Daryl Hall - Laughing Down Crying

Daryl Hall-Laughing Down Crying

It’s been said that every song tells a story. In the case of Daryl Hall’s latest release, the 10 songs included are each part of a life episode that began almost 15 years ago.  In 1997 he released “Can’t Stop Dreaming” and since then he has reunited with John Oates, ended a 30 year romantic partnership, got married, became a stepdad, toured the world, created an internet TV show that is now in national syndication and started work on this project.

Four days into the sessions, his long-time friend and producer T-Bone Wolk died suddenly.  The decision was made to carry on and in fact the CD is dedicated to his memory as it contains his final recorded performances.

The title track set’s the tone for the list. The melody is pure Hall with a solid layer of acoustic guitar and easy going backbeats. Daryl is and always has been a consummate tunesmith and we find him at his best here with rich harmonies that might recall 80’s  and 90’s pop but are the least bit nostalgic.  Lot’s of dead center hooks, with a range of tempos allow Daryl to use his vocal talents to the max, without sounding forced or strained. In fact it appears that his voice has improved with age.

Check out “Eyes For You” a little bit of funk, a little bit of soul with a great baseline.  “Lifetime of Love” with it’s acoustic melody topped by horns and a backing chorus that challenge Daryl to rise above them….and he does with ease.  There’s also a nod to his Philly soul roots in “Problem with You” while “Save Me” has a solid gospel feel complete with an unforgettable chorus.

If this all sounds familiar and comfortable then so be it..  It also shows that Daryl is restless and still growing musically. Proof that we’ll be hearing a lot more from him in the years ahead.

Bob Farrow,
Morning host
Wave.fm