Sometimes I want to pull my hair out over how white and indie-rock End Hits can be. We are from Portland, but it’s no excuse. I will say, however, that in the last few weeks I haven’t caught wind of any exciting rap albums (have you? Post a comment below, if so).

So today we’re going for something a little different. It’s not indie rock, but it is white (though it sure don’t sound that way).

Without further ado, I present to you Eli Paperboy Reed (check “The Satisfier” on his Myspace, I couldn’t find a good video of it). Reed’s a throwback soul-singer from Massachusetts with baby face and one hell of a voice. Sure, he looks like a jazz-class nerd, but just get over that.

As well as the soul angle, Reed and his solid band take on doo-wop and early rock and roll. All in all, quite a satisfying mixture. Following perhaps in the steps of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Reed and his group are releasing 45 record singles. And just like Jones and the Dap Kings, something tells me that Reed’s music really shines live.

There may not always be a reason to put a throwback album on the turntable when you can listen to the real thing, but when it’s up, sweating, shaking and blaring in front of you, there’s really nothing better. Soul music is just so timeless—as fads come and go, it’ll always remain.