****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
War Babies is the progressive album by Hall and Oates that gives us the indication of the rock path they certainly COULD have followed in their musical growth. While Todd Rundgren is often chastised for his dominant influence during the production of other's music, he also brings an artistic extension. An extension that enables the author of the music to understand the possibilities in presenting their music in more than just a pop format.Besides producing the record, Todd also plays Lead Guitar throughout the project. This album contains some of the best progressive rock bridges performed by Todd that are not ON a Todd LP. That said, it is easy to listen to this production and understand how easily it would have been to omit (or edit) those sections to present the listening public with much the same pop sound that Hall & Oates developed during their career...at least on many of the tracks. Songs like "Screaming Through December," "70's Scenerio," and "I'm Watching You (A Mutant Romance) better reflect the writing and passion that Daryl Hall brings to this duo. If it's more of the pop genre you're looking for, then you couldn't ask for better H&O pop than songs like "Better Watch Your Back," Beanie G and The Rose Tatoo," or "You're Much Too Soon." As a matter of fact, the vocal blends on the end of "You're Much Too Soon" are hauntingly similar to the sounds that turned most of us onto H&O with the "Abandoned Luncheonette" project.Rather than blame Todd for the "different" sound and influences presented hear, one should be grateful that someone like Todd was available to not only "educate" Daryl and John to the possibilities, but also relish in the "philly soul" sound that is inherent througout.
