Whilst We Were Asleep - Part One

I'm sat in front of my computer screen wondering where on earth to start. I could be clever here, do a month by month catch up of all the new music, that has come Beehive Candy's way since the beginning of 2013. I'm not sure who would be put off the quickest by that idea, you or me?

The idea (I think) is to try and get Beehive Candy going again, however two years on and the world of web music coverage has moved on considerably. There are (as you know) some really professional music sites around and as previously mentioned You Tube seems currently, to be a good first port of call for live concerts both official and unofficial.  So I think Beehive Candy will for a while at least, just do it's own thing and see how some new ideas can fit in. It was and still is the new music promos that have made me feel like getting Beehive Candy up and running again.

Therefore, for a while and most definitely in no order whatsoever, 'Whilst We Were Asleep' will feature some of the music that has come our way since we took a rather long siesta. These artists and songs are featured for a mixture of reasons such as, I like the music, it's different in a good way, maybe it tests a few boundaries, or it's just catchy.

So in no order at all lets start with Vienna Ditto. This song was released in February and they are due a new album any time now.



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Lexie Roth gained my attention in 2013. Lexie has been playing music since she was eight years old. Just ten years later, her debut album One Long Blink was released and gained attention as far as Japan. Since then, she has appeared on two of her father’s albums, Toolin’ Around Woodstock featuring Levon Helm on drums and his previous album Landscape. Most recently, "Call You My Hon" off her self-titled album was featured in the independent film shown in the Tribeca Film Festival "Maria My Love" produced and directed by Jasmine McGlade Chazelle in which starred the late Karen Black.

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This is more recent. Annie Woodward has an album due out around now, I'm often playing it, there something that just works for me.


Annie Woodward is a grunge folk-rocker born and raised in Scandinavia who originally set out to write lyrics for other bands. Through her projects in theatre Annie found her own voice in music and has been performing ever since. She has played two independent tours, one European and one in Northern America. Annie spent most of 2014 couch surfing and taking trains and buses across the US playing shows and making her first album.

This album, 2 faces on a clown is released on AmpÆr records, a small independent label founded by Annie and one of her childhood friends. Half of the record was produced by Mike Davidson in Boston and half by Sean Bloom in Los Angeles with the title-track produced by rock-singer Alexa Melo and mixed by Christian Hand who was the man behind the first Mowglis record. Annie's first album is the result of crowd-funding, luck and "really good friends".

The first single from 2 faces on a clown, Eager to talk debuted on Norwegian national radio summer of 2014. As of 2015 Woodward is again based in Oslo, Norway working with a full band and also writing and directing theatre for her company Playroom.
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Back last September Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios released Tombstone. The promo at the time had this to say -

"Tombstone," from Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios, showcases a "wall of guitar" trademark style that alerts the listener that classic rock is alive and well. As the album unfolds, catchy pop hooks and epic rock harmonies are unveiled in a ceremony of searing sound. Complete with social commentary and a defined style, once described by Magnet  as a "blend of power pop, folk rock and Tom Petty/Neil Young classicism," listeners are reminded of the individuality of a Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios record upon first hearing "Tombstone."

Hopkins, who has been a part of the American music scene since 1985, is, amazingly, still an undiscovered talent to some.  Founding the Tucson, Ariz. based Sidewinders (RCA 1989-91)/Sand Rubies (Polygram 1993), Hopkins toured the U.S. and celebrated success with college/indie rock classics "Witchdoctor" and "We Don't Do That Anymore" (both went to #5 on the CMJ charts). In 1991, Hopkins formed Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios as a side project; it soon became his full time band when the Sand Rubies stopped touring. He has consistently cranked out new records and tours yearly in Germany/Europe (25 tours) where, in 1996, he was one of the first artists signed to Germany's Blue Rose Records.

A new member of the Tucson Musicians Museum (Class of 2013), Hopkins enters music history as the quintessential desert rocker, a constant in the bedrock of alternative music. As evidenced on "Tombstone," Hopkins possesses an ability to create unmistakable guitar tones that drive a hallmark sound and, as the years pass, he continues to reinvent and motivate himself for yet another album and tour.




The mention of Classic Rock usually leave me cold, bands that should have quit or moved on, seem to fill my mind, although rationally, I know there are some good bands today that have that label. If this si classic rock, then classic rock is alive and well.
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Back to 2014 again and Eilidh McKellar. The promo had this to say - When trying to describe Eilidh McKellar, BBC Radio may have said it best: “No silly overplaying, just quiet confidence and genuine virtuosity.”

McKellar, a dazzling 20-year-old phenom from Edinburgh, Scotland, seems to be taking the industry by storm with her smoky rasp and astounding guitar chops. Her highly anticipated debut album, Delta Devil Dreams, was released on October 7, 2014.  The album is a collection of meticulously crafted songs that rock hard, go down easy and expose young Eilidh’s bluesy old soul.

Produced by Grammy award-winning Guy Eckstine, Delta Devil Dreams maintains a contemporary, indie feel while paying tribute to British rock royalty like Humble Pie, Led Zeppelin and The Yardbirds.

In the humble opinion of Beehive Candy, worth checking out (have we said that before?).
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Finally we are back in 2013 again when the excellent (as all of the above musically are for me - there you go, well balanced journalism) Star Anna was introduced to Beehive Candy.

These words were said about her- "Star Anna is an American original.  She sings from a place of beauty that takes me to a higher place," says Pearl Jam's Mike McCready.

Guns 'n' Roses/Velvet Revolver's Duff McKagan says, "She is the real deal.  She will be a talent that we can all say that we saw her when. Guaranteed."

Star Anna's latest, Go To Hell (Spark & Shine Records), will find you agreeing with McCready and McKagan.

A dark, haunting collection of songs that capture the essence of betrayal, regret, and hope, Go To Hell delivers melodic, soaring folk-rock with an Americana heart, best described as Americana-soul, and it will penetrate right to your core.

Seattle, Washington, by way of Ellensburg, Star Anna's Go To Hell, comprised of ten tracks, was a hard record for her to make.  Her personal life was in upheaval as the record was being made; yet Star Anna persevered and came out better for it.

"There were a lot of battles going on at the time this record was being made and a lot of betrayals that I was dealing with that had been woven into my personal life as well as the life of this record," recalls Star.  "We decided to keep moving forward and make this record. The title speaks for itself."


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OK then, well in all honesty that really is just a random taster, whilst looking back over the last couple of years it really is hard to know where to start. But start Beehive Candy has, I hope to follow this up with part two sometime real soon.

Comments

Anonymous said…
In this case, random is excellent. Interesting stuff in there. Welcome back!

Tony