THE BIRD AND THE BEE: A TRIBUTE TO DARYL HALL AND JOHN OATES
Make no apologies, I love me some Hall and Oates. I celebrate their entire catalog. The pop duos fusion of smooth Pilly soul, self-dubbed “rock and soul”, with 80’s man manes is a modus operandi for swaying and snapping. If the intro organ sound from 1981’s chart crusher ” I cant’ go for that (no can do)” doesn’t cause you to uncontrollably break into a wham! dance (later revived by Courtney Cox circa “Dancing in the Dark”), you might be dead inside.
So this week, Christmas came early for me. First up, Daryl Hall will be playing this year’s Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN….sans Oates but…wait for it…pairing off with Chromeo, Montreal electro funk duo who describe themselves as “the only successful Arab / Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture.” Can’t envision Hall, P-Thugg and Dave 1 sharing the stage? Before you wave a finger and say, I can’t go for that, you should check out a little preview on Hall’s web series “Live From Daryl’s House. I’m not ready for an auto-tuned “Rich Girl”, but you gotta hand it to both groups for pushing their musical boundaries.
Second bonus, our friends at Filter Magazine, tipped us off to a new album release next month from The bird and the bee, the duo of singer Inara George and multi-instrumental/producer Greg Kurstin, are set to release Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates, on EMI’s Blue Note Records on March 23. The follow up to 2009’s Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, the acclaimed band’s third full-length is a love letter to famed “rock and soul” duo Hall & Oates. The record features eight classic covers along with the original song “Heard It On The Radio.” As the no-nonsense album title implies, the bird and the bee’s feelings about Hall & Oates aren’t framed with a wink or a cocked eyebrow. Their love for the music is genuine. With the intention of retaining the character of the original recordings, Interpreting The Masters carefully deciphers Hall & Oates complex musical craft, thus heightening their appreciation for Hall & Oates’ longstanding discography. The duo will also showcase the record with a performance at The El Rey in Los Angeles on March 5th. I can go for that…
Track List:
Heard It On The Radio
I Can’t Go For That
Rich Girl
Sara Smile
Kiss On My List
Maneater
She’s Gone
Private Eyes
One on One
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