The Monthly - May 08

Just to back track a little here's the playlist I suggested for May, before starting the blog. The key's at the top. Happy hunting.

Hot off the press – newly released, or pre-release – usually new music.
Re-release – newly discovered by me due to a specific reason (usually a re-release or repackaging)
New to me – not a new track, but one I’ve only just come across


1. Santogold - Your Voice Hot off the press
Santogold's been hyped a heck of a lot (Bjork's favourite MC apparently), but it's not all been praise and the flipside to this is that she's come with some accusations of being a jack-of-all-trades. So just to emphasise this point, here's a non-album track that's available online and very much treads a reggae path. I happen to think it's pretty damn good so don't pay attention to the doubters.

2. Bon Iver - Skinny Love Hot off the press
Bon Iver's another artist laden with broadsheet attention, though unlike Santogold, the dissenting voices have been few and far between, and rightly so. He recorded his album alone in the woods of Wisconsin, and the atmosphere is truly tangible. Haunting stuff.

3. Chatham County Line – The Carolinian Hot off the press
As seen on Jools Holland recently, performing with only one mic between the four of them, this is really endearing modern bluegrass.

4. Kid Sister – Pro Nails (Bag Raiders Remix) Hot off the press
Is it r&b? Hip hop? Old skool rave? Pop? Who cares – it’s ace. This is what Fergie wishes she could pull off. There’s a Kanye remix of this coming soon apparently.

5. The Raconteurs – Consoler Of The Lonely Hot off the press
This is rockin’ awesome – Jack White looks possessed when he performs this. The new album’s still a complete nod to 70s rawk, which I know some find a turn-off, but I'm a fan and this is a highlight of the new record.

6. The Boy Least Likely To – Be Gentle With Me New to me
The clever folks that put music on adverts have found a home for this lovely little slice of summer pop on an advert for ING Direct. Who knew?

7. Death Cab For Cutie – The Ice Is Getting Thinner Hot off the press
Never ones to serve music with a smile, DCFC return with a new album and more melancholic indie pop. Undeniably lovely though.

8. Willie Nelson – Time After Time New to me
This is a cover that really works. Willie takes on Cyndi Lauper and comes up with an epic country ballad that Shania would be proud of.

9. Scarlett Johannson – Anywhere I Lay My Head Hot off the press
More covers this month with SJ doing a whole album of Tom Waits tracks. Lots of press props are going to producer David Sitek of TV On The Radio though if Scarlett herself chose to do Tom Waits covers, then she picked well as h

10. Lil Mama – Lip Gloss New to me
Apparently this was a big radio hit in 2007 in the US, but this is the first I’ve heard of this NY MC. Very J Kwon, but no worse off for it.

11. Endeverafter – Baby Baby Baby New to me
Classic Rock magazine have picked these out as a band continuing the spirit of Guns N’ Roses. Nowhere near as charismatic (who is?) but this is pretty good, to be fair.

12. Fleet Foxes – Drops In The River Hot off the press
Lots of people are starting to talk about Fleet Foxes, and they seem to backing up their hype. There’s an almost choral feel to the album, with three of the band on backing vocal duty helping out the lead singer. Similar to Bon Iver, there's an enormous amount of atmosphere here, in a really unusual way. Roll on the album and seeing them live.

13. The Tasmanian Symphony – Wild Swans New to me
Another advert tune, from those cute Lloyds TSB animations. Whimsical describes it well, and it sounds like it would work in a Tim Burton movie. It's a very pretty song and a nice way to end May's tips.