MAY PLAYLIST

From the offices (that’ll be the kitchen) of Monkey Mansions this month.

1. Al Tousan – “Whirlaway” (1958)
Allen Toussaint’s first single. A rollin’ and a tumblin’ New Orleans piano boogie that would have Jools Holland frothing at the mouth and even more incomprehensible than usual.

2. Brother Jack McDuff – “What'd I Say” (1966)
Brother Jack’s A Change Is Gonna Come is a hipster’s shady: half a pint of jazz and half a pint of soul; with a swift blues chaser for good measure.

3. Spencer Wiggins – “Lonely Man” (1967)
Wiggins was, and is, even less celebrated than his Memphis soul brother and Goldwax label mate James Carr. Both shockingly under appreciated.

4. Big Maybelle – “Do Lord” (1968)
It says 1968 on the label but this gospel belter could be from ten, twenty years earlier or ten, twenty years later. Record of the month. (Type it into YouTube).

5. Ann Bailey – “Sweeping Your Dirt Under My Rug” (1973)
From the new Kent compilation Manhattan Soul. Not played the rest, just went straight to this due to the title and wasn’t disappointed.

6. The Rezillos – “Somebody’s Gonna Get They Head Kicked In Tonight” (1978)
Not sure the sight of a bunch of camp glam punkers is very threatening but this is infectious stuff; as is the whole of Can’t Stand The Rezillos. They even polished one of Dave Clark’s turds which is some achievement.

7. Suede – “Killing Of A Flash Boy” (1993)
Seeing as I saw Suede play three different albums this month, it’s only right to pick one of theirs. They did this as an encore on two occasions. Not bad for a B-side.

8. The Balcony Shirts Band – “Taarabt’s Too Good For You” (2011)
A song made by suburban shopkeepers, about a West London football team, named after a maverick Moroccan, makes the iTunes Country Top 20. The reviewer from the Guardian called it “the ‘Hickory Wind’ of football songs.” I so wish I’d thought of that.

9. John Baker – “Rain Falls Down” (2011)
The ghost of Ronnie Lane smiles knowingly over John Baker’s shoulder on his fine debut Merry Go Round album. That said, “Rain Falls Down” is more “Dead Flowers” than “Debris".

10. The Silver Factory – “Tomorrow’s Today” (2011)
The forthcoming Silver Factory LP is the Stone Roses/Byrdsy record I’ve been desperate for someone to make – now they have. When it comes out I’ll tell you more, but for now make a note in your moleskin.
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