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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Q: When Is A Hall & Oates Album Not A Hall & Oates Album? A: When It's A Todd Rundgren Album...
24 Mar 2011
Format:Audio CD
Hall and Oates' third album, 'War Babies' is one of their best, but amongst H&O fans it's not as highly regarded. It's a Hall & Oates album for those who don't like Hall & Oates. Produced by Todd Rundgren, who was, in the 1970s, an utter workaholic, producing loads of very diverse other artists, as well as making solo albums of his own, and band albums with his Prog outfit, Utopia. He's at the production helm of 'War Babies', and, like many of the albums he produced for others, ends up making it sound like a Todd Rundgren album with guest vocalists. Not in itself a bad thing, really, but 'War Babies' is a real departure from the sound they'd arrived at on 'Abandoned Luncheonette'. At times, it's a very dark, even paranoiaic record, full of edgy rhythms, spooky synth tones and occasionally quasi-psychedelic Bad Trip excursions. 'Beanie G and The Rose Tattoo' has a weird, almost broken clockwork toy rhythm, whilst funky ballads like 'You're Much Too Soon' are almost unbearably pretty. 'I'm Watching You' is arguably one of the first songs about CCTV, and presages The Police's 'Every Breath You Take' by eight years or so, at least (broadly) thematically. Throughout, Hall & Oates harmonise beautifully, and grace this album with some of their best (if least representative) songs, whilst producer Rundgren pulls just about everything from his bag o'tricks to great effect. I love this album, and I like lots of other stuff that Hall & Oates have done, but, at the risk of repeating myself, it's not the most representative albums - buyer beware, if you like.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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13 reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
OK Reissue of a Great Album
11 April 2008
Format:Audio CD
This is a truly special album; a far more adventurous work (both musically and lyrically) than one would normally expect from Hall and Oates. It's a concept album of sorts that follows a musician's rise and fall (or rather, fall and rise, as the narrative intriguingly seems to move in reverse) and the lyrics are constantly surprising, decadent and perceptive... not a cliche to be found. Although the tunes were primarily written by Daryl Hall, the music nonetheless bears the unmistakeable stamp of producer Todd Rundgren. Chronologically, I believe the album fits between "Todd" and the first Utopia album and it sounds very much like a link in that sonic chain -- for fans of Todd's work, especially the spacey-progressive-rock-funk vibe that prevailed during this era of Todd's career, "War Babies" is essential listening. It is also recommended to more conservative Hall and Oates' fans looking to dig a little deeper and to fans of experimental 70s pop in general.
The reissue is, to be diplomatic, more or less adequate. Sound-wise, it's not exactly a revelation, but those familiar with the vinyl or with Todd's production style at the time will not be horrified by the remastering job. The packaging, on the other hand, is pretty lackluster. Given the bare-bones treatment Wounded Bird releases seem to receive, I wasn't exactly expecting "Deluxe Edition" treatment with an essay, photos, interviews, etc., but I AM surprised that they didn't bother to include the lyrics that came with the original album. On the plus side, the back cover and inner sleeve photo have been nicely reproduced. They didn't even do THAT with the import, so thank god for small favors, eh?
At any rate, the bottom line is: for those who don't already own the import and who don't care so much about packaging, this reissue is fine (though a bit overpriced). It's great to have such a wonderful album available domestically at all, right? Those looking to replace the earlier cd release should maybe pass on this one; it hardly qualifies as an upgrade. For those of us who were waiting for a spectacular-sounding remaster with stellar packaging this overlooked gem deserves... well, unfortunately, we'll have to keep waiting.
The reissue is, to be diplomatic, more or less adequate. Sound-wise, it's not exactly a revelation, but those familiar with the vinyl or with Todd's production style at the time will not be horrified by the remastering job. The packaging, on the other hand, is pretty lackluster. Given the bare-bones treatment Wounded Bird releases seem to receive, I wasn't exactly expecting "Deluxe Edition" treatment with an essay, photos, interviews, etc., but I AM surprised that they didn't bother to include the lyrics that came with the original album. On the plus side, the back cover and inner sleeve photo have been nicely reproduced. They didn't even do THAT with the import, so thank god for small favors, eh?
At any rate, the bottom line is: for those who don't already own the import and who don't care so much about packaging, this reissue is fine (though a bit overpriced). It's great to have such a wonderful album available domestically at all, right? Those looking to replace the earlier cd release should maybe pass on this one; it hardly qualifies as an upgrade. For those of us who were waiting for a spectacular-sounding remaster with stellar packaging this overlooked gem deserves... well, unfortunately, we'll have to keep waiting.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Hall & Oates hated this album
29 Mar 2009
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The lore that I've picked up here and there about "War Babies" is that Hall & Oates didn't like the process of making it, John Oates in particular resented how dominant Todd Rundgren was in virtually every element of the production (including playing guitar and singing backup vocals) and they never played songs from the album in the years that they toured playing song lists that leaned heavily on the albums released in their heyday. If all of this is true, I can't say that I blame them. "War Babies" sounds much, much different in instrumentation and arrangement from any other Hall & Oates album with which I am familiar and it's lyrical themes are quite different as well.
So, why four stars? Because I love this album. I listened to, and owned, plenty of Hall & Oates albums, but each one faded over time because it mined the same well-worn "blue-eyed soul" territory as the one before. "War Babies" had imagination and edge. I cared less about who's ego got stroked during its production and more about the images and emotions evoked by the final work.
On my iPod I have as many songs from "War Babies" in my Todd Rundgren playlists as those for Hall & Oates. I consider that high praise as I feel Rundgren had far more impact on the music of the age than H&O. If you want to hear another dirge like "Sara Smile" or sophomoric pap like "Private Eyes", don't buy this album. If you listen to the samples of "Can't Stop The Music", "Is It A Star", "70's Scenario" and "War Babies" and you're intrigued, get it.
So, why four stars? Because I love this album. I listened to, and owned, plenty of Hall & Oates albums, but each one faded over time because it mined the same well-worn "blue-eyed soul" territory as the one before. "War Babies" had imagination and edge. I cared less about who's ego got stroked during its production and more about the images and emotions evoked by the final work.
On my iPod I have as many songs from "War Babies" in my Todd Rundgren playlists as those for Hall & Oates. I consider that high praise as I feel Rundgren had far more impact on the music of the age than H&O. If you want to hear another dirge like "Sara Smile" or sophomoric pap like "Private Eyes", don't buy this album. If you listen to the samples of "Can't Stop The Music", "Is It A Star", "70's Scenario" and "War Babies" and you're intrigued, get it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
My favorite H & O album for years
16 Jun 2010
Format:Audio CD
I have loved this album for as long as I can remember. I remember liking Hall and Oates in the early 80's. They were all over the radio. I think H2O was the current album with One on One, and Big Bam Boom was about to hit. I lived in a small town with crappy music stores. I went searching for Hall and Oates in the era of cassettes, and I found the tapes with the hits plus a couple with songs I'd never heard of. Well, the majority fit that bill, but this particular cassette had nothing I'd heard of or could make sense of. Beanie G and the Rose Tattoo? Huh? Well. . . . . it almost never left my cassette players whether it be my hand me down stereo that still had an 8 track player (I had a few 8 tracks to listen to) or my Sony walkman (remember those?). It was so different from what I expected. I often, now, say that this album, tape, whatever was my gateway drug into more experimental music such as Einstürzende Neubauten, Sonic Youth and, yes, The Cure. The Cure might not be so experimental per se, but I still think it is shocking how huge they became, for a time. I remember going to my local record shop in college after Disintegration came out. The clerk talked to me mournfully about how crazy it was that people would buy the record/tape, take it home and return it- - lamenting that they were disappointed by it. When asked why, they would say, well, I heard 'Lovesong' on the radio and thought this album would be amazing. What happened? Where are the other pop hits?
Many Hall and Oates fans will probably feel the same way after hearing War Babies. It is not Private Eyes or Kiss on My List, good pop songs as they may be. It is a different world. Much of the '70's was different for Hall and Oates. There is punk, prog, hard rock, soul and experimentation. The lyrics have a different kind of depth to them that seems to emanate from life rather than from the ideals we hold in our heads about love. A great may of Daryl's and John's lyrics, actually lie within reality, ugly as it sometimes can be, but there is still something of the ugliness of humanity here in War Babies that most people would rather not face. Plus, there is the tiniest hint at sci fi, though I think sci fi usually just reflects us back upon ourselves in a particularly painful sort of way. And it rocks. Many of these songs have a primitive rock n roll feel to them that is surprising if you are only used to the slick production of the 80's and early 90's when I really had to bow out.
Frankly, I think all of this makes this album amazing. Everytime I hear it, I feel energized and alive. There is always a surprise here as if Todd Rundgren's production still holds secrets the mind can't process. Buy it, and give it a few chances. It is a grower, like cancer, if cancer was life affirming. Besides, there are claims that cancer has a cure that the FDA will not approve because of their alignment with the drug companies. Either way, embrace life, and embrace War Babies. They won't mind, and they may even thank you when they are old enough.
Many Hall and Oates fans will probably feel the same way after hearing War Babies. It is not Private Eyes or Kiss on My List, good pop songs as they may be. It is a different world. Much of the '70's was different for Hall and Oates. There is punk, prog, hard rock, soul and experimentation. The lyrics have a different kind of depth to them that seems to emanate from life rather than from the ideals we hold in our heads about love. A great may of Daryl's and John's lyrics, actually lie within reality, ugly as it sometimes can be, but there is still something of the ugliness of humanity here in War Babies that most people would rather not face. Plus, there is the tiniest hint at sci fi, though I think sci fi usually just reflects us back upon ourselves in a particularly painful sort of way. And it rocks. Many of these songs have a primitive rock n roll feel to them that is surprising if you are only used to the slick production of the 80's and early 90's when I really had to bow out.
Frankly, I think all of this makes this album amazing. Everytime I hear it, I feel energized and alive. There is always a surprise here as if Todd Rundgren's production still holds secrets the mind can't process. Buy it, and give it a few chances. It is a grower, like cancer, if cancer was life affirming. Besides, there are claims that cancer has a cure that the FDA will not approve because of their alignment with the drug companies. Either way, embrace life, and embrace War Babies. They won't mind, and they may even thank you when they are old enough.
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