JANUARY PLAYLIST

It’s that time again to look back on what’s been playing in Monkey Mansions. Feel a bit guilty about not including a Bob Dylan track seeing as how I played over twenty of his LPs this month but competition is tough. Ten songs in 27 minutes and a winner every one.

1. Sister Rosetta Tharpe – “This Train” (1946)
Wonderful to see Tharpe gather a new batch of admirers this month. Easy to hear why.

2. Graham Bond Organization – “Long Legged Baby” (1964)
Mr. Bond, ably assisted by Messer’s Baker, Bruce and especially Heckstall-Smith, tears it up.

3. Melvin Davis – “It’s No News” (1964)
A clippity-cloppity dancer featuring the immortal lines “If a monkey rode a donkey on a trip to the moon and got back by noon – that’s news” is more than enough to secure a place in this month’s highlights.

4. Q65 – “Cry In The Night” (1966)
Few beat combos could out-punk the Pretty Things like Dutch delinquents Q65.

5. The Golden Dawn – “My Time” (1967)
This is the way to make a psychedelic garage record.

6. Jim Sullivan – “U.F.O.” (1969)
Jim Sullivan had the voice of a giant singing marshmallow. Maybe he still has, but he vanished into thin air in 1975. An alien abduction seems the most likely explanation.

7. New York Dolls – “(There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown” (1974)
My money’s on the other guy. Johansen and the other Dolls can hardly stand, bless ‘em.

8. The Sea Urchins – “Pristine Christine” (1987)
The Sea Urchins were hindered by having a singer whose voice peeled the paper from damp bedsit walls but with the jingle-jangle set to ten it provides just enough distraction.

9. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – “Hawk” (2010)
How can fair maiden Isobel be responsible for this junkyard howl “Green Onions”?

10. Lloyd Cole – “Westchester County Jail” (2010)
There were about four contenders from Broken Record. This is the most “instant”.

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SPOTIFY PICK #4: MONKEY PICKS OF 2010

Every man, woman and blog is doing their end of year “best of” list so here are my favourite 20 songs from 2010. They aren’t in order of preference but sequenced for your listening pleasure. Spotify users click on the link at the bottom.

Oh, if I had to pick only one "Heartbreaker" by Girls just edges "You Are Not Alone" by Mavis Staples. Roky Erickson wins best album for True Love Cast Out All Evil.

The Jim Jones Revue – High Horse
The Vaccines – Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)
Frankie & The Heartstrings – Tender
Girls - Heartbreaker
Roky Erickson with Okkervil River – Ain’t Blues Too Sad
The Silver Factory – The Sunshines Over You
Race Horses – Cake
The Black Angels – Telephone
Demon’s Claws – At The Disco
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – No Place To Fall
The School – I Want You Back
Belle and Sebastian – Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
Pete Molinari – Streetcar Named Desire
Paul Weller – Fast Car/Slow Traffic
Gil Scott-Heron – Running
The Coral – Two Faces
The Clientele – Minotaur
Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Say No To Love
Manic Street Preachers – Golden Platitudes

Click Here for Spotify Playlist: Monkey Picks of 2010

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SEPTEMBER PLAYLIST

For September gurls and boys.

1. Porgy and the Monarchs – “If It’s For Real” (1965)
Not much seems to be known about Porgy and the Monarchs but a listen to the brush then swish of the strings, the empty room acoustics, the tearful atmosphere, the consoling harmonies, the impeccable arrangement, the drum clicks like footsteps walking in to the lonely night, the heartache and the heartbreak, and it tells you all you need to know.

2. Bo Diddley – “Ooh Baby” (1966)
What a groove.

3. July – “The Way” (1968)
Not the album version by these UK psychsters but the even freakier sitar molesting pots and pans version on the flip of “Hello, Who’s There?”

4. The Staple Singers – “You’ve Got To Earn It” (1971)
Horns ‘n’ harmonica, flute, the kitchen sink and some typically right-on fist clenching positivity are thrown in to this not-much-like-the-original Tempts number by the fabulous Staples.

5. Pigbag – “Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag” (1981)
Let’s have a look at Queen’s Park Rangers’ scores so far this season: 4-0, 3-0, 2-0, 2-2, 3-0, 3-0, 2-0, 3-0. All together now: “Dood dood, dood-dod, HOOPS! Dood dood, dooo-doo/ Dood- dood, dood-dod, HOOPS! Dood dood, dooo-doo”.

6. The Black Crowes – “She Talks To Angels” (1990)
Long ago and worlds apart I was sat in a Vegas bar and told I looked like Chris Robinson. I didn’t but it made my night.

7. Race Horses – “Cake” (2009)
Watch the video on YouTube, then come back and thank me.

8. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – “No Place To Fall” (2010)
Hawk covers much ground including a crafty reworking of Bettye LaVette’s “Let Me Down Easy” (“Come Undone”), some spiky blues (“Get Behind Me”) but the highlight is the graceful folk/country/soul of “No Place To Fall”.

9. The Black Angels – “Telephone” (2010)
Phosphene Dream finds the Angels cutting back on the fat to show a leaner, meaner, laying off the munchies side. It’s still dense with heavy stoner rock but the load is lightened with a couple of blasts of twanging garage punk with Barrettesque breaks.

10. The Crookes – “Backstreet Lovers” (2010)
Their Smiths-scented new 45 won’t change anyone’s life but it bobs along pleasantly enough.