Our Daily Bread 661: Fran Ashcroft, The Male Pattern, Cut Chord, Minot…
September 10, 2026
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS. ALL ENTRIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Fran Ashcroft ‘Things To Make Do With’
(Album) 24th September 2026
Fran Ashcroft is back with a free to download, if you want it, album – or if you want a CD instead, you can message him on his Bandcamp page. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want it, because as ever with Fran you are blessed with a warm loving wash of arched eyebrow and tongue-in-cheek lyrical observations about the world in which we live. Gently poking fun at the high and mighty and the plainly stupid – particularly the powers that be that currently run the USA. Things To Make Do With really is a fine album, and a gentle reminder that music can entertain educate and enlighten.
These gems of songs have fine lyrics and tunes that have melody, dipping its toes in Lo-Fi Pop, Country (“Key To Your Heart” is a song worthy of Hank Williams), Jazz, Blues and Psych; flowing from the cocktail-like jazz of “Truth Love and Justice” to the early 60’s pop of “Blue Over You”. Yes indeed, Fran has quietly without any fuss released one of the albums of the year.
bigflower ‘Opinions’
Single – Released 19th August 2026
A song of darkness, anger, dismay and bloody brilliant guitar riffs. Yes, another in the long line of monthly tracks by bigflower. There is always a wonderful dense and all-consuming quality about bigflower and ‘Opinions’ is no different: and this opinion is one everyone should hear.
Cut Chord ‘Demolition Music’
EP – Released 29th July 2026
There is a rather lovely peacefulness to the five songs on this EP; soft, beguiling at times, with an undercurrent of sadness and melancholy that reminds me of Suzanne Vega but backed by The Red House Painters: especially on the rather splendid “Unfurling”. Cut Chord could well be a duo to keep an eye out for, and with the right label behind them could find themselves attracting the attention their obvious talent deserves.
The Free Four/Salem Trials ‘A Weasel In The Meatsafe’
Single – Released 25th August 2026
The Salem Trials are both back and not back at all, as they have confusingly changed their name to The Free Four but released it on the Salem Trials Bandcamp under their own name. Anyway, no matter what the name says or may be the two songs on this single sounds like The Salem Trials – a post-punk cacophony of guitars and madness that may sound like playing both a Fall LP and a Buzzcocks LP at the same time loudly in a small room.
Herb DiamantE ‘A Delicate Stiletto’
Album (Nyahh Records) 2nd September 2026
A Delicate Stiletto is a wonderful album. I love Scott Walker. I love Marc Almond. I love Peggy Lee. I love the seedy nightclub glamour of life, the image of the ageing night club crooner singing songs of once was and no longer is, of failed hopes and dreams, of how he could have and should have been a star but is now just a rain-soaked memory; a soundtrack to the bar tender pouring a drink to a stranger with a tale to tell. Herb DiamantE is that crooner and he spins wonderful images of lost love drunken nights and faded glamour set to a wonderful backing of pure sixties camp glitter ball hotel jazz sleaze. A Delicate Stiletto is a sequinned glory of an album.
The Male Pattern ‘I Was Shot In The Heart’
Album (Audio Antihero) 25th September 2026
The Male Pattern’s I Was Shot In The Heart is an album of the timeless variety and a bit of a throwback to the days when singer-songwriter’s told stories in the songs: something you do not come across as much as you once did. I was brought up soundtracked by country music…not that I lived in Texas or Nashville but in a North West industrial town in England in the 70s where Coronation Street was more like a fly on the wall documentary than a soap. My dad loved country music and played it constantly, so I grew up with tales of gunfighters as told by Marty Robbins or Kitty Wells singing of Back Street Love affairs, and although this album is not a country album as such it has the same grit and the same blue-collar tales of everyday and not so everyday happenings and life.
I Was Shot In The Heart is a fine album of well written tales and stories like a modern Streetheart by Dion or The Ghosts Of Tom Joad.
Minot ‘Down & Out At The Thunderbird’
Album (Drag Bunt Records) 2nd October 2026
Down & Out At The Thunderbird is a lovely rambunctious affair of early Fall like post-punk and 60s garage rock splendour, the kind of hip-shaking benevolence the mighty Billy Childish and his many outfits make quite perfectly; the kind of album you might have heard pre-Cramps gig blasting from the speakers as you wait for the madness to commence. Well my friends, the madness commences as soon as the needle hits the record on this quite marvellous album. One to play loudly and often.
Neon Kittens ‘It’s A Raid Monkey Tail’
Single – Released 23rd August 2026
Another amusing foray into sonic blast guitar territory from The Neon Kittens. Lasting just under one and a half minutes, this brief but perfect slice of post-punk has one grinning like the cheshire cat after drinking a bottle of my wife’s home-made tea wine: not that she makes wine anymore, nor do I drink alcohol anymore, but who needs alcohol to put a smile on your face when you have the Neon Kittens.
Spygenius ‘Rhizomania’
Album (Canute Records) 3rd October 2026
Spygenius are back with their second album, another foray into whimsical British folk psych pop. Yes indeed, you could not get a more British sounding album if you wanted to – so British it should come with a pop-up Morris dancer or at least a cardboard one which you could cut out and stick on your mantlepiece. Which may be the reason it is their first release on their own record label Canute Records and not the American based Big Stir Records that released their excellent debut, as this is far more real ale and cricket than cold beer and Baseball.
Spygenius carry on the great British tradition of whimsical pop, one I would recommend fans of the likes of Squeeze, XTC, Fairport Convention and anyone who has a penchant for the Piccadilly sunshine series of compilations of obscure English sixties psych released a number of years ago. Yes, an album of Summer Fetes and Autumnal walks.
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.
The End of the Month Playlist For August 2026
August 31, 2026
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music from the last month. Curated by Dominic Valvona & Matt Oliver.
Choice music and sonics from the last month (or so) picked from our reviews, but also featuring the tunes we missed out on or didn’t get the room to feature at the time. Curated by Dominic Valvona with choice hip-hop cuts selected by Matt Oliver and some tunes lifted from reviews by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea. Includes everything from galloping jazz and underground rap cuts to a lamentable anniversary tie-in with the disastrous withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and all that’s rough and new in the gnarled guitar department.
Please note: The Monolith Cocktail has more or less given up its accounts on both Instagram and bluesky. You can find the blog on WordPress, in every search engine going, on Facebook, and still, on X. Or you can of course sign up to email notifications.
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.
August’s track list:
Gentles ‘My Fugue, My Greek, My Brahms’
Neon Crabs ‘Invisible’
Origami Horses ‘Vultures’
SPAER ‘The Express’
Nonturn ‘Indicate’
Kaja Draksler, Petter Eldh & Christian Lillinger ‘Granular Navigation’
Homeboy Sandman & Jack Splash ‘Gas’
Serengeti ‘Dennehy’
Lee Scott, Black Josh, B-Movie Millionaires & Sly Moon ‘HEX’
Apollo Brown ‘Stovepipe Stuffing’
Hadja & Nils Kacirek ‘Hasrat (Shnsucht)’
bu.re_ ‘ii – Heat shimmer’
Motohiro Nakashima Ft. Marucoporoporo ‘Sea of Thought’
King Kashmere, Confucius MC & Jazz T ‘Classic Style’
Doc Da Mindbenda & IAMGAWD ‘Double Nickle In The Garden’
Open Mike Eagle & Kenny Segal ‘Trying to Remember What I Aimed At’
Von Pea ‘The Goof’
Declaime & SaltChunkJerry ‘Breakend Legs Man’
Occult Character ‘Unrequited Vibrations’
Enofa ‘Retire on That’
The Breedling ‘Stalker’
Raymond Roussel ‘the other side of the other side’
Bity Booker ‘The Ballad of Lost Town’
Becca Bartlett ‘Cicadas’
John Howard ‘Abbey Road, April 1974’
Leah Neale ‘Slip Away’
Pozi ‘Hale-Bopp’
Stuart Turner & Rob Grigg ‘For God’s Sake Burn It Down’
Beans ‘Remember’
Resavoir & Gregory Uhlmann ‘4th Cloud’
Enofa ‘Life Flower Town’
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS. ALL ENTRIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Beans ‘Remember’
Single (Fuzz Club Records) Out Now
Ah, I admit I am not really a huge fan of Fuzz Club Records on the whole as I think that they have a certain sound, and I find that sound a bit dull on the whole nowadays: lots of bands with nice looking vintage guitars and sunglasses. I like Jesus and Mary Chain and Brian Jonestown Massacre as much as the next man, but do I want to listen to lots of bands that are not quite as good…even Jesus And Mary Chain sound like a not quite as good JAMC now.
But this single, ‘Remember’ by the Beans, is indeed very good and has an arch quality normally not associated with Fuzz Club. If Fuzz Club was The James Bond Franchise this would be its Roger Moore which we all can agree is a very good thing indeed.
Bity Booker ‘There’s No Song About Stones’
Released 5th June 2026
There’s No Songs About Stones is an album of sublime solo psych folk whimsy, just Bity and her classical acoustic guitar singing songs about sadness, birds, love and life but none about Stones Rolling or otherwise, just nine beautifully written and performed songs full of melancholy, melody and a magical sprinkling of fairy dust which draws one into Bity Bookers strange and wonderful world.
Eye With An Eye ‘Flow’
Single – Out Now
‘Flow’ is the debut single by Eye with An Eye, and quite a fetching affair it is to, all post punk moodiness with an aura of jazzy reflection, dark and reflective and deep like diving into the waters of somebody’s thoughts and dreams, and floats in a heaven like state awaiting the whirlpool of contemptable love to drag you in and smother you with contentment.
The Fox ‘For Fox Sake (2026 Remaster)’
Album (Think Like A Key Music) 14th August 2026
For Fox Sake was recorded overnight in 1970; the band thinking this would be the demo, but the record label thought differently and released it as the album. The album sadly sank without trace and The Fox survived not much longer.
But 56 years later Think Like A Key has thankfully re-released the album, and what an album it is. Wonderfully magical in all its psych rock glory, it captures the wonderful mood and excitement of the time: an aural time machine if you like. An album that captures a band having the time of its life and it being recorded mostly live captures the excitement of a young and talented band having the time of its life…the word groovy was invented just for albums like this believe me.
Gentles ‘Nation’
(Metal Postcard Records) Released 18th July 2026
Nation is the latest and final album by the Gentles in their current incarnation as their vocalist Brendan Parkes sadly died earlier this year. There is a punk psych art pop vibe to this album that reminds me of Blur in their Modern Life is Rubbish era, which can only be a good thing I think you might agree; maybe they have the same influences as there is definitely a Syd Barrett and Swell Maps, Buzzcocks and even Jilted John about them. An album that I would advise fans of the aforementioned could do worse than to check the Gentles out.
John Howard ‘Overnight Bags’
Album – Released 7th August 2026
With Overnight Bags I feel John Howard has just made his own The Boys From Dungeon Lane, an album of memories wrapped in melody and pop genius. Neil Hannon would sell his collection of Scott Walker albums to have written any one of these eleven gems, for John Howard has a wonderful talent of painting aural pictures, telling musical tales of love and sadness: I bet john is a hell of a people watcher.
Overnight Bags finds John, as I have said, looking back at his eventful life; from the plague of aids that took away too many of his friends in “What God Is This?” to the first time in Abbey Road recording his debut album in 1975, to him wondering what happened to his old teenage friends (“Josie, Do You Remember?”).
Overnight Bags is quiet the masterpiece, filled with melancholy, love and remembrance. This album is so good in fact I should have started with Paul McCartney has made his own Overnight Bags with his The Boys From Dungeon Lane.
Kevin ‘It Is What It Is’
Album (Riot Season) Released 24th July 2026
Chaotic Krautrock experimental psychedelic noise rock: “It Is what It Is”. I suppose that sums up the album, and lovers of the aforementioned will no doubt love this: and there is plenty to enjoy.
At times it reminds me of the excellent Poundland, especially vocal wise, and Potters Wheel has a rather wonderful hypnotic riff as does the Fall like “Murphy Is Buried” and “Wood Kill” could easily be off Julian Copes Masterpiece Jehovah Kill. Kevin takes all their influences and makes a fine engrossing soundtrack to delve into the mis-workings of the human psych.
Man & Machine ‘Earthman’
EP (Fruits Der Mer) Released 1st August 2026
This is a six track EP or mini album as we of a certain age like to call them (if it has more than four tracks, I would prefer to call it a mini LP). Well, this Mini LP is a lovely sounding affair; it has a beautiful airy sheen about it reminding me of the lovely slightly folkish pop rock from the seventies with just that dash of psych. Yes, it has a bewitching summerlike warmth, even one that one would find emitting from the BBC radio in those glory days of radio. This is quite a wonderful record, available as a lovely 10inch vinyl EP/mini-LP released on the Fruits De Mer Record label or as a download from Man & Machine’s Bandcamp page.
Neon Crabs ‘Big Dumb Racket’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) Released 28th July 2026
There is nothing big or dumb about this 4 track EP, unless being big and dumb is the sound of a galaxy of guitars storming up a post punk frenzy whilst the singer cajoles the inner demons into more demon like activity by out stooging the Stooges; if popping the Iggy was a Olympic event the Neon Kittens would be gold winners knocking Iggy Pop into second place: they just have the same grace like anger and fractured humour. Yes indeed, The Neon Crabs are very cool.
Occult Character ‘Unrequited Vibrations’
(Metal Postcard Records) Released 3rd August 2026
We have another fine single from Occult Character, Unrequited Vibrations is actually quite commercial and with the wind blowing in the right direction I could imagine this getting some radio play: and it would be well deserved. It certainly has lots of the odd ball charm that the Occult Character specialises in but the oddball ness is soundtracked by a rather wonderful catchy keyboard riff: let’s call it an ‘Einstein A Go Go’ for the now children.
Origami Horses ‘Vultures’
(Metal Postcard Records) Released 19th July 2026
A blast of alt pop/rock is good for you, so the Doctor tells me. And ‘Vultures’ is indeed a blast: a blast of screwed up alt pop perfection like Radiohead used to give us before they went all prog like and snarled at the beauty of the three-minute pop single. No worries on that score from The Origami Horses, they remember the magic of melody and the angry guitar wrapped in a velvet blazer.
Present Electric ‘My Heart Is Filled With A Hundred Knots Of Sorrow And A Thousand Knots Of Resentment’
Album – (Paisley Shirt Records) Released 31st July 2026
My Heart Is Filled With A Hundred Knots Of Sorrow And A Thousand Knots Of Resentment is probably the longest album title of the year and one I won’t be typing out again. Yes, it is an album of lo-fi experimental pop misadventure and a rather fine one at that; at times reminding me of Skip Spence’s OAR album, and at other times like the Velvet Underground – when in funny bugger mode – and also quite fascinatingly like Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band LP, especially on the beautiful “The Ring Is On The Phoenix’s Head”.
There is a hauntingly beautiful feel to the album, one that skips from melancholy to sunny delight with a natural graceful ease that one can only stand back and admire. Another winner as always from the Paisley Shirt Records label.
Stuart Turner and Rob Grigg ‘Gargoyles at the Memoir Club’
(Gare du Nord) Released 15th August 2026
Gargoyles At The Memoir Club is what Captain Beefheart might have sounded like if he recorded for Postcard records. Yes, it’s a strange old brew of guitar jangle, garage punk and Bad Seeds like blues madness. It is a musical exorcism, a bobsleigh ride through hell whilst swigging on a bottle of Thunderbird and recanting tales of previous misdemeanours.
Yes, this is a strange old album; an open mic night where Lloyd Cole and Tom Waites duet whilst Nick Cave juggles peanuts trying to attract the attention of the barmaid who really should know better but cannot help but smile at the velvet suited bare chested Australian.
Winter At Sea ‘Hearts’
EP – (A Cheery Wave Records) 28th August 2026
Post Rock atmospheric instrumental beauty. If that is your thing then this could well be just what you want to soundtrack your evening with…well, 20 minutes of it anyway; I suppose you could always put it on repeat and let the waves of emotion keep on covering you with the warmness and emotional stillness that this fine EP provides.
Yes, if you want a relaxing evening and not quite in the mood for Dark Side Of The Moon put this on instead. I have two good reasons for that, one, Dark Side Of The Moon is shit and, two, this isn’t.
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.
The End of the Month Playlist For July 2026
July 30, 2026
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music from the last month. Curated by Dominic Valvona & Matt Oliver.
Choice music and sonics from the last month (or so) picked from our reviews, but also featuring the tunes we missed out on or didn’t get the room to feature at the time. Curated by Dominic Valvona with choice hip-hop cuts selected by Matt Oliver.
The Track List:
THAO & The Get Down Stay Down w/ Tune-Yards ‘Sick of the Times’
A Certain Ratio ‘Knife Slits Water (EM) 12” Version’
foamboy ‘FAR AWAY’
Homeboy Sandman & Jack Splash & CeeLo Green ‘World On Fire’
ECID ‘Break Up Insurance’
Space Afrika & Tony Njoku ‘MLN’
Skyzoo ‘Short Money’
Peter Evans ‘Genesis/Schismogenesis – Stage 4’
A-F-R-O & MotionPlus ‘Labor of Fruit’
Brian Ennals & Blockhead & Defcee & Mikie Mayo ‘Yellow School Buses’
King Kashmere & Genesis Elijah & Killa P & Dabbla ‘Big[Bad]’
Chuck Strangers ‘L2LL2C’
Post Elvis ‘Luna (Evil’s Ballad)’
Simon Klein ‘Don’t Leave Me Alone’
Robyn Hitchcock ‘My Dead Astronaut’
Babe Rainbow ‘Acid and Honey’
John Howard ‘Abbey Road, April 1974’
Skyjack ‘Shozi’
Richard Spaven & Wildchild ‘Finders’
The God Fahim ‘GFY’
Distant Fires Burning & Autistici ‘Scalar (Reverend Basstorius Remix)’
hackedepicciotto ‘Zeitwende’
Aisha Vaughan ‘Frozen’
August Cooke ‘On The Line’
Biita Houdei ‘The Ground Here’
Tristan Da Cunha ‘Preludio’
Feverdreamt ‘Shadow Catching Up’
Sir Richard Bishop ‘They Shall Take Up Serpents’
Park Jiha ‘Summer Illusion’
Los Orientales de Paramonga ‘Viajando Con Un Loco’
EYE WITH AN EYE (Bloom de Wilde & Nick Trepka) ‘flow.’
Tōth ‘Easy – Live With the Brooklyn Choir Project’
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS. ALL ENTRIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Dragged Up – Rapunzel /Black Carbon
Double-A-Sided Single (Warped Tracks (Fife), and on Label Obscura based in Toronto, Canada) 5th August 2026
The Excellent Dragged Up are back with two fine slices of Guitar strum. The First Track ‘Rapunzel’ is a sonic fuzzed up gem of garage psych indie splendour that has one’s mind taken on an imaginary journey of watching the Sonics hula hoop whilst swaying to the mighty sounds of a 60’s Beach Blanket Bingo soundtrack, plus it also has a rather ace Saxophone honking – not unlike the Sonics themselves. The second track ‘Black Carbon’ is a slightly more sedate affair that has not lost any of its psych bewitchery, and is quite a beautiful piece of vinyl art.
Feverdreamt ‘Our Only Fault Is Existing’
Album (Blackjack Illuminist Records) 3rd July 2026
Dark Gothic Synth folk is that a thing £ (I put a pound sign in because I could not find the question mark). Well, if it is not a thing it is now, as that’s the only way I can poorly describe this rather lovely album of…well, Dark Gothic Synth Folk.
If you were camping in the dark woods and nighttime was upon you, and you wanted something to catch the dying embers of the campfire Our Only Fault Is Existing could well be the album to do it. It’s an album of melancholy fortitude; an album of ghostly memories that not just haunt but bewitch a look through an old photo album and relive the days when your wrinkles were laughter lines and the person in your arms was the person in your heart. Music can be a bastard sometimes, but in a darlingly beautiful heartbreaking way.
Robyn Hitchcock ‘Yesterday’s Rain’
Single 24th July 2026
I do love Robyn Hitchcock, as all music lovers should; he is blessed with a songwriting talent of wit charm and melody and a voice to match. Yesterday’s Rain is full of all those things and lyrics that supply a steady stream of imagery that Barrett and a Psych era Lennon would be proud of.
Mike Honcho ‘Day To Day’
Album (Wormhole) 17th July 2026
Day To Day is an album of quite mellow and musical dance tracks that ooze sophistication and musicality and more importantly some pretty fine hooks and melody, which I tend to fins is not always the way with this genre.
There are only 25 copies of this CD for sale, released on the excellent Wormhole World records, so if you want to soundtrack your day with some fun experimental dance that is easy on the ear you better get your skates on or if you have no skates some other footwear that will make you move pretty sharpish.
John Howard ‘Abbey Road, April 1974’
Single
‘Abbey Road’ is a rather lovely piano perusal of sun and light; a short mid-tempo toe tapper that those of a certain age will no doubt cherish, help refurbish their aging heart with a soft glow of magic hope and loss. ‘Abbey Road’ is two and a half minutes of simple aural sublimity.
Simon Klein ‘Will You Marry Me’
Album (Gare du Nord) 17th July 2026
Will You Marry Me is quite a rather lovely album; an album in which Simon Klein celebrates his 46 years of marriage – whether his wife is celebrating this is maybe another question but let’s assume she is. The songs are mostly all upbeat and full of pop melodies from the rockabilly shuffle of “Cat” through the MOR prog pop of “Ever Present Help In Trouble” and the sweet almost Belle And Sebastian like ballad “Hold Me Now” and the jangly “Mrs Simon Klein“. “Will You Marry Me” is a happy go lucky sunny treat with not a dark cloud in sight.
Post Elvis ‘Sun & Moon’
Single 2nd July 2026
Two fine tracks of modern psychedelia that swing and sway with a Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev/Grandaddy charm that pleases one – especially if you are a fan of one of the aforementioned. I’m not saying that they all sound the same but they may all sip from the same mug of coco.
Sir Richard Bishop ‘Hillbilly Erotica’
Album (Drag City) 31st July 2026
Sir Richard Bishop’s Hillbilly Erotica certainly sounds like a saucy little number. I wonder how erotic hillbilly’s can be. I remember the Beverly Hill Billys from my youth and always had a thing for the attractive blond girl, so maybe that’s what’s making me gravitate to giving this album a listen.
And as I listen to this album I wonder if Sir Richard Bishop is an actual knight of the realm and if so, does he ride a horse and does he go to knightly functions alongside Sir Paul and Sir Cliff. The only thing putting me off reviewing this is the surname Bishop, me being a good Catholic lad and being made to attend strict catholic schools in the seventies and early years of the eighties I learned never to trust a bishop or any religious high-ranking officer: nothing erotic about them just plain creepy.
Anyway, onto the music. It’s fine and dandy and full of finger picking country strummed melody soaked ye haw magic. The beautiful “Postcoital Serenade” is indeed beautiful enough to play again before the coital shenanigans commence, as is “Finger Revisited” which melody wise had me thinking of the wonderful Nick Drake. And also did Frankie Howard name these tracks I really need to know. “Hookers Bend” – maybe Sir Richard Bishop is a rugby fan – is a rather wonderfully expertly strummed matador baiting delight Spanish Odessey of sublimity.
Hillbilly Erotica is indeed a fine listen and one to soundtrack the oncoming Long Summer nights or even the short afternoon delights.
Toxic Chicken ‘Time Traveller’
Album (Earthrid) 14th July 2026
What came first the Toxic Chicken or the egg? Well obviously Toxic Chicken as nothing comes before Toxic Chicken especially when artful experimental dance tinged pop is the calling of the day.
Time Traveller is an album of excellence, an enjoyable foray into the art instrumental bliss if the Aphex Twin actually had a twin it could well be Toxic Chicken.
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.
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS. ALL ENTRIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
bigflower ‘Difficult Times’
Track – Released 11th June 2026
Now then, this does not sound like the Rolling Stones but for some reason reminds me off them: Maybe if sucked through a high-powered vortex and fed into a mincer of self-doubt paranoia anger and hope it might be what they would sound like. It certainly has a rather nagging wonderful guitar riff that is digitally delayed to the inch of its life. Once again bigflower blooms again.
Cult Of Free Love ‘Know Your Name / She Floats On Fire’
Single (Fuzzed up & Astromoon Records) Released 19th June 2026
Psychedelic is what we have here, not the 60’s variety but an early 90’s sounding variety [to my ageing ears anyway], the kind that would have had A&R men stroking their chins and wallets to sign back in the day when The Stone Roses ruled the roost and bands like the Telescopes were releasing sublime and ignored gems of albums like their second album Higher And Higher, and Thee Hypnotics were playing to 5 men and a slightly bedraggled caricature of Moe Bandy who had turned up thinking it was country night.
Yes indeed, The Cult Of Free Love have captured the magic in the bottle of that era and shaken it up and soaked we the jolly listeners with a splendid froth of psychedelic guitar riffs that leaves us an aural adventure of crushed velvet; of a time when goths where goths and knew a thing or two about style and elegance. All in all, a psych goth gem.
Earth Mother Fucker/ Poundland ‘Split”
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 8th July 2026
Mind-bending blitzkrieg bop punk rock garage punk sizzle. Yes, that is one way to poetically describe this fine album by Earth Mother Fucker and Poundland. Two bands that soundtrack these unpleasant divided days of living in the UK when life is coloured concrete grey and all the magic has gone.
Life is no longer John Lennon chewing gum while singing “All You Need Is Love” or The Sex Pistols saying shit on national TV. Music really does not speak to a nation anymore. It is as underground as it has ever been. It no longer shocks or delights a nation. Music no longer matters to kids like politics no longer matters to kids. There are no longer any teenage tribes. They all dress the same, they have had all the individuality drilled out of them by the saturation of not upsetting the norm.
I guess that is why Earth Mother Fucker and Poundland sound like they do, because they are probably at the age when they knew how much music mattered and changed lives and brought great change to life and culture. And if a couple of people under the age of twenty hear this album and it inspires them to pick up an instrument and express emotion and love and anger there is hope for the world yet.
Max Knouse ‘Goat Pupil’
Album (Ruination Records) Released 12th June 2026
Goat Pupil is an album of well written and performed Smog like alt country blues folksongs. Max Knouse is a talented chap and has a wonderful way about how he draws you in with his laid-back lazy drawl (drawl you in even). There is a charm and earthy gentleman like elegance about his delivery and his softly picked strummed guitar floats like a fading butterfly surfing the barbecue smoke filled evening air casting future memories waiting to be plucked from the shadows of the dying sun.
The Loft ‘Badges’
Album (Tapete) Released 8th May 2026
The Loft are back with their second album, and very good it is to if you are fan of indie guitars that chime and jangle and were young when Creation Records had never even heard of Oasis; and yes I am all of the above so love the T-rex guitar riffage of “Sad Comedian” and can appreciate the summery Go Betweens’ pop “Campervan”: how middle aged is to write an indie rock song about escaping in a campervan…Very.
This album is indeed a fun listen and is always a delight to hear the distinctive vocals of Pete Astor backed by the fine indie guitar chime of Andy Strickland, and lovely to know that they still have it after all these years.
Oopsie Daisies ‘HAGS’
(Metal Postcard Records) Released 11th June 2026
The warm swooshing sound of synth; the jangling of guitars; the sublime melodies of youth; yes, this is the sound of Bedroom pop, the true magic of music captured not in the hallowed walls of Abbey Road haunted by the ghosts of The Beatles and The Hollies and George Martins’ white shirts but in a room with a bed in it and curtains overlooking the streets of Portland. Yes, indeed music can be made anywhere, all you need is some cheap instruments and songwriting talent which Mr Oopsie Daisies has in abundance it seems.
Schizo Fun Addict ‘Indigo Teleport’
Video B-Side (Fruits de Mer Records)
Indigo Teleport is the latest track by Schizo Fun Addict. Well actually it’s the B-side to their last single, released as a very ltd 7 inch on Fruits De Mer, but they have posted it now online and it can be heard on YouTube, so if that is your thing give it a watch and listen and you will find them in and on post punk territory. Yes, touches of the mighty Fall and early Pavement lay waste to the slumber party of life, and we are left deriding the pitiful state of UK radio when one would hear this and its ilk on night time national radio and now we are left scouring YouTube for morsels of musical glory.
Emmaleen Tangleweed ‘The Weaving’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 31st July 2026
The Weaving is a Country blues and folk masterclass, the kind of album that could have been made any time in the last 70 years, not a synth or any AI in sight, just a talented songwriter guitarist singing well written and performed magnificently songs of darkness and loss and death. Not an album to be played at your daughters twelve birthday party, and I cannot imagine any tracks being slipped in between “Agadoo” and “Ooops Upside Your Head” at a wedding disco soon.
The Weaving is an album to be played late at night as the rain bewitches the window, with a glass of whiskey by your side as memories and heartache waltz seductively like a candleflame dancing sweet nothings casting shadows of virginal enticement.
Wire Worms ‘Beneath The Eildon Tree’
(Cruel Nature Records) 31st July 2026
Wire Worms are a six-piece Northern neo-folk band and like all the best neo-folk bands draw influences from many other genres; so one can feel the influence of experimental noise and the whispering tangents of Black Metal if not in sound but in atmospheric Eastern European wanderings.
Beneath The Eildon Tree is an album that should appeal to both those with a fondness of traditional British Folk and those who bow their heads at the altar of Current 93 and Death In June. There is a wonderful darkness and melancholy that seeps and indeed sweeps from Beneath The Eildon Tree that leaves the listener in a catatonic trance like state of pure oneness with bliss.
The End of the Month Playlist Revue for May 2026
May 29, 2026
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music from the last month. Picked by Dominic Valvona, Matt Oliver & Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea.
The Track list is as follows:
Sub Hop Collective ‘Hundred and One’
Konono No1 ‘Volta’
Sunk Giants ‘Radio Problems’
Party Dozen ‘Special Unit’
Occult Character ‘Anti-Human Hate Machine’
Spirit Level ‘Forest Lagoon’
Khalab & Baba Sissoko ‘Denifurla’
Dumama ‘No Abiding City’
Cocanha ‘Forabanda’
Stik Figa & Heather Grey ‘All Is Fair’
The Allergies ‘Dig It Up’
7X3=21 & Pruven Ft. Masai Bey & Fred Ones ‘Woven Fabric’
Black Milk ‘Crash Test Dummy’
Meiko Kaji ‘Tokyo Nagare Mono’
Farma G & Relense ‘The Circus’
Juga-Naut ‘Scratch The Surface’
Whait/More Eaze/Wendy Eisenberg ‘Suffer Less’
Yazz Ahmed ‘A Moment To Be Free’
J Scienide ‘Stay Tuned’
Von Pea ‘The Goof’
Termanology/Royal Flush/Dru Hoffa ‘Angel Whispers’
Vic Spencer/BlaQ Chidori/J Wade/Aakeem Eshu/Lil Kydd ‘The Becomers’
A-F-R-O ‘The Hangman’
The Bordellos ‘Hop To It Bunny Girl’
Thomas Dollbaum ‘Pulverize’
Kyivite ‘test cylinder’
Neuro…No Neuro ‘Doubting’
Arab Strap ‘You You You’
Opus Kink ‘The Sweet Goodbye’
Double Francoise ‘Allumer’
The Legendary Ten Seconds ‘A Universe That Has No End’
Upupayama ‘Mystic Chords of Memory’
Lunar Bird ‘Sinderesi’
SUO ‘Lightening Strikes’
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The End of the Month Playlist Revue for April 2026
April 30, 2026
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music from the last month. Picked by Dominic Valvona, Matt Oliver & Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea.
The Track list is as follows:
Lone & Juga-Naut ‘Throw The Ember’
Horse Lords ‘Brain of the Firm’
Thrust The Mask & Mai Mai Mai ‘VULTURES’
Da Flyy Hooligan & Guilty Simpson ‘GUILTY VERDIX’
Rapswell, SQ & Dood Computer ‘Steampunk!’
Blu & Exile Ft Rome Streetz & ICECOLDBISHOP ‘Crumbs’
Tangients ‘Void’
Opus Kink ‘Come Over, Do Me Wrong’
Yazz Ahmed ‘Dawn Patrol’
Nduduzo Makhathini ‘Imvunge KaNtu’
Rave At Your Fictional Borders ‘Spoonbill’
Sulaf ‘Naada’
Hannah Peel & Beibei Wang ‘Awaken The Insects’
Morita Vargas ‘La Llave’
B Dolan Ft. Widowmaker ‘Wilhelm Scream’
Deeq ‘True Intentions’
The Gatekeepers Ft. Henry Kaiser ‘The End of Man’
The Conspiracy ‘Dungeness’
Ex Norwegian ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’
Frog ‘All The Things You Got’
Stephane C Cotti ‘Sunkissed Nina’
King Kashmere & BVA ‘I Smoke’
Andreas Tschopp ‘The Poetry of the In-Between’
The Three Seas ‘Prithibi’
Shye Ben Tzur, Johnny Greenwood & The Rajasthan Express ‘Shemesh’
Lisa Kohl, Macie Stewart & Whitney Johnson ‘cough | laugh’
HOWL, Fran & Flora & Erin Robinsong ‘Weed Canticle’
Xqui ‘Dead City’
Carol Maia & Jeremy Gustin ‘Aloe’
Your Brother’s Keeper & Gary Bartz ‘Cauldron’
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS.
The Conspiracy ‘VI’
Album (Metal Postcard Records) Released 10th March 2026
The Conspiracy are a fine band: have I have already written on many occasions about how under the radar they are, and that they deserve much more attention than they get. Why, I never know. Well actually I do, it’s all down to finance and the mechanics of getting featured in the larger blogs and magazines and appearing on the major radio stations as if the label/band can afford the pr and plugger fees you are much more likely to reach the audience. If you are willing to pay for an advert in a magazine you are more likely to get a review in said magazine. The music business like life is unfair and sometimes the more talented and deserving get overlooked.
But onto the album. VI is a long album, and if issued on vinyl would be a double at least. 18 well written songs that sparkle and rock and chime with the history of the great British bands: be it the Kinks or Billy Childish or Julian Cope or XTC or many others. The Conspiracy don’t hide their influences, just cherish them. They emit a wonderful aural montage of the psychedelic: “Rainbow Prism” if released on the Fruits De Mer label would have picked up many a play on BBC 6 Music evening shows no doubt when released as a single some months ago, post punk the catchy as hell “Tick Tok” part Fall part XTC another song that deserves to be lighting up national evening radio. The wonderful song “England” has the spirit of Ray Davies running through it. VI is an album that is full of songs of songwriting suss and love and really does deserve to be given a chance to be heard by a wider audience.
Stephane C. Cotti ‘A Love Absolute’
Album (Wool Recordings) Released 8th April 2026
Without sounding like an Amazon, Spotify or YouTube recommends thingy, but if you like Nick Drake, Tim Buckley and John Martyn you might very well enjoy this lovely album of mostly acoustic loveliness; an album of lostness and wholesome sadness, a beautiful album of warm folk delight.
A Love Absolute is one of those albums that the more you play the more you will sink into its invitingness and will soon become one of those albums that will soon settle into your regular routine of soundtracking your evening of basket weaving or playing chess or playing Pacman (I’m at the cutting edge of video games as you can tell; are they still called video games?!|). Anyway, however you spend your evening this album will only add to it in a good way.
Dewin ‘Dan y Dderwen’
Album Release 1st May 2026
Derwin weave together a rich tapestry of pop, psych, folk, jazz and Rock to give an enjoyable if unusual listen and comes across like a strange Welsh musical. I not being able to speak Welsh have not a clue lyrically to what is going on but that does not in any way spoil the album for me as the melodies adventure and music more than makes up for it. And let’s be honest, Welsh is just a beautiful sounding language; it really does not take anything away from it, and anyway, the lyrics could be shit and that could spoil the listening experience. I have also discovered that Cheesy Nibbles in Welsh is in fact Cheesy Nibbles. So, you live and learn.
Ex Norwegian ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight [live]’
Single/Video (Think Like A Key) Released 29th March 2026
What I like about this single is the old time good old-fashioned band playing a cover in the bar/club vibe, which is probably because that is what it is and that seems to be becoming more of a thing from the past as venues and bars close at a frightening rate. How far away are we from an AI band playing in a virtual bar I do not know, but Ex Norwegian, a band who have written many a fine song in their time, return with this fine rendition of the Richard Thompson classic showing that there is still joy and excitement to be found in real people picking up real instruments and soundtracking a good night out.
Frog ‘Dark Out’
Single (Audio Antihero) Released 17th April 2026
Dark Out? It certainly is. In fact, it’s dark in and out. We are surrounded by clouds of darkness that engulf us like a mythical sponge of darkness. These are the darkest times I can remember but at least we have the rather lovely new single from Frog to tap our toes to; a quirky stroll through McCartney-like melodies. In fact, has darkness ever felt so light?! Dark Out is like submerging yourself in a bath filled with your favourite flavour ice cream and watching yourself sink in the mirror with a smile on your face.
Peanus ‘Peanus EP’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) Released 1st April 2026
Imagine if you will Flight Of The Conchords overdosing on Julian Cope’s masterwork that is the Skellington album and playing it to Royal Trux in an ironic manner. If you cannot imagine such a thing then just listen to this fine three track EP and it will do the imaging for you. Yes, fun abounds on this short and sweet exploration into the realms of lo-fi and rock ‘n’ roll musical thrift store sounds for the clinically disadvantaged.
Robertson ‘Robertson’
Album (Futureman Records) Released 20th March 2026
Robertson is the debut album from the father and son duo and is a rather splendid musical affair; harmonies, chiming guitars and melodies float on a breeze of pure nostalgia. For my dear friends, 60’s folk rock and psych collide in the most perfect way, embracing 50’s pop and 80’s/90/’s indie guitar pop exuberance and even the Flying Burrito Brothers like country rock on the rather lovely “Sticking Around” and wrapping them in a warm comfort blanket of hope peace and light in these days of hate and war.
Robertson once again proves the magic and power of the greatest of all art forms, to turn off and escape real life and surf the stream of unconscious bliss especially when performed with a true love and grace for the music songs they have written and performed so skilfully.
St Johns Wood Affair ‘Memory Lane’
Track (Think Like A Key) Released April 3rd 2026
“Memory Lane” is a fine slice of nostalgic aural pie, a song of sixties melodies and chiming guitars and wistful tear-stained john Lennon spectacles. A song taken from St Johns Wood Affairs rather excellent second album “St Johns Wood Affair 2” and an album to put on your albums to listen to list and indeed Memory Lane is a rather wonderful place to wander down.
Xqui ‘Nocturnal Drift’
Single (Wormhole Records) Released 24th April 2026
If Moody introspection atmospheric drone is your thing, then you could do worse things than check out this ltd 7inch single from Xqui as it is one of those things that lives up to title, ‘Nocturnal Drift,’ as it sounds like one is drifting nocturnally or in fact nocturnally drifting. It’s a track that is as far removed from a rerun of Top Of The Pops as one can imagine, so if you yearn a Doolies rehash with shiny jump suites and tinsel filled memories of yester year then maybe this is not for you, or then again it could well be as I am more than fond of Doolies like behaviour and am somewhat taken with this atmospheric drone beauty.
The End of the Month Revue for Feb/March 2026
April 2, 2026
A very much delayed bi-monthly Playlist selection of choice music
Starring…
White Fence ‘Your Eyes’
Dyr Faser ‘Winter Olympics’
Rusty Santos ‘Psycho Horses’
Hello Cosmos ‘Black Gloss’
Cashell ‘Ferris Wheels’
Ira Dot ‘Voices’
Mecanica Clasica ‘Pulsacion’
Greg Stasiw ‘Field’
Triple Blind ‘Chaotic Eyes’
Lauten der Seele ‘Mondratsel’
Simon Mogul ‘Can’t Shake The Spirit’
Shabaka ‘Step Lightly’
Ramson Badbonez & Jazz T ‘Raw Rap Syndrome’
Dominic J Marshall ‘Imagination’
Farma G & Relense ‘Makes Me Wanna…’
DJ Ian Head & Omega Jackson ‘Sith Lord’
Chris Crack & Bruiser Wolf ‘Somebody Pinched MyAss When I Crowdsurfed’
Gregory Uhlmann ‘Pocket Snail’
Benjamin Herman w/ Jimmi Jo Hueting, Thomas Pol, Akihito Obama & Ko Ishikawa ‘Kazegafuku’
Brother Ali ‘Another Country’
Sonnyjim & Sumgii ‘Muse’
Roce ‘Laisse Les enfants courir’
The Architect ‘THE FORCE OF LIGHT’
RJD2 & Supastition ‘Reset (Better Friends)’
Darko the Super, MF Grimm & Doseone ‘Desktop Eternity’
Cult of The Damned, Lee Scott, Black Josh, BeTheGun, King Grubb, Tony Broke, Salar, Sly Moon, Bill Shakes, Sleazy F Baby & Sniff ‘EXT. CAR PARK – NIGHT’
Tiny das Neves e Conjunto Sol d’Africa ‘Africa e’
Lice (Homeboy Sandman & Aesop Rock) ‘The Burgers’
Ras Kass ‘FUN & GAMES’
Farma G & Relense ‘Sun Wukong’
Os Untues ‘Feca non Chiga-za’
aus & The Humble Bee ‘I Follow A Barren Path Across the Old Mountain’
Magda Drozd ‘Piosenka Ludowa’
The Legal Matters ‘Everybody Knows’
Salem Trials ‘Shot Out of Nowhere’
Boilermen ‘Curious Thing’
Vlimmer ‘Aufbeiber’
Black Milk ‘Crash Test Dummy’
hazbeen, Kong The Artisan & Quelle Chris ‘Scary Kids’
Camp Nowhere ‘Hiatus is just emo for breakup’
Origami Horses ‘Joyless’
Xqui & Pyramids of Phobos ‘Hindsight’
