Clear As A Bell

On Saturday Mister F and I went to what for me is the gig of the year to date. Soul legend William Bell was at the Union Chapel promoting his fantastic new album "This Is Where I Live" - his first on Stax for about 40 years, and it sounds like he never left.

The set was a mixture of songs from the album and old favourites (and there were some old favourites in the audience as well - Nick Lowe and Paul Weller were mooching about and competing over who has the most silvery hair). It was wonderful from start to finish, and Mr Bell's voice is still amazing - all the more so when you consider he turns 77 on Saturday.

I'm not going to post any downloads from the new album, because this is one you really need to go out and buy straight away. But to whet your appetite the first YouTube clip is a live acoustic version of the first single off the album, "The Three Of Me". To get you there, two of my personal favourites from his back catalogue.

"If You Really Love Him" - William Bell

"A Smile Can't Hide (A Broken Heart)" - William Bell