You know that you can't fake it

I have a friend at work who tells me that he thinks he was born in the wrong era - he'd feel more comfortable sporting the classic styles and debonair demeanor of the early 1960s. Good news for him: Eli "Paperboy" Reed provides the perfect soundtrack for this.

Reed has single-handedly revived Motown - you'll hear Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations all in one of Reed's inspired wails. Except this music is brand-new and this kid is white, but you'd never know it to listen to him. He's already caught the ear of some heavy hitters, including LTF favorite Daryl Hall, who invited Reed to appear on a recent episode of Live from Daryl's House. Reed performed "It's Uncanny" with Hall from the Hall and Oates repertoire as well as several hits from his debut album:



But the best news of all is that Reed's sophomore album is out today and is streaming free on Spinner. And oh my... get ready to fall in love. There isn't a stumble or a mood-killer on the whole album. It is pure, heart-lifting vintage rock and soul from start to finish. An early contender for favorite would be "Come and Get It", (not least of all for the subtle similarities to Brenton Wood's infectious"The Oogum Boogum Song"):



And when you can't get enough of Reed and his band, the True Loves, head over to Amazon to download Reed's debut album for just $5. Slim suit and martini optional, but definitely encouraged.

Nothing but a miracle

Last night is likely the closest I will ever come to seeing Joni Mitchell live in concert. Or Carole King. Or Laura Nyro. As my musical heroines have mostly given up touring (or in Nyro's case, passed on to angelic choirs of the great beyond), I gladly turn to a new generation of musical genius. I had the good fortune of seeing Diane Birch at Park West last in a surprisingly intimate show (I think there were about 100 of us in the audience) and she completely blew me away. I even got to meet her after the show, and she is both clever and gracious in the way you hope your musical idols will be:

I have been in love with her debut album Bible Belt since it came out last October. From the minute I heard the first notes, I was transported to a golden era where soul music and a folk-based, singer-songwriter genre intermingled. Or to quote my friend Emily, who attended the show with me last night, "It's such a throwback sound, but it's vintage in a way that's never been done before."

Even more reason to love her? She's a favorite of Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates). Check out this full ep of Live from Daryl's House featuring Birch. (They mostly cover songs from Birch's album, but throw in a great rendition of Hall & Oates' "Fall in Philadelphia" and a transcendent version of a forgotten Aretha Franklin gem, "Daydreamin'":



The video for her single "Valentino" is adorably clever as well:



Above all is just the sheer power of the music, at turns soulful, rollicking and contemplative. Last night, she opened with a rocking version of "Choo Choo" and played through the entire album with so much passion that we were left somewhat dumbfounded. There was even a soulful, extended cover of Hall and Oates' "Rich Girl"... pure heaven. (And that gorgeous white Rhodes keyboard throughout the whole show was pitch-perfect!) If you get the chance to see her live, do yourself the favor. Top 10 show.

Turn it up to 10, and start it up again

You all know how much I love Hall & Oates (counting the days until their concert at the Chicago Theatre this summer!), so how could I resist checking out The Bird and the Bee's Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, which is currently a $5 download at Amazon?

But I was also nervous that, like so many cover songs, this would not be able to hold a candle to the original. So I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that The Bird and the Bee's Greg Kurstin and Inara George must be equally big fans of Hall and Oates as I. How else could they have so wisely chosen to record mostly 80s-era H&O, which lends itself brilliantly to the subtly updated electronic-pop arrangements? How else could George's gorgeously lilting vocals so perfectly match - note for note! - Daryl's Hall's sexy phrasing?

Listen to "Heard It on the Radio" at their MySpace page.

And then check out this live performance of "Sara Smile" (and catch an adorably pregnant Inara George!):

Strangely awesome bedfellows

My love of Daryl Hall is no secret anymore, but how cool is this? He's started a new webcast called "Live from Daryl's House" and in the first installment, he sings a couple of songs with Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy. First check out how un-freaking-believable Daryl Hall's voice still sounds on "Every Time You Go Away" and then check out how well it is updated by McCoy's rap mid-song. SO cool!

"Musicians" on Bravo

So far, this is the only proof I have ever been able to find that a program called Musicians did in fact air on Bravo in 2002. It was styled after Inside the Actor's Studio but with musicians instead of actors. It was hosted by Rolling Stone scribe David Wild, and it was beyond awesome. I suppose that's why it was destined to a short run.

Anyhow, it was a big factor in solidifying my love of Hall and Oates. Darryl Hall has one of the sexiest voices in recorded music today. And this is the only reference I can find to this program anywhere on the internets:



Where is the DVD collection of this short-lived but brilliant series? (In typing this, I realized that it is a prime candidate for BrilliantButCancelled.com, which, ironically, is now owned by none other than Bravo. Hmmmm...)

Forget your preconceived ideas: Joan Osborne

Ok,so remember a few months ago when I sang the praises of Joan Osborne's amazing vocal ability after seeing her perform on the Motown DVD Standing in the Shadows of Motown?

I was reminded of this when I was perusing the bios of the staff over at the All Music Guide and read the following in Thom Jurek's bio:

"Jurek believes that singer Joan Osborne is one of the most gifted vocalists of our time, but has yet to be recorded properly. His not-so-secret ambition is to co-produce (with Ms. Osborne) the album that proves it."

This is the expert opinion of a man who listens to lots and lots and lots of music for a living.

Still don't believe me?

Listen for yourself (and ignore the creepy French intro - I have no idea):



And because you know I can't resist Hall & Oates, listen to the amazing restraint she shows on "Sara Smile" (Most people who cover this song ruin it by doing too much - in Joan's expert voice, it's perfect):



And the video quality's not so good here, but this slowed-down version of "Midnight Train to Georgia" is exemplary as well (listen to how beautifully she handles the "Superstar but he didn't get far" interlude in the middle - rather than hitting the rhythm too hard as most people do, she almost whispers the melody instead... gorgeous.) :

Softsational Indeed

I haven't caught it yet, but I see that Vh1 is running "The 40 Greatest Softsational Soft-Rock Songs." Whitney over at Pop Candy has posted the full list.

I have to admit a deep and abiding love of some of these songs. (Hall and Oates' Abandoned Luncheonette is a desert-island disc for me.) I was reminded of this deep and abiding love after watching Anchorman a few months ago - that soundtrack is full of great 70s lite rock.

Inspired by all the soft rock love, I made my own playlist of favorites, which is now posted at right under the "LTF Playlist." It features several of the songs on Vh1's list as well as a few I feel they egregiously overlooked, including:

* "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" by Leo Sayer
* "She's Gone" by Hall & Oates
* "Dancing in the Moonlight" by King Harvest
* "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by Looking Glass
* "On and On" by Stephen Bishop
* "Hello It's Me" by Todd Rundgren
* "Shining Star" by the Manhattans

Check it out and enjoy the soft-rock groove.