What happens when blue-eyed soul collides with progressive rock? The result is Sacred Songs, Daryl Hall’s underappreciated avant-pop collaboration with ex-King Crimson leader Robert Fripp, in which Hall’s catchy pop hooks are punctuated by Fripp’s fascinating sonic experiments.
The career-highlights disc Retrospective, Rarities & Instrumentals is the perfect introduction to the High Llamas‘ complex melodies and beautiful pop production, channeling post-Pet Sounds Beach Boys by way of Stereolab.
Before director Edgar Wright and writer-star Simon Pegg turned to the film world with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, they perfected a combination of frantic pop-cultural allusions, whiplash editing and surprisingly sweet characterization with Spaced: The Complete Series, a Britcom about disaffected twentysomethings sharing a London flat.
This reissue of Wee’s lone 1979 LP reveals an overlooked gem of psychedelic soul. You Can Fly on My Aeroplane is a smooth and seductive evocation of both Shuggie Otis and Stevie Wonder’s 70’s-era masterpieces.
