Mr David Viner - Bow Your Head

There I was, all imagining that I'd already featured this titled chap on here before, but I was wrong. Still the best song on his latest album now has a video so if that isn't an excuse to rectify matters, I don't know what is. It includes zombies as well...

Soul on Sunday - The Exciters / Tell Him

Bit of a story behind this - apparently Dusty Springfield heard this and was inspired to record in a "soul style". Don't know whether that's true, but it is a nice story. I've been listening to a lot of this band recently, having just got hold of this excellent composition, so expect more Excitement in the coming weeks...

Latitude Youtubery - Hjaltalin

Clips are still appearing on Youtube, it would seem! Here's Hjaltalin doing something unpronounceable. They had to wait until Thom Yorke had finished on Sunday before they could come on and play the Uncut, but it was worth the wait!

Soul on Sunday - Mayer Hawthorne / Just Ain't Gonna Work Out

...and we're back with SoS after a short break (sorry!).

Something new here from Stones Throw records, I know nothing about this except what my ears tell me - that it's very good. And that it reminds me a little of Smokey Robinson's early post-miracles output.



Album out in September, apparently.

Latitude Youtubery - Juliette Commagere

Another new discovery, here is one of the early highlights from the first morning of Latitude, Juliette Commagere and her band doing Hearts.

Latitude Youtubery - Thomas Dybdahl

One of the best things about festivals is wondering around on the off chance that you discover a new favourite band and this act fall into that category. Listen out for some absolutely superb lap steel (I think that's what the instrument is called) to the left of the screen... the old boy playing it was just the coolest. The song is called "stay home"

Latitude Youtubery - The Mummers

The Mummers were on of the early highlights in the much improved Uncut arena on Friday. here they are doing a cover of Sleepyhead by Passion Pit. Unfortunately marred by a few sound problems...

Latitude Youtubery - The Vaselines

The Vaselines are now best known for being one of Kurt Cobain's favourite bands... Here they are doing a song he covered, Molly's Lips:

Latitude Youtubery - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

On top form with a short set played at mamximum intensity throughout, here's Mercy Seat

Latitude Youtubery - The Duckworth Lewis Method

I'll be doing a full write up later in the week, but clips are starting to appear on Youtube, so to start with here is Jiggery Pokery. Altogether now: baboon, baboon, baboon, baboon, baboon, baboon, baboon.

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?

Soul on Sunday - Every Little Bit Hurts / Brenda Holloway

Easily one of the most under-rated acts on Motown, Brenda Holloway's sound was closer to the southern soul sounds than many of her Tamla contemporaries. Perhaps as a consequence of the slightly different sound, she never felt a good fit with the label and retired to the life of a housewife in 1970. Back performing, this is her first and biggest hit from a concert in 2005.

Sound Dimension - Real Rock

it's been a quiet week here at O M D... that's because it's sunny outside, duh! Here's something for the glorious weather.

Soul on Sunday - Where Did Our Love Go / The Supremes

Some classic Motown this week with the single that broke the Supremes and gave us Diana Ross (for better or worse). At this point in their career, the Supremes were struggling to get noticed but when the Marvelettes passes on the chance to record this HDH song, the Supremes did it and it became their first number one. The story goes that the lead vocal was originally scored for Marvelettes' lead Gladys Horton so was lower than Ross was used to. Singing at this register gave her voice the warm tones that went on to dominate the Supremes and brought them a run of hits.

Suspicious Minds Day Part 5

...and some Elvis. Can't be beaten.



Shove it up your nose indeed.