Despite reports of potential hail and thunderstorms, a small yet enthusiastic crowd showed up for this Sunday's show at McCarren Park Pool.  We arrived in time to catch most of Eli "Paperboy"  Reed's set of white guy soul and stayed for the hoe-down folk of Langhorne Slim and the War Eagles, dodging scattered storms and dancing up a storm.

Eli "Paperboy"  Reed knows exactly what he's doing.  He has obviously studied his classic Southern soul, and we're sure his collection of obscure 45's is impressive as hell.  When all is said and done, however, Mr. Reed is not a classic soul singer.  His band is simply spectacular, hitting all the right notes and, ironically, getting people moving a whole lot more than they did during the soul show at McCarren a few weeks earlier.  Reed's voice is good, with a grit that cuts through the horns and a soulfulness that is surprising considering he looks more like the singer from Smashmouth than Otis Redding.  Having seen them months earlier with Clarence Reid at Southpaw, we have to say that they were much better this time, but as far as style, Reed seems a little affected for our taste.

Langhorne Slim came out next, simply saying a quick hello into the mic, and then launching into his brand of early-Dylan folk with his rhythm section, the War Eagles, providing a driving backbeat.  The crowd grew noticeably during the first song, with Brooklynites trying their best to dance to the country-tinged music coming from the stage.  Most of the crowd seemed to know the words to many of the songs, and the entire band put on quite a show, with Slim falling to his knees repeatedly during songs and engaging in a call and response shout with the audience on several occasions.  The persistent drizzle still kept many under the awning towards the back, but those who ventured up front witnessed one hell of a set from these talented performers.