End of the Year Revue For 2025: Part One: A to M
December 11, 2025
Choice Highlights From The Last Year
I said I wasn’t going to do it this year. And this may be the last. But here is the first part of a comprehensive revue listing of choice albums (some extended EPs too) from 2025 that we returned to the most, enjoyed or rated highly. See it as a sort of random highlights package if you will.
As usual a most diverse mix of releases, listed alphabetically – numerical orderings make no sense to me unless it is down to a vote, otherwise what qualifies the placing of an album? What makes the 25th place album better than the 26th and so on…
Whilst there is the odd smattering of Hip-Hop releases here and there, our resident selector and expert Matt Oliver has compiled a special 25 for 25 revue of his own, which will go out next week.
Without further ado….the first half of that selected works revue:
A.
A Journey Of Giraffes ‘Emperor Deco’ (Somewherecold Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Alien Eyelid ‘Vinegar Hill’ (Tall Texan)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Allen, Marshall ‘New Dawn’ (Week-End Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Armstrong ‘Handicrafts’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Audio Obscura ‘As Long As Gravity Persists On Holding Me to This Earth’
Review by Dominic Valvona
Aus ‘Eau’ (Flau)
Review by Dominic Valvona
B..
Balloonist, The ‘Dreamland’ (Wayside & Woodland)
Review/Piece by Dominic Valvona
Barman, MC Paul ‘Tectonic Texts’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Bedd ‘Do Not Be Afraid’
Review by Dominic Valvona
Bird, Jeff ‘Ordo Virtutum: Jeff Bird Plays Hildegard von Bingen, Vol 2’
(Six Degrees Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Blanco Teta ‘‘La Debacle las Divas’ (Bongo Joe)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Bordellos (with Dee Claw)/Neon Kittens, The ‘Half Man Half Kitten’
(Cruel Nature Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Braxton, Anthony ‘Quartet (England) 1985’ (Burning Ambulance)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Brody, Jonah ‘Brotherhood’ (IL Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Brother Ali ‘Satisfied Soul’ (Mello Music Group)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Burning Books ‘Taller Than God’ (Ingrown Records)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona
C…
Cindy ‘Saw It All Demos’ (Paisley Shirt Records)
Reviewed by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea here
Craig, Kai ‘A Time Once Forgotten’ (Whirlwind Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Crayola Lectern ‘Disasternoon’ (Onomatopoeia)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Cross, Theon ‘Affirmations: Live at Blue Note New York’ (New Soil)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Cubillos, Julian ‘S-T’ (Ruination Record Co.)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Cumsleg Borenail ‘10mg Citalopram’ (Cruel Nature Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Joel Cusumano ‘Waxworld’ (Dandyboy Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
D….
Dammann Sextet, Christopher ‘If I Could Time Travel I Would Mend Your Broken Heart aka Why Did The Protests Stop’ (Out of Your Head Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Darko The Super ‘Then I Turned Into A Perfect Smile’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Dyr Faser ‘Falling Stereos’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
E…..
Eamon The Destroyer ‘The Maker’s Quilt’ (Bearsuit Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Expose ‘ETC’ (Qunidi)
Reviewed by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea here
F……
Farrugia, Robert ‘Natura Maltija’ (Phantom Limb/Kewn Records)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
Fir Cone Children ‘Gearshifting’ (Blackjack Illuminist Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Fortunato Durutti Marinetti ‘Bitter Sweet, Sweet Bitter’ (Quindi Records/We Are Time)
Review by Dominic Valvona
G…….
Goldman, Ike ‘Kiki Goldman In How I Learned To Sing For Statler And Waldorf’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Good Ones, The ‘Rwanda Sings With Strings’(Glitterbeat Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
H……..
Haas & Brian g Skol, Andy ‘The Honeybee Twist’
Review by Dominic Valvona
Howard, John ‘For Those that Wander By’(Think Like A Key)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
I………
Ishibashi, Eiko ‘Antigone’ (Drag City)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
iyatraQuartet ‘Wild Green’
Review by Dominic Valvona
J……….
Jay, Tony ‘Faithless’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Johanna, John ‘New Moon Pangs’(Faith & Industry)
Review by Dominic Valvona
K………..
Kheir , Amira ‘Black Diamonds’(Sterns Music/Contro Culture Music)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Khodja, Freh ‘Ken Andi Habib’(WEWANTSOUNDS)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Kweli, Talib & J Rawls ‘The Confidence Of Knowing’
Picked by DV
L…………
Lassy Trio, Timo ‘Live In Helsinki’ (We Jazz)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Last Of The Lovely Days, The ‘No Public House Talk’(Gare du Nord)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Lt. Headtrip & Steel Tipped Dove ‘Hostile Engineering’ (Fused Arrow Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
LIUN + The Science Fiction Band ‘Does It Make You Love Your Life?’
(Heartcore Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Locks, Damon ‘List Of Demands’ (International Anthem)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
M………….
Mikesell, Emily & Kate Campbell Strauss ‘Give Way’ (Ears & Eyes Records)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
Mirrored Daughters ‘S/T’ (Fike Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Mohanna, Nickolas ‘Speakers Rotations’ (AKP Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
If you’ve enjoyed following and reading the Monolith Cocktail in 2025, and if you can, then please show your appreciation by donating to our Ko-Fi account. The micro donation site has been vital in keeping us afloat this year.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
The Conspiracy ‘Dungeness’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) 23rd November 2025
The Conspiracy are back with another fine EP of post-punk art rock; a band that are as British as watching cricket on a summer’s day. The Fall, The Kinks, The Only Ones are all lovingly stroked and warped into a mesmerising shuffle of old man’s fancy. This is the sound of modern-day England as seen through the eyes of middle-aged men who can remember when rock ‘n’ roll had a meaning and need to the young, and soundtracked young rebellion, and was not just something they streamed from their phone as they nip down to Nando’s to ignore their friends as they watch videos on tic tok together but apart.
I Am Hands ‘Lastings’
Single 5th December 2025
This is the debut single by I Am Hands and it is no hands, feet and bumps a daisy but a lovely sail down the river of peaceful tranquillity, a song of the supreme confidence of knowing that your supreme confidence has never been painted in such a blue shade of subtly. It really is a rather lovely track that fans of the first Trembling Blue Stars album might clutch to their cardigan encrusted breast.
The Last Sound ‘All That’s Missed’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 28th November 2025
This is the sound of candy filled sugar pop, the kind that you might see on Top Of The Pops in the glory madness days of the 80s when Strawberry Switchblade seductively swooned from your transistor radio and pop could be both wonky and bliss like and whisper sweet nothings into your ear like an ethereal Green Gartside. All That’s Missed is an album that really is not to be missed. It’s yet another off-kilter pop wonder released by Cruel Nature Records, a label that certainly specialises in releasing off-kilter pop and or just plainly the off-kilter.
The Lounge Bar Orchestra ‘E.N.D.A.N.G.E.R.M.E.N.T. & The Room of Wrong Reflections’ Album (Self-Release) 26th November 2025
E.N.D.A.N.G.E.R.M.E.N.T. & The Room of Wrong Reflections is a collection of the tracks that made two-vinyl only releases on The Heavens Lathe label. The Lounge Bar Orchestra, who I have written about a number of times in the past, make a magical concoction of easy listening splenditude. The sort of thing one may hear on old sixties spy thrillers or takes you back to the golden age of seventies tv: you can easily imagine Bruce Forsyth willing on contestants on The Generation Game as they attempt to mold a mug in the shape of Anthea’s backside as “The Girl with Golden Hips Plays”.
Once again, The Lounge Bar Orchestra magically transports me back in an aural time machine to the days of Texan chocolate bars, Saturday night bath time, and watching Cilla duet with Marc Bolan as my dad eagerly awaits Starsky And Hutch and Match Of The Day. Yet again The Lounge Bar Orchestra proving why music is the most magical of all arts.
The New Tigers ‘Off The Wall/Butterfly’
Single (Soliti) 21st November 2025
These two tracks are a catchy foray into indie rock/pop, sounding not unlike The Bluetones with just a hint of what Teenage Fanclub might have produced during their heyday. All semi fuzz guitars and delightful melodies, and there is nothing wrong with that, let me tell you.
Origami Horses ‘Scenes’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) Released 23rd November 2025
I do not know if this EP was released to prove that post punk, garage rock, prog and psych can be melded into a hardy brew of rock ‘n’ roll finery. If not, it should have been as in fact that is what this EP is; one wonderful sparkling concoction of all the aforementioned, and track two, ‘Access Denied’, is an eight-minute gem that proves the point, and really needs to be heard by all, and takes one back to those hot summers days in 1989 when Madchester ruled the airwaves. The Scenes is another gem to be added to the aural crown that is the criminally ignored Metal Postcard Records label.
Sir Robert Orange Peel ‘A Man Dressed Up’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 22nd November 2025
‘A Man Dressed Up’ is a beautiful Christmas symphony of seeing the magical time of the year through children’s eyes. A track filled with memories and nostalgia and an innocence to life that we all at one point in our life will lose. The perfect song to soundtrack sipping a sherry and watching the Christmas lights reflect from the baubles hanging from the tree and wishing you or your kids were young again.
Toxic Chicken ‘Quirky & Perky’
Album (Earthrid) 7th November 2025
Toxic Chicken is insanely brilliant and brilliantly insane. And Quirky & Perky is a fine introduction to his crazy world.
TC takes dance electronica and game music to new and unexplored levels of madness, and quite wonderfully tuneful melodious instrumental shenanigans are oozed from one’s speakers.
I would love Toxic Chicken to have made an album with Jim Morrison as for some reason his keyboard skills had me thinking this is what The Doors may have sounded like if they were brought up with the Game Boy and not the blues. A truly great fun listen.
Vlimmer ‘Hintersommer’
Album (Blackjack Illuminist Records) Released 21st November 2025
Ah yes, Vlimmer is back to offer all those lovers of Gothic Euro disco with a hint of post punk synth shoegazery a new Vlimmer of light. Those who’ve never tasted such a shot of pulverising gothic industrial tuneage since members of Fields Of The Nephilim, Smashing Orange and Depeche Mode were chased through the streets of a rain paved Wigan by an angry mob of spotty faced chavs on undersized bikes all holding out for sponsorship by the North Face clothing company whilst waving knocked off vapes into the air like an ancient Greek Olympian wielding his flaming torch. Yes indeed, Deliveroo has never witnessed such a wave of free advertising.
Hintersommer gets around the snag of being sung in German by both Vlimmer being German and myself not really giving a fuck as the tunes are blissfully dark and encouraging enough to imagine that what he is singing about is a worthy subject. So yes, an album I entrust will soon be in the collections of all you old and young goths who still roam this earth.
For those that can or wish to, the Monolith Cocktail has a Ko-fi account: the micro-donation site. I hate to ask, but if you do appreciate what the Monolith Cocktail does then you can shout us a coffee or two through this platform.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
Mute Swan Photo credit: Pat Hickman
Bad Trips ‘Nothing But Trouble’
Album 17th November 2025
I enjoyed this album: it’s experimental, it’s noisy, it’s peaceful, and at times it reminds me of Jimi Hendrix jamming with The Surfaris in a wind tunnel, and at other times of “I Hear A New World” by Joe Meek, but if being performed by Skip Spence. It really is a wonderful creation of sound art. Those out there who are old enough to remember the kids tv show The Clangers can imagine this would be playing at their local hop or discotheque. Nothing But Trouble is indeed a fine and rewarding listen.
Oliver Birch ‘Betty’
Single
OOOh Betty the Donkey has done a Whoopsie on the carpet…well, there is always one… Yes, sadly this has nothing to do with Betty the long-suffering wife of Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em or maybe it does. Maybe Oliver Birch has an alter to the paragon of 70s sitcoms other halves and Betty is the chosen one, and he has written this Oar like homage to her. Yes, it does remind me of Skip Spence or maybe even a Jeff Buckley demo, which is no bad thing.
Robert Callender ‘Rainbow – The Anniversary Concert’
Album (Think Like A Key) 14th November 2025
After over 55 years since the release of Rainbow, the cult classic psych ragga-rock album from 1968, Robert Callender decided to perform the album live for the first time. And here we have that performance, captured in all its wonderful mystical glory, released by Think Like A Key records.
This live performance has a quite lovely warmness and intimate magical quality that draws the listener into the song cycle, and has one lose themselves in the same way you can lose yourself in Van Morrisons Astral Weeks or The Beach Boys Pet Sounds as Rainbows shares the same uniqueness and one off-ness of those two classics. Rainbow is a beautiful blend of ragga, psych, rock, pop and jazz, and this live recording is one of pure oneness and love.
The Cindys ‘S-T’
Album (Breakfast Records/Ruination Records) 7th November 2025
The Cindys debut album is an album recommended to all those who have a soft spot for late 80’s/90’s alternative guitar bands. As I was listening, the Teenage Fanclub, Pavement, House Of love and even the Frank and Walters all came flooding back. The Cindys are a very good band who may one day be a great band who knows. I am of such an age when I have heard all this so many times before, but The Cindys do it all very well and have quite a lovely quirk in their lyricism which I heartily approve. Believe me, without putting a curse on the poor blighters, they could well be ones to watch.
Mute Swan ‘Hypnosis Tapes’
Single (Hit The North Records / Wooden Tooth Records)
I like this. It has a rather nifty nagging guitar line and rather lovely melody line. Dare I say Mute Swan could be ones to watch as they had me hunting out my Ultra Vivid Scene albums and had me stroking my memories from my mad year of 1991. Everyone has a lost weekend of high art and hedonistic tomfoolery and if the Mute Swans had been around in that musically great year, they, I am sure, would have helped soundtrack it.
My Violence ‘Isabella Rossellini’
Single (Starfish Records)
If you release a single named Isabella Rossellini it has to be dark, sultry and beautiful. And this fine pop song has indeed all those boxes ticked; a suave, blissful floating artful drift of pure pop melancholy.
Neon Kittens ‘21 Minutes of Adventure’
Album (Metal Postcard Records) Released 21st October 2025
The latest Neon Kittens album is upon us and anyone who loves the other litter of releases should add this post-punk gem to their collection. And anyone who has so far not heard their previous releases, 21 Minuets Of Adventure is a fine introduction. The lead off track “No Free Hugs” is a Tubeway Army like forage into the cold clinical extremities of post-punk sexual shenanigans and a nod and a wink and the house on the hill is truly yours. For The Neon Kittens carry a dark sinister humour in the lyrics that equally match the joyful dry dripping sarcasm of Andy Goss and his fretwork mastery, and both the music and lyrics intertwine beautifully to soundtrack living in these confusing and troubled times. The Neon Kittens is the aural equivalent of sitting opposite a beautiful girl on the train and wondering what she is thinking about as she licks her fingers after finishing her sherbet.
The Noisy ‘The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat’
Album (Audio Antihero) Released 24th October 2025
The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat is a fine indie alt-pop album; an album filled with candy floss dreams of fame sex and a melancholy nostalgic lust of fallen whispers.
The stony ground has never felt so waver thin, soft. It has never tasted so sweet cherry lipped. The Noisy have taken 60s girl group want, lust and ambition and wrapped it in a 21st century blanket of glitz and glamour, and managed to keep the old fashion ideals that sex does happen but will only take the one foot off the floor when the curtains have been drawn.
In an ideal world the singles taken from the album would be being played all over the radio. “Grenadine” is one of the finest pop singles of 2025 and the album is filled with fine pop songs like this, which makes it a fine and essential pop album, and in this day age a fine and essential pop album can make a difference to your life and mental well-being.
Occult Character ‘Her Guts My Graveyard’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 29th October 2025
Another song you won’t be hearing on the radio or reading about in your favourite blog, unless your favourite blog is the Monolith Cocktail, which if it is the case I would like to compliment you on your good taste, also if you do indeed read the Monolith Cocktail you will in fact have read about Occult Character and know he is a man who makes weird and wonderful alt pop music combing hip-hop and folk and pop and weird sci fi soundtracks – a little like Beck I suppose, that is if Beck at birth had been breast fed hallucinatory drugs.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart ‘Kurt Cobain’s Cardigan’
Single (Slumberland Records)
What a great title for a song, but it was a great cardigan it must be said. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have immediately put themselves under pressure: Does the song do justice to the cardigan? I am happy to report it does, and it is a fine indie pop romp of joyful proportions. And I am sure Kurt would heartedly agree if he was still with us.
Shitnoise ‘Charades’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 17th November 2025
“It’s all rock n roll” as the old saying goes, and that is a perfect phrase to describe this wonderful mish mash of post punk, grunge, metal, thrash and yes probably many other genres and probably some they don’t yet have a name for – my daughter described something as pastel goth the other day: what the bloody hell is pastel goth? So maybe this has a bit of pastel goth in it who knows. It is certainly unhinged and deranged in the best possible way, and we all need a bit of music that slips from the lips to the hips and adds some sanity into our lives, and if not, you are dead from the waist down and from the shoulders up, so basically you are a torso.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
Joel Cusumano ‘Waxworld’
Album (Dandyboy Records) 24th October 2025
I like this album. I was expecting the typical power pop tuneful bombast, which it does to a certain extent have, but with a slightly tattered heart that at times reminds me of what Blondie might have sounded like if they were fronted by Pete Perrett instead of the lovely Debbie – especially on “Through A Darkened Glass“. Waxworld is an entirely enjoyable listening experience, one I would recommend to all those power pop aficionados out there, as Joel Cusumano performs like he is Joel Cusumano and not a stars in the eyes Mathew Sweet.
John Howard ‘Kid In A Big World (The Prof Stone Remaster)’
Album (Think Like A Key Records) Released back in August 2025
Autumn is upon us and is the perfect season to discover or even rediscover this 50-year-old classic debut from one of Britain’s finest hidden treasures. Yes, John Howard‘s excellent debut has been remastered by Prof Stone, available from Think Like A Key Records Bandcamp as a download only.
Do I need to pontificate about the magic of this much written about debut. Probably not, but I will anyway. If Elton John was as good as people think he is, he would sound like this album. And John does not feel the need to sing in a phoney American accent or share Dame Edna’s stylist. Why he never made it as a chart regular and enlightened the screens of Saturday night tv in the seventies can only really be put down to the homophobia that existed in the 70’s especially in the upper offices of The BBC and as John never felt the need to hide the fact that he was gay (as Elton wisely career wise did).
Kid In A Big World is a wonderful record and should a hold a place both in all music lovers record collections and hearts … and if I was Amazon or Spotify or Youtube I would say if you enjoyed this album you might enjoy Hunky Dory, or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or Year Of The Cat. And it deserves mentioning in the same breath.
The Legendary Ten Seconds ‘Ricardian Churchward’
Album – Released 2nd October 2025
I love Musical British Eccentrics (it takes one to know, so they say), and here we have a wham doozy of a release by The Legendary Ten Seconds. Imagine if you will, that Julian Cope had not taken drugs and only read Horrible Histories books and was influenced by The Monochrome Set, then he could well have made this album.
This is the kind of album that could one day (if enough people get to hear this gem of a release) become a bit of a cult classic. For it is a fine collection of psych folk Medieval indie-pop (is there such a thing). The only bad thing I can say about this release is that it’s not available as a CD, as it is one that I would happily add to my collection.
Legless Trials ‘American Russ Never Sleeps’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 13th September 2025
More post punk glory from the Legless Trials. American Russ Never Sleeps pt 1 and pt2 is two tracks of Public Image Ltd styled smooth discord with an air of dubby splendour and chaotic lyricism that once again pokes holes into the flimsy facade of shittery that currently engulfs the world: like a bedtime story read to you by Michael Myers.
Picniclunch ‘snaxbandwitches’
Album – Released 13th October 2025
snaxbandwitches is an album of supreme post punk noisery, experimental fun and undoubtedly surprisingly tuneful. Think the Fall, early Pavement, Morphine (the band not the drug) and early Talking Heads but only if they had been in the pub since opening time and David Byrne had been replaced with someone less annoying.
This is the sound of the true alternative; the sound of a band who would not use a Rickenbaker guitar but an old Woolworths copy battered and played through a borrowed amp. Yes, this is the true spirit of the garage band; the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. This is a band who should join forces with The Legless Crabs and do a double headline tour of all the dives in America, and influence the current American underground. If I had a record label, I would sign them up.
Edward Rogers ‘Astor Place’
Album – Released 10th October 2025
I love warm sounding timeless, slightly unusual sounding pop albums and Astor Place is an unusual sounding pop album. Unusual in its joyful mash of psychedelia and rose tinged eloquent nostalgia, at times sounding like a true English gentleman narrating over a backdrop of a huge love-in from ‘67 and believe it or not, sadly it’s not ‘67 and that’s what is so unusual about this album that it would not sound out of place if it was, but not in a retro way just in its feeling and atmosphere, screaming guitars and cucumber sandwiches is it seems a match made in heaven. Hippy heaven even.
If Noel Coward made a psych album, I believe this is what it may have sounded like. And me being a huge Noel Coward fan and a lover of the whole fairytale of the summer of ‘67 I love it. He also name checks Tommy Steele in the lyrics, which for me makes this album slightly more fabulous than it already is.
Smash Palace ‘87’
Album – Released 10th October 2025
87 was supposed to be the second album from Smash Palace in 1987, but their label Epic dropped them before they got around to recording it and releasing it. So, what we have here is a strange beast: 5 of the songs have been rerecorded by the original band and the other five songs are the original studio demos recorded in the 80s. The five freshly recorded songs are bright and chirpy covered with an old MTV sheen, with guitars that jangle and guitars that strut like they are going out on a date with Keith Richards; songs, at times, that remind me of The Hoodoo Gurus and the Smithereens and other bands from the 80s of that ilk – the kind of bands VJ’S with mullets would introduce wearing shiny leather jackets and being all hip to go.
The other five are the real deal from the 80s recordings, not as shiny and bright but have the advantage or disadvantage, depending on how you feel about 80s major label production values, of having the atmosphere of that strange decade. The five 80s tracks one can imagine not being out of place on the Pretty In Pink soundtrack or The Breakfast Club or The Lost Boys…yes indeed, an album to soundtrack Molly Ringwald looking gorgeous.
Striped Bananas ‘Eternity Forest’
Album – Released 3rd October 2025
I always imagine that the married couple that make up the Striped Bananas live in a thatched cottage just outside some enchanted forest in upper Connecticut and spend their time weaving magic. For their music has a fairytale cartoon quality to its Psychedelia; it’s as if Lou and Nico had discovered and became addicted to candyfloss instead of Heroin.
Eternity Forest is a joyful beatastic trip of wonder and delight, an album full of melody, invention and fun; an album where guitars, Hammond organs and Theremin weave together to make one heavenly cartoon album of pure adventure. It’s like going on a daytrip to the fairground with the Banana Splits while having a playlist made up of Buffalo Springfield, The June Brides, The Velvet Underground the Archies and Strawberry Alarm Clock playing in transit. As the Beach Boys once eloquently put it: “it’s Fun Fun Fun”.
Vexations ‘A Dream Unhealthy’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 17th October 2025
Vexations could well be your new favourite band. “A Dream Unhealthy” is a rather impressive beast of an album, five tracks of pure post psychedelic rock n roll, off kilter as hell and probably as hot, with almost spoken screamed vocals surfing on an explosion of noise frenzy. This album is worth hearing for the drumming alone, which is not to say that everything else about the band is not as equally as wonderful. They produce such a cavalcade of cavernous hypnotic spine-tingling beat poetry.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea and the Shea family house band, the Bordellos, have a new single out on Metal Postcard Records this month called ‘The Village People In Disguise‘.
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music and Choice Releases list from the last month.
We decided at the start of the year to change things a little with a reminder of not only our favourite tracks from the last month but also a list of choice albums too. This list includes both those releases we managed to feature and review on the site and those we just didn’t get the room for – time restraints and the sheer volume of submissions each month mean there are always those records that miss out on receiving a full review, and so we have added a number of these to both our playlist and releases list.
All entries in the Choice Releases list are displayed alphabetically. Meanwhile, our Monthly Playlist continues as normal with all the choice tracks from July taken either from reviews and pieces written by me – that’s Dominic Valvona – and Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea. Our resident Hip-Hop expert Matt Oliver has also put forward a smattering of crucial and highlighted tracks from the rap arena.
CHOICE RELEASES FROM THE LAST MONTH OR SO:
Alien Eyelid ‘Vinegar Hill’
(Tall Texan) Review
Darko The Super ‘Then I Turned Into A Perfect Smile’
Eamon The Destroyer ‘The Maker’s Quilt’
(Bearsuit Records) Review
Ike Goldman ‘Kiki Goldman In How I Learned To Sing For Statler And Waldorf’
The Good Ones ‘Rwanda Sings With Strings’
(Glitterbeat Records) Review
Headless Kross/Poundland ‘Split Album’
(Cruel Nature Records) Review
John Johanna ‘New Moon Pangs’
(Faith & Industry) Review
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘No Public House Talk’
(Gare du Nord) Review
Lt. Headtrip & Steel Tipped Dove ‘Hostile Engineering’
(Fused Arrow Records) Review
Pharoah Sanders ‘Love Is Here – The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings’
(Transcendence Sounds)
SCHØØL ‘I Think My Life Has Been OK’
(GEOGRAPHIE) Review
Tom Skinner ‘Kaleidoscopic Visions’
(Brownswood/International Anthem) Review
Theravada ‘The Years We Have’
Ujif_notfound ‘Postulate’
(I Shall Sing Until My Country Is Free) Review
Visible Light ‘Songs For Eventide’
(Permaculture Media) Review
THE PLAYLIST::
Star Feminine Band ‘Mom’lo Siwaju’
A-F-R-O, Napoleon Da Legend, PULSE REACTION ‘Mr Fantastic’
Pharoah Sanders ‘Love Is Here (Part 1) (Live)’
Tom Skinner ‘Margaret Anne’
Holly Palmer & Jeff Parker ‘Metamorphosis (Capes Up!)’
Matt Bachmann ‘TIAGDTD’
Darko the Super, Andrew ‘The Bounce Back (Heaven Bound)’
Verb T, Vic Grimes ‘Anti-Stress’
Cymarshall Law, Ramson Badbonez ‘Emerald Tablet’
Datkid, Mylo Stone, BVA, Frenic ‘Poundland’
Verbz, Mr Slipz ‘What You Reckon?’
Theravada ‘Doobie’
The Expert, Buck 65 ‘What It Looks Like’
Lt Headtrip, Steel Tipped Dove ‘0 Days Since Last Accident’
Ujif Notfound ‘Postril’
Lael Neale ‘Some Bright Morning’
Alien Eyelid ‘Flys’
John Johanna ‘Justine’
Ike Goldman ‘Land Of Tomorrow’
Ananya Ashok ‘Little Voice’
Rezo ‘Nothing Else’
Howling Bells ‘Unbroken’
The Good Ones ‘Kirisitiyana Runs Around’
Jacqueline Tucci ‘Burning Out’
Dyr Faser ‘Control Of Us’
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘Runaway’
Frog ‘SPANISH ARMANDA VAR. XV’
The Bordellos ‘The Village People In Disguise’
The Jack Rubies ‘Are We Being Recorded?’
The Beths ‘Ark Of The Covenant’
SCHOOL ‘N.S.M.L.Y.D’
Neon Kittens ‘Own Supply High’
ASSASSUN ‘The Sons Of The United Plague’
Pelts ‘Don’t Have To Look’
Visible Light ‘Purple Light’
Wayku ‘Suchiche’
Here’s the message bit we hate, but crucially need:
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you able, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat through the Ko-Fi donation site.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Our Daily Bread 646: Alien Eyelid, Eamon The Destroyer, Frog, Pelts…
September 15, 2025
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
Alien Eyelid ‘Vinegar Hill’
Album (Tall Texan) 5th September 2025
Psychedelic country-soul is a rather beautiful thing, especially when performed with such heart and soul. Alien Eyelid have a wonderful laidback all-consuming warmth with a hint of baroque-ness that at times remind me of the wonderful Left Banke, especially on beautiful psychedelic ballad “Blue”. The title track “Vinegar Hill” could have walked straight from Basement Tapes with its Dylan and The Band feel, until it goes all early King Crimson on us, and is one of those rare things, a ten-minute track that does not overstay its welcome.
This Alien Eyelid debut is a gem of an album, and one of the finest things I have had pleasure to listen to this year.
The Beths ‘Straight Line Was A Lie’
Album (ANTI-)
I seem to be writing a lot about indie guitar music at the moment; there has certainly been an influx of the stuff appearing in my inbox and long may it continue if it is all of the quality of this quite lovely album of guitar indie pop/rock. The Beths of course write songs of verve and heart, and this new album is no different. Straight Line Was A Lie is an album ram jammed with catchy choruses and heartfelt lyrics all wrapped in fine melody and radio friendly hooks and jangly guitar chimes, as all good indie pop/rock should.
Eamon The Destroyer ‘The Maker’s Quilt’
Album (Bearsuit Records)
You can never be disappointed when a new release by Bearsuit Records appears. There is always a tinge of adventure, as you know it is going to be a trip hop and skip and a jump of musical exploration. The Maker’s Quilt is no exception; an album that brings together dance, psych, 60’s like spy soundtracks with a tinge of folk and rock/pop… all sometimes in the same song. At times it reminds me of what the Wicker Man soundtrack might have sounded like if it was set in the late 80’s early 90’s in a village just outside Manchester when the acid house explosion was happening. There is a joy and a magic and a melancholy madness that is just impossible to resist and resist you shouldn’t.
Frog ‘Bitten By My Love Version XI’
Single taken from Album The Count (Audio Antihero) 19th September 2025
“Bitten By My Love” is a rather lovely single, but what else could you expect from the marvellous Frog. Six minutes of undiluted late summer breeze love, a heavenly stroll through the textures of late-night radio; a song that sends my mind spinning back to the days when songs like this would haunt and confuse and engross in equal measures. A sexual healing for the social misfit.
The Jack Rubies ‘Are We Being Recorded’
Single (Big Stir Records) 19th September 2025
I don’t think I have written about any releases on Big Stir Records for a while. So here I am putting it right, for here we have the new single by The Jack Rubies, a band that once again takes me back to my youth. The days when I spent the hours of 9 to 5.30 working (or not working) in various record stores, and I remember The Jack Rubies album Fascination Vacation being unloved and unsold in the record racks, which is a shame as I remember it being not a bad record. And thirty-seven years down the line here I am listening to the latest release by same band. And how little changes for once again it is indeed not a bad record and sounds like it could have well been released back in the days when the pubs shut at eleven o’ clock. It has the air of a record that thinks a lot of itself, and that always appeals to me…call me strange. Link (no examples available yet to hear).
Ike Goldman ‘Kiki Goldman In How I Learned To Sing For Statler And Waldorf’
Album, 10th September 2025
I love this album so much that I’ve just bought a copy on CD: do I need say more. Well, I will, apart from it having the best album title I have come across in a long time, it’s such a lovely beautifully happy/sad album full of melancholy and magic. It may be the closest one can get to rediscovering the joy of The Beach Boys Friends and Smiley Smile era without actually listening to the said albums. Plus, anyone who mentions Stephen Sondheim in his influences is certainly someone who deserves giving a listen to, and once you have given a listen to downloading or streaming or buying his CD.
Noisy ‘Grenadine’
Single
“Grenadine” is a song that is swathed in a beautiful melancholy, a melody that will haunt and play bellringers pontoon with your heart; a pure and unadorned example of why pop music can save your life and make even the bad times bearable. One of the only plus points about growing old is that you have the joy and innocence of your youth to look back on, and this single brings that joy flooding back with a tearful smile and fading caress.
Pelts ‘Swimming’
Single (Fika Recordings) 10th September 2025
Here we are again with a track of post-punk indie-guitar-pop: Am I becoming a man who only reviews indie post punk guitar meanderings? Am I revisiting my teenage years of being totally enamoured with the indie scene of the 80s, or is it just that I am being sent loads of fine new alternative guitar pop/rock? Well probably a bit of all the aforementioned. For the Pelts ‘Swimming’ is indeed a fine tuneful guitar thrust of angular melodious alternative pop skew wifferty (not to be confused with 60’s psych cult band Skip Bifferty). Yes indeed, another fine track and one you will find on their forthcoming 4-track EP, released on the excellent Fika Recordings label. So, seek and buy my old chums or forever hold somebody else’s codpiece.
SCHØØL ‘I Think My Life Has Been OK’
Album (GEOGRAPHIE)
There are a few questions this debut album throws up. One, are they a French band that sings in English? So do they, in rehearsals, talk to each other in French and then sing the songs in English or to get in the mood? Or do they talk in English? Also, when they play in France, do they sing the songs in French or English? Apart from those burning questions this is actually a quite catchy album of alt guitar rock/pop and very late eighties and early 90’s indie rock: early Blur, Ride, Chapterhouse and the like all spring to mind. I would certainly advise any indie guitar music fans out there to give this a listen, as it is very good indeed.
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Our Daily Bread 644: The Cords, Fat Concubine, Ali Murray…
August 4, 2025
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
The Cords ‘Fabulist’
Single (Skep Wax Records) Released 22nd July 2025
‘Fabulist’ is a fine jingle-jangle indie pop rush of pure young person want; a sonic three chord extravaganza of the sound of young Scotland relishing the first flush of summer romance; a song to make an old man sit and weep at the loss of his youth and memories of the days when C86 was where it was at.
Fat Concubine ‘Empire’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) Released 12th September 2025
Empire is the sound of falling out of a nightclub worse for wear, staggering the dark cold streets, queuing in a chippy and ordering something with chips and covering it with gravy or curry sauce or both and then sloppily eating it spilling it all down your going out clubbing clothes while standing in someone else’s sick as you wait for a taxi not to show up. It is getting home and fumbling with your key to get into your abode and wondering both where did you put your phone and where on earth is the tv remote. You then pass out on the settee as your cat alternates nesting your chest and gently pawing your face. It’s great to be young.
Headless Kross/Poundland
Split Album (Cruel Nature Records) Released 12th September 2025
I have to admit to being a pop music lover. I’m a man who’s reduced to a quivering wreck by the sound of Billy Fury singing a song by Jimmy Campbell; a man who has to wipe a tear from his eye when a blast of 70’s pop nostalgia sneaks unexpectantly from the radio/tv. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love the sound of sludge rock, a little metallic evil blackness to avail itself to my inner soul. Nor does it mean I cannot get excited by one of the most important bands in the UK at the moment, that being Poundland doing what they do best in soundtracking the state of the UK with its pounding experimental punk rock attitude and noise, but with the right amount of melody to make it commercially viable to the general public: and the more people who get to hear their blast of wanton grinditude the better the good old jolly UK will become.
This split album by Headless Kross and Poundland delivers both the charming brooding sludge-like metal of Headless Kross and Poundland doing what they do best. And if you are so inclined to have a step away from middle aged men wanting to be Roger McGuinn, then this could well be worth your time and trouble and cash.
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘No Public House Talk’
Album (Gare du Nord) Released 19th August 2025
This debut from The Last Of The Lovely Days is a rather lovely jangly guitar pop beast of an album; an album that once again evokes not just the golden days of indie pop but also has a rather fetching undercurrent of 60’s girl group panache – just like those two fine bands from the 80’s, The Shop Assistants and The Primitives, did so well. Songs that deal with the never grows old subject of love lost and found. And these fine songs are wrapped lovingly with charming melodies and hooks that will linger and help your day be a much more enjoyable experience.
Ali Murray ‘The Summer Laden’
Album Released July 1st 2025
It makes a rather pleasant change to receive an album from an artist from Scotland that doesn’t sound like Teenage Fanclub. Not that I may add, I have anything against Teenage Fanclub, I find them rather spiffing, but a change is as good as a rest or so they say.
The Summer Laden is in fact a rather lovely pop album of breezy mostly mellow pop songs. Indeed, it is “Laden” with the sound of summer, and has a melodeon sway that is quite bewitching, and could be Celtic cousins with that Welsh wonder of verse and catchy chorus, Armstrong (Julian Pitt).
Occult Character ‘Butterfly’
Single (Metal Postcard) Released 24th July 2025
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” Muhammad Ali once famously said, and that would be a perfect description of this short new track by Occult Character, funnily enough called ‘Butterfly’, as it floats with an uneasy synth pop sway fluttering away in an eccentric manner, pulling one in with its gentle experimental charm only to be knocked out by the sucker punch of the dark brooding lyrics.
Oopsie Daisies ‘As If’
Single (Metal Postcard) Released 18th July 2025
Synth pop boogie at its finest. Yes, a song of charm and home recorded warmth that could have easily emerged from a demo tape from a budding new romantic dreamboat from the early 80s; a song that fills me with a quirky nostalgia of the days when there were three weekly music papers as well as the pop twice weekly No 1 and Smash Hits pop glossies. And it could well have been featured in all five: maybe not Sounds, As If would maybe a little too on the frivolous side for them.
Scotch Funeral ‘Ever & Ever’
Album Released 30th July 2025
If rumble tumble grunge fuzz-soaked guitar is heaven to your ears, then this fine album by Scotch Funeral is for you; an album of true indie rock ‘n’ roll. “New Found Happiness” is a melody pop punk delight worthy of Ash in their glory years; the closer, “In Dreams“, is a fine mishmash of Daniel Johnston like poetry and Nirvana like grunge; and “She’s A Writer” could have stepped straight off a K records compilation album. If Scotch Funeral were on K Records or a similar label of such acclaim, they may well get the attention they deserve, for they have that special something you cannot quite put your finger on that separates them from 99 per cent of all the other indie punk pop rock ‘n’ rollers out there. Ever & Ever is certainly an album that deserves your attention.
Alexei Shishkin ‘Tiki Taka (2006)’
Track taken from the upcoming Album, Good Times (Rue Defense) Released 5th September 2025
Is this the best song recorded about football or soccer for our American readers? I think it could well be. It has a wonderful semi slacker psych vibe; it’s like being drunk and on your settee hazily watching the beautiful game unfold until you lose your will to live or you’re too drunk to reach the remote. A song of laidback excellence.
The Striped Bananas ‘Vampire of Mine’
Single Released 25th July 2025
Psych Grunge now there’s a thing for you. Imagine if you will that Kurt Cobain had worn velvet pantaloons and love beads and had hooked up with a disco dolly from a Matt Elm film in a nightclub scene instead of Courtney Love and appeared in an episode of the Banana Splits. Nirvana could well have sounded like this. A fine and dandy cartoon pop song, in fact two fine cartoon pop songs as the B-Side ‘Venus Die Trap’ is pretty nifty as well.
Tiberius ‘Sag’
Single (Audio Antihero) Released 18th July 2025
I thought for the first twenty seconds of this fine single that it was Lloyd Cole causing a commotion, but then it soon shifted into a Jeff Buckley guitar alt rock melodramatic bombast, the kind that hasn’t been heard since the days Buffalo Tom walked the earth. And while I am mentioning other artists, I will mention Oasis, not because it sounds like them, but because it doesn’t and that is another point in its favour believe you me.
Tugboat Captain ‘Pest Control’
Single
‘Pest Control’ is a fine slice of extremely British boutique pop art; a singalong song of arch darkness; a calling card into an exclusive quaint drinking club frequented by Neil Hannon, Ray Davies and John Howard, and every playlist must include Shorley Wall by Ooberman. This track has been culled from their album Dog Tail, and maybe worthy of further investigation.
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music and Choice Releases list from the last month.
We decided at the start of the year to change things a little with a reminder of not only our favourite tracks from the last month, but also a list of choice albums too. This list includes both those releases we managed to feature and review on the site and those we just didn’t get the time or room for – time restraints and the sheer volume of submissions each month mean there are always those releases that miss out on receiving a full review, and so we have added a number to both our playlist and list.
All entries in the Choice Releases list are displayed alphabetically. Meanwhile, our Monthly Playlist continues as normal with all the choice tracks from July taken either from reviews and pieces written by me – that’s Dominic Valvona – , Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea, and this month, Kalporz writer Samuel Conficoni. Our resident Hip-Hop expert Matt Oliver has also put forward a smattering of crucial and highlighted tracks from the rap arena.
CHOICE RELEASES FROM THE LAST MONTH OR SO:
Blanco Teta ‘‘La Debacle las Divas’
(Bongo Joe) Review
Lukas Cresswell-Rost ‘Weight Away’
(Wayside & Woodland Recordings) Review
Theon Cross ‘Affirmations: Live at Blue Note New York’
(New Soil) Review
Cumsleg Borenail ‘10mg Citalopram’
(Cruel Nature Recordings) Review
Exploding Star Orchestra ‘Holy Mountains’
Fortunato Durutti Marinetti ‘Bitter Sweet, Sweet Bitter’
(Quindi Records/We Are Time) Review
Tony Jay ‘Faithless’
Review
Freh Khodja ‘Ken Andi Habib’
(WEWANTSOUNDS) Review
The Lancashire Hustlers ‘Here But Not Here’
(Steep Hill) Review
Kevin Robertson ‘Yellow Painted Moon’
Review
Maria Elena Silva ‘Wise Men Never Try’
Review
Sol Messiah ‘War of the Gods’
THE PLAYLIST::
Blanco Teta ‘Subiduki’
Scotch Funeral ‘Weak at the Knees’
Freh Khodja ‘Aich Sar Bina Koulili’
Brickwork Lizards ‘All the We Are – Reworked by Sebastian Reynolds’
Natural Information Society ‘Sound Talisman’
Sol Messiah Ft. Sa-Roc ‘Auset’
Raekwon Ft. Ghostface Killah & Method Man ‘600 School’
Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire ‘Y.O.Utopia’
Open Mike Eagle ‘ok but I’m the phone screen’
Nicholas Craven & Boldy James Ft. C Dell & Nick Bruno ‘At&T’
Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Ft. Ab Liva ‘Inglorious Bastards’
Estee Nack & V Don Ft. Al-Doe ‘EZBRED’
Rachel Eckroth ‘Yin Yang’
Theon Cross Ft. Isaiah Collier, Nikos Ziarkas & James Russel Sims ‘We Go Again – Live at the Blue Note, NYC’
Peter Evans (Being & Becoming) ‘Malibu’
Homeboy Sandman & Sonnyjim ‘Can’t Stop Me’
Apollo Brown & Bronze Nazareth ‘Wheel Of Misfortune’
Ramson Badbonez & Leaf Dog ‘Celestial Bodies’
Max Schreiber ‘Layla Mistakel’
The Conspiracy ‘Salisbury Road’
SUO ‘Big Star’
Fortunato Durutti Marinetti ‘Beware’
Jeff Tweedy ‘Out in the Dark’
Kevin Robertson ‘Yellow Painted Moon’
Soft Hearted Scientists ‘Hello Hello’
Whitney ‘Dandelions’
The Lancashire Hustlers ‘Perhaps’
Ali Murray ‘ Toby’
Alex G ‘June Guitar’
Spotless Souls ‘In the Heart’
The Noisy ‘Twos’
Wolfgang Perez ‘So Ouco’
Eve Goodman & SERA ‘Blodyn Gwylly’
Joe Harvey-Whyte & Paul Cousins ‘lift’
Sirom ‘For You, This Eve, the Wolves Will Be Enchantingly Forsaken’
Austistici & Jacek Doroszenko ‘After Water Formed A Shape’
Cumsleg Borenail ‘You Mean Something To Me’
Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley ‘Encore 1’
Exploding Star Orchestra ‘Afterburn (Parable 400)’.
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
bigflower ‘piggybird’
Single – Released last month by the artist
There is something strangely bewitching and beautiful about “Piggybird”; it’s all echoing vocals, subtle psych organ and a rather wonderful twangy guitar playing a rather sweet riff. Imagine Duane Eddy slowly waltzing with Hank Marvin through the gates of heaven whilst God looks on and gently flicks popcorn at the stars.
The Conspiracy ‘Trollied’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) 4th July 2025
I have written about The Conspiracy a number of times over the last few years or so, and with justification, as they are bloody marvellous. Bloody marvellous in such a British eccentric way; in a way that they can be lumped together or in fact tied in a ribbon in a heavenly way with the likes of Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd, The Kinks and Julian Cope and XTC and The Fall and Billy Childish and even The Libertines/Babyshambles.
Yes, indeed, The Conspiracy make art shaped sculptured pop songs that don’t really get played on mainstream radio but instead will bow down and kiss the feet of the plodding Oasis of rock n roll that is Oasis. The tragedy of this that the eccentricity, the soul and intelligence of The Conspiracy are not getting the rightful acclaim they deserve from both the radio and the press/blogs and the general public.
Tony Jay ‘Faithless’
Album – 13th June 2025
I love the music of Tony Jay. I love the gentle caress of the lo-fi-ness; the simple drum machine; the tape hiss; the occasional fret buzz of the guitar; the handheld percussion; the beautiful dreaminess of the JAMC and MBV influences – two bands I think may mean a lot to Tony Jay. “Familia Dreams” is a stunningly beautiful ballad; a duet featuring the vocals of Kati Mashikian, and probably worth getting the album alone for.
The rest of the album is also rather good, indeed; all sonic heavenly softly strummed guitars and slightly distorted throbbing bass and whispered vocals. An album that lays gentle on your soul, one of those albums to soundtrack falling in and out of love to.
The Kirkbys ‘It’s A Crime: The Complete Recordings’
Comp-Album (Think Like A Key) 13th June 2025
I don’t normally go to the trouble and expense of buying an album so I can review it, but there is something quite magical about this compilation of the complete works of The Kirkbys, who of course were Jimmy Campbells first band, and takes us back to the early days of Merseybeat up to the point where he formed the psych wonder that was the 23rd Turnoff, and in fact includes a demo of ‘Michael Angelo’ recorded by the Kirkbys before it became The Turnoff’s debut (and only single), and of course now rightly regarded as a psych classic.
‘Michael Angelo’ is not the only classic song Jimmy Campbell wrote, as this album shows. ‘Bless You’ and ‘Don’t You Want Me Anymore’ have a complete 60’s beat charm that both The Beatles and The Byrds would have been proud of, and that lost wonder ‘Keep Me Warm {Til The Sun Shines}’ is truly a 60’s gem. ‘It’s A Crime’ is the sound of one of rock n rolls true lost poets in his early years singing songs of beauty and bittersweet magic; what’s really a crime is that Jimmy never ever tasted even a whiff of success in his lifetime, and now nearly twenty years after his death, is still only known by a few. Maybe one day a car advert will use one of his songs and will be propelled Nick Drake like to the covers of Mojo and the like. Link to release can be found here…
The Noisy ‘Twos’
Single – (Audio Antihero) Release last month.
‘Twos’ is a rather fine and dandy pop song, all 50s like pop melody and all sweetly sung and swung. In fact, as soon as I started listening to it, I started to smell candyfloss (I kid you not). Maybe pop supremacy is airborne and taking hold of music lovers’ nostrils…yes, what we have here is a song to fill your vape with a song to smoke and sniff.
Kevin Robertson ‘Yellow Painted Moon’
Album – 11th July 2025
Kevin Robertson is back. Yes, the Scottish Roger McGuinn has released his brand-new album just in time to soundtrack the Summer; and it’s an album that would not sound out of place in that Summer of 67. Kevin has done what he does best and released an album of 12 string laced beauty. Folk-rock, the psychedelic and 60’s pop are melded together with his usual style and grace. Yellow Painted Moon is the kind of album I get sent by the cartload – the number of bands and artists who are in thrall to the 60’s has to been seen/heard to be believed – but Kevin Robertson does it better than most and has an obvious love of the love generation, and his love shines through in his art he produces.
Scotch Funeral ‘Weak At The Knees’
Track taken from the upcoming album Ever & Ever, released this summer by the artist
A teaser track from the forthcoming album by Scotch Funeral, who are a rather fine musical extravagance hailing from the mighty Rhyl, a place I spent many great days in the 70s (I wonder if the Black cat amusement arcade is still there?). Scotch Funeral here supply us with a rather rambunctious kick in the nether’s with a punk pop romp of supreme guitar gnarl and fortitude that makes one indeed weak at the knees as all good kick in the nether’s should.
Soft Hearted Scientists ‘Hello Hello’
Single – (The Hip Replacement) 11th July 2025
The Welsh psychedelic collective The Soft Hearted Scientists are back with a bang. Well actually, more of a chime – a chime of the 12-string guitar variety. Yes, ‘Hello Hello’ is a song so good they had to name it twice; all 60s love and melody pure pop magnificence.
Spotless Souls ‘In The Heat’
Single (Soliti) 11th July 2025
The Spotless Souls debut single is a fine post punk piece of jangly pop; a song that comes over like a slightly artier Sundays, and has a lovely undercurrent of darkness that I find very appealing indeed.
Marc Teamaker ‘Teas n Seas’
Album – 8th August 2025
Teas n Seas is a rather lovely and flowing album of warm sounding enriching songs of love and remembrance. If 70s Beach Boys/Fleetwood Mac/ Todd Rundgren and the beautiful bountiful radio candyfloss MOR/AOR rock pop with an occasional country rock tinge magic is your thing, then this album could well be for you. Certainly, a perfect album to soundtrack sitting on the Beach soaking up the sun and sipping a cup of tea to whilst watching the incoming tide. Yes, an album to soundtrack your summer.
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music and Choice Releases list from the last month.
We decided at the start of the year to change things a little with a reminder of not only our favourite tracks from the last month, but also a list of choice albums too. This list includes both those releases we managed to feature and review on the site and those we just didn’t get the time or room for – time restraints and the sheer volume of submissions each month mean there are always those releases that miss out on receiving a full review, and so we have added a number to both our playlist and list.
All entries in the Choice Releases list are displayed alphabetically.
Meanwhile, our Monthly Playlist continues as normal, with all the choice tracks from June taken either from reviews and pieces written by me – that’s Dominic Valvona – or Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea. Our resident Hip-Hop expert Matt Oliver has also put forward a smattering of crucial and highlighted tracks from the rap arena.
CHOICE RELEASES FROM THE LAST MONTH OR SO:
Armstrong ‘Handicrafts’
Review
Audio Obscura ‘As Long As Gravity Persists On Holding Me to This Earth’
Review
Francis Bebey ‘The African Seven Edits’
Jeff Bird ‘Ordo Virtutum: Jeff Bird Plays Hildegard von Bingen, Vol 2’
(Six Degrees Records) Review
Che`Noir ‘The Color Chocolate 2’
Dave Clarkson ‘Was Life Sweeter?’
(Cavendish House) Review
Half Naked Shrunken Heads ‘Let’s Build A Boy’
(Metal Postcard Records) Review
Novelistme ‘Fabulous Nonsense’
Review
Nowaah The Flood ‘Mergers And Acquisitions’
Luiz Ser Eu ‘Sarja’
(Phantom Limb)
Various ‘TUROŇ/AHUIZOTL’
(Swine Records w/ Fayuca Retumba) Review
Voodoo Drummer ‘HELLaS SPELL’
Review
The Wants ‘Bastard’
(STTT) Review
Warda ‘We Malo’
(WEWANTSOUNDS) Review
THE PLAYLIST
Bedd ‘Messed up Your Head’
Dragged Up ‘Clachan Dubh’
John Johanna ‘Seven Hunters’
Vlimmer ‘Gleichbau’
Heavenly ‘Portland Town’
Novelistme ‘I Want You Here’
Half Naked Shrunken Heads ‘Let’s Build A boy’
Juppe ‘Woozy’
Noura Mint Seymali ‘Guereh’
Francis Bebey ‘Agatha – Voilaaa Remix’
Anton de Bruin & Fanni Zahar ‘Running On Slippers’
Chairman Maf ‘Wild Turkey’
Lord Olo & TELEVANGEL ‘BEAT EM!”
Masta Killa Ft. Raekwon & Cappadonna ‘Eagle Claw’
Aesop Rock ‘Movie Night’
Oddisee ‘Natural Selection’
Nowaah The Flood ‘Protocol’
Ello Sun ‘River’
Luiz Ser Eu ‘O Sol Nas Suas Pestanas, Adora’
Elena Baklava ‘Kamber’
Jason van Wyk ‘Remnants’
Mary Sue & Clementi Sound Appreciation Club ‘Horse Acupuncture’
Evidence ‘Different Phases’
Vesna Pisarovic ft. Noël Akchoté, Tony Buck, Greg Cohen, Axel Dörner ‘Vrbas vodo, što se često mutiš?’
Itchy-O ‘Phenex’
Tom Caruana Ft. Dynas ‘Aisle 9’
C-Red & Agent M ‘Godspeed’
Scienze & NappyHIGH Ft. Benny The Butcher and Elaquent ‘Capt. Kirk’
Charles Edison ‘No Love Lost’
Parallel Thought & Defcee ‘Graduation Picture’
Fashawn & Marc Spano Ft. Blu ‘No Comply’
Che Noir ‘Blink Twice’
Saadi ‘Homo sapiens’
Charlie Hannah ‘St. Gregor the Good’
HighSchool ‘149’
Swansea Sound ‘Oasis v Blur’
The Wants ‘Data Tumor’
Tigray Tears ‘Wishing for Peaceful Times to Return’
Jeff Bird ‘Shining White Lillies’
The Good Ones ‘Agnes Dreams of Being an Artist’
Briana Marela ‘Value’
The Still Brothers & Vermin the Villain ‘Alright’
LMNO & D-Styles ‘Best to Lay Low’
The High & Mighty Ft. Breeze Brewin ‘Super Sound’
Slick Rick & Nas ‘Documents’
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones 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 or interest in. 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 say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
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