Hall & Oates

Hall & Oates resurrected the fading careers of ex-Temptations stars David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks. H&O took them on tour, paid them regularly, and arranged a record deal for them with RCA, but the relationship soured for unknown reasons. Some claim that Kendricks thought they were being used to boost H&O's career, which couldn't be true, because H&O were hot; it was Ruffin and Kendricks who had been reduced to playing bucket-of-blood inner-city nightspots. Or perhaps Eddie just tired of singing "Get Ready" so often. His voice sounded like it would tear when he sang "Ready" with H&O and David Ruffin temptin' in the background. Ruffin sounded better, much better; he still had some voice, but the electricity had gone. Kendricks sounded better on the rollicking "The Way You Do the Things You Do," acting like he enjoyed singing Smokey Robinson's metaphoric gem. An ordinary performance of "My Girl" ended the Temptation segment of the H&O show. Things really picked up, though, when Hall & Oates stood alone with the band and did their current chart-toppers. Daryl Hall shows his blue-eyed soul roots by biting into "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby"; not to be denied, John Oates rips off a stinging guitar solo, helping Hall polish off Sam & Dave's classic in style. Their performances of "I Can't Go for That," "One on One," "Possession Obsession," and "Adult Education" have to be heard to be believed. They work a crowd like few can, and their harmonies are impeccable. [The Japanese release splits the "Apollo Medley" into four separate tracks.] ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide