Monolith Cocktail Blog

Reviews Roundup/Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea

The cult leader of the infamous lo fi gods, The Bordellos, Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea has released countless recordings over the decades with his family band of hapless unfortunates, and is the owner of a most self-deprecating sound-off style blog. His most recent releases include The Bordellos beautifully despondent pains-of-the-heart and mockery of clique “hipsters” ode to Liverpool, the diatribe ‘Boris Johnson Massacre’ and just in the last couple of months, both The King Of No-Fi album, and a collaborative derangement with the Texas miscreant Occult Character, Heart To Heart. He has also released, under the Idiot Blur Fanboy moniker, a stripped down classic album of resignation and Gallagher brothers’ polemics.

Each week we send a mountain of new releases to the self-depreciating maverick to see what sticks. In his own idiosyncratic style and turn-of-phrase, pontificating aloud and reviewing with scrutiny an eclectic deluge of releases, here Brian’s latest batch of recommendations.

Singles.

Bunny And The Invalid Singers ‘The Certainty Kids/None Of This Happened’
(Bearsuit Records) 31^st October 2020

A new release from Bearsuit Records is always a thing to look forward to. This time we have a new single from Bunny and the Invalid Singers, taken from their new forthcoming album due for release in January 2021. It is what you expect from Bunny and the Invalid singers and indeed Bearsuit Records itself: two tracks of sublime beauty that you could imagine turning up on the new James Bond soundtrack, or more like an old James Bond soundtrack, as both tracks are blessed with a 60s shadowy seduction but are very of this time, and are two examples of beautifully experimental pop at its finest.

I would love to hear the instrumental bliss of Bunny and the Invalid singers work with a vocalist of the caliber of a Matt Monroe or Scott walker: that would be a thing of artful sophistication indeed. Maybe they should see if Dan from Beauty Stab/Vukovar/The Bordellos is free. But these two tracks are as ever as near perfect as one could ever wish for. I look forward to the album.

See also…

Bunny & The Invalid Singers  ‘Fear Of The Horizon’  (Here…)

Two Tribes ‘Cruel Sensuality’

I like this track for many reasons there is the strange otherworldly kind of Balearic beat to it and the haunting lady vocals [yes haunting lady vocals are a thing and one to be enjoyed], but the main reason I like this is it reminds me of my favourite TV detective Colombo, why? Well it reminds me of the episode when he outwits the bad night club owner who buries his ex-business partner under the fish tanks that are in the floor of the dance floor [he indeed was sleeping with the fishes]. This track could well have featured in that episode and if it is good enough for the mighty Colombo it certainly is good enough for me.  

Peter Cat ‘A.S.M.R’
(MoFi Records)

Peter Cat is a fine name for pop star – a cartoon pop star anyway  -, and Peter Cat is an ideal wannabe cartoon pop star. I like the way he takes his not being serious about this pop lark really seriously. I can imagine he takes it so seriously in a non-serious way: seriously I really do. There needs to be people like Peter Cat in the world of pop music as he understands how truly ridiculous pop music needs to be sometimes; sometimes pop music should be all popping balloons on the floor whilst perv-y camera men try to zoom up the ra ra skirted audience members legs and thighs in true 70s TV pop tradition.

There are far to many bands falling into the trap of being the next Joy Division without having the guts to go and hang themselves. This track is pure silly disposable pop, part cartoon time Primal Scream ‘Rocks’, part Divine Comedy at his most arch like and part Black Lace ‘We’re Having A Gangbang’, a song many will not take seriously and seriously that is the point.

Subcult ‘Medicated’
29^th October 2020

Ah, jingle jangle alternative guitar rock, never the most original of things, you know what you are getting within the first few bars and indeed you do with this the new single by Subcult. And that is not such a bad thing really as what you get is a couple of minutes of melody and youth filled enthusiasm: and we all need that in our lives. A fact about Subcult that made me smile is they list a few bands they have supported, one of the bands being called Crywank. Who on earth would call their band Crywank? There is certainly nothing wank about Subcult. They can use that quote on their posters and advertisements…no need to thank me.

Albums..

The Left Outsides ‘Are You Sure I Was There?’
(Cardinal Fuzz (UK) and Feeding Tube (USA)) 13^th November 2020

The Left Outsides are a rare thing, a married couple that is in perfect harmony: and what beautiful harmony it is. Songs that tilt and wilt and seduces one’s ears in the psych folk rhapsody of a young Nico and has you bathing in the pastoral feel of Sandy Denny. In the hands of The Left Outsides the F word is one of friendship, fortitude and fluorescent finery, where the songs float and soothe and leaves one longing to rekindle the magic of true love and romance.

This really is a beautiful work from viola to acoustic and electric guitar and the chime of church bells to the beautiful merging of the two voices as one leaving us; the listeners enrapt in the tales of Autumnal romance both lost and found taking us down the slightly off kilter psychedelic paths of the almost Coral like ‘November On My Mind’ or the Jefferson Airplane ‘My Reflection, Once Was Me’ would fit lovingly on Surrealistic Pillow.

Are You Sure I Was There is a fine album and one I would recommend to lovers of psych-folk, folk or the psychedelically inclined. Or, anyone who wants to warm themselves with the sound of Autumnal romance on the oncoming cold Winter nights.

Tiña  ‘Positive Mental Health Music’
(Speedy Wunderground) 6^th November 2020

As anybody who reads these reviews or even heard my records knows I am a sucker for slightly Syd Barrett/Television Personalities influenced psych, so of course I’m going to enjoy this album. It has all the qualities one wants from their pop music; beguiling melodies, keyboards that swoon, and curtsy guitars that go from jangle to jangle: ‘Rooster’ even has a ‘Be My Baby’ drumbeat. It has all the boxes ticked; the lyrics of a quirky netherworld poetic, and the vocalist has a pleasing voice that has the right amount of cracking and whine in its timbre, the kind of voice one believes has had its heart broken at least twice in its life but has the good sense and fine enough black humour to get over it.

On the whole this is a mighty fine pop album and is really nicely produced. In fact, the kind of production that could tempt me from my bedroom and my beloved old tape four-track, and everyone knows that is indeed high praise. Another one to add to the list for the end of year “best ofs”, the music industry so loves.

The Loved Drones  ‘Conspiracy Dance’
(Freaksville) 30^th October 2020

I love listening to albums by artists who actually love music. You can always tell when the artists have a more than passing interest with the history of rock n roll as these bands/artists normally let their many influences flow through their own art. I am pleased to be able to say The Loved Drones are one of these bands.

The album starts with ‘Lights’, a storm of backwards guitars lash into a space rock John Fox hybrid of originality and a forerunner and tempter of what is to come, and what is to come is a musical journey through the sometimes dark sometimes magical but always entertaining world of the Loved Drones.

Yes my dear readers what you get is an album that has you remembering moments from your youth when the days when the radio was your best friend the days when you would tune in and hear songs of great individuality; when the likes of M’s ‘Pop Music’ would both grace the charts and the hearts of the general listening public. ‘My Name Is Sky’ would have been a worthy follow up single and would have saved the poor M from being forever known as a one hit wonder. But this is music for today an album that straddles the history of rock and pop, sprinkling fairy dust over the turntable as it spins and weaves tales of magic and wonder, telling us the story of The Cramps guitar icon on the ‘The Day That Bryan Gregory Died’, a story that needs telling and tell it they do with a hurl of twanging guitars, or songs predicting the takeover of the world by aliens (‘Headhand’).

But as we know all the best bands have the slightly away with the fairy’s quality, always one step away from the mad house, and the Loved Ones have that quality in spades alongside their other important qualities like song writing talent – both lyrically and musically – and as previously mentioned, a love of rock n roll history. So you get a wonderful mishmash of influences from the psychedelic through synth pop and prog to pure pop magic and post-punk glory.

This is an album that would make the world a better place by every household owning a copy; an album that emits love, humour and joy, and one that should be played in schools to describe the phrase “the magic of music”.

See also…

The Loved Drones ‘Good Luck Universe!’  (Here…)

‘Conspiracy Dance’  (Here…)

Will Feral ‘Bad Kids’
11^th October 2020

If incidental soundscapes influenced by 80’s horror films is your thing this will be just right up your street: preferably one inhabited by serial killers and ghosts and ghouls or even Trump supporters if you are in the USA or Boris Johnson fans in the UK; the closest thing I suppose we have to Zombies in this day and age, both brain dead with no feelings for other forms of human life. Now then, what we have here is 8 shortish tracks of DIY synth spookers part John Carpenter part Deliea Derbyshire, and each track ideal for a evening of Halloween social distancing and trick or treating face masks of course should be worn at every opportunity. And no doubt will. This is an enjoyable atmospheric little album, so treat yourself and download and help to soundtrack the 31st of October and beyond.

The Dandy’s Boutique ‘Delightful Weird’

I know nothing of The Dandy’s Boutique, an artist I came across being played on the excellent Graham Duff radio show on Totally Radio; the track being the rather wonderful ‘Stay Away’, which has a bass riff and a half part “Girls and Boys”, part grab your handbag put it in the middle of the dancefloor and boogie: Is there anything quite as life affirming as a DIY disco ditty?!

Anyway ‘Stay Away’ happens to kick off this rather lovely album; an album that combines synth-pop, dance and indie-pop to great effect, and is indeed greatly affecting, especially on the synth ballad ‘Don’t Let Go’. And goes on exploring the virtues of having humour, originality and talent; ‘Pitter Patter’ being a fine instrumental, reminding me what the Great Joe Meek may have done if left alone with a synth for an hour or so. What I like most about this album is the overwhelming atmosphere of melancholy even on the upbeat dance tracks like ‘Passing The Time’. There is a certain feel that I find quite refreshing. I think Dandy’s Boutique might not quite realize how good they actually are, as this is a fine album indeed and people should give it a listen.

Hi, my name is Dominic Valvona and I’m the Founder of the music/culture blog monolithcocktail.com For the last ten years I’ve featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to buy us a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail to say cheers for spreading the word, then that would be much appreciated.