Ladies, have you really been picking up what The L Word's been puttin' down? Thanks to the show's musical posse (led by composer Elizabeth Ziff), in past seasons we've been exposed to artists like Feist, before the iPod made her a huge (or rather nano-sized) star and The Gossip, before Keira Knightley made lead singer Beth Ditto sexy; and of course "the posse" has done it again this season and brought us the most mix-tape worthy jams to date! Every Sunday night, in what we’ve dubbed “the Sunday Night Singalong” I’ll be recapping/discussing songs used in each episode and making sure you’re up-to-date with what the gang is laying on ya!

After a few seasons of delivering the latest in indie, hip hop, jazz, funk, underground, aboveground, you get the picture, episode one, offers up some classics. We not only get a taste of what’s going on in the world of today’s independent music with female, electro rappers CC Martini and Jessy Moss--


photo: Andrzej Liguz

But are given some throw backs with doo-wop, soul and 60’s supper club inspired songs from the likes of Ada Moore, Margie Joseph and Miles Davis. And though some of these songs are decades old, Elizabeth Ziff’s got her finger on the pulse of what the kids are listening to today; you heard right gang, 50’s doo-wop and 60’s soul are all the rage! Just pop in an Amy Winehouse or Mark Ronson record and you’ll know what’s going on in episode 1.

Before we move on to my favorite track featured in our first episode, promise me you’ll check out one of my latest funk/soul obsessions of today (and a little bit of yesterday!). Quick story - last month I was engaged in a casual instant messenger conversation with a friend of mine, when she demanded that I find a way into the next night’s heavily sold-out Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings show. I had no clue who Sharon was, but since my friend had never steered me wrong musically, I decided to pull every string I could, find a date and hit Los Angeles’ El Rey Theater for what has become one of the most memorable nights of music I’ve ever had.

I quickly learned that the sounds of The Dap Kings can be found all over the above mentioned Winehouse and Ronson records, and that Sharon has been singing since the soulful '70s but spent a short time in the '80s as a correctional officer at Riker’s Island penitentiary due to the change in “musical landscape”---good move Sharon, Soul music just wouldn’t sound the same on a Casio keyboard. Fortunately for me, the landscape is all clear for Sharon and her Dap Kings; the night of her show, I was happily transported to a small, sweaty club in '60s Brooklyn. I even got a little dirty on the dance floor. No, seriously; I think I may have even apologized for my behavior afterwards. What? I couldn’t help it!

As I mentioned before, E. Ziff gave us The Gossip last season so it’s only right to start off this new season with one of the hottest bands out there. If you don’t have it in your arsenal already, be sure to download Listen Up and check out their new music video!



Reasons why I heart this song/video - the wicked bass line, the boys and girls in drag, the dance-off and, of course, Beth’s fierce wig. For the record Keira, I totally thought she was hot first!

Until the next Episode!