Daryl Hall & John Oates: Change Of Season - 1990

This was the first Hall & Oates album I bought and it came at a time when the pair were considered old hat. That was a shame because, after virtually a whole decade, those much-maligned eighties synthesisers and programmed drums had been thankfully replaced by the wonderful sounds of a real band again. 

For me, this was one of their best albums. Coming out of the eighties resulted in so many better albums from so many artists as they re-discovered what music should be all about - authenticity, soul and rock. This was the pair's most soulful album for years, full of Stax feel. 

So Close is an excellent, big production rock-soul number and it was the track that inspired me to buy the album. It was so good to hear those "real" drums once more. Man, the eighties were bad for music. Up next is an absolute classic. I always loved Mel & Tim's Stax soul number Starting All Over Again from the late sixties and it is right up Hall & Oates' street. They pay it due respect, as only true soul aficionados like those two could. It's bloody wonderful. Some Times A Mind Changes has a lovely, deep, warm bass line, crystal clear acoustic guitars and an excellent soulful vocal from Daryl Hall. 

Change Of Season is solid, genuine Stax-influenced fare. Hearing the pair do stuff like this again is so refreshing. Proper music, proper soul. I Ain't Gonna Take It This Time has a bit of an eighties feel to it in its slow but dramatic Wet Wet Wet style but it also pays several nods to the great soul ballads of the sixties-early seventies. Everywhere I Look is in the same vein but a bit more muscular and rock ballad-influenced. The chorus hook is archetypal Hall & Oates. Give It Up (Old Habits) is a catchy, saxophone-introduced soul number with yet another killer hook and 

Don't Hold Back Your Love is a wonderful vocal and acoustic song with huge hints of Southside Johnny in there, I'm thinking of All The Way Home from 1991's Better Days album. The song is a big, heartbreaker of an anthem. Great stuff. Halfway There is a seductive, smooth soul track that has echoes in the chorus of Forget-Me-Nots by Patrice Rushen, I think. Only Love is a staccato, bassy and rhythmic number with vague hints of Tom Petty and some fetching electric violin. Heavy Rain is a big, bold ballad and So Close is reprised in slow "unplugged" style to finish what is an underrated, enjoyable album.

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