gloomy "70's Scenario" is the final track off this 21-song-compilation that, again, showcases the down-to-earth, humble beginnings of these hit-makers-to-be. It's real refreshing. Whether you're only familiar with the duo's ultra-popular early-80s material, or better yet if you're not familiar with them at all, I highly recommend this CD. It has quite a bit of detailed liner notes inside as well.

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.

"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.

THE ATLANTIC COLLECTION, a compilation assembled and released in 1996, is the best one out there for Hall and Oates's Atlantic years. Covering WHOLE OATS, ABANDONED LUNCHEONETTE, WAR BABIES, and several other songs, I would recommend it to anyone who can't get WHOLE OATS or WAR BABIES anywhere (although you can get them as an import on this site). In fact, there's no need to get any of Hall and Oates's Atlantic albums, either. This set has a rare attribute: not missing any essential songs, such as ROCK 'N SOUL, PART 1 did in 1983.

It covers the five best songs from WHOLE OATS: especially its highlights "I'm Sorry," "Goodnight and Goodmorning," and "Fall in Philadelphia." Why only five? Well, WHOLE OATS wasn't a great album, and being Hall and Oates's first, it lacks magic. Though "Waterwheel" should not be on this collection, there's enough to realize what it was like.

THE ATLANTIC COLLECTION's overview of ABANDONED LUNCHEONETTE is very hard to argue with. It collects eight out of the nine songs on that record, and the only one missing is a seven-minute chunk of filler, "Everytime I Look At You."

WAR BABIES, like Hall and Oates's debut, was not great either, not because it was weak, because of Todd Rundgren's heavy-handed production. It was not a pleasant feeling when a Hall and Oates fan first listened to it, since it is not their sound. THE ATLANTIC COLLECTION shows this very well, because the record's first five tracks are presented. One gets a feeling about how laughable the production is nowadays, especially in "Is it a Star," and "Beanie G. and the Rose Tattoo."

Two out of the three remaining tracks come from NO GOODBYES. "It's Uncanny" is a very strong pop-soul number, while the strings in "I Want to Know You For a Long Time," may be sappy, it's still a good song. The last song on THE ATLANTIC COLLECTION is "Past Times Behind," a very interesting track, sounding a little country-ish. The liner notes say that it's the first time that song has been released officially. However, it appeared on the PAST TIMES BEHIND record in 1977 in a demo form.

THE ATLANTIC COLLECTION is very worthwhile, as I have said. There are many sets covering the Atlantic years, but this is by far the best of any out there.

This great collection finds Hall & Oates at the top of their form, at their soulful best, at their rockiest, at their most rewarding. It covers the Atlantic years effortlessly and winningly and includes the key cuts in full length version. Of course, everybody knows "She's Gone", a sweetly confected blue-eyed soul pop hit that was just dynamite thanks to its smooth voices, classy arrangements and hook-filled melody. But that's just the start. Their switch to RCA yielded great albums, too. But this collection is a snapshot of their abilities before AM radio made them megastars, before the formulaic songwriting took hold, before the songs didn't matter anymore. Superb!

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.

This album appears to be a combination of all of Hall and Oates work with Atlantic Records. In other words every song on this album you can find somewhere else. But there is one exception. People very familiar with Hall and Oates know that there are demo versions of some of the songs from Whole Oates that appear on a bunch of collections of early Hall & Oates demo albums. The most famous of those collections was named Past Times Behind. Many of those demos are good songs that were recorded poorly. The song Past Times Behind from those early demos doesn't appear on any record released by Atlantic Records: Abandonded Lunchonette, Whole Oates, War Babies or No Goodbyes. So I was surprised to see it in the tracks. After listening to it I realized the version of Past Times Behind [with Oates on lead vocals] on the Atlantic Collection is not from any of the demo albums, it's cleaner, with better harmonies, more insturments and is arranged much better than the demo version. That one song is probably an outtake that wasn't added to the Atlantic albums.

This album features many fine tracks from the Atlantic Hall & Oates albums, including songs from "No Goodbyes" like "It's Uncanny" and "I Want To Know You for A Long Time". A special bonus is the finished version of "Past Times Behind" which has a nice mid-tempo country flavor to it. It was done during the "Whole Oats" sessions and probably would have been on it if we had CDs then.

Daryl didn't like the 1974 photos on it but oh well... every true artist is his own biggest critic.

Buy it for the bonus, and get ALL their albums, you'll like 'em.

Some very nice early acoustic selections from this incredible duo. Also includes five wonderful compositions from the incredible War Babies collaboration with Todd Rundgren and Utopia.

thats right side two from "war babies" was ommited, which is missing the experimental side.this album does have "past times behind" which would of easily passed as a hit song on abandon lunchenette. aslo has two of the 3 songs from "no goodbyes" which are not good songs but, ok and important to have as a hall and oates fan.new hall and oates fans should Not buy this album.