Hall and Oates Begin to Crack With ‘Big Bam Boom’

Hall & Oates’ 1984 album Big Bam Boom continued the duo’s impressive commercial success – even while foreshadowing the end of their classic era.

At the time, Hall & Oates were one of the biggest acts on the planet. Their three preceding LPs – Voices (1980), Private Eyes (1981) and H2O (1982) – had been multi-platinum triumphs, spawning such memorable hits as “Kiss on My List,” “You Make My Dreams,” “I Can’t Go for That” and “Maneater.”

The duo’s heyday also coincided with technological advancements in electronic instruments. So as Hall & Oates prepped for their twelfth studio album, they were given access to what was then state-of-the-art equipment.

“We embraced each new device on its merits as a tool to enhance and integrate into the recording process,” John Oates recalled in his 2017 memoir Change of Seasons. “For us, they were instruments to be used to achieve an end: service and enrich the songs.”

While such a goal was admirable in nature, it proved difficult in practice. There are several points in Big Bam Boom where Hall & Oates seem more excited about showing off their flashy toys than crafting a memorable song. As a result, the LP is a bogged down affair, offering flashy style but little substance.

What Went Wrong on ‘Big Bam Boom’?

Many of the tracks – such as “Possession Obsession” and “Dance on Your Knees” — are so layered with synthesizers and sound effects that their lyrics feel like an afterthought. Hall & Oates also problematically tried to squeeze some hip-hop influences into their sound, but the style was ill-fitting next to the duo’s brand of pop: the staccato hip-hop back beat on “Going Thru the Motions” and Oates’ rap on “All-American Girl” are among the album’s most cringe-worthy moments.

Watch Hall & Oates’ ‘Out of Touch’ Music Video

Despite this, there are times on Big Bam Boom where Hall & Oates’ genius shines through. Lead single “Out of Touch” follows the band’s hit-making formula, melding soaring verses with an irresistibly catchy chorus. Meanwhile, the quirky and upbeat “Method of Modern Love” represents one of the few moments on the album where synth-layered production is actually used in the right proportion, highlighting the duo’s pop prowess rather than overpowering it.

How Was ‘Big Bam Boom’ Received?

Big Bam Boom was released on Oct. 12, 1984 and quickly began flying off shelves. The LP peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard chart, en route to more than 2 million copies sold in the U.S. alone.

Still, the uneven album showed that Hall & Oates were at something of a crossroads. The sound of popular music was evolving, and the duo’s attempts to keep up with changing trends on Big Bam Boom proved to be some of the worst songs on the LP.

After an extensive tour in support of the release, the musicians took a break. Sure, there was a live EP recorded with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations, and Hall struck out on his own for the 1986 solo album Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine. But it wouldn’t be until 1988 that Hall & Oates returned with a new studio effort, and by then musical tastes had seemingly passed them by. Change of Season was their first commercial disappointment in roughly a decade, a signal that their height of fame was over. The decline would continue into the ‘90s, though Hall & Oates later received renewed appreciation from a new generation of music fans. Their final No.1 single remains “Out of Touch” — the highlight of Big Bam Boom and the beginning of the end.