Nice fusion of R & B, Rock & Soul

Review Score: (8/10)
Judging from the sounds featured on "H2O", it becomes very clear why the 1980's was the decade of Daryl Hall & John Oates. For one reason, the radio airwaves were saturated with this duo's many chart hits in the early part of the decade. Released in the latter half of '82, "H2O" features the smash singles "Maneater" - with its semi-graphic video, "Family Man" and the mellow and melancholy "One On One". But, what really makes this album (CD) worth getting are the non-singles "At Tension" - complete with a military theme, as well as "Go Solo", an interpersonal, head-gamey, rocking love ballad. "Italian Girls" is wonderful, too. Here, John Oates puts his foreign language skills to fairly good use, as he speaks the line "faccia bella cara mia" with an interesting Italian flair that would even make Mama Celeste proud. All in all, "H2O" is a good album, and is one of Hall & Oates' better early '80's efforts. Their follow-up album "Rock & Soul Part I" would prove to be equally successful, earning rock music's most successful duo yet another huge selling record. After the heavy synth influenced "Big Bam Boom" LP (which also was a big seller), released in 1984, H & O's following two releases, 1988's "Ooh Yeah!" and 1990's "Change of Season", didn't quite hit the mark musically, and the duo split up in the early '90's, only to reunite a few years later for 1997's "Marigold Sky". Although Hall & Oates may not be quite the musical entity they were many years ago, they left their mark on the rock era in a big way, to which many acts in rock music, including today's or yesteryear's acts, have a long way to go to match H & O's influence on the rock music scene, which is phenomenal. What this means is that Hall & Oates' record as the most successful duo in rock music history isn't likely to be broken anytime soon.

More Reviews:

• Two Headed Monster
• Good for more than just the hits
• Formualic pop.
• This One Definately Has Chemistry
• H & O's Hitmachine for the early 80's...
• If there's a perfect album, this is it.
• Underappreciated H&O Release
• Hot Hits & Soggy Filler
• Family Man
• The fact that the duo is sweating on here is very accurate!
• Chock full of classics
• 80's Splendor
• side 1 is great side 2 is not
• Good Disc
• Above Average
• commercially and personally suscessful