Friday, November 11, 2005

I Know, Right?


Don't be a hater.
For a few years I've been waiting patiently for an indie-rock version of Hall & Oates to come along, some genius duo from Montreal who could mine the pre-"Private Eyes" years and unleash a blue-eyed soul revival. But what I'm talking about requires something very special of two apsiring fellas: a willingness to co-opt both gayness and blackness in a doo-wop fusion format.
I know, right?
Back in the day, H&O would basically fuse doo-wop harmonies with anything that moved: folk, prog, New Wave, the kitchen sink. It's a needle that so few were born to thread. When he discovered them in 1972, Tommy Mattola saw the future and it was transgender racial crossover with a Village People moustache and Euro-gay scoop-neck t-shirts. Could Mariah Carey be far behind?
"I'm Sorry" is from 1972's Whole Oats, back before H&O ditched the folk guitars for keyboards. Please note Daryl Hall's shoes.
FYI: The indie-rock white soul revival that I am calling for has already been set in motion by Jamie Lidell. He's a British electronic music wizard who apparently had a serious karaoke epiphany when he realized his pipes could channel Prince and Otis Redding. Despite Pitchfork's playa hating on his record, I say he's got something special happening. Lefty recommends.

1 comment:

Mr. Poncho said...

Lost Gems,
You'll be happy to learn that the December issue of Mojo includes a full-page "Lost Gems" write-up on Hall and Oates "War Babies." Let the soft-rock revisionism commence.