BAEBLE SESSIONS: Imelda May at The Guest Apartment

During her visit to the Guest Apartment, charming Irish vocalist Imelda May was thrown a question concerning the kitschy nature of rockabilly; the music she and guitarist Darrel Higham obviously love so. Her answer was an adamant one. "I don't think that it needs to be a nostalgic music at all...because people who are hearing it for the first time realize that it has such a fire in it, that will never go away." And though this wasn't the first time we've come across artists working within this style, we understand the fire she refers to. There exists a definite rebellious spirit moving Imelda and Darrel, providing exciting undercurrents, even in this stripped down formation.

Recorded while Imelda and her group recently swung through the States in support of Love Tattoo (Verve Forecast), this performance of three tunes from that album captures two performers completely absorbed in both the history and the here and now all at once. It's thrilling. It's impressive as hell. It's completely electric...except it's not, and that's why we love it. - David Pitz