Hall or nothing

I saw Hall & Oates play last Thursday in Coney Island. The show was great, but I was especially happy to find myself loving it not as a nostalgia act, but the way I would any parade of great songs. Looking around, I saw a sea of un-ironic adoration. Which gave me a great sense of justice, because H&O have no business being lumped in with the radio fluff of yesteryear. They ruled the charts for a reason, because ridiculously catchy, well-crafted pop—with some well-placed quirks—should strike a chord with the masses. It's even more impressive listening to the stuff today and hearing the traces of its time but no sense of indebtedness to the era. Which is to say, the best of their stuff doesn't feel the slightest bit dated.

You've heard the hits. But what about Daryl Hall's strange, yet totally inspired, collaboration with Robert Fripp. Sure, he was into Aleister Crowley, but who'd have thought he'd end up pallin' around with proggers?! They recorded the Sacred Songs album just before H&O hit their stride, and the label shelved it for 3 years. Because, well, record companies don't know anything about music.

It's not the easiest record to find, but it's well worth the effort. This is one of the standout tracks. Snarky lyrics, muscled-out vox, and crazy weird Frippery at 1:40 that might make your head implode. Despite all that, it's still all about the pop magick that Hall is so adept at conjuring.

Daryl Hall & Robert Fripp - Something in 4-4 Time