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A wonderful step forward for the team of Hall & Oates – and a set that has them moving more into soul than ever before! The album's a tremendous collaboration with the legendary Arif Mardin, who takes the pair's well-crafted vocals into territory that's much more slinkily soulful than some of their previous records – that sound that was always lurking in the background, never quite right, but which emerges here fully in that classic 70s Hall & Oates mode. Daryl and John seem to harmonize more here than before, and the backings are still somewhat rockish, but have a warmth that really suits their singing. We can't argue with the sublime brilliance of "She's Gone", one of those tracks that we've heard a bazillion times, but never cease to respect – and other titles include "Everytime I Look At You", "Had I Known You Better Then", "When The Morning Comes", and "Laughing Boy".

One that we heard way too much when it was out, but which we kind of love now! The album's part of H&O's great comeback years in the early 80s – a time when they were mixing their white boy soul with some nice 80s groove and electro touches, often going for a spare mix of groove and vocals that's really compelling. Includes the sublime "Maneater", everything that was right with pop in the 80s – plus "One On One", "Open All Night", "Crime Pays", "Go Solo", "Delayed Reaction", "At Tension", and "Italian Girls".

We don't know if this still qualifies as blue-eyed soul, but we can say we do have an un-ironic appreciation for this stuff in retrospect.

Blue-eyed soul from Boz Scaggs, with a decidedly Philly influenced sound to the production, which we'd hazard a guess comes more from the Hall & Oates side of town than the Sigma Sound axis. Still, this is a solid album with the irresistible hit "Lowdown", still a favorite around these parts. Also includes "Lido Shuffle", "Harbor Lights", "Jump Street" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do".

The group's second album – and one that really shows them hitting their stride, harmonically. The album's got some impeccable vocals that really come together well – not as slick as on later albums, but with a polished perfection that shows Tavares as one of the 70s ultimate pop soul combos. Production's by the team of Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter – who also contributed the tracks "To Love You", "Hard Core Poetry", "Too Late", "What You Don't Know", "My Ship", "Someone To Go Home To", and "Leave It Up To The Lady" to the album. Also includes a great rendition of the Hall & Oates tune "She's Gone".

The group's second album – and one that really shows them hitting their stride, harmonically. The album's got some impeccable vocals that really come together well – not as slick as on later albums, but with a polished perfection that shows Tavares as one of the 70s ultimate pop soul combos. Production's by the team of Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter – who also contributed the tracks "To Love You", "Hard Core Poetry", "Too Late", "What You Don't Know", "My Ship", "Someone To Go Home To", and "Leave It Up To The Lady" to the album. Also includes a great rendition of the Hall & Oates tune "She's Gone".

Blue-eyed soul from Boz Scaggs, with a decidedly Philly influenced sound to the production, which we'd hazard a guess comes more from the Hall & Oates side of town than the Sigma Sound axis. Still, this is a solid album with the irresistible hit "Lowdown", still a favorite around these parts. Also includes "Lido Shuffle", "Harbor Lights", "Jump Street" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do".