Original Album Classics [2008] in Bloomington, MN

This is quite a package, but one that makes little sense in a way. As a way of clearing inventory,
Sony/BMG
has been assembling five-album sets, calling the entire series
Original Album Classics
. Simply put, they pack five albums in sequence and reissue them. In the case of
Hall & Oates
, they don't follow a strict in-sequence release pattern, instead picking five hit albums. This starts with the self-titled album and
Bigger Than Both of Us
, but then jumps right to
Beauty on a Back Street
and leaves out
Along the Red Ledge
, then goes back to order with
Private Eyes
, leaving out
Voices
and
X-Static
. It also includes
H2O
. This is all well and good but doesn't really fill a void, and anyone who collects
material already has most if not all of these albums. The price point isn't terribly attractive either -- they are standard budget-line prices without a discount for the quantity. ~ Thom Jurek