You may not have noticed but August has been a great month for new music releases and it’s only going to get better. Here are some of my favourite finds from the past month.

Monday – Joe Hill’s Ashes – Otis Gibbs

Otis Gibbs is a folk musician hailing from Wannamaker, Indiana. He is part of that long tradition of socially and politically aware singer-songwriters from America. His songs are about the common people, the people who are just going day by day trying to survive. He is a very honest songwriter and performer; he does pull the punches, but still manages to create some beautiful and powerful music. He has a grizzled voice perfectly suited to the music he sings. A voice which brings the characters and stories embedded within his songs alive.

Tuesday – Colourful Day – Alan Pownall

Alan Pownall is a singer-songwriter from North London, he has just been signed to a major label, and his debut album True Love Stories has just been released. His music is a wonderful blend of folk and pop, and shows a real talent for song writing. "Colourful Day" is a prime example of this, with some beautiful lyrics and some great pop moments. It’s always nice to find an album that lives up to the promise of one particular track.

Wednesday – The Suburbs – Arcade Fire

The mighty Arcade Fire have returned. To be honest, I could have put any one of the sixteen tracks from their new album The Suburbs here as they are all great. The band have lost none of their expansive sound, but have still managed to experiment a little, and some tracks like "Month of May" take a completely different approach. Not only that, the album seems to work on a number of levels, and the more you listen, the more you begin to appreciate the band’s skill at interweaving ideas and themes throughout. It all comes together to create what is possibly the best album this year, and possibly for a couple of years to come. Here’s hoping we get an Australian tour soon.

Thursday – What Good Am I? –Tom Jones

Tom Jones has created perhaps one of the best records of the year with his new album of covers, Praise and Blame. It’s a largely stripped back affair, a Johnny Cash (he even sounds a little bit like him in this track) album of sorts - or at the very least reminiscent of Cash’s more recent albums, with producer Rick Rubin. The advantage of having the sound stripped right back is that it really highlights the quality of Jones’ voice, whilst it has no doubt aged; it has also certainly matured, and is perfect for the approach he is taking to these tracks. The understated percussion and guitar coupled with Jones’ vocals make "What Good Am I" a very atmospheric and moving album opener.

Friday – Ghosts – Basement Birds

For those that don’t know, the Basement Birds are a super group of sorts, made up of Josh Pyke, Kevin Mitchell (Bob Evans, Jebediah), Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe) and Steve Parkin. As a resident of WA it’s great to see an Australian super group that is at least 75% West Australian. Separately they make some great ARIA winning music; collectively it all comes together to make something great. Ghosts has some great lyrical moments, with some solid and accomplished vocals throughout. It’s really quite a striking and moving track.

Available on iTunes Now!

Saturday – Blood To Gold – Boy & Bear

Boy & Bear are a quartet hailing from Sydney; who make some really wonderful music, reminiscent of 70s Folk Rock. They have a sound which at times both familiar and fresh. I would certainly be inclined to group them with artists like Mumford and Sons and Fleet Foxes. They create some wonderfully multi-layered music. The lead vocals are particularly strong and engaging, and then the backing vocals will kick in and take it to a whole new level. Having seen them live, I can tell you that these guys can do harmonies, and do them extremely well. Boy & Bear are certainly a band which is going to get big in the future.

Available on iTunes Now!

Sunday – Listen To Your Love – Mona

Mona are as yet unsigned, which ob the basis of this track is a travesty. They are a four piece, hailing from Nashville, Tennessee; but they are anything but country. Instead they play music which is influenced by classic rock and the likes of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis. Not that their music sounds much like that, they are a band with a large scope, a penchant for the “epic” and for the romanticism of rock and roll, - "I saw how a song could enrage, heal, speak love, seduce, calm, provoke, challenge and surrender. All in three minutes. That's what we're all about." (Front man Nick Brown). I can't wait to hear more from this band, they have real potential to become America's next big band, if they get the right advice and management.