Daryl Hall & John Oates, “The Atlantic Collection,” Rhino.( * 1/2)
Though best known for their R&B-rooted; hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s, including “Rich Girl” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” this duo attracted some attention in the early ‘70s with four Atlantic albums that are interesting in retrospect only for the way they show us how Hall & Oates struggled to find their artistic voice.
In the earthy, country-accented “Fall in Philadelphia,” they experiment in Elton John’s “Tumbleweed Connection” territory. They move to a trace of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young lilt in “Past Times Behind” and on to the lite rock of “Beanie G. and the Rose Tattoo.” Nothing here makes you want to go back and explore the complete Atlantic albums.
Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).
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