Monolith Cocktail Blog

BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS.

COVER STARS THIS MONTH: RYLI

$T33D​​​$​​​_uv_L​​​Ü​​​V ‘The Glory of Love’
Album (Metal Postcard Records)

Let’s be honest $T33D​​​$​​​_uv_L​​​Ü​​​V is by far the worst band name ever in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, but luckily the music is rather quite excellent indeed. If they changed their name to something DJs can say or blog writers can be arsed to type out (I actually copied and pasted the name from the Metal Postcard Bandcamp, yes I am a lazy fucker I admit, but my one fingered typing style is not really up to a name that gives temp passwords a run for their money) their music might reach further than their front step.

Anyway, onto the music. It’s rather splendid in a Lou Reed/Velvet Underground kind of way, with a fine post punk attitude, and if Joy Division has a sense of humour and were from Texas and not rained soaked Manchester, they could have sounded like $T33D​​​$​​​_uv_L​​​Ü​​​V (copied and pasted again).

Guided By Voices ‘Fly Religion’
Single (GBV Inc.)

Well guess what. Guided By Voices have released a new single in lieu of their new album; yes, their 41st in Feb next year. And it sounds like GBV. Is that a good thing. I guess that depends on your opinion on GBV: if you like them, you will like it, if you don’t this will not change your opinion on them. Personally, I like it.

Oopsie Daisies ‘In The Rain’
Single (Metal Postcard Records)

What can I say but another beauty from the Oopsie Daisies. Yes, another bedroom pop gem of subtle fragility, the sought of pop song that Sarah records used to release in those good old days when pop songs appeared on beautiful 7 inch vinyl and were physical works of art you could hold and cherish, and it didn’t cost you a arm and a leg to purchase it. “In The Rain” is not on 7 inch vinyl but you can still cherish it though a true treasure of pop splendidicity, and it won’t cost you an arm or a leg.

Lo-Fi Melancholia For Kids ‘Because, everyone is wrong about everything all the time’
(Astrodice Records)

As anyone who reads my reviews will know I have a love of home recorded DIY music. I love the simple drum machines, the one fingered keyboard lines and the jangly or distorted guitars and the quite not sure of themselves vocals, they have a soul and innocence and that is quite often lost in the studio. And that is what I love about this album by Lo -Fi Melancholia For Kids, it has all these qualities and at times comes across, if you can imagine it, the demos for the 1st Strokes album, especially on the opener “Energetic Midfield Player” and “The Arrow”.

“Because, everyone Is Wrong About Everything All The Time” is an enjoyable album, and should be enjoyed by all who like the DIY indie pop/rock aesthetic.  

Neon Kittens ‘Radio Sick Music’
Album (Metal Postcard Records)

Any album that kicks off with an Eddie Cochran-like guitar riff nine times out of ten is going to be an album I’m going to enjoy. And when that album is by the Neon Kittens there is no doubt that it is going to be an album I’m going to enjoy.

Once again the Kittens have supplied us with another 12 songs of a debonair stylish post punk fury, songs that twirl and curtsy whilst secretly burrowing into your head and heart running slapdash over the idea of existing without the pure no wave seduction that the Neon Kittens kindly soundtrack our everyday life with, supplying us with the tales of the ordinary in the most extraordinary beguiling way. There is no-one quite like the Neon Kittens, which may explain why they are not sitting at the top of the poppermost, as on the whole the general public are an unadventurous lot and like their art with the art safely removed and replaced with a shiny facsimile with all the sex and danger removed. Maybe Metal Postcard could supply a downloadable sofa with every Neon Kittens album for people to hide behind whilst listening.

Scott Robertson ‘How Not To Live’
Album

What’s up with record labels today I ask you. Scott Robertson had to just shove this fine album out as a pay if you like download release just so he could move on with his new recordings, as he could not find a label to release it. Which speaks volumes for the state of the industry as Scott is a fine songwriter who has released an album of verve, art and skill and really deserves the extra push a label can sometimes give.

“How Not To Live” is an album filled with songs of fine guitar chime and melody ala Teenage Fanclub and the Lemonheads and Brendan Benson, with the touch of alternative American guitar bands and the such, as lovely and good as this all sounds there is a darker and more melancholy deeper undercurrent going on that keeps Scott at arm’s length from all those other artists with similar influences. I await Scott’s third album to see how this talented young chap develops.

Ryli ‘I Think I Need You Around’
Single (DandyBoy Records)

“I Think I Need You Around” is a rather jangly twangy guitar pop boiler of a song, another indie pop dream of love and want, as is the other side of this forthcoming seven-inch single release “When I Fall”, a rather sweet and bewitching little pop strum along which I might actually prefer to the A-side, but both are fine and dandy.