Search - Hall & Oates :: Ooh Yeah

An overlooked gem.

Jeffrey L. Baker | 03/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While not necessarily scaling the same sonic heights as "Big Bam Boom" this 1988 release just focuses on solid melodic hook-laden songs with slick late 80s production that suits the material.Either the notoriously fickle public's tastes (or I should say 'musical priorities') were changing or Arista didn't do a good job promoting this album (or the follow-up) but it was obvious to me even when this album was new that people weren't giving it a fair chance. The only real clunker on this album is "Realove". The song in its writing and production doesn't really fit on the album and it's perhaps the dullest song Daryl and John ever committed to tape. But outside of that the remaining songs on the album are perfect 10's. "Rockability" has some exciting lead guitar effects that were indicitive of the hard rock at the time though this track remains a dance/pop song. The bridge and chorus to John's "Keep Pushing Love" is one of the most melodic, startling pieces of music in Daryl and John's cannon. Arista sent this and the 1990 follow-up into the cut-out bins fairly quickly and it just shows how unfair the music business is. This gem is long out of print but Debbie Gibson's "Out of the Blue" is still available? Enough said.Stand out song on this album is the ethereal "Missed Opportunity". That song is right at home with Paul Young's "Come Back and Stay" and Double's "Captain of Her Heart".But every song on the album with the exception of "Realove" was worthy of being a single."

Should be given the reissue treatment like the RCA years

Daniel W. Kelly | Long Island, NY United States | 08/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Considering this is the ONLY album left over from Hall & Oates 80s catalog of top 10 producing albums, it's a shame that this CD was not treated to bonus tracks. Like others, I have been surprised to discover just how good this album is--I never listened to it in the 80s because the lead single "Everything Your Heart Desires" didn't have the hard edge of tracks like Maneater, Family Man, Adult Education or Out of Touch, so I was convinced the band had totally caved in to the weak R&B sounds that were being produced at that time (think Keith Sweat, Gregory Abbott, etc).



I'm amazed to discover harder rock tracks like Rockability and the totally funkin Downtown life, which reminds me of the alternative band APB's single "When I Feel This Way". In retrospect, this album's lack of saturation in the market makes it the real collector's gem of the Hall & Oates 80s catalog. Which makes the 12" versions released from this album even more hot property. One mix each of "Everything Your Heart Desires(54th street mix)", "Downtown(downtown mix)", and "Missed Opportunity(unlimited mix)" appeared on volumes one and two of the Hall & Oates 12 Inch Collection CDs, but they should have been offered here as well, along with the second major remixes issued on the 12" singles of "Everything Your Heart Desires(if you want the world mix)" and "Missed Opportunity(Smooth mix)" AND the Jellybean remix of "Talking All Night"! At this point, I just don't see such a reissue being done, since when fans think of Hall & Oates 80s music, this album doesn't even show up on their radar."

The groove feels right

Ed Wilson | allentown,pa | 08/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i love ooh yeah! by hall&oates. the songs are very good. classics like everything your heart desires,missed oppirtunity,downtown life,i'm in pieces,keep on pushin' love,rocket to god,talking all night,and rockability still sound good all these years later. is there any other way i can describe this album? you will have to hear it for yourself. ed wilson"