Our Daily Bread 645: James Brett, Hyacinth, The Neon Crabs, The New York Salsa Company…
August 25, 2025
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
The 1981 ‘Soft Goodbye’
Single (Dandy Boy Records) Released 29th August 2025
‘Soft Goodbye’ is an example of the jingle-jangle joy of a fine guitar riff, and it really is a fine guitar riff and well worth giving a listen just for the joy that the magic of the riff emits from your listening device.
James Brett ‘Torrential Rain’
Single Released 15th August 2025
I’m not really a fan of the hot weather, but I’m a fan of Torrential Rain, and as I write this it’s pushing 29 degrees. This blast of indie dance is indeed refreshing; it comes across like I imagine what a Shaman demo may have sounded like in the late 80’s or an EMF demo. There is a somewhat home recorded slightly off-centre quality about it that I feel very appealing indeed.
The Jimmy C ‘Refreshing’
Vinyl Album Edition (Think Like A Key) 5th September 2025
Refreshing is an album of mostly extremely short pop songs performed with so much vim and vigour that a 70’s tv advert would be embarrassed by its vigorous vim. And indeed, it is a fine album of home recorded power pop, Americana and indie rock n roll that at times reminds one of both Red Kross and Jellyfish. And I’m sure it will find itself in the record collections of all those sun-hugging guitar loving power pop aficionados out there.
The Cords ‘I’m Not Sad’
Single Released 13th August 2024
How on earth could anybody be sad when this under two-minute rambunctious slice of indie guitar pop reverberates into your jolly old lugholes; sounding not unlike The Primitives when they were young and carefree and did not have mortgage worries, and whether you were too old to wear denim shorts that did not reach your knees…ah those where the days.
Flea ‘Sick Bake’
Single, released 1st August 2025
‘Sick Bake’ is a fine single. It has the sound of 80’s Manchester before Baggy took over. It’s all grumbled vocals and harsh guitars: a little like that fine, and now rarely mentioned band the Inca Babies. It reminds me of the days of trawling around Afflecks Palace shopping for clothes, records and whatever else grabbed our fancy back in the day. Great days, great music and ‘Sick Bake’ is a great single.
Four Day Beard ‘Stay’
Single (Dark Fur Records) Released 23rd July 2025
There is no need for me to proclaim not to be confused with Rhianna‘s ballad ‘Stay’ because it is a blinking blimey cover version of the blighter. And a lovely charming, beautiful cover version it is as well, all deep yearning and heartfelt vocals performed no doubt by a gent with a fading twinkle of fond memories and lustful regrets, as sweet as a young child dipping their licked finger into a bag of their older sisters Sherbert.
Hyacinth ‘In Heaven’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) Released 1st August 2025
Have you ever drunkenly danced in the early hours of the morning to the soundtrack of the Teletext music on the television, if not why not? Obviously, that only applies to people of a certain age when teletext on tv was such a thing…those who probably remember the Hitman and Her, or hazily remember it anyway. Why I hear you probably ask yourself, as you think what is this old duffer pontificating about now. Well, it’s because that is what this quite enjoyable forage into the midstream of ambiance dance reminds me of. The warm bewitching sound of the blissful memory of youth entwining the thought of only hours before sharing time with your friends and old lover over more than a few bottles/pints of the demon brew, and as you both sway in a staggered like out-of-it-Travolta way (or in my case an out-of-it-Jarvis Cocker) you gently sway in the memory of the laughter and goodnight kisses.
Monogroove ‘Popsicle Drivethru’
Vinyl Album Edition (Think Like A Key) 29th August 2025
I wonder if Monogroove have listened to an album not made after 1966, as Popsicle Drivethru is an album of 60’s beat music, all very poppy and jangly like, the kind of thing you hear on a documentary about The Beatles made by a cable tv station that can’t afford to license the actual music by The Beatles so have music by a band playing in the background with a similar energy. Monogroove indeed are full of pop energy 60’s Beat style with songs of borrowed melodies and a certain charm. Popsicle Drivethru is indeed an enjoyable album especially if you are all consumed with the British beat pop between the years of 1963 and 1966.
The Neon Crabs ‘Drop It On Ya!’
Album (Metal Postcard Records) Released 28th July 2025
The cold steel flash of post-punk genius is once again wafted in by the rather excellent Neon Crabs. Iggy and The Stooges, Atari Teenage Riot and early Adam and The Ants collide in this misadventure of dark humour influenced by the world and the ridiculous life we are all living.
It is only a matter of time before the Neon Crabs are blasting on a daily basis from BBC 6 Music and getting write ups from the Blogs that people read, and being name dropped by influencers, and Matt is being touted as one of the great lyricists in modern underground music today (which he indeed is), and Andy supplies the ideal soundtrack with his incendiary shrapnel chord meanderings. The Neon Crabs are the ideal band to soundtrack life in a not ideal world. Also, every time Matt says, “Lets Rock”, it makes me grin from ear to ear.
The New York Salsa Company ‘This Machine Won’t Stop’
Single (Bad Soup Records) Released 27th August 2025
If sinister Garage rock Psych is the bag you are carrying, then this rather fetching blast of noise plumage is just for you. Short and sweet and sensual like a sexy primetime Fuzztones but with artier leanings; like a strawberry dipped in chocolate with imagined lipstick yearnings.
Soft Speaker ‘Rippling Tapestries’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) Released 1st August 2025
Rippling Tapestries is an album of hazy psychedelic indie rock songs covered in a warm blissed out sadness. Not unlike the first House Of Love album Motion Sensor (it could have stepped right off it in fact), the Soft Speaker have the same qualities as the afore mentioned band but with very subtle Americana undertones – but that could well be because they are indeed American and in fact they do produce Rippling Tapestries of songs: so a band that live up to their name in a very good way.
Some Brian Bordello News:
If you are currently suffering from Oasis hyperbole derangement, and need the antidote, then you can purchase our Brian and his dysfunctional family band The Bordellos’ Liam Gallagher EP diatribe via Bandcamp now:
The very same label, Metal Postcard Records, will soon be releasing the latest single ‘Village People’ in due course (no link or pre-order as yet, but keep checking out the label’s bandcamp page). However, the band showcased the track at the recent Preston Pop Festival jamboree, and you can now view that performance below:
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
The Pennys
Ayarwhaska ‘Dendritas Oscilantes’
Album (Buh Records) 11th April 2025
This album is noisy. It is chaotic. It is fun. It has an experimental vigour that should be applauded. The first track is called “XXX Speed Grindcore” and lasts 52 seconds and is the kind of thing John Peel would fill in 52 seconds of his show with. There are guitar riffs aplenty, ones that would make Billy Childish weep with joy. There are off-kilter vocal forays into electronic noise, feedback aplenty and the sound of someone clearing their throat. If this is what Peruvian Punk Rock sounds like please send me a Box Set.
NOTE: Presently no examples of the music available until release. Visit the Buh label bandcamp page.
The Conspiracy ‘Rainbow Prism’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) 13th March 2025
There is an old British psychedelic magic about ‘Rainbow Prism’ that should be celebrated by the current ever expanding psych fraternity. And the only reason I can think of why it isn’t, is because they have not heard it. For it has all the great qualities of British psych, and if this track was released on say Fruits De Mer Records, The Conspiracy would be all over Record Collector and Shindig and getting airplay from late night BBC 6 music: attention The Conspiracy deserves.
Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera ‘Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (Remaster Reissue)’
Album (Think Like A Key Records) 25th April 2025
What we have here is not a new band. No, I have made an exception to the rule of only reviewing new music to review this wonderful reissue of the Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera’s self-titled, and only, album from 1968 (I think) reissued on the wonderful Think Like A Key Records.
It is quite a marvellous album full of mellotrons, sitars and screaming like psych rock guitars and a quite marvellously busy bassist that has to be heard to be believed. This is really a must have for any fans of 60’s psych or music lovers who want to get the aural feel of life in late 60’s swinging London.
NOTE: Presently no examples of the music available until release, but you can find or order the album here
Occult Character ‘Party Heaven’
Album (Metal Postcard Records) 4th April 2025
Party Heaven is an eight-track mirage of deranged emotional psychosis; a Party Platter of unhinged outpourings of electro-punk. Yes, Occult Character is back with eight short tracks that confuses and delights in equal measure; songs that captures the ugliness of modern life, painting a dark picture but with a huge pink lipstick smile scrawled all over it. Madness and Magic at its most extreme.
The Pennys ‘Say Something’
Track/Video
A song of pure sweetness and sadness; a lovely jangle guitar Odyssey of lo-fi home recorded indie bliss. A track worthy of the golden days of jangle pop when Subway supplied darn fine tooting slices of indie pop melancholy and not overpriced sandwiches. Album to follow this summer.
Poundland ‘Can’t Stop’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 28th March 2025
You can lose yourself in a abattoir of current events, open the newspaper, open twitter or X or whatever it is called nowadays, read the news listen to the news watch the fucking news and you are overcome, overwhelmed with the sinking feeling of life in its most horrible reality. In this time of being on the brink of world war 3 and lost in the everyday mundanity of the 9 to 5 life or the hoping to get onto the mundanity of the 9 to 5 life just so you can get away from your bloody job coach and the latest nonstarter of training course you have to attend, its only three buses there and three buses back and there is a chance no matter how slight that they will keep you on in a full time position as a general dogsbody until they discard you when a much more viable and cost cutting option comes along. Poundland are the soundtrack to this life; they are the suppliers of the modern British folk song but not the hey diddly dee bounce your child on your knee with your finger in your ear type folk song, they are writing about street life for the everyday working class. They write songs about the everyday experience. They write about how the littlest thing can make a difference – like how the thought of the flapjack in your pocket can lift the mundanity of your working day – and the banality of tv, but not set to acoustic guitar and fiddle but the dense sound of noise or the simple drumbeat and the confusion, the feedback of the distorted guitar and bass: lo-fi punk at its best.
Poundland are one of the finest and important bands in the UK today, and capture the essence of true life in Britain in 2025 in all its ugly lack of glory.
Smellsofwitches ‘Bride of Fistula’
Single 28th March 2025
Brides Of Fistula is the debut release from new Wigan outfit, the wonderfully named Smellsofwitches. And it is a strange fish of a track, all experimental improvised glory but with a marvellously warm texture and feel. It may not have a melody that one can hum along to but is all the more fascinating and bewitching for that very reason.
SUE ‘Get Over’
Single
This is actually rather good, a throwback to those days of flannel shirts and The Late Show being dedicated to those pesky grunge bands from the good old US of A. And indeed, this track by Sue would not be out of place on that show: all angst vocals and heavy guitars. This could do very well, or would have 30 odd years ago.
Toxic Chicken ‘Mentally Sound’
Album (Earthrid) 16th April 2025
Let’s be honest, the only thing musically mentally sound about the great Toxic Chicken is the title of this album, as we in the know all know Toxic is one of the great musical eccentrics that live in the underground occasionally releasing mostly instrumental forays into the psych of electronica. And this wonderful album is an aural stroll through a strange Forrest as the sun goes down. Tracks that bewitch and amuse, entertain in equal measure. Songs that trip and drip through the mind, a relaxing frenzy of the old adage that a bird in the bush is a better than the bird in the freezer, or something similar that really is not too similar at all, and that is the perfect description of the works of The Toxic Chicken. For it sounds like electronica; it feels like electronica; but there is just something there that makes it much more. It has a slight dark ember of a twisted foray into the thinking of a musical maverick; an index into the mind of the closest thing the world of electronica has to Syd Barrett. Mentally Sound is indeed extremely sound but in the most magically unsound way.
Vesch ‘Passport’
Album (Incompetence Records) 11th April 2025
Art-Punk Cabaret is how Vesch describe themselves, and I’m not going to argue with that. For what we have is an enjoyable foray into a land where Xray Spex and The Teardrop Explodes and Lena Lovich rule the radio, as at different times the band remind me of all three. Maybe late seventies post punk and early eighties pop is what is in vogue in Russia at the moment, as that is where Vesch hail from.
Passport is an album made up of off-kilter and extremely enjoyable unusual inventive pop music. It may not be to everybody’s taste but is certainly to mine.
The Monthly Playlist For November 2024
November 29, 2024
CHOICE/LOVED/ENJOYED MUSIC FROM THE LAST MONTH ON THE MONOLITH COCKTAIL: TEAM EFFORT
The Monthly Revue for November 2024: All the choice, loved and most enjoyed tracks from the last month, chosen by Dominic Valvona, Matt ‘Rap Control’ Oliver and Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea. As always our selection features a real shake up and mix of tracks that we’ve both covered in our review columns and articles over the last month, plus those tracks we didn’t have room to feature at the time.
Covering many bases, expect to hear and discover new sounds, new artists. Consider this playlist the blog’s very own ideal radio show: no chatter, no gaps, no cosy nepotism.
___/TRACKLIST_____
Les Amazones d’Afrique ‘Wa Jo’
Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra ‘Major’
Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp ‘Speak by the E’
Marcelo D2 & SambaDrive ‘Samba de Primeira/Encontro com Nogueira’
Les Sons Du Cosmos ‘LAUNDRY’
Ric Branson Ft. Relense ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’
Juga-Naut Ft. Mr. Brown ‘Camel Coat’
Nowaah The Flood ‘On Location’
Blockhead ‘Orgy At The Port Authority’
Berke Can Ozcan & Jonah Parzen-Johnson ‘The Saint’
Elea Calvet ‘Landslide’
Roedelius ‘217 09’
Lolomis ‘Kristallen den Fina’
The South Hill Experiment ‘Silver Bullet’
Sparkz & Pitch 92 ‘Genius’
Jack Jetson & Illinformed ‘Pray’
Spectacular Diagnostics & Kipp Stone ‘BUCKET LIST’
Cavalier & Child Actor ‘Knight Of The East’
Walking The Dead ‘Fun Facts’
Humdrum ‘See Through You’
The Conspiracy ‘Tick Tok’
The Awkward Silences ‘Mother I’m on TV’
Trupa Trupa ‘Sister Ray’
Neon Kittens ‘Demons’
Bloom de Wilde ‘Dwindi’
Bell Monks ‘Before Dawn’
Spaces Unfolding & Pierre Alexandre Tremblay ‘In Praise of Shadows Pt. 2’
Gasper Ghostly ‘Floor Thirteen’
Son Of Sam & Masta Ace ‘Come A Long Way (Jehst Remix)’
Hegz & Dirty Hairy ‘Ruby Murray’
Glowry Boyz ‘FREE FALL’
Django Mankub ‘BEATSEVEN’
Sly & The Family Drone ‘Joyless Austere Post-war Biscuits’
Lolomis ‘Sieluni tanssimaan’
Cumsleg Borenail ‘Parade You ‘round Town’
Sam Gendel, Benny Bock & Hans P. Kjorstad ‘Charango’
Yazz Ahmed ‘A Paradise In The Hold’
Maalem Houssam Guinia ‘Matinba’
Baldruin ‘Hinein, hinaus, hinuber’
hackedepicciotto ‘Aichach – Live in Napoli’
Hornorkesteret ‘Krekling’
The Muldoons ‘Hours And Hours’
Juanita Stein ‘Motionless’
Sassyhiya ‘Take You Somewhere’
John Howard ‘If There’s a Star’
The Tulips ‘Haven’t Seen Her’
Jamison Field Murphy ‘Ermine Cloak’
Graham Reynolds ‘Long Island Sound’
Mauricio Moquillaza ‘___’
Kotra ‘Trials Of Discernment’
BRIAN BORDELLO SHEA’S REVIEWS JAMBOREE
Unless otherwise stated, all release can be purchased now.
Papercuts ‘Palm Sunday’
(Labelman)
This is a rather fine jangly pop song well written with a melancholy air that should be bottled and released into atmosphere to seep into the summers day and soak and enrich the lives of we the general public; a song that captures a snapshot, a brief still of a beautiful girl, a beautiful boy, a moment in time that will forever be etched onto our hearts.
Crystal Eyes ‘Like A Movie’
(Bobo Integral Records) 22nd April 2022
There are some fine radio friendly guitar pop singles being released at the moment, and here we have another one. It reminds me of Catatonia with rather fetching breathy vocals and chiming grungy guitars and a semi ‘Be My Baby’ drum beat: a lovely ballad. So what on earth is there not to like…I will tell you… there is nothing not to like. So yes, as Simple Simon would say, “I like it”.
Otoboke Beaver ‘Pardon’
(Damnably)
If sparkling punk pop is your thing then I would advise you to check out this short blast of pure fun from the all girl Japanese band Otoboke Beaver. It rams you in the gullet with its nonsensical charms dipping your brain into an infectious mix of madness and melody goofiness, its like losing yourself in a chocolate inspired dream after overdosing on milkshake spiked with happy thoughts.
YOVA ‘Make It Better’
(Quartertone)
I like this single it has a subtle political(ness) about it and a great nagging violin sounding [I do not know if it is a violin, but it sounds like one] riff picking away, clawing out your eyes and picking worms from your unsettled mind like a big black angry crow shouting fuck you in between pecks. Yes, I’m a bit of a fan of this single and through further investigation I’m becoming a bit of a fan of Yova: who it seems has just released her debut LP, Nine Lives.
East Portal ‘Untitled #3’
(AKP Recordings)
This sounds like something from a beatnik black and white horror film from the 60s; a road movie featuring scary gipsy children who like to devour their victims’ souls with egg spoons whilst offering their spittle to the charred remains of their god; a Mister Punch doll worked by top hatted old raggedy gentleman who has no teeth but a lot of self-belief in the power of coffee houses and backward performed poetry. You are not going to hear this track on Radio One. And it is all the better for that.
Evan Kertman ‘Rancho Shalom’
(Perpetual Doom) 29th April 2022
Rancho Shalom is a rather fetching album of baroque alt country; an album stuffed full with beautiful well-written songs. Songs with melodies that pull and twist your emotions and lyrics that both make you want to smile and cry. Evan Kertman is a man blessed with a honey rich voice that oozes class and emotion with a heart in the same place as Kurt Wagner, and Evan’s music affects you in the same way that the mighty Lambchop does.
There is just something so beautifully laid back about this album, an album to laze about in the sun to as you drink yourself into a silent oblivion with only birds and memories for company, and this album is such great company. ‘No Good Reason’ is a rather stunning song of break up and heartache with one of my favourite lines from the album, “I left you first, but you left me better”. A quite stunningly beautifully written song amongst an album of stunningly beautifully written songs.
The Legless Crabs ‘Always Your Boy’
(Metal Postcard Records)
The legless Crabs are back with another blast of sonic rock ‘n’ roll; once again proving why they are the band to be kicking the decaying corpse of culture not just in the USA but life in general everywhere. Who couldn’t agree with the sentiment of “Fuck Your Boss” from ‘Time Theft’, and anyone who couldn’t have any love for the myth of rock ‘n’ roll, does not do cartwheels, when hearing the quite wonderful JAMC like ‘Fake Weed Emergency’ hasn’t an ounce of joy left in their once thriving rock ‘n’ roll soul.
The Legless Crabs as I have mentioned so many times are the true sound of adventure and seedy darkness in the underground, and are probably ignored by many other blogs for that reason, as attitude and a devil care telling of the truth does not settle well with the meme inspired Instagram friendly culture that is currently rotting and killing our beloved mainstream alternative scene.
The Legless Crabs are not power pop; they do not cover their music in a coating of authentic rose petals from the 60s; do not make auto tuned radio friendly pop, but listen to ‘Give It A Wiggle’ and not think it’s perfect pop, as it is short catchy and pretty perfect. And Always Your Boy is an album filled with sonic adventure, be it short blasts of pretty perfect alternative punk rock or longer tracks of scuzzed up bass experimental splendor; an album that needs to be in the record collection of anyone who remembers the true magic of Rock N Roll the emphasis being on the N Roll!
Mercvrial ‘Brief Algorithms’
(Crafting Room Recordings) 29th April 2022
This is a very enjoyable album of 80s sounding indie guitar music, the kind House of Love used to tempt and seduce us with all those years ago. That can be explained by the fact that Mercvrial features the talents of one Terry Bickers on lead guitar, and the songs are awash with Terry Bickers’ guitar genius.
The songs chime with magic and melody, dipping in and out, taking me back to the days when the Sunday pub was followed by Snub TV. Ah, yes, those where indeed the days, but this is not an album of nostalgia it is an album of finely crafted and performed guitar songs and will appeal to anyone who loves well-crafted guitar indie/alternative music from any decade.
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