A series of Don Covay coincidences

Check this out. I listen to this record a lot - it's one of my favourites. And I listened to it just last week - so far, so unremarkable.

The second track on it is Grant Green's Sookie Sookie (at 11 minutes on record it's less a slice of funk and more a whole loaf of it). Here it is.



Then the other day, Dan from the EPPA (who've picked up the torch that the Young Offenders Institute lit), posted this track on Facebook...



I'd never heard of Don Covay, so did some digging prompted by Dan. Turns out he wrote the original Sookie Sookie, which I never knew. Here's that.



Also turns out he wrote it with Steve Cropper, the brilliant guitarist from Booker T & The MG's...



Also one of the MG's was one of the best bassists ever - Donald "Duck" Dunn. Here he is, with Steve Cropper and Ray Charles, amongst others, in The Blues Brothers.



Which all leads back to the very sad news that Duck done died yesterday. So I'm glad I was remembering him anyway, thanks to Dan's mention of Don Covay. Funny how these things come about. Now excuse me while I get back to choosing which Don Covay track to put on The Monthly. 

Northside Festival

To go or not to go.

Arguably, the Northside festival cost is worth it alone (approx £150) just to see how The Stone Roses perform, and with other acts that are right up my street, like Justice, Gaslight Anthem, The xx, When Saints Go Machine and James Blake, then perhaps it's too good to pass up on.

Even the presence of Snow Patrol doesn't trouble me too much (though I am drunk right now). It isn't sold out yet either, which makes a refreshing change from the scrum that is trying to secure a UK festival ticket. On the other hand it's a no-camping festival, which is also fine by me, though means that's another thing to organise. We shall see - I'll let you know if I go.

 Did you catch new Danish band When Saints Go Machine yet? Download their cover of the Verve's Bittersweet Symphony here from RCRDLBL and also here's their track Parix, which I put on The Monthly a while back (watch out for track listings of all the back issues from while I've been away).

 

The Monthly - March 11

1. MUDHONEY – In ‘n’ Out Of Grace New To Me
Classic proto-grunge from 1988’s Superfuzz Bigmuff EP, recently featured on Mojo mag’s excellent Roots Of Nirvana compilation.

2. FUNERAL PARTY – New York City Moves To The Sound Of LA Hot Off The Press
Punky new single from Cali newbies who are named after The Cure song of the same name.

3. SCHWAB – The Moleman New To Me
Catchy 2008 track as featured in the current Ford Fiesta ads, from an unsigned London group.

4. CHASE & STATUS VS. DIZZEE RASCAL – Heavy Hot Off The Press
Mental album-only cut from C&S’ recent No More Idols album. Dizzee’s on fine form too.

5. BETH DITTO – Open Heart Surgery Hot Off The Press
The Gossip’s leading lady releases her debut solo EP, produced by Simian Mobile Disco.

6. DURAN DURAN – Come Undone New To Me
From 1993’s The Wedding Album, this shows why they’re still respected now.

7. BRIAN ENO – Cindy Tells Me New To Me
From ‘73 debut solo album by ex-Roxy Music man and all round legendary producer/recorder.

8. WHITE DENIM – Drug Hot Off The Press
Psych rock Texans come good yet again on brand new track ahead of forthcoming fourth album.

9. TORO Y MOI – Still Sound Hot Off The Press
From debut album from ‘the Bull & Me’, Underneath The Pine, a recent Rough Trade album of the month.

10. ELVIS COSTELLO – Pump It Up New To Me
Brilliant pop single from 1978’s This Year’s Model album.

11. PATRICK WOLF – The City Hot Off The Press
Perfect pop? I think so. From new album Lupercalia, Wolf’s fifth to date.

12. ELBOW – Jesus Is A Rochdale Girl Hot Off The Press
Beautiful and triumphant return for Elbow with new record Build A Rocket Boys!

13. BARRY LOUIS POLISAR – All I Want Is You Rediscovery Of The Month I
From the Juno OST and only recently acquired on CD for me. Polisar was a kids songwriter, donchaknow.

14. CAT STEVENS – Another Saturday Night New To Me
Sam Cooke cover by pre-Islam Stevens. A 1974 greatest hits-only track.

15. JOE SOUTH – Games People Play New To Me
Sounds so familiar. This track won Grammies and was South’s biggest single, from 1968.

16. R.KELLY – Ignition (Remix) Rediscovery Of The Month II
A throwaway cheese-fest? Not likely. This 2002 UK #1 is now regarded as a high watermark for modern R&B, and it’s a brilliant track. Even if he is a pervert. Perfect for early summer too.

This month's accompanying photo is of the 50 (count 'em) CDs that I won from Mojo magazine - I think I entered their competition about best albums of the year before Christmas and without thinking about it again I won their top 50 of 2010. Totally sweet.

The Monthly - February 11

1. ANNA CALVI – Suzanne And I Hot Off The Press
Londoner Calvi comes hotly tipped with this Bassey-esque track taken from her recent self-titled debut album.

2. ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI – Contact High Hot Off The Press
Forthcoming track from Australian group’s fifth album, Moment Bends, and very summery it is too.

3. CUT COPY – Take Me Over Hot Off The Press
More breezy Aussie indie synth-pop, from this duo’s recent well-received third album, Zonoscope.

4. HOLY GHOST! – Do It Again Hot Off The Press
NYC duo get all 80s on this moody pop number that’s a precursor to their debut album, released in April.

5. LADY GAGA – Born This Way Hot Off The Press
Sure, it’s more than a bit Madonna and cynically uses gay rights issues for its own publicity, but it’s also massive.

6. GIL SCOTT-HERON & JAMIE xx – I’ll Take Care Of U Hot Off The Press
Jamie from The xx is the current remixer of choice and here tackles all of GSH’s last album, I’m New Here.

7. RADIOHEAD – Morning Mr Magpie Hot Off The Press
Masters of the marketing talking point. This is my highlight of the surprise new album, King Of Limbs.

8. YEASAYER – I Remember (Villa Remix) Hot Off The Press
A beautiful track from one of my favourite albums of 2010, this remix of the latest single to be taken from Odd Blood lets the song take you over for a full eight minutes.

9. JAMES BLAKE – Measurements Hot Off The Press
Another big tip for greatness in 2011, Londoner Blake marries fragile vocals with ghostly, dubby melodies and this comes from his recently released self-titled debut album.

10. FLEET FOXES – Helplessness Blues Hot Off The Press
Their bucolic folky formula ain’t broke, so they didn’t fix it. New album of the same title’s due soon.

11. PLASTIC PENNY – Caledonia Mission New To Me
This obscure UK band re-recorded this song from The Band for their 1968 album Currency.

12. ALICE COOPER – Billion Dollar Babies New To Me
Straight up glam rock from Alice from the 1973 album of the same name that topped the US & UK charts.

13. DEL AMITRI – Roll To Me Rediscovery Of The Month I
Heard this in a pub and figured it was actually quite pleasant. A 1995 single for the Scottish faux folkies.

14. TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD – Sixteen Tons New To Me
Tom Waits put a compilation together for Mojo mag recently which featured this US #1 from 1955. Ace.

15. HUI OHANA & JERRY BYRD – How D’ya Do? New To Me
It’s not summer yet, but this might encourage the sun to come out. Byrd is the #1 inductee into the Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame. Fact.

16. COMMON – G.O.D. (Gaining One’s Definition) Rediscovery Of The Month II
As befits a song whose lyrics are tattooed on to me, this crops up on the headphones quite often. It’s everything hip hop can be – thoughtful, considered, erudite – but so often isn’t. Definitely worth listening to the lyrics if you haven’t already.

P.S. The photo at the top is an attempt to make The Monthly posts a little less text-y, so to accompany them from now on I think I'll put up a photo from the past month, something topical that sums that month up. This is of a deserted rail station, typical of my past month's commuting experiences after I've moved to the other side of London.

The Monthly - January 11

1. GRINDERMAN - Get It On New To Me
Ferocious track from Nick Cave's band, from their 2007 self-titled debut.

2. WEEZER - (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To Rediscovery Of The Month I
Came across this great track from 2009's Radtitude album. Punk power pop at its finest.

3. SLOW CLUB - Giving Up On Love New To Me
Recent single from Sheffield indie-pop duo, taken from their 2009 album Yeah So.

4. THE PHOENIX FOUNDATION - Bitte Bitte Hot Off The Press
New Zealand folk rockers put their fourth album, Buffalo, out last year - this was a recent iTunes single of the week.

5. THE BEES - Listening Man New To Me
Yet another 6Music gem to come my way - from the Isle Of Wight band's 2007 album Octopus.

6. IRON & WINE - Glad Man Singing Hot Off The Press
Sam Beam's back with forthcoming album Kiss Each Other Clean. New session track from the superb Daytrotter.com.

7. JOHN LEE HOOKER - Take Me As I Am New To Me
Beautiful, poignant track that randomly came my way. Find it on any of his greatest hits.

8. THE INK SPOTS Feat. ELLA FITZGERALD - Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall New To Me
Be transported back to yester-year with this 1944 track from Indianapolis doo wop stars The Ink Spots.

9. FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS - Working My Way Back To You New To Me
I knew this track, but only when I got a Valli best of this month did I really get to know it. A 1966 single.

10. NILS LOFGREN - I Came To Dance New To Me
Famed for his work with Neil Young and Springsteen, this comes from his 1977 album of the same title.

11. JANET JACKSON - Nasty Rediscovery Of The Month II
God knows where I found this but it instantly took me back to 1986 - great flashback.

12. DIDDY-DIRTY MONEY - Someone To Love Me Hot Off The Press
Diddy's new project is proper good. This is from the concept album Last Train To Paris, recently released.

13. BEANS - Deathsweater Hot Off The Press
Random blog band that I found so info is scarce, but this is a very cool track.

14. ELECTRONIC - Getting Away With It Rediscovery Of The Month III
Remember this? Course you do. New Order meets The Smiths as Marr teams up with Sumner in 1989.


BONUS REMIXES AND MASH-UPS CD

1. ADELE - Rolling In The Deep (Jamie xx Shuffle)

2. MARK RONSON - Somebody To Love Me (Kaytradamus Remix)

3. TOM TOM CLUB - Genius Of Love

4. THE CATARACS - Bass Down Low (Proper Villains Remix)

5. COLD WAR KIDS - Mine Is Yours (Passion Pit Remix)

6. KHAN EDISON VS M.I.A. - Paper Planes

7. ELBOW - Grounds For Divorce (Chrome Plated Remix)

8. WICK-IT THE INSTIGATOR - You Ain't The Next DJ (The Black Keys Vs Big Boi)

9. LL COOL J - Mama Said Knock You Out (Z-Trip Remix)

10. ARETHA FRANKLIN & THE ROLLING STONES - A Deeper Love (Chew Fu & Steve Clisby Vocal Mix)

11. JOHNNY CASH - Belshazzar (Machine Drum Remix)

12. MARLENA SHAW - California Soul (Diplo/Mad Recent Remix)

13. JACKSON 5 - I Want You Back (Dimitri From Paris Remix)

The Monthly - December 10

Here's the last The Monthly of the year, and it's a big one. Enjoy it and I'll see you for more monthly fun in 2011...

1. NOAH & THE WHALE – Wild Thing Hot Off The Press
Great first offering from forthcoming new album Last Night On Earth.

2. ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN – Time Of The Season New To Me
Bucolic ditty from recent album Hawk from the singing unlikely couple.

3. VAMPIRE WEEKEND – Fight For This Love Hot Off The Press
Yes, they’ve covered Cheryl Cole, seemingly completely off their own bat too. Take that, irony.

4. AVI BUFFALO – What’s It In For? New To Me
First single from earlier this year from Californian’s who clearly listened to a lot of The Shins.

5. R.E.M. – Discoverer Hot Off The Press
Brand new track from the rock legends, from their upcoming 2011 album Collapse Into Now.

6. THESE NEW PURITANS – Fire-Power New To Me
Nearly made The Monthly earlier in the year but recently voted NME’s album of the year, so I revisited.

7. ROC-C – Don’t Stop New To Me
Underground hip-hopper gets exposure for this great track via cool new VW TV advert.

8. NICKI MINAJ – I’m the Best Hot Off The Press
Trinidadian pop-hopper has had lots of hype and this is a great track from her patchy, guest-strewn debut album.

9. SKEELO VS SURVIVOR – I Wish I Was A Tiger Hot Off The Press
Been around for a while but this Soulwax mash-up comes from a new collection of theirs. Awesome party fun.

10. THE FLYING LIZARDS - Money New To Me
Familiar for years, but only just properly logged in my brain. From their 1979 self-titled debut.

11. TALKING HEADS – Crosseyed & Painless Rediscovery Of The Month I
Forgot how good this was, and clearly a massive influence on Friendly Fires, LCD, Hot Chip et al.

12. THE BELOVED – Sweet Harmony Rediscovery Of The Month II
Dance music par excellence, this 1993 track resurfaced for me after Eddy Chemical Brother recommended on Twitter.

13. ROBYN – Dancehall Queen Hot Off The Press
More great stuff from the Swedish singer, from her recently released Body Talk album.

14. THE XX – VCR (Matthew Dear Remix) New To Me
You all know the track but I only heard this terrific remix recently.

15. TOM SCOTT – Today New To Me
Recommended by Ronson recently for the sample at 1m38 as used by Pete Rock & CL Smooth in hip hop classic TROY.

16. THE SWEET – Love Is Like Oxygen New To Me
Another recommendation, this time by James from LCD. This was a 1978 top 10 hit for the Brit glam rock outfit.

17. BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS – You Make Me So Very Happy New To Me
This cropped up on a random 60s compilation – fantastically funky, especially at the 1m45 mark.

18. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Because The Night Hot Off The Press
The Boss’s The Promise (recorded in 1978) came out recently to rave reviews and this is a highlight of highlights.

The Monthly - November 10

1. DAFT PUNK – Derezzed Hot Off The Press
These 100 seconds of music are a tantalising preview of Daft Punk’s return, in the form of the soundtrack to new Disney movie Tron: Legacy. It’s amazing. Bring on the album (in December) and (please God) the tour next year.

2. CHROMEO – Bonafied Lovin New To Me
A great new track for me from an awesome mix I was given recently. I love how knowing these lyrics are, though maybe that’s just because I’m getting on a bit. This was on the Canadian duo’s 2007 album, Fancy Footwork.

3. CRYSTAL CASTLES FEAT. ROBERT SMITH – Not In Love Hot Off The Press
Another Canadian duo, CCs released their Crystal Castles II album earlier this year, with this track recently re-recorded to feature The Cure legend Robert Smith on vox.

4. KID CUDI, BEST COAST & ROSTAM OF VAMPIRE WEEKEND – All Summer New To Me
Online recently I found two tracks from this year recorded for Converse, the trainer people. The other was by Hot Chip and Bernard Sumner and both are free (and on my blog). They follow last year’s Santogold/Strokes/Pharrell collabo.

5. TAPES N’ TAPES – Freak Out Hot Off The Press
This indie band from Minneapolis are soon to put out their third album, featuring this brilliantly pacey track. I’m completely new to them, so don’t really have anything else to say. Enjoy!

6. JOHN GRANT – Chicken Bones New To Me
Singer/songwriter Grant is featuring in many 2010 round-ups with his excellent album Queen Of Denmark. Midlake were his backing band on that, and this was the highlight for me. Contains excellent repeated use of the phrase “fuck off”.

7. WARPAINT – Undertow Hot Off The Press
All-girl LA group Warpaint released their debut album The Fool a month ago and have since been on the cover of NME. This was an iTunes single of the week and it’s a slow-burner but worth getting to know.

8. GIRL TALK – Oh No Hot Off The Press
He’s back! The subject of the first ever blog post for me, and included on one of the first ever The Monthly, the mix tape genius that is Girl Talk put out his third album for free on’t web this month. Check here for a link to the whole thing.

9. GORILLAZ – Doncamatic Hot Off The Press
I saw Gorillaz live this month, and they were great – tons of guests and the singles are great party tunes, including this recent non-album release featuring Mancunian Daley on vocals.

10. PRINCE FATTY – Shimmy Shimmy Ya New To Me
I’ve heard this at the now-defunct YOI club night I DJ at, but only got Fatty’s album of covers recently. This is an ODB cover, and his take on Cypress Hill’s Insane In The Brain is also ace. Both come from Supersize, released this year.

11. THE PHARCYDE – Passin’ Me By Rediscovery Of The Month I
From The Pharcyde’s 1992 classic Bizarre Ride II this is just the epitome of early 90s hip hop. That killer organ sample is from Quincy Jones’s Summer In The City, in case you’re wondering.

12. P.M. DAWN – Set Adrift On Memory Bliss Rediscovery Of The Month II
Couldn’t resist putting this on. It was played over the PA in between bands when I went to see the excellent Sleigh Bells at new venue XOYO. It’s from 1996. Ah, memories.

13. DAVE BRUBECK – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Special bonus Xmas song
Bah, humbug.

The Monthly - October 10

1. DUCK SAUCE – Barbra Streisand Hot Off The Press
DJ/producers A-Trak and Armand Van Helden have teamed up for their ‘disco house’ Duck Sauce project. This bouncy number comes with a music-sleb filled video too that’s worth checking out.

2. SPANKROCK – Sweet Talk New To Me
After seeing Baltimore rapper Spankrock tour with Mark Ronson recently, I dug out his record having never quite got round to it before. It’s fantastic party hip hop, with this being my pick of the 2006 album YoYoYoYoYoYo.

3. KANYE WEST – Christian Dior Denim Flow Hot Off The Press
Kanye’s been putting out TONS of free tracks lately, ahead of new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in November. This one features Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Ryan Leslie and, surprisingly, G-Unit man Lloyd Banks.

4. LYKKE LI – Get Some Hot Off The Press
Swedish singer Li put out a great record in 2008, Youth Novels, and this is the first new track from her since then. I love the combination of tribal beats and a massive bassline, so fingers crossed the unconfirmed new album lives up to it.

5. KINGS OF LEON – No Money Hot Off The Press
KOL have always been better on record than live, and new album Come Around Sundown is as good as they’ve done for my money – more mature and, hopefully, with songs that sound like they’ll still be good for a long time to come.

6. ESCORT – Cocaine Blues Hot Off The Press
Escort comprises two producers and a singer from Brooklyn and they’ve come up with a great throwback jam here – a cover of classic reggae song Cocaine In My Brain by Dillinger.

7. JAMAICA – Cross The Fader Hot Off The Press
I know I put Paris’ Jamaica on The Monthly recently but after getting the album I was really impressed by it, so this, the first track from No Problem, makes it on this month. Really fun, upbeat French guitar pop. What’s not to like?

8. KISSES – Kisses Hot Off The Press
LA boy/girl duo Kisses (who, fittingly, look like American Apparel models), claim to be a disco project, though this goes further than that – and they’re influenced by Cerrone, my favourite French disco drumming old man with white hair.

9. CAMERA OBSCURA – French Navy New To Me
I ignored this Scottish band’s My Maudlin Career album when I got it on release in 2009, but heard this lovely track on the radio recently. They also have shades of She & Him, another band who’ve been on The Monthly.

10. TOTO – Hold The Line New To Me
This 1978 track might be familiar to some of you, but I only recently found it on a random compilation – I mainly know it after it was used in the excellent LehtMoJoe remix of Major Lazer’s Hold The Line, which again was on The Monthly.

11. KOERNER, RAY & GLOVER – Linin’ Track New To Me
For the 60th anniversary of the legendary Elektra Records label, Mojo mag gave away a hidden gems CD from the label, and this was one of those. The band were a blues/folk outfit from Minnesota.

12. FLEETWOOD MAC – Man Of The World New To Me
I need to do a concentrated effort on getting to know the first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac, when blues guitarist Peter Green was leading the group before the 70s pop era. All the tracks I stumble on are great, including this from 1969.

13. THE FACES – Tug Of War New To Me
No, not the 60s Rod Stewart band - these guys are from a random Africa compilation that I came across which was generally excellent, but this funk track stood out.

The Monthly - September 10

1. LEFTIES SOUL CONNECTION – Organ Donor New To Me
What might seem like a good-but-not-great funk track really lights up at the 2m51s mark when it unleashes one of the best drum breaks I’ve ever heard. Surprisingly, this is from 2006 and is a cover of DJ Shadow.

2. FIRST CHOICE – This Is The House (Tom Moulton Remix) Hot Off The Press
Remix pioneer Moulton put out a new album of classic Philadelphia disco this month called Philly Re-Grooved, with all tracks benefitting from his magic touch. This one just makes me smile every time but the whole album’s a great listen.

3. BABY HUEY – Listen To Me Rediscovery Of The Month
The Baby Huey Story is an album I’ve had for a long time on vinyl, but only just bagged it digitally, and it’s a tour-de-force of early 70s funk. He had an incredible voice and this is the opening track.

4. MAE WEST – My New Year’s Resolution New To Me
Mae West was famous for her saucy humour and that’s evident from this cheeky little track from 1966 – released when she was 73!!! I found this randomly on iTunes while searching for something else, so that was a bit of a bonus.

5.? & THE MYSTERIANS – 96 Tears New To Me
And staying with 1966 (the best music year ever? Discuss) here’s a garage classic that feels very familiar but I only just got round to owning it. The band hailed from Michigan and I also found their great cover of The Isley Brothers’ Shout.

6. THEM – It’s All Over Now Baby Blue New To Me
I was lucky enough to DJ at Leeds Festival this month and Andy (who invited me along) and I did a spot in the backstage bar one afternoon and traded cover versions. He pulled out this brilliant cover of Dylan, by Van Morrison’s band, Them.

7. FOALS – Spanish Sahara Hot Off The Press
Oxford’s Foals are definitely a thinking man’s indie band, and this, from their recently released second album Total Life Forever, really caught my attention when it came on the radio. Check out the album when you can.

8. DAS RACIST – You Can Sell Anything Hot Off The Press
This New York duo have been getting tips for a little while, but this Diplo-produced track is the first I’ve actually heard of them. There’s something weird and charming about their raps that seems to divide opinion, so see what you think.

9. OK GO – White Knuckles Hot Off The Press
Probably better known for their YouTube dominating videos of late, Chicago’s OK Go could be accused of shifting focus away from their own music, but this new single is a good Prince impression and a great track to me.

10. CAKE – The Distance New To Me
One of those bands that I only know one track of (Short Skirt/Long Jacket) but this 1996 song came on the radio the other day, making it two great tracks out of two for them. I’m afraid to listen to their albums now in case they’re crap.

11. CROOKERS – Put Your Hands On Me New To Me
Speaking of Leeds Festival (see track 6) the nighttime playlists were definitely more lively, and this was a highlight for me. Seeing several thousand jump to this was something I won’t forget in a hurry.

12. FALLULAH – New York, You’re My Concrete Lover Hot Off The Press
I’ve been enjoying a lot of Danish music this month and Fallulah is the standout artist for me. She’s like a Danish Marina & The Diamonds, and at only 25 seems like one to watch. This comes from her album The Black Cat Neighbourhood.

13. ZOLA JESUS – Tower Hot Off The Press
Zola Jesus has been getting a lot of critical attention and recently supported Fever Ray on tour. She’s only 21 and comes from Phoenix. Her new album, Stridulum II is an ambient work of art, with this track typical of her moody sound.

14. KURRAN & THE WOLFNOTES – Your Four Limbs Hot Off The Press
Another month, another gift from 6Music. The band are local to me judging by their press shot taken at St Pancras, and the two tracks I have of theirs are both superb acoustic fare. No album yet, but watch this space.

15. DRY THE RIVER – History Book Hot Off The Press
I caught a friend’s band live recently, but these guys supported and excited me much more. They only have an EP out and I’m seeing them live again soon, and with their echoes of Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and The Low Anthem, I like them a lot.

The Monthly - August 10

1. BEST COAST – Boyfriend Hot Off The Press
Recent Rough Trade album of the month band, Best Coast are a m/f duo from LA, and their hi-fuzz, big chorus combo is a summer winner in my book. New album Crazy For You recently came out on the ever-reliable Wichita label.

2. WAVVES – King Of The Beach Hot Off The Press
More west coast US indie pop, this time from San Diego’s Wavves. This track is the title track from their recently released third record, and again if you cut through the noise there’re some great melodies in there.

3. HURTS – Better Than Love Hot Off The Press
Manchester duo Hurts have been picking up tips since last summer and showed well in the BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll. Their album Happiness is due out in a week and this was their first single from May. Excellent track.

4. LISSIE – Little Lovin’ New To Me
Illinois native Lissie released her debut record, Catching A Tiger, in June, and while it might be a slow burner, now I’ve got into it lately, it’s a real regular for me. Like a much cooler KT Tunstall, with a lot more edge thrown in.

5. SHUGO TOKUMARU – Rum Hee Hot Off The Press
Japanese singer/songwriter Tokumaru only came to my attention through a blog recently, but he’s been releasing music since 2004. This track was used in a Sony ad so immediately brings Jose Gonzalez’s Heartbeats to mind.

6. ARCADE FIRE – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Hot Off The Press
Canada’s Arcade Fire appear to have found unlikely levels of fame, with a #1 album (the recently released Suburbs, from where this comes) and some massive gigs booked. It’s well-deserved – this is a brilliantly crafted song.

7. BELLE & SEBASTIAN – The Boy With The Arab Strap New To Me
This probably falls into the category of “I can’t believe he didn’t know this song before”. Well, I didn’t, but now I do it’s hands down my most played track this month. It comes from their 1998 album of the same name.

8. ROOTS MANUVA FEAT. RIDDLA – Butterfly Crab Walk Hot Off The Press
Always good to have Roots back. Not really sure what the song comes from (other than a random blog) so I can’t say if it’s from a new album or what. Either way, it’s very cool, so it’s on The Monthly!

9. JAMAICA – I Think I Like U 2 Hot Off The Press
French buzz band Jamaica are just starting to release their tracks, and this is their first official single. The production’s lo-fi but it’s got all the trademarks of good French pop, shared by Phoenix, The Teenagers and Housse De Racket.

10. MAXIMUM BALLOON FEAT. THEOPHILUS LONDON– Groove Me Hot Off The Press
This is a solo project of David Sitek of TV On The Radio, and features his production and what he calls some of his favourite voices in the world – including rapper London on this track, as well as Karen O and David Byrne on the album.

11. MAGNETIC MAN – I Need Air Hot Off The Press
While the Mercury nominated Burial put dubstep on the critical map, there’s been a lot of high-brow hype about Magnetic Man, a collective of three dubstep producers. And what starts off here kind of ravey, settles down into a classy dance cut.

12. THEE OH SEES – Ruby Go Home New To Me
Underground hero John Dwyer (of the Coachwhips amongst others) started Thee Oh Sees as a side project, but they’ve now released 11 albums in 6 years. Psychy, grungy and always exciting, they deserve more attention than they’ve had.

13. JUDY COLLINS – Hard Lovin’ Loser New To Me
This came up on a random Elektra compilation and both song and artist are new to me. This was Collins’ debut single in 1967 and she seems to be classed as folk, but this has a much more Lee Hazlewood/Nancy Sinatra vibe to it. Groovy.

14. MEN WITHOUT HATS – The Safety Dance Rediscovery Of The Month I
Totally forgot how awesome this track was till I found a recent instrumental version from the late, great hip hop producer J. Dilla. A top ten hit for this Canadian band in 1983 and it’s already in the bag for next time I DJ.

15. DETROIT SPINNERS – It’s A Shame Rediscovery Of The Month II
New festival Vintage at Goodwood launched this year, and I don’t remember the last time I danced as much as I did in their Soul Casino tent. Norman Jay’s set was a highlight, and he played this classic twice on a night to remember.

The Monthly - July 10

So as I backtrack over the past few months of non-bloggery, I'll put up the few editions of The Monthly that missed out on the blog. I carried on making them and have even added a few subscribers, so that part of the service didn't suffer, so see what you think of the past few months of my recommendations...


1. COZY POWELL – Dance With The Devil New To Me
I chipped in on a conversation choosing the soundtrack to a new advert, and this was one of the options. Drummer Powell was a prolific sticksman with Whitesnake, Rainbow and Brian May amongst many others, until his death in 1998.

2. BOW WOW WOW – I Want Candy (Kevin Shields remix) New To Me
While rooting through someone’s CDs recently I found the soundtrack to Marie Antoinette and this gem stood out for me. The Strangeloves’ version is awesome, but this has got a great 80s-ness to it, with My Bloody Valentine’s Shields remixing it for the soundtrack.

3. SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS – Semi Precious Weapons Hot Off The Press
New York’s SWPs trade highly on their trashiness, like a 2010 New York Dolls. They’ve got the Kate Moss hanging off their arms when they’re here, and Paris Hilton bussing around them in the States. It’s all very faux, but this is a fun track.

4. SCISSOR SISTERS – Night Work Hot Off The Press
I actually delayed listening to the new Scissors album, their third, because I just assumed it’d be okay, but in truth, it’s a tour de force of modern pop songwriting. This is the title track, and it makes want to wear legwarmers every time.

5. PATRICK WOLF – The Magic Position New To Me
I switched off from Wolf a while ago and had no idea he had songs like this in him till I heard it at work. Londoner Wolf was signed to Polydor while I was there and this came out in 2007 just after I’d left, which might explain why I missed it.

6. CHILLY GONZALES – Never Stop Hot Off The Press
Normally just known by his surname, Canadian hipster Gonzales has a new album out now, and he’s as cool as ever. I really like his white-boy raps on this, especially the Beth Ditto line.

7. MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK – Cut Your Hair Hot Off The Press
This reminds me of Little Red and Stagecoach, both of whom have been on the Monthly recently. Americans MCS play pop-punk but this is a more indie affair from their new album My Dinosaur Life.

8. THE MORNING BENDERS – Excuses Hot Off The Press
California’s Morning Benders have made a lot of waves lately, and one listen to this and you’ll hear why. Their dreamy vocals and gorgeous melodies have drawn all sorts of comparisons with many a great band, but just take them on their own merits, I say.

9. WOMEN – Eyesore Hot Off The Press
I find this track really interesting – it’s a bit MGMT, a bit Beach Boys, a bit Pink Floyd. They’re from Alberta, Canada and have the likes of NME and Pitchfork singing their praises. Overhyped? Certainly. Pretty good? Definitely.

10. N.E.R.D. Feat NELLY FURTADO – Hot-N-Fun (Yeasayer Remix) Hot Off The Press
It’s an odd combo, Pharrell’s boys being remixed by hipster favourites Yeasayer, but it definitely works. If you know the recent Yeasayer album (and you should!), a lot of the electro squelches will be familiar to you, and it sits well with N.E.R.D.’s Miami-bass moments.

11. PHAROAHE MONCH – Shine Hot Off The Press
I’ve been a Monch fan for ages since finding him on some mixtapes from legendary hip hop label Rawkus. This comes from his new album We Are Renegades and if you’re new to him, check out Fuck You from the Training Day soundtrack.

12. K’NAAN – T.I.A. New To Me
Somali/Canadian rapper K’Naan is four albums in, but he’s just come to my attention after his track Wavin’ Flags was used on the Coke World Cup ad. The sticker on his album has some mag claiming he’s what Bob Marley would be like if he’d rapped. Not sure about that, but this, his album opener, is a good track.

13. EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS – Desert Song (Turbotito Remix) Hot Off The Press
No sooner had a friend told me about her favourite band (these guys) and a link to a remix of their last single sprang up in my inbox from one of my favourite blogs. Desert Song came out last year but this new remix puts the whole thing in a pretty great Ibiza-y place, keeping Sharpe’s eerie vocals still to the fore.

14. ETTA JAMES – At Last Rediscovery Of The Month
I played this at a wedding I DJed at earlier in the year and it’s such a beautiful track. Originally a Glenn Miller track, this Etta James version comes from 1961. Put it on, turn the lights down and just have yourself a little moment with your loved one. It’ll be worth it.

The Monthly - June 10

1. TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS – The Mighty Sparrow New To Me
Indie punk rocker Leo hails from Indiana and after seeing him recently at the Luminaire, he was so good the albums inevitably found their way to me. This is from his recent release The Brutalist Bricks.

2. THE SMALL FACES – Come On Children New To Me
Classic Band I’ve Only Just Caught Up With #436. Before disbanding in 1969, The Small Faces released 5 albums, and this is the second track from their self-titled 1966 debut. Amazingly heavy 60s workout from a massively influential group.

3. BILLY BALL & THE UPSETTERS – Tighten Up Tighter New To Me
Came across this when looking for the Archie Bell & The Drells original, but this is so fast and funky I bought it too. Can’t find out much on them, but they get bonus points for name-checking Birmingham (albeit the Alabama one).

4. JAMIE LIDELL – Enough’s Enough Hot Off The Press
Taken from Lidell’s recent Beck produced album, Compass, this is the Cambridgeshire lad at his most accessible, channeling the many soul influences that run through his less-arty tracks.

5. HOT 8 BRASS BAND – What’s My Name? New To Me
This was played by fellow Young Offenders Institute DJ Dave amongst his excellent soul and funk set. It came out in 2008 and is a good addition to any leftfield cover versions playlist (it’s Snoop Dogg, obvs).

6. LITTLE RED – It’s Alright New To Me
These Aussie guys released their debut album in 2008 but it’s only just come my way. Their album, Listen To Little Red is a great indie pop record and this track reminds me a lot of The Feelies’ Let’s Go.

7. THE TEENAGERS – Made Of Hot Off The Press
Been hanging out with lots of French bands lately, and these guys have just released this new track, following on from their 2008 debut album. It’s as catchy as I always expect and hope French bands to be, and I’m glad I’ve found them.

8. UNICORN KID – Dream Catcher Hot Off The Press
Not for those who don’t like beepy computer game dance, but I know some of y’all do. 18 year old Unicorn Kid is from Edinburgh and has been releasing music since he was 15, but is now just going overground. Worth keeping an eye on.

9. !!! – AM/FM Hot Off The Press
Pronounced Chk Chk Chk, !!! are somewhat unknown to me. This track, a sample from the Californian band’s new album Strange Weather, Isn’t It? shows off their dance punk credentials perfectly.

10. SLEIGH BELLS - Kids New To Me
Signed to MIA’s label NEET, the hectic, noisy, punky pop of course has shades of MIA, but the Brooklyn duo are a little less “throw the kitchen sink at it”. They released their new record Treats last month.

11. THE BLACK KEYS – Next Girl Hot Off The Press
A favourite of mine for a while, Black Keys seem to be more visible than ever, and their new album, Brothers, comes hot on the heels of their Monthly-featured hip hop record Blakroc.

12. THE COOL KIDS – Great Outdoors Hot Off The Press
Midwest USA’s The Cool Kids have featured on The Monthly before, and their new track is good enough for me to make it again. I like their lyrics – all everyday life while still sounding cooler than I could ever hope to be.

13. BLACK SHEEP – The Choice Is Yours New To Me
In New York recently, my favourite TV ad was for Kia cars and featured some awesome CGI hamsters bouncing around town in a car listening to this. Catch the advert here featuring this Queens duo’s song from 2000.

14. ROBYN – Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do Hot Off The Press
You all know about Robyn, and her new album (the first of two this year) is pretty good, with this being the highlight. It’s gone straight on my Scandopop playlist.

15. GRUM – Turn It Up Hot Off The Press
Grum is the second new Scottish dance producer this month, and although I can’t find anything about the female singer on this track, its shades of Madonna have made it a regular listen for me this month.

16. HOT HOT HEAT – Bandages Rediscovery Of The Month
These Canadians have got some new material out which is good, but it made me come back to this, their 2003 single, a staple of all good modern indie discos.

Thanks to anyone who passed on tips this month – you know who you are

The Monthly - May 10

Word up. May’s here, the summer’s already been and gone, and you hold in your hands a very special The Monthly. This is the third one I’ve done in the month of May, so I suppose that means I’m entering my third year of The Monthly. That’s kind of cool.


1. THE NATIONAL TRUST – Brownsea Island – Waves Lapping Along The Shore Hot Off The Press
No, this isn’t some speccy indie band from Shoreditch (though it would be a good name for one). This is an album from the actual National Trust of sounds recorded around some of their properties. The whole album’s free from their website and if you think it’s got a tenuous connection to actual music, then rest assured it qualifies for inclusion here because it was recorded by Mr. Jarvis Cocker. Nice.

2. ARCADE FIRE – Month Of May Hot Off The Press
This was a very late addition to the line up here. Two new tracks leaked from the forthcoming, and hotly awaited, Arcade Fire album, The Suburbs. The web is awash with discussion about them, talk of a concept album, change of direction, this, that and the other. I try not to get too side-tracked by that stuff. This is a great, raucous song and as you’ll see from its title, deserves inclusion here anyway.

3. THE REDSKINS – The Power is Yours New To Me
I keep a list of any songs I hear that I want to track down, and this was on that list, though I’ve no idea why. Possibly 6Music. Anyway, The Redskins were an English, left wing punk band and this was a single for them in 1986. It’s an odd, but I think appealing, mix of teddy boy rock and 80s punkiness.

4. THE ROLLING STONES – Pass The Wine Hot Off The Press
A new Stones track? Hell YES. You’ve probably noticed the fuss around the reissue this month of the seminal Exile On Main Street and with that came several ‘lost’ tracks from the 1972 sessions. Ardent Stones fans already knew of them, but to the rest of us, these are as good as new. If you don’t own the album, which reached #1 after Universal dropped a shed load of marketing cash, now’s the time to buy it.

5. THE DEAD WEATHER – Hustle And Cuss Hot Off The Press
I was surprised at how quickly The Dead Weather came back with a new album, but then Jack White is clearly the hardest working man in rock, so why wouldn’t he follow up a recent Raconteurs record with a new Dead Weather one? It had mixed reviews but the opening couple of tracks, of which this is one, are as good a pair of rockers as you’ll hear all year.

6. LEE MOSES – Time And Place New To Me
I was reading an article on record collecting, and famed DJ and collector Norman Jay cited Lee Moses’ Time And Place album as one of the most desirable out there. While I haven’t yet found it on vinyl, it’s easy to get from iTunes. Its notoriety probably comes from a combination of rare, soulful and funky music, and some notable covers, including Hey Joe, Day Tripper and Reach Out (I’ll Be There).

7. THE HOLD STEADY – We Can Get Together Hot Off The Press
One of the most emotive bands out there, for me. Singer Craig Finn’s vocals are painfully touching and I was lucky enough to see them perform this track live at a festival last year, several month’s ahead of its recent release on the album Heaven Is Whenever. Actually, the album title and the song title combine to give the chorus of this track. And that’s a fact you can take to the bank, my friends.

8. DIANE BIRCH – Rewind Hot Off The Press
Ms Birch was on Jools Holland recently and, I hate to be so brash, but it was kind of hard to take your eyes off her. She is beautiful. The songs she performed were good too, but this track, an iTunes single of the week, was the best of the lot. It’s about as MOR as I’ll ever get, but I’m sure some of you will like it too.

9. ELI “PAPERBOY” REED – Name Calling New To Me
Paperboy’s just put out his second album, called Come And Get It, and a friend (and fellow Monthly subscriber – hi Dan!) asked me along to see him live at the Scala. He’s a fantastic performer, and his soul revivalism is something similar to Mayer Hawthorne (who was on December’s The Monthly), and as a devout Motown/Stax/Atlantic fan, that’s fine by me.

10. THE PIONEERS – Poor Rameses New To Me
I finally got rid of a ton of books recently, including some music ones. There just didn’t seem much point keeping them, you know? But one that went was called Young, Gifted & Black and was the story of legendary reggae label, Trojan Records. It came with a free CD of Trojan tracks, of which this is one. And when better to find some new reggae than on the cusp of summer?

11. KID SISTER – Life On TV Hot Off The Press
Fittingly, Kid Sister appeared on the very first The Monthly, back in May 2008, and here she is again with her new track. She threatened at one point to really break overground, but hasn’t quite made that. However, I still think she’s making some cool music, so maybe we’ll see her again on May 2012’s CD.

12. BIG BOI – Shutterbug Hot Off The Press
I know I included a Big Boi (off of Outkast) track recently but this is too good not to go on. It’s already on the Radio 1 playlist so you might have heard it, but it definitely bodes well for his forthcoming album, the ludicrously titled Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty. Check out the ace video on the blog.

13. M.I.A. – Born Free Hot Off The Press
Technically this is hot off the press (in the sense that it came out after the last Monthly) but has been out for a few weeks so if you like this kind of thing you may already know of it. It’s very M.I.A. – bonkers, brilliant and loud, though I have heard some dissenters say that it’s just not as good as they’d hoped for.

14. KELIS – Acapella Hot Off The Press
The new Kelis album, Fleshtone, is blindingly good – she’s moved away from her R&B roots and has come out with an album of fantastically good modern disco. It’s much more in the same space as Goldfrapp and Robyn, but more disco-y than either. If you’re new to her then this is the time at which to check the former Mrs. Nas out.

15. WE ARE SCIENTISTS – Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt Rediscovery Of The Month
There’s a massive marketing/ad agency that I work with and every now and then they throw gigs in their enormous lobby with a free bar for a bunch of marketing/ad folk, and their recent one featured Sway and We Are Scientists. So that’s where this track comes from – I’ve liked it for a long time (it’s from 2005’s With Love And Squalor album), though strangely it’s never really encouraged me to delve deeper into the New York-based duos other stuff. Nonetheless, it’s a good track.


Thanks to anyone who passed on tips this month – you know who you are

The Monthly - April 10

In amongst the moving boxes and other assorted piles of crap that have occupied much of the past month, I’ve had the shining beacon that is The Monthly to keep me going, so hopefully the collection below will please you too. No mix CD this time round, (did anyone like that at all?) but I enjoyed doing it so I’m sure there will be another one soon.


1. THE BESNARD LAKES – And This Is What We Call Progress Hot Off The Press
The Besnards are one of those bands much-lauded by the Rough Trades of the world, and as that’s generally a pretty reliable sign of quality, I was keen to hear their new record, The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night. It’s a dense, heady affair, full of big chords coupled with a great ear for a melody, which is what sets these Canadians apart for me. This track is one of their heavier moments and a great way to kick off this month.

2. HOLY FUCK – Latin America Hot Off The Press
And staying with Canadian acts, Holy Fuck are a band whose name probably does them no favours. They’re much more considered and classy than their expletive-laden moniker suggests, and their new album, Latin, promises to deliver more songs like this – atmospheric, lyric-free electronica. Like a less depressing Unkle, really.

3. SHY CHILD – The Beatles Hot Off The Press
Shy Child nearly made it onto last month’s compilation, but were dropped at the last minute. Not so, this time round. The New York duo are cut from the same sonic cloth as French hipsters Phoenix, which can’t be a bad thing, and this track is a beautifully crafted synth-pop tune that comes from their forthcoming fourth album, Liquid Love (insert semen-based joke here).

4. MALE BONDING – Year’s Not Long Hot Off The Press
Male Bonding are up there with Passion Pit, Grizzly Bear and The Muslims as far as blog hype goes, and they come from suitably hip London neighbourhood Dalston. They’re signed to home of indie-cred, Sub-Pop, so reams of NME hyperbole seem to be assured, but this is a fierce and assured track that proves they’ve got the chops to back the hype up.

5. TEENAGE FANCLUB – Baby Lee Hot Off The Press
I know some of you subscribers are (or were in your youth) big Teenage Fanclub fans, so I hope having them back will be a bonus for you. This is a really pretty track which I’m told is about singer Norman Blake imploring his girlfriend to marry him. Sweet. It comes from their soon to be released album Shadows.

6. THE DICKIES – Banana Splits New To Me
I saw Kick-Ass this month and loved it, not least because it was on a cinema screen that was apparently the size of four double-decker buses. And it had speakers to match, so the soundtrack quite literally blew me away. This is one of the many highlights from it - The Dickies were an American punk outfit and this track was actually a #7 UK hit for them in 1979.

7. BAND OF HORSES – Compliments Hot Off The Press
It’s great to have Seattle’s Band Of Horses back (another Sub-Pop act, in fact). They will always hold a very special place in my heart for giving me what is undoubtedly my favourite gig ever in the tiny Bush Hall a couple of years ago, so anything they do is alright by me. Compliments comes from their album Infinite Arms, out in May. They’re bound to be doing the festivals this year, so catch ‘em if you can.

8. BODEGA GIRLS – Primetime Sexcrime Hot Off The Press
Gone out on a little bit of a limb on this one – I don’t really think it’s got massive long term appeal, but it’s a fun, bouncy track that’s amused me this month, so I thought I’d share it. The verses remind me of The Hold Steady’s mighty vocalist, Craig Finn, but the chorus is perhaps a little bit too Len (Steal My Sunshine) to get me any massive cred for including it. Enjoy it while the sun’s out.

9. DAMIAN “JR GONG” MARLEY & NAS – As We Come Hot Off The Press
Ah yes, what a fricking great track this is. The Nas/Marley collabo has had tongues wagging for a bit and this track, the first to appear a few weeks back, doesn’t disappoint. My favourite line from Nas: “My man can speak patois/And I can speak rap star”. The album, Distant Relatives, features both of the stars throughout and comes in May – Marley’s first since 2005’s breakthrough awesomeWelcome To Jamrock.

10. BUDDY MILES – Them Changes New To Me
Buddy Miles, drummer extraordinaire with many notables but chiefly Hendrix, was a great singer too, and I recently put on the blog some great footage of him performing this track with Jimi. So I dug out the original and it’s a belter, and a track I didn’t know before. If you like groovy old rock, then I think you’ll dig this.

11. GIORGIO MORODER – Son Of My Father New To Me
Giorgio Moroder is best known for his film scores, winning three Oscars for his soundtrack work for Top Gun, Midnight Express and Flashdance. But before that, in the early 70s (’72 to be precise) he released an album called Son Of My Father, which was recently put my way by an ever-reliable source of cool old shit. And the whole album’s terrific – sure, it’s got its moments of crazy 70s over-indulgence, but mostly it’s a very funky, very groovy slice of pop. This glam title track is especially rockin’. Worth seeking out…

12. THE GRASSROOTS – You And Love Are The Same New To Me
This is one of those random ones – I’ve had it on a breakbeat vinyl compilation for a long time, but never thought to seek it out on CD, until now. I know nothing about the band (who aren’t even credited on the vinyl), but at the 1m10s mark, you’ll see why this nice little 60s pop track was included on a breakbeat compilation in the first place. It is, as they say, dope.

13. JETHRO TULL – Living In The Past New To Me
Sure, bands named after 17th century agriculturalists aren’t always the coolest ones, but this 1969 single from the Tull, heard by me recently on 6Music, is not really what I think of when I think of this beardy lot who have flutes on their songs, so I was amazed to hear who it was. Perhaps there’s more to this lot than meets the eye.

14. ALBERT HAMMOND – It Never Rains In Southern California Rediscovery Of The Month
Hands down the song I’ve listened to the most over the past few months. I wrote on the blog a couple of years ago about Albert Hammond (father of Strokes man, AH Jr) - he’s one of the all-time greatest songwriters, and here’s my favourite of his from his debut album of the same name from 1972. Credit where it’s due – this is here thanks to the Greenberg soundtrack, the new Ben Stiller film. As a soundtrack it’s mostly excellent original music by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, but it also has brilliantly picked catalogue tracks, including this and the rocking Jet Airliner by Steve Miller Band. Definitely worth treating yourself to.

The Monthly - March 10

It’s nearly April – how the hell did that happen??? Spring looks like it might be here at last and that seems to be putting a bit of life into everyone’s step, and that’s definitely showing itself in this edition of The Monthly. As ever, there’s new and old, obscure and mainstream, pop and off-the-beaten-track, but they’re all tracks I’ll happily recommend to help you get you through this seasonal transition. Hope you like.

1. SILVERY – You Give A Little Love New To Me
The recent threat of closure to the BBC's 6Music has probably done the station a massive favour on the one hand, with listening figures undoubtedly increasing with all the publicity. And I'd count myself in that. It's a great station, for sure, and this track is just one of the many gems I've heard in their daytime schedule. It could almost have been my Rediscovery of this month but I don't feel like I ever really 'knew' it. As you may know, it comes from the soundtrack to Bugsy Malone (1976) but it's a cut above the usual film music fare, and that's due to being written and performed by Paul Williams, a writer who also penned tracks for The Monkees, The Carpenters and Three Dog Night.

2. THE SUGARCUBES - Hit New To Me
And another track from my recent burst of 6Music listening. This is the sort of track that my older sister was probably listening to when it was released in 1991 while I was permanently damaging my hearing with heavy metal, so this never grabbed me first time round. It comes from The Sugarcubes' album Stick Around For Joy and was a top 20 single for the Icelanders, who of course counted the inimitable Bjork as their lead singer. Shame about the regrettable rap half way through though, but that's a minor gripe.

3. LINDSTROM & CHRISTABELLE – Baby Can’t Stop Hot Off The Press
Norwegian producer Hans-Peter Lindstrom has worked with a million people and has a discography as long as your arm, but I've never heard of any of them before. But having seen this track on vinyl in Rough Trade recently I was glad to find it online. The singer is fellow Norwegian, Christabelle, and the pair's love of Motown and disco is written all over this. A good early summer track.

4. FRIENDLY FIRES – Hold On Hot Off The Press
This track came out this month from a new EP, where St. Albans' Friendly Fires cover Brooklyn band Holy Ghost, and vice versa. It's a chunky, arty affair and is another good stop-gap before the new Friendly Fires album comes along.

5. FOOL’S GOLD – Surprise Hotel New To Me
Fool's Gold received a lot of press last year, but I failed to catch up with them then. Part of the reason I didn't immediately hunt them down was because I assumed they were a run-of-the-mill indie band, a lazy assumption based on their (presumably coincidental) Stone Roses'-referencing name. A friend recently included this track in his DJ set and I spotted instantly that they were a different kettle of fish. From LA, Fool's Gold are probably the most overt in their use of African rhythms of all the bands that have recently done this. The whole (self-titled) album's a breezy affair and well worth checking out.

6. BROKEN BELLS – The Mall & Misery Hot Off The Press
This track oozes the quality and class that's all over the Broken Bells' recently released self-titled debut album. And that's no surprise given that the two men behind the band are DJ Dangermouse (Gnarls Barkley, The Grey Album, The Shortwave Set) and James Mercer, singer with The Shins. I feared that the collaboration might be a little too 'experimental' (after Dangermouse's bizarre David Lynch work), so was relieved to find a bunch of great indie-pop songs that get better with each listen.

7. LAWRENCE ARABIA – Apple Pie Bed Hot Off The Press
Lawrence Arabia were on a radio session recently and seem to have a good way with catchy tracks. The name is actually that taken by New Zealand artist James Milne and this song comes from his recent second album, Chant Darling.

8. THE AVETT BROTHERS – If It’s The Beaches New To Me
The Avett Brothers were on The Monthly in October but after seeing them play an absolutely amazing show in London recently, I've dug into their back catalogue and so they make a return here this month, with a track from 2006’s The Gleam EP. They specialise in country rock, but it's definitely left of centre stuff, but this track is pure gold. It's an almost heartbreaking plea for a second chance and I don't mind admitting it made me shed a tear when I saw it live.

9. THE STRANGE BOYS – Be Brave Hot Off The Press
The Strange Boys come highly recommended to me and this track, from their recent album of the same name is definitely reminiscent of some of the best Nuggets-era garage rock. The band, from Austin, Texas, have already released five EPs but this track comes from their second album, out this year.

10. JIMI HENDRIX – Mr. Bad Luck Hot Off The Press
'New' releases from Jimi Hendrix are obviously something to generally treat with caution, but this track comes from the highly-praised album Valleys Of Neptune that recently came out. It contains tracks that have all come out in one form or another before but the difference with this release is the excellent production on these new versions, handled mostly by members of the Hendrix clan, which makes it sound like a thoroughly modern album.

11. THE BRONX – White Guilt New To Me
Mariachi El Bronx, the Mariachi side project of LA hardcore band The Bronx, featured on September's The Monthly but it took me till now to look into The Bronx themselves. Another track that I heard being DJ'ed this month, White Guilt comes from the band's 2006 second album (The Bronx II) and compared to some of their more furious stuff, this is practically a ballad for them.

12. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – Rollercoaster Of Love Rediscovery Of The Month
I've been after this song for a long time and got lucky coming across it given that it's not really properly available, and I was pleased to find it still holds up (well, I think it does). You might remember that it was recorded for the Beavis & Butthead movie in 1996, but you might not know that it's a cover of a 1975 Ohio Players track. Admittedly, the Chili Peppers can be a bit Marmite, but I've always quite liked their fun music, which seems to be in complete contrast to their habit of taking themselves too seriously. Still, glad to finally have this in my collection.

The Monthly - February 10

It’s been a hell of a month, but as ever there’s been a ton of great music to keep me company, and the new bits are what you have below. In addition to still blasting out Vampire Weekend’s Contra regularly, new albums from Hot Chip and Yeasayer have especially been bothering my headphones, and both have tracks on February’s The Monthly. I’ve also discovered a brilliant record shop, Flashback on the Essex Road in Islington, and have had my busiest ever DJ month (with all setlists on the blog), so it really has been a musical month. Listen on to see what the results of that are…

1. Hot Chip - Thieves In The Night Hot Off The Press
The Hot Chip album has dominated my headphones this month, and this, the opening track from their new album One Life Stand, is my favourite. It's typical of how good this band are - massive ravey beats reined in by soft vocals and killer melodies. The whole album's a treasure, and to trot out that tired music-critic phrase, it's surely an early contender for album of the year. Go buy it.

2. Yeasayer - O.N.E. Hot Off The Press
I had the Yeasayer album for a few weeks before bothering to put it on - something about the name made me put them in the non-urgent pile. What a mistake-a to make-a! When I put it on I was very pleasantly surprised to find a record that was not only diverse and interestingly different, but crucially, very listenable. The Brooklyn trio are often labeled 'experimental', and while that's true for a fair bit of their recent album Odd Blood, it's not true for tracks such as this, which combines afro-rhythms, squelchy noises and hook-y choruses, but plays like it’s a straight up quality pop track. Go buy this too.

3. Goldfrapp - Rocket Hot Off The Press
Alison Goldfrapp's released some great singles over the years, and the same tracks released by Kylie or Girls Aloud would have shot straight to the higher reaches of the charts. This is her latest pop gem, released about a month ago - it's superbly disco with its "whoa whoa whoa" chorus and synth stabs and comes from her forthcoming album Head First, out in March.

4. Kid Cudi Feat. Kanye West, Common and Lady Gaga - I Poke Her Face New To Me
The misheard lyric of Gaga's Poker Face forms the basis for this X-rated remix. There are some cool rhymes on here, but it's really Gaga's vocals that are the star, with the stripped down beat really putting the spotlight on her awesome lyrical hooks.

5. Gorillaz Feat. Mos Def & Bobby Womack - Stylo (Chiddy Bang remix) Hot Off The Press
Chiddy Bang were featured on last June’s The Monthly, and here they are remixing the fab new Gorillaz single. In truth they don't add a lot to the track, just a couple of rapped verses, but the song's another worthy addition to the Albarn canon. Mos Def sounds like he's calling in from another planet, and Damon's typically lackadaisical singing gives Stylo bags of atmosphere. Weirdly though, Bobby Womack’s vocals seemed to have vanished from this remix, so make sure you catch the original too.

6. William S. Burroughs - Words Of Advice New To Me
Like the evil B-side of Baz Luhrmann's …Sunscreen, this gem of a track offers Burroughs' advice for young people, set to music provided by American duo The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy (remember them?!?). The track comes from the 1992 album Spare Ass Annie And Other Tales, and came five years before Burroughs died.

7. John Kongos - He's Gonna Step On You Again New To Me
I've wanted this track for the longest time, and now I have it, after the planets aligned and remembered I wanted it while sitting in front of iTunes. I also found it on vinyl too, which is a result. One listen and I'm sure you'll be able to tell that this is the original of the Happy Mondays' baggy classic Step On, and I guess it can be considered a good bit of pop trivia that that Madchester high point was a cover. South African Kongos actually scored a #4 hit in the UK with this song, and it's definitely going to be a record bag staple for me now.

8. Pekeniques - Polucion New To me
I randomly came across this soul compilation recently, called Sensacional Vol. 2 and this little nugget was on there, along with a dozen or so other crackers. No idea about the band but they know how to turn a tune out, that's for sure.

9. The Music Machine - Talk Talk New To Me
I do like a good bit of 60s garage rock, and this is certainly that. A top 20 single in '66 in the US, this is pop-y enough to not be a headache to listen to (like some old garage rock can be) but it's dirty enough to know you're listening to men who probably never washed, which is reassuring. This cropped up when I saw the band's best of on vinyl in HMV for under a tenner - never heard of them before, but they looked the part and as luck would have it, they sound the part too.

10. Charlotte Gainsbourg - Heaven Can Wait Hot Off The Press
Beck's chipped in with Gainsbourg Jr for her new album IRM and it sounds all the better for it. This could well be a Beck original, and the whole album's a little like that, but I don't think it would be too imaginary to say that it's also got a healthy dose of feminie gallic charm about it too. The album's just come out and the video for this song is amazing, and well worth checking out on the blog.

11. Junip - Azaleadalen Hot Off The Press
The most notable member of Junip is one Jose Gonzalez, and the Swedish trio are looking to release their debut album this year. Another track is on the web, called Chickens and it's arguably better than this, so seek it out on rcrdlbl.com.

12. Tom Waits - (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night New To Me
I don't know much about Tom Waits, but he's another one of those on my list of people to discover that I'm always referring to. I stumbled upon his Asylum Years compilation and this track struck me on first listen - it's from his 1974 record The Heart Of Saturday Night and sounds like it had quite an influence on Springsteen amongst others. It’s much more tender than I always took him for.

13. Dire Straits - Romeo & Juliet New To Me
Sure, they're not the most credible of bands but I sure fell in love with this song when I heard it on Dermot O'Leary's radio show (he actually played the Killers' recent cover, but I upgraded to the original). It's from their 1980 album, Making Movies, which explains why I didn't know it. Like a lot of people my age (I suspect), their 1985 Brothers In Arms album was massive for me as a kid, so this track was a little before my time. So much back catalogue, so little time! It's a sweet ballad with some lovely lines in it, but manages to stay on the hopeful side of lost love, rather than descending into melancholy.

14. Rod Stewart - Baby Jane Rediscovery Of The Month
1983's Body Wishes was another back catalogue album that I found this month, and I didn't expect much from it. But when this track cropped up, I was instantly transported back to the early 80s. I knew right away that this must have been a big single at the time (as I assumed that that was why it was so familiar to me) and sure enough it was a #1. Okay, so it may have a little of the guilty pleasure about it, but I'm still loving it. Apparently Belle & Sebastian covered it, but I can't find that. Anyone?


Thanks to anyone who passed on tips this month – you know who you are