Monolith Cocktail Blog

BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEW SECOND REVIEWS ROUNDUP OF MAY – INSTANT REACTIONS.

Credit: Eleanor Petry

Chinese American Bear ‘Yummy Yummy Yummy’
SINGLE

There is something quite psychotically wonderful about this throwaway piece of indie pop fluff, a charming jangly little song about the joys of eating noodle soup. And why on earth not find pleasure in the simple small things, and the bigger problems in life do not seem so bad.

Silas J Dirge ‘Swan Songs’
ALBUM

I normally give music that’s described in the press release in the release as Americana a miss, like I do music that is described as Shoegaze or if Joy Division is mentioned as an influence. Not that I don’t like all three. I just normally don’t like the artist that is normally described as such by the unimaginative PR company.

But there is always an exception to the rule, and this is it. Swan Songs is rather fine in a dark rootsy way: I can imagine Silas J Dirge wearing a train driver’s hat and chewing a matchstick in the side of his mouth and calling ladies ma’am; I can picture him sat in a field next to a blazing fire singing songs to whoever will listen, and singing songs of darkness and lost love with a profound knowledge of both. I like Silas J Dirge and his deep knowledge of the darkness of life.

Ex Norwegian ‘Sketch (Extra Sketch Edition)’
ALBUM

This is the life. The sun is shining and I’m listening to the reissued second album from the quite excellent poptastic Ex Norwegian, a band that takes the beauty of melody and twists it into sublime songs of love and loss; a band that at times reminds me of the wonderful and underrated Jellyfish who share those two things with Ex Norwegian, who are also wonderful and underrated.

Yes indeed, any fans of alt guitar pop/power pop and have not yet indulged in the magic of Ex Norwegian should do so. They will love the Big Star like “Sky Diving”, and the quirky acoustic sexiness of “Your Elastic Over Me”, which is quite beautifully eccentric. And that is what puts them a notch above 99 per cent of the other bands, as they take their influences and mould them into the image of Ex Norwegian: a little like The Beatles did so well.

Fast Execution ‘Menses Music’
EP (DandyBoy Records)

What we have here is simply a six track EP/mini LP of straight ahead alternative guitar Riot Girl punk rock ala Hole circa “Live Through This”. And if you like Hole, or a slightly scuzzier Best Coast, you will indeed enjoy this. For there is nothing not to like and plenty to enjoy, for Fast Execution are very good at what they do.

Hohnen Ford ‘I Wish I Had A God’
EP (Young Poet)

“I Wish I Had A God” is a rather beautiful thing, a wonderfully written jazzy pop piano ballad that is filled with a breezy melancholy – something you do not come across everyday. And what I love most about this track is that Hohnen Ford has a beautiful voice and does not at all feel the need to over sing the beauty, letting the melody and sadness seep from the speakers and cover you in a blanket of love.

Neil Gardner ‘Said The Blackbird’
ALBUM (Half A Cow Records)

As you, the normal readers of my roundups, know, I really only write about new music and give reissues a miss. But there is always an exception to the rule and “Said The Blackbird” by Neil Gardner is such an exception, as it was barely released in the first place. It was originally released in 1972 on the small Tasmanian record label Spectangle and there were only 50 copies pressed: so hardly a major release.

So this is the first reissue and is a rather fetching psych/folk album; an album that captures the mood and times of the late 60’s early 70’s beautifully. Neil Gardner is a talented songwriter and guitarist, and it’s really quite a surprise that he is not better known, and at times reminds me of the wonderful and equally ignored Liverpool late 60’s folk singer Mike Hart who released the excellent Mike Hart Bleeds on John Peels Dandelion Records label in the late 60’s. They both have a rather beautiful way of writing beautiful songs that combine a real-life melancholy and sadness with a touch of dark humour.

I am sure the second time round “Said The Blackbird” will garner the success and plaudits it deserved on first time of release. Better late than never…so they say.

Tony Jay ‘Knife Is But A Dream’
ALBUM (Galaxy Train (Japan), Paisley Shirt Records)

Knife Is But A Dream is a beautiful album of sonic escapades and lo-fi balladry, a mixture of ambient instrumentals and the JAMC with a hangover feeling of the sentimental and melancholy, and expressing their feelings into a lo-fi recording device. Another example how beautiful and rewarding for the heart and soul it can be to make and listen to music recorded in a home setting. An album to close one eyes to and drift off to a more relaxing and safe heavenly moment.

Martial Arts ‘Friends For Fools’
SINGLE

This is quite a catchy little number, a bit of a toe tapper. That’s what they used to say back in the days of good old pop music. Back in the days when milkmen used to whistle a merry old tune, in fact, the days when they had milkmen. This is a song full of nostalgia. A song performed by a band who probably know a great deal about pop music. A band whose eyes will probably turn moist when “Up The Junction” magically appears on the radio. Martial Arts are a band that mine the same pop gold as “Mozart Go-Kart” and “Novelty Island” and that is certainly not a bad thing.

Kayla Silverman ‘Heaven Can Wait’
SINGLE

A lovely little pop song catchy that is slightly saucy. A song that I can imagine appealing to the part of your musical sensibility that lets you enjoy the pop suss of Taylor Swift. I’m sure that I’m not the target audience of young Kayla Silverman, but this ageing buffoon was young once and I’m sure had hormones and testosterone racing around his now depilated body, and can still appreciate a good melody and the magic of a radio and young person’s exuberance.

The Soundcarriers ‘Already Over’
SINGLE (Phosphonic)

The sweet 60’s jazzy beatnik cool swagger of the Soundcarriers is once again with us. The sound of Matt Helm loading his pistol whilst casting glances at his mini skirt clad partner. Yes, the sound and the fantasy romance of the hip swinging 60’s is alive and well and flourishing on the grooves of “Already Over”.