Customer Reviews

War Babies

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

 

 

There's a reason Hall & Oates have erased this one from their history. "War Babies" is really a Todd Rundgren album in which Daryl Hall happens to be singing songs that he wrote.

The production is unmistakeable Todd. It sounds just like "A Wizard, a True Star" and "Todd", his two 'psychedelic' albums that were recorded right around the same time (I think this fell in between the two, chronologically).

Todd basically tosses Oates to the side, and takes over on guitar. Which is a good thing. His classic "blistering" solos are stamped over "Is It a Star", sweet arpeggios on "You're Much Too Soon", slide guitar solo on "I'm Watching You", and funky licks on "Better Watch Your Back" (by far the catchiest song on here).

He has also enlisted the original rhythm section from Utopia (John Seigler on bass, Jon Wilcox on drums), so the songs are capable of meandering around, switching tempos at the drop of a hat. There's a frightening middle section on "Is it a Star?" that scared the hell out of me as a kid. Also, a sharp turn on "Screaming Through December" turns a haunting piano ballad into some weird spacey funk suite.

Also highlights are the lush "Can't Stop the Music" (the only John Oates penned song on the album), the clavinet-driven funk "Beane G. and the Rose Tattoo", the melodically rich "You're Much Too Soon" (which is the closest you'll get to the "classic" Hall & Oates sound), and the catchy title track "War Baby Son of Zorro", which sounds like a cross between "International Feel" and "Sunset Boulavard" from Todd's aforementioned AWATS album.

So, I would recommend this highly for Todd Rundgren fans who enjoy "A Wizard, a True Star". You've basically got the same lineup of talented musicians, with the addition of another really talented guy in Daryl Hall. Just don't expect "Abandoned Luncheonette 2".

War Babies is far from your typical Hall & Oates fare; I dare say it's the most challenging to listen to of all their albums. Greatly to 'blame' is the contribution of one eccentric producer genius, Mr Todd Rundgren! Coming off the schizophrenic consecutive releases of his own two classics, Something/Anything and Wizard/A True Star, Rundgren (a Philly boy just like Hall & Oates), turned the duo's music on its head with his idiosyncratic arranging and production.

Digesting War Babies took me the better half of my life ...! I was bred on the classic Hall & Oates 80s sounds of Voices, Private Eyes and H2O. I gradually made my way through their back catalogue and albums like War Babies and Hall's Sacred Songs were listened to once and left on the shelf. Only after years of listening to different kinds of music, did I finally GET into War Babies. The album is an aural collage of decadent-sounding urban rock, funk and soul sounds, peppered with odd-time signature rhythms and spaced-out guitar licks from Rundgren himself. Do not expect to find hit singles on this album - it is meant to be listened to as a whole, from start to finish. And that is the beauty of the album. Was Rundgren's work appreciated by the dynamic duo? Probably not, as they never revisited this sound, although Hall did venture into progressive territory, albeit a different sounding one with his Sacred Songs.

Is there anything out there that sounds like War Babies? Probably not, although Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World keeps popping in my head - must be the similar dense and thematic nature of both albums.

War Babies is worth the effort in tracking it down, if you can find it. The CD version that I have is part of the 1998 Atlantic 50th Anniversary Digipak series (European Import).

I'll admit, from the moment I first heard this as a brand new release on my local AOR radio station back in 1974, it was the obvious Todd Rundgren production values - soaring, penetrating and multi-dimensional - that immediately caught my ear, and that for me remains among the most attractive aspects of War Babies to this day.

As much as I respect the pure pop craftsmanship of their later Top 40 hits such as Maneater, I Can't Go For That and Your Kiss Is On My List, this is the creative direction I wish Hall & Oates had pursued instead. There's something about the collaboration with Todd that seems to have released from them a certain transcendent quality - and one artistic rather than commercial - a satisfying synthesis of songwriting, performance and production that at times can leave one with goose pimples and shivers. And the vocals throughout are simply superb!

Though definitely a product of its period, younger listeners with open ears and open minds will find it a richly rewarding experience with a cosmic edge that is rare in more recent releases. An overlooked and under-rated gem.

Allow me to be brief here. This CD, War Babies, has got to be one of the most creative, innovative, imaginative,complex and

stirring albums I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. One only needs to listen closely to the depth of this release. On the

surface, this CD appears rough, scattered, uneven and possibly

a bit over produced. But if you listen as a musician would, you'd find very intense chord progressions, difficult drum parts and of course amazingly strong vocals. This was not an easy project to complete. I give Hall and Oates major respect for

attermping such a project of this magnitude. Sure this is not your average Hall and Oates release but that's what makes this CD so special. Don't compare it with their other albums. This CD stands alone and should be treated as such. It's an amazing piece of work both in the past and the present.

The perfect blending of Todd Rundgren's Utopian vision and the pop smarts of Hall and Oates, this album is a revelation. Don't expect "Maneater" style sounds on this, which works as a bookend to Todd's masterful Todd Rundgren's Utopia. This is progressive, dense, prog-rock/pop with incredible Philly soul, an unbeatable, heady brew of pop smarts and breathtakingly creative progressive rock. This is an overlooked treasure that every intelligent, open-minded music fan should own.

I have always liked this album since I first heard it long ago. I have read interviews with H & O where they'd rather not talk about it, and insist that it was merely a snapshot in time, and not representative of what they were or have become. Perhaps so, but its a unique and fun snapshot nonetheless. With Todd and Jon Wilcox, it sounds more than a little like Utopia.
Its unfortunate, though, that the CD sounds no better than a mint LP version; which should be expected since it hasn't been remastered. Still it is enjoyable having a convenient CD version of this album... always a favorite of mine.

There simply isn't another Darryl Hall and John Oates album like this one. It's not the folkie material of Past Times Behind or Abandoned Luncheonette and it's not the classic blue eyed soul of most of their 80's hit material. Instead, it's a remarkable fusion of Todd Rundgren production and the sensibilities of Bowie and Lou Reed/Velvets era rock circa 1973 or so. And it's a wonderful job. All these years later and it's still one of my *I'd want this if I was lost on a desert island* albums. Great vocals...that's GREAT vocals...and classic Rundgrenish power pop.

Top cuts in my book? Screaming Through December,Is It A Star, Beanie G. And The Rose Tattoo, You're Much Too Soon and War Babies/Son of Zorro. Some folks might get put off a bit by the tinges of atonal psychedelia but hey, the early 70's were like that. Don't compare this with any other H&O stuff or any other stuff period. Just take it on it's own merits and enjoy.

This album should have been released with the names Rundgren & Hall & Oates across the top. It's just Todd all over. "Lead guitar, back ground vocals, etc." is the way it is listed in the credits. I'll say etc. He also "produced, engineered & supervised" the whole thing. What great wax. In my openion the best by Hall & Oates. I still don't understand why there has never been an American release of the CD. The quality of this import CD is high and the sound sharp. Through out the disc you are introduced to a bizarre list of characters such as a madman and his wife, a TV eye, a rose tattoo, a wide range of wacked out rock n rollers and of corse the War Baby himsef. It is well worth tracking down someone with the LP size cover to read the liner notes. A story for every song. I have this CD filed under Rundgren right after Something / Anything, A Wizard A True Star and the Todd album. If you like those three, you'll love this.

I bought this album and "Past Times Behind" years ago.... Got used to both of them and now like them both. "War Babies" sold well regionally, (100,000 copies in the New York area alone) and is a definite departure from any other album they've ever done.

Todd Rundgren's production is obvious here, especially with the way the drums are produced. Daryl Hall said in an interview that he wasn't very satisfied with the overall sound and expressed an interest in doing the album again (but don't count on it). The sound is clear and sharp all the way through except that it does have an end! If you have the vinyl, you'll notice that the sound is carried to the very last groove around the label, ergo, no ending.

Best tracks are "Is It A Star" - a rock classic, "You're Much Too Soon" (another hit that wasn't - Atlantic was too busy pushing the Stones and other artists), "War Baby, Son of Zorro",
"I'm Watching You (A Mutant Romance)" (all about TV cameras placed in Times Square - from the cameraman's perspective), "Better Watch Your Back", "Screaming Through December and "Johnny Gore and the "C" Eaters" (Daryl came up with this one when they were traveling at night and saw this marquee that said "Johnny Gore and the C eaters". He thought "What the heck's a "C" eater?" After the song was written, they saw the other side of the sign on the way back and it said "Johnny Gore and The Cheaters". The "h" fell-off the marquee on the side they looked at in the first place, and had that not happened, we wouldn't have this fun song to listen to. Great job by John Oates here.

Still not available domestically (your guess is as good as mine as to why...) and that really is Daryl Hall's uncle and aunt pictured on the front cover.

I owned this album on plastic when it first came out, and lost it. I looked in stores for years and was convinced it was no longer available, until now.This is is vintage Hall and Oates from the early seventies. This album followed their classic "Abandoned Luncheonette" and was produced by Todd Rundgren, who contributes to the futuristic, spacey, sound that the duo took on at the time. The title track is my favorite, with a haunting melody and the trade mark harmonies that make Hall and Oates possibly the best duo ever. There's a ballad called "Im Watching You" with Daryl singing lead that has enough soul for the entire cd. If you are a Hall and Oates fan, this is mandatory for your collection. The songs are raw, with basic instrumentation, but the genius is there.

You have to hear it!