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:
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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.
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.
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