And it's about time, too. This is Hall & Oates' first record together since their heydays in the 80s. Back then, they were best known for atmospheric pop; in the intervening decades, Daryl Hall has become something of a modern soul crooner, and this smokey, laid-back atmosphere permeates the comeback disk, with some surprises along the way.

Opening track Man On A Mission sets the scene: an uptempo number, perhaps owing something to the blues side of recorded music, and also to the Spice Girls' smash hit "Wannabe." Do It For Love is a silky-smooth track, with some of the most gorgeous harmonies you'll hear this side of the Chiffons reunion.

Someday We'll Know is a cover of the New Radicals' other hit single. At a stroke, Hall & Oates prove that the gap between their AOR-friendly soul, and the pap balladry of Gregg Alexander's main client - one Ronan Keating of Ireland - is as thin as a wafer. No one will ever call the duo's vocals thin - their multi-textured, effortless harmonies are well displayed on Forever For You

If there's one weakness in this album, it's the way the songs seem to blend into one amorphous tune. But do wake up for "She" Got Me Bad, where the idle listener might mistake the vocals for a subtle reference to "Method Of Modern Love", the group's 1985 barnstormer hit. Similarly, Life's Too Short seems to recycle bits of "Kiss On Your List" in a subtle manner.

Intuition is the probable next single, the strongest slice of Philly soul on the album. Something About You has the same winding feel as Madonna's massive hit "Borderline", and is perhaps the stronger for that comparison. The last track on the album, Love In A Dangerous Time is the almost-obligatory feelgood closer, with the non-obligatory nod towards Bonnie Raitt's best known track to boot.

Do It For Love is an album of great soul music, no questions about it. Anyone who has watched Hall and/or Oates' solo career will not be surprised by the content, but there are enough nods to their past career to make "spot the influence" a viable game.