Like a Hurricane

I didn't watch too much of Glastonbury this weekend, I was busy (more of which anon). However I did catch a bit of Neil Young's headline slot via the BBC iplayer and it reminded me just how much I love his work. I've only seen him the once, at a fantastically wet Fleadh in Finsbury park, and it remains one of my all time favourite festival gigs.

Like a hurricane is one of his best songs, surviving being on a mediocre album (American Stars n Bars. Remember, though, even average Neil Young is way ahead of the competition), and going on to be a staple of his live set for many years. The couplets "You are like a Hurricane, there is calm in your eye" and "I want to love you but I get so blown away" always get me...

Here it is unplugged:


and fully electric.


Amazing

Soul on Sunday - Only Fools Run Away / James Carr

More goldwax goodness, and this time it's the debut single from their biggest star, James Carr. It's some way from the country influenced soul that brought him acclaim, but still a great vocal performance.

Festival Forecast - First Aid Kit

Set for the Sunrise Arena at this year's Latitude fest, (appearing on Sunday lunchtime, they'll no doubt be hoping they're not up against Thom Yorke!) First Aid Kit are building a reputation for nice, slightly twee songs in a similar vein to Slow Club.



If you miss them at Latitude, they'll be at End of the Road...

Soul on Sunday - Wonderful to be in Love / The Ovations

I've just got my hands on this compilation of Goldwax singles, and it's really rather wonderful. Covering the early years of the label (and offshoots such as the Bingo and Bandstand labels) it includes some R&B, Blues and even country-tinged offerings, but as you'd expect it's the soul tracks that stand out the best. It includes two of the handful of tracks that O.V.Wright recorded for them, and James Carr's early work.

I've picked the second Goldwax single from the Ovations, It's wonderful to be in love. The first Goldwax single to make it's mark commercially, it reached the Billboard R&B top 30 in 1965.

Broken Records - Until The Earth Begins to Part

A few things about Broken Records:

1) I went to see them at Hoxton Hall a couple of weeks ago. It was a very good evening all round really - the support act (Lail Arad came and performed in the bar as she had to get off to do another gig down the road. Did I say bar? It was more like somebodies dining room with beer (bottles of Spitfire!) being served from a hatch in the corner. The venue itself was a small, Victorian-era theatre with loads of wrought-ironwork. The gig was excellent, a band who could go on to great things if they want to.

2) The album, Until the Earth Begins to Part is out this week. You should definitely go out and buy it. Here is the video for the title track:



3) They're off touring with another band I like The Sparrow and the Workshop. Go see them!

Joe Bataan - I Wish You Love (Parts 1 and 2)

It's shaping up to be a hot and sticky summer, and what could be better than some Joe Bataan?