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.
Keep an eye out next month for our end of the year lists; a compilation of all the choice releases from 2025.
November’s Choice Albums (in alphabetical order):
Babau ‘The Sludge of the Land’
(Artetetra) Review
Bad Trips ‘Nothing But Trouble’
Review
The Cindys ‘S-T’
(Breakfast Records/Ruination Records) Review
The Flower Press ‘Slowdance’
Review
Imperial Motors ‘Charlie Don’t Surf’
Review
Neon Kittens ‘21 Minutes of Adventure’
(Metal Postcard Records) Review
The Noisy ‘The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat’
(Audio Antihero) Review
Plants Heal ‘Forest Dwellers’
(Quindi) Review
Shoko Nagai ‘Forbidden Flowers’
(Infrequent Seams) Review
SML ‘How You Been’
(International Anthem) Review
Super Grupa Bez Fałszywej Skromności ‘The Book Of Job’
(Huveshta Rituals) Review
Suntou Susso ‘Jaliya Silokang: The Path Of A Griot’
Review
The Playlist:
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
Mute Swan Photo credit: Pat Hickman
Bad Trips ‘Nothing But Trouble’
Album 17th November 2025
I enjoyed this album: it’s experimental, it’s noisy, it’s peaceful, and at times it reminds me of Jimi Hendrix jamming with The Surfaris in a wind tunnel, and at other times of “I Hear A New World” by Joe Meek, but if being performed by Skip Spence. It really is a wonderful creation of sound art. Those out there who are old enough to remember the kids tv show The Clangers can imagine this would be playing at their local hop or discotheque. Nothing But Trouble is indeed a fine and rewarding listen.
Oliver Birch ‘Betty’
Single
OOOh Betty the Donkey has done a Whoopsie on the carpet…well, there is always one… Yes, sadly this has nothing to do with Betty the long-suffering wife of Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em or maybe it does. Maybe Oliver Birch has an alter to the paragon of 70s sitcoms other halves and Betty is the chosen one, and he has written this Oar like homage to her. Yes, it does remind me of Skip Spence or maybe even a Jeff Buckley demo, which is no bad thing.
Robert Callender ‘Rainbow – The Anniversary Concert’
Album (Think Like A Key) 14th November 2025
After over 55 years since the release of Rainbow, the cult classic psych ragga-rock album from 1968, Robert Callender decided to perform the album live for the first time. And here we have that performance, captured in all its wonderful mystical glory, released by Think Like A Key records.
This live performance has a quite lovely warmness and intimate magical quality that draws the listener into the song cycle, and has one lose themselves in the same way you can lose yourself in Van Morrisons Astral Weeks or The Beach Boys Pet Sounds as Rainbows shares the same uniqueness and one off-ness of those two classics. Rainbow is a beautiful blend of ragga, psych, rock, pop and jazz, and this live recording is one of pure oneness and love.
The Cindys ‘S-T’
Album (Breakfast Records/Ruination Records) 7th November 2025
The Cindys debut album is an album recommended to all those who have a soft spot for late 80’s/90’s alternative guitar bands. As I was listening, the Teenage Fanclub, Pavement, House Of love and even the Frank and Walters all came flooding back. The Cindys are a very good band who may one day be a great band who knows. I am of such an age when I have heard all this so many times before, but The Cindys do it all very well and have quite a lovely quirk in their lyricism which I heartily approve. Believe me, without putting a curse on the poor blighters, they could well be ones to watch.
Mute Swan ‘Hypnosis Tapes’
Single (Hit The North Records / Wooden Tooth Records)
I like this. It has a rather nifty nagging guitar line and rather lovely melody line. Dare I say Mute Swan could be ones to watch as they had me hunting out my Ultra Vivid Scene albums and had me stroking my memories from my mad year of 1991. Everyone has a lost weekend of high art and hedonistic tomfoolery and if the Mute Swans had been around in that musically great year, they, I am sure, would have helped soundtrack it.
My Violence ‘Isabella Rossellini’
Single (Starfish Records)
If you release a single named Isabella Rossellini it has to be dark, sultry and beautiful. And this fine pop song has indeed all those boxes ticked; a suave, blissful floating artful drift of pure pop melancholy.
Neon Kittens ‘21 Minutes of Adventure’
Album (Metal Postcard Records) Released 21st October 2025
The latest Neon Kittens album is upon us and anyone who loves the other litter of releases should add this post-punk gem to their collection. And anyone who has so far not heard their previous releases, 21 Minuets Of Adventure is a fine introduction. The lead off track “No Free Hugs” is a Tubeway Army like forage into the cold clinical extremities of post-punk sexual shenanigans and a nod and a wink and the house on the hill is truly yours. For The Neon Kittens carry a dark sinister humour in the lyrics that equally match the joyful dry dripping sarcasm of Andy Goss and his fretwork mastery, and both the music and lyrics intertwine beautifully to soundtrack living in these confusing and troubled times. The Neon Kittens is the aural equivalent of sitting opposite a beautiful girl on the train and wondering what she is thinking about as she licks her fingers after finishing her sherbet.
The Noisy ‘The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat’
Album (Audio Antihero) Released 24th October 2025
The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat is a fine indie alt-pop album; an album filled with candy floss dreams of fame sex and a melancholy nostalgic lust of fallen whispers.
The stony ground has never felt so waver thin, soft. It has never tasted so sweet cherry lipped. The Noisy have taken 60s girl group want, lust and ambition and wrapped it in a 21st century blanket of glitz and glamour, and managed to keep the old fashion ideals that sex does happen but will only take the one foot off the floor when the curtains have been drawn.
In an ideal world the singles taken from the album would be being played all over the radio. “Grenadine” is one of the finest pop singles of 2025 and the album is filled with fine pop songs like this, which makes it a fine and essential pop album, and in this day age a fine and essential pop album can make a difference to your life and mental well-being.
Occult Character ‘Her Guts My Graveyard’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 29th October 2025
Another song you won’t be hearing on the radio or reading about in your favourite blog, unless your favourite blog is the Monolith Cocktail, which if it is the case I would like to compliment you on your good taste, also if you do indeed read the Monolith Cocktail you will in fact have read about Occult Character and know he is a man who makes weird and wonderful alt pop music combing hip-hop and folk and pop and weird sci fi soundtracks – a little like Beck I suppose, that is if Beck at birth had been breast fed hallucinatory drugs.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart ‘Kurt Cobain’s Cardigan’
Single (Slumberland Records)
What a great title for a song, but it was a great cardigan it must be said. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have immediately put themselves under pressure: Does the song do justice to the cardigan? I am happy to report it does, and it is a fine indie pop romp of joyful proportions. And I am sure Kurt would heartedly agree if he was still with us.
Shitnoise ‘Charades’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 17th November 2025
“It’s all rock n roll” as the old saying goes, and that is a perfect phrase to describe this wonderful mish mash of post punk, grunge, metal, thrash and yes probably many other genres and probably some they don’t yet have a name for – my daughter described something as pastel goth the other day: what the bloody hell is pastel goth? So maybe this has a bit of pastel goth in it who knows. It is certainly unhinged and deranged in the best possible way, and we all need a bit of music that slips from the lips to the hips and adds some sanity into our lives, and if not, you are dead from the waist down and from the shoulders up, so basically you are a torso.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
bigflower ‘piggybird’
Single – Released last month by the artist
There is something strangely bewitching and beautiful about “Piggybird”; it’s all echoing vocals, subtle psych organ and a rather wonderful twangy guitar playing a rather sweet riff. Imagine Duane Eddy slowly waltzing with Hank Marvin through the gates of heaven whilst God looks on and gently flicks popcorn at the stars.
The Conspiracy ‘Trollied’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) 4th July 2025
I have written about The Conspiracy a number of times over the last few years or so, and with justification, as they are bloody marvellous. Bloody marvellous in such a British eccentric way; in a way that they can be lumped together or in fact tied in a ribbon in a heavenly way with the likes of Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd, The Kinks and Julian Cope and XTC and The Fall and Billy Childish and even The Libertines/Babyshambles.
Yes, indeed, The Conspiracy make art shaped sculptured pop songs that don’t really get played on mainstream radio but instead will bow down and kiss the feet of the plodding Oasis of rock n roll that is Oasis. The tragedy of this that the eccentricity, the soul and intelligence of The Conspiracy are not getting the rightful acclaim they deserve from both the radio and the press/blogs and the general public.
Tony Jay ‘Faithless’
Album – 13th June 2025
I love the music of Tony Jay. I love the gentle caress of the lo-fi-ness; the simple drum machine; the tape hiss; the occasional fret buzz of the guitar; the handheld percussion; the beautiful dreaminess of the JAMC and MBV influences – two bands I think may mean a lot to Tony Jay. “Familia Dreams” is a stunningly beautiful ballad; a duet featuring the vocals of Kati Mashikian, and probably worth getting the album alone for.
The rest of the album is also rather good, indeed; all sonic heavenly softly strummed guitars and slightly distorted throbbing bass and whispered vocals. An album that lays gentle on your soul, one of those albums to soundtrack falling in and out of love to.
The Kirkbys ‘It’s A Crime: The Complete Recordings’
Comp-Album (Think Like A Key) 13th June 2025
I don’t normally go to the trouble and expense of buying an album so I can review it, but there is something quite magical about this compilation of the complete works of The Kirkbys, who of course were Jimmy Campbells first band, and takes us back to the early days of Merseybeat up to the point where he formed the psych wonder that was the 23rd Turnoff, and in fact includes a demo of ‘Michael Angelo’ recorded by the Kirkbys before it became The Turnoff’s debut (and only single), and of course now rightly regarded as a psych classic.
‘Michael Angelo’ is not the only classic song Jimmy Campbell wrote, as this album shows. ‘Bless You’ and ‘Don’t You Want Me Anymore’ have a complete 60’s beat charm that both The Beatles and The Byrds would have been proud of, and that lost wonder ‘Keep Me Warm {Til The Sun Shines}’ is truly a 60’s gem. ‘It’s A Crime’ is the sound of one of rock n rolls true lost poets in his early years singing songs of beauty and bittersweet magic; what’s really a crime is that Jimmy never ever tasted even a whiff of success in his lifetime, and now nearly twenty years after his death, is still only known by a few. Maybe one day a car advert will use one of his songs and will be propelled Nick Drake like to the covers of Mojo and the like. Link to release can be found here…
The Noisy ‘Twos’
Single – (Audio Antihero) Release last month.
‘Twos’ is a rather fine and dandy pop song, all 50s like pop melody and all sweetly sung and swung. In fact, as soon as I started listening to it, I started to smell candyfloss (I kid you not). Maybe pop supremacy is airborne and taking hold of music lovers’ nostrils…yes, what we have here is a song to fill your vape with a song to smoke and sniff.
Kevin Robertson ‘Yellow Painted Moon’
Album – 11th July 2025
Kevin Robertson is back. Yes, the Scottish Roger McGuinn has released his brand-new album just in time to soundtrack the Summer; and it’s an album that would not sound out of place in that Summer of 67. Kevin has done what he does best and released an album of 12 string laced beauty. Folk-rock, the psychedelic and 60’s pop are melded together with his usual style and grace. Yellow Painted Moon is the kind of album I get sent by the cartload – the number of bands and artists who are in thrall to the 60’s has to been seen/heard to be believed – but Kevin Robertson does it better than most and has an obvious love of the love generation, and his love shines through in his art he produces.
Scotch Funeral ‘Weak At The Knees’
Track taken from the upcoming album Ever & Ever, released this summer by the artist
A teaser track from the forthcoming album by Scotch Funeral, who are a rather fine musical extravagance hailing from the mighty Rhyl, a place I spent many great days in the 70s (I wonder if the Black cat amusement arcade is still there?). Scotch Funeral here supply us with a rather rambunctious kick in the nether’s with a punk pop romp of supreme guitar gnarl and fortitude that makes one indeed weak at the knees as all good kick in the nether’s should.
Soft Hearted Scientists ‘Hello Hello’
Single – (The Hip Replacement) 11th July 2025
The Welsh psychedelic collective The Soft Hearted Scientists are back with a bang. Well actually, more of a chime – a chime of the 12-string guitar variety. Yes, ‘Hello Hello’ is a song so good they had to name it twice; all 60s love and melody pure pop magnificence.
Spotless Souls ‘In The Heat’
Single (Soliti) 11th July 2025
The Spotless Souls debut single is a fine post punk piece of jangly pop; a song that comes over like a slightly artier Sundays, and has a lovely undercurrent of darkness that I find very appealing indeed.
Marc Teamaker ‘Teas n Seas’
Album – 8th August 2025
Teas n Seas is a rather lovely and flowing album of warm sounding enriching songs of love and remembrance. If 70s Beach Boys/Fleetwood Mac/ Todd Rundgren and the beautiful bountiful radio candyfloss MOR/AOR rock pop with an occasional country rock tinge magic is your thing, then this album could well be for you. Certainly, a perfect album to soundtrack sitting on the Beach soaking up the sun and sipping a cup of tea to whilst watching the incoming tide. Yes, an album to soundtrack your summer.
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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
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