Daryl Hall would have every reason to rest on his laurels when not writing, recording, or touring with John Oates in the most successful pop-rock duo of all time. But the Pennsylvania native has always pursued other outlets for his outpouring of creativity. He's collaborated with artists from Robert Fripp to Diana Ross, released five acclaimed solo studio albums between 1980's Sacred Songs and 2011's Laughing Down Crying, and launched the hugely popular Live from Daryl's House series, in which he's welcomed everyone from Smokey Robinson to Joe Walsh. That's to say nothing of his work in the home restoration field and proprietor of the Daryl's House club in Pawling, New York. While Hall isn't about to slow down, he is taking time to look back with the April 1 release of his first-ever solo anthology. BeforeAfter, coming from Legacy Recordings, immediately jumps to head of the line to become one of 2022's most-anticipated collections.
BeforeAfter, curated by the artist, draws on all five of Hall's solo albums: the Robert Fripp-produced cult classic Sacred Songs (1980), Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine (1986, including the top five hit "Dreamtime" and top 40 success "Foolish Pride"), Soul Alone (1993), Can't Stop Dreaming (1996), and Laughing Down Crying (2011). Many of Hall's charted singles are here, also including "Someone Like You" from Three Hearts, the international hit "I'm in a Philly Mood" and "Stop Loving Me, Stop Loving You" from Soul Alone, "Cab Driver" from Can't Stop Dreaming, and "Eyes for You (Ain't No Doubt About It)" and "Talking to You (is Like Talking to Myself)" from Laughing Down Crying.
And that's not all. BeforeAfter features a generous eight previously unreleased tracks from Live from Daryl's House including duets with Dave Stewart ("Here Comes the Rain Again"), Monte Montgomery ("North Star"), and Hall's longtime pal - and producer of the Daryl Hall/John Oates album War Babies - Todd Rundgren ("Can We Still Be Friends"). Solo, Hall brings his deeply-felt soul style to such classic songs as Jim Weatherly's "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)," Mort Garson and Bob Hilliard's "Our Day Will Come" (a 1962 chart-topper for Ruby and The Romantics), the blues staple "In My Own Dream," and Hall's own "Laughing Down Crying" and "Problem with You."
On April 1, the same day the collection is released, Hall and Rundgren will hit the road for eight theatre shows making stops in Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, the duo's hometown of Philadelphia, Boston, and New York City. Based on their previous appearances together including a 2011 Live from Daryl's House show in Atlantic City, the tour will be a real treat from these two old friends.
Liner notes for BeforeAfter have been penned by Jeremy Holiday, producer or co-producer of multiple catalogue releases from Hall and Oates including 2009's definitive, career-spanning box set Do What You Want, Be What You Are. The diverse sounds on BeforeAfter show the true breadth of Daryl Hall's musical adventures; if you only know his music with John Oates, you're in for a terrific surprise here. Look for the 2-CD, 30-song release on April 1 from Legacy at the links below!
BeforeAfter (Legacy, 2022) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Disc 1
- Dreamtime
- Babs and Babs
- Foolish Pride
- Can't Stop Dreaming
- Here Comes the Rain Again (Live from Daryl's House) - Daryl Hall & Dave Stewart *
- Someone Like You
- Talking to You (is Like Talking to Myself)
- Sacred Songs
- Right As Rain
- Survive
- North Star (Live from Daryl's House) - Daryl Hall & Monte Montgomery *
- In My Own Dream (Live from Daryl's House) *
- NYCNY
- What's Gonna Happen to Us
Disc 2
- Love Revelation
- Fools Rush In
- I'm in a Philly Mood
- Send Me
- Justify
- Borderline
- Stop Loving Me, Stop Loving You
- Eyes for You (Ain't No Doubt About It)
- The Farther Away I Am
- Why Was It So Easy
- Can We Still Be Friends (Live from Daryl's House) - Daryl Hall & Todd Rundgren *
- Cab Driver
- Our Day Will Come (Live from Daryl's House) *
- Laughing Down Crying (Live from Daryl's House) *
- Problem with You (Live from Daryl's House) *
- Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) (Live from Daryl's House) *
Disc 1, Tracks 1, 3, 6, 9 and 14 from Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine (RCA, 1986)
Disc 1, Tracks 2, 8, 10 and 13 and Disc 2, Tracks 9-10 from Sacred Songs (RCA, 1980)
Disc 1, Track 4 and Disc 2, Tracks 2, 5 and 12 from Can't Stop Dreaming (BMG (Japan), 1996)
Disc 1, Track 7 and Disc 2, Tracks 8 and 12 from Laughing Down Crying (Verve Forecast, 2011)
Disc 2, Tracks 1, 3-4 and 6-7 from Soul Alone (Epic, 1993)
gradese says
horrible sleeve by the way...
Trent Davidson says
I wonder if 'Sacred Songs' will be getting a standalone reissue also?
gradese says
What a great album - but, I don't know if anyone could top the Fripp-mastered expanded on Buddha/BMG... unless there's more unissued material in the vaults...