Eli 'Paperboy' Reed & the True Loves, Roll With You

Old-fashioned soul has become modern music's steely backbone: glossy, bold and puntable by the lorry-load. Now Eli "Paperboy" Reed wants in on the fun by screeching and purring his away to the early 60s and the big, brassy sounds of early R&B. He's good, too. This 24-year-old from Massachusetts has a voice that brings together the yelp of Georgie Fame, the honey of Sam Cooke and the crackle of Curtis Mayfield, but sadly, the songs aren't as commanding. Dull tracks about new sweethearts and lost lovers abound, the sort that of cliched slop that clogs up the ears as soon as it oozes out of the speakers. Funkier tracks like The Satisfier are better, and this is where the "Paperboy" shines, giving good service as well as delivery.