Amanda DeBoer Bartlett - HalfLife - Brian Dunne

Photo by Aleksandr Karjaka

Amanda DeBoer Bartlett - Quick Trips.

Amanda DeBoer Bartlett’s final single “Quick Trips” is out this week. It's the second single we have featured from her forthcoming album and once again we are superbly impressed by the whole thing. Beautiful heartfelt vocals, along with a superbly crafted and melodic musical backdrop, this sets up the new album to be something very special. Written while touring with babies in tow, it’s a tender, road-worn reflection on gas station coffee, fleeting cities, and the disorienting beauty of life in motion.

It’s the last preview before her full-length album Braided Together arrives June 6, a sweeping blend of country, folk, classical, and experimental music, recorded at Electrical Audio with standout Chicago players. Amanda’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Bandcamp Daily, I Care If You Listen, and more.

Braided Together is Amanda DeBoer Bartlett’s second collection of original songs. Blending her roots in country, folk, classical, and experimental music, the album delves into Bartlett’s childhood in Nebraska, her life as a young musician on the road, and the transformations of early motherhood. The songs pay tribute to gas stations and cheap motels, embrace the chaotic sweetness of raising babies, and contemplate reckless escapes into the clouds. With powerful and expressive vocals, Bartlett brings these themes to life through intricately crafted songs, recorded with Taylor Hales at the legendary Electrical Audio and performed by some of Chicago’s most admired players in the folk, jazz, and indie rock scenes.

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HalfLife - Nothing New.

Nothing New is about moving on from people and places, and being able to embrace that while also acknowledging how much you miss them. We wrote this song towards the end of our last year of high school, as we were all preparing to say goodbye to friends and colleagues that we’d known for years.

Artist Bio: We’re a pop rock band, composed of two girls and two guys, who met in high school in Geneva, Switzerland. Now at university, we meet up in the summer to record new music. We released our first song “Never Going Back” in January 2024, a few months before we graduated. In August of that same year we recorded our debut EP “Epilogues”, which was released a couple of weeks back.

For our EP, we drew on a plethora of influences, from Oasis to Bloc Party, from No Doubt to Olivia Rodrigo, as we tried to craft an identity for ourselves. Our EP was written entirely by the band members (plus our bassist’s sister on one track), as well as produced, mixed and mastered by us.

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Brian Dunne - Play The Hits.

Indie singer-songwriter Brian Dunne shares the bittersweet new single "Play The Hits," his first solo release since 2023's Loser On The Ropes, out today on Missing Piece Records. A punchy song about aging and self-destruction built around fatalist drama, "Play The Hits" becomes more of a pep talk as Dunne approaches the main character with so much empathy and humor that you can't help but root for them.

Along with the release, Dunne shares a live acoustic performance of the song, which was recorded at the Red Hook, Brooklyn restaurant Pitt’s.  

“'Play The Hits' is a song about the constant struggle to swim upstream, and the inevitable surrender of your once sanctimonious and youthful idealism," says Dunne. "It’s a bittersweet, humbling day when you have to lay down your sword; when you find yourself in dire straits (the situation, not the band), and there’s only one way out. So play 'em the hits. The odds were against you from the start.”


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Home Counties - Leslie Jordan

Photo - Luca Bailey

Home Counties - Spain.

With the release of 'Spain', Home Counties return today not with a continuation, but a clear-eyed creative pivot. Produced by Al Doyle (of Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem), the London six-piece's new single takes aim at the creeping fear of becoming everything you once stood against, a disillusioned version of yourself hiding under the Spanish sun. 'Spain' premiered on Steve Lamacq's BBC 6 Music show last night. The band also today announce a full UK headline tour for November and December, culminating in their biggest headline show to date at Scala, London.

The first music to be heard since the band's acclaimed 2024 debut album 'Exactly As It Seems', new single 'Spain' was written about confronting your own moral decay through the metaphor of a British expat. Built around glowering synths and a darker, more expansive palette, the song captures a volatile internal dialogue between two versions of the same person – one idealistic, the other world-weary. It's a portrait of internal erosion, delivered with a deadpan intensity and a tightly coiled rhythmic pulse that leaves little room for resolution.

Reflecting on the compromises and contradictions of adult life with dry wit and dancefloor-ready conviction, it marks a confident leap forward in sound, tone and ambition for Home Counties. While their debut 'Exactly As It Seems' traded in bright edges and eccentricity, 'Spain' dives into something leaner, colder and more thematically complex.

"‘Spain’ is essentially an argument with yourself,” explains frontman Will Harrison. “It's about growing older and fearing the person you might become, or are already becoming. Taking the form of a conversation between a starry-eyed idealist and life-weathered realist, it imagines watching an argument between a younger and older version of yourself. It’s about figuring out if you can grow up without losing sight of your values or if it’s just a worthless endeavour."

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Leslie Jordan - The Agonist (Album).

Nearly a decade ago, when sent photocopies of her late, wayfaring grandfather’s poetry and short stories, singer-songwriter Leslie Jordan knew that the treasure trove would eventually make its way into her musical story. He wrote short stanzas of evocative poetry, short stories of provocative men and women, and long journal entries about his love affair with alcohol and his brother's wife, Sylvia. With pages of typewritten entries, Jordan pieced together the story and set it to song with her beautifully melancholy Americana and roots sensibilities. This month she released the stunning collection, dubbed The Agonist.

The story of how this record came to be, a granddaughter sifting through a found box of her estranged beat poet grandfather’s musings and turning it into this beautiful project,  is worth the price of admission alone, but Leslie Jordan, per usual, pours out her entire heart, soul, and tear-inducing voice with effortless emotional intensity and mystery...You’d do yourself well to listen to the whole experience top to bottom and enjoy what’s been one of my favorite voices in Americana music... If you’re not part of the club already, take this record for a spin and see what all the fuss is about. - Sean McConnell.



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BCMR - Beehive Candy Music Radio - Update.

Two things - Firstly we have been thrilled with the number of unique listeners whilst we are just setting this up - thank you!

Secondly, we have had to roll back our initial launch date for a variety of reasons, however we hope to considerably expand the playlist in the coming weeks and fix a number of technical issues (sound levels etc). More information will come, but again thanks to everyone who has listened and shown an interest.
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Cassady Southern - Caitlin Cannon - The Family Battenberg

Cassady Southern - One More Chance,

Released at the end of last week 'One More Chance' is one feisty piece of raw rock'n'roll. Cassady's vocals have a little bit of 'don't mess with me' determination to them whilst the guitar driven song has a catchy and timeless feel to it - Beehive Candy.

Fans of rock guitar and vintage swagger, rejoice. Cassady Southern’s new single, ‘One more chance’, delivers a raw, riff-heavy throwback that echoes the sound of one of her biggest musical influences, the Rolling Stones.

Channelling the attitude and allure of Stones classics, like ‘Honky Tonk Women’ and ‘Miss you’, ‘One more chance’ explodes with country rock solos, gritty emotional vocals, rock’n’roll piano and a rhythm section that struts with unrelenting cool. It’s an ode to a golden era of music just as it is about making up and being given the proverbial ‘last chance’.

“We didn’t set out to emulate the Stones with this track but after being infused with this music throughout my childhood it has obviously seeped into my songwriting and performing”, Cassady said. “Luckily I have been able to play and record with great musicians who share a love for this same style of blues, rock, and honky tonk and who helped me bring the track to life”, she said.

CassadySouthern · Cassady Southern - One more chance

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Caitlin Cannon - Love Addict (Album).

Nashville’s Caitlin Cannon has released her new LP, Love Addict. The album, a bold, genre-defying body of work produced by Misa Arriaga (Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson), blends dreamy Americana with classic country; think “cosmicana”—a sonic landscape as deep and evocative as Cannon’s storytelling. Its 10 tracks swirl with intergalactic pedal steel, gritty grooves, and raw, unguarded lyrics. Recorded live, the album captures the spontaneity of guitars bleeding into keys, drums, strings, and more, creating a sound that feels both timeless and fresh. While arguably more 'vibey' than some of her earlier work, Love Addict still delivers her signature sneak attacks with a wink.
 
Cannon’s songwriting expertly balances humor and vulnerability, satire and sincerity. Songs like album track “Let It Hurt Some” provide introspective moments and channel the authentic country sound of 60s and 70s Nashville.
 
Album track “You’re Losing Me” captures the quiet panic of losing a lover to apathy. “Not to genderalize, but have you ever known a man who’s stunned when a relationship ends, while the woman’s been emotionally checked out for months?” she asks. “I wanted to put it in simple terms for the guy exiting my life at the time, and give advance notice for anyone who might enter.” “Jesus Is My Lover” is Cannon’s sarcastic and seductively absurd journey into the depths of desire that begs us to take a ride into a world where the only real danger is taking oneself too seriously.

Lead single “Love Addict,” an immersive, slow-burn confession full of intoxication and reckless abandon, is equal parts romantic escapism and raw self-awareness. The video, filmed and directed by Jesse Weeden, features cameos from Pam Tillis, Logan Ledger, Oliver Bates Craven (Sierra Ferrell), along with Cannon’s studio band—Jon Murray (Miranda Lambert), Eddy Dunlap (The Grand Ole Opry Band, The Time Jumpers), and the album’s producer, Misa Arriaga.


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The Family Battenberg - Anteater.
 
Welsh Garage Rockers 'The Family Battenberg' recently released their new single ‘Anteater,’ out now via streaming platforms. This track is an independent release by the South Walian four-piece. Written in just a day, it was recorded at Tom Rees’ (Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard) studio while he was on holiday. To master the recording the group sought out long-time collaborator Eddie Al-Shakarchi (Boy Azooga, Loathe, Swim Deep.)

Aligning with the soundscape that’s signature to them, ‘Anteater!’ is The Family Battenberg finessed. Drenched in fuzzy saturation, spacey vocals ricochet between a blistering guitar, all while a double-tracked mono drum plays like a call to action.

This is an anti-love song. When unhealthy adoration becomes a quest for romance, or approval in this case, we find ourselves doing strange things. In this story, the protagonist justifies total metamorphosis in the name of subservience. “It’s self-humiliation in the pursuit of a potential suitor’s attention,” as frontman Eliot puts it.

Anyone that has seen this band live before is sure to recognise it from past set-lists. The group have played it as an unreleased track amongst their own shows and a host of major festivals, namely, Green Man 2023, Trans Musicales 2024, Reeperbahn 2024 and ESNS 2025. As budding up-comers, the group have also supported the likes of Getdown Services, Panic Shack, Gruff Rhys and the Bug Club.

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Chimes - Adult Leisure - Lily Monaghan

Chimes - Pile of Parts.

With deep roots in the Gainesville, Florida's music scene, Chimes borrows just the smallest bits from their previous members’ work (Against Me!, Averkiou, and Sunshine State) as they veer towards a more synth-driven sound, striking a balance between post-punk, synth-pop, and dark wave.

Singer/guitarist Mike Magarelli and keyboardist/guitarist Kyle Fick formed the band in 2019 as a vessel for new ideas. Bassist/singer Matt Brink and drummer Todd Weissfeld joined soon after, and Chimes began playing live in early 2020. However, the pandemic quickly paused their efforts, and Todd Weisfeld moved abroad, being replaced by Warren Oakes.

Chimes' debut album, Pile of Parts, is the sound of something unraveling — slow, deliberate, and honest. A record born from the weight of living, where each track leans into the darker corners of the human experience: loss, disconnection, the quiet violence of time. There’s no false uplift here, just an attempt to sit with the ache and translate it into sound. It’s bleak by design — but not without purpose.

Written and recorded collaboratively between 2023 and 2024, the album was captured in Gainesville by Ryan Williams at Black Bear Studios, Kevin Bruchert at Little Wing Studios, and Kyle Fick in his home. Kyle also mixed the record. Mastering was handled by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room. The artwork — stark and fitting — was created by Noelle Shuck. Pile of Parts sees release on May 23 via Ashtray Monument.

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Adult Leisure - See Her.

Bristol-based alt-indie quartet Adult Leisure are proud to announce that their debut album ‘The Things You Don’t Know Yet’ will be released on October 3rd 2025. Its next single ‘See Her’ is out this weekend, featuring guest saxophone from longtime The 1975 / Sam Fender collaborator John Waugh.
 
‘See Her’, recorded and mixed with Ollie Searle at Humm Studios and mastered by John Webber (David Bowie, Duran Duran, Coach Party) is a blink-and-you’ll-miss it pocket rocket of vibrant energy. Through nostalgia-laden melodies and singalong choruses that Adult Leisure are fast becoming known for, ‘See Her’ offers a sarcastic take on the breakdown of a relationship and the biting realisation that you’re happier now that it's over.

On the single’s lyrical inspirations, vocalist and lyricist Neil Scott explains, “We wrote ‘See Her’ towards the end of 2023. In its full form, almost two years later, it's developed into a song unapologetically soaked in pop, yet true to who we are and the stories we want to tell. Lyrically, ‘See Her’ offers a sarcastic take on the breakdown of a relationship. Far from doom and gloom or sorrow, it’s about that feeling you get when you realise just how much better off you are now that it’s over.

“The song features the incredible John Waugh (The 1975, Sam Fender) on saxophone. When we found out that he was interested in joining the project, we were over the moon - he adds the perfect bit of spice this tune has been waiting for since its inception.

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JSLVR Photography

Lily Monaghan - Snow In May.

As anticipation builds toward the release of her sophomore EP this fall, Lily Monaghan is sharing another preview with the single “Snow In May.” A haunting piano ballad, it is arguably Lily’s most affecting song to date, offering emotional swells like the waves on the sea near her current location in Scotland where she has been completing her higher education.

Still, the singer/songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta has also been fully concentrating on her musical evolution, and like Lily’s previous single “Willing To Wait,” “Snow In May” is a product of sessions conducted back home with producer and multi-instrumentalist Kurtis Schultz.

Lily explains, “I wrote this song while watching a snowfall in Edmonton last May. The unseasonable weather seemed ironically reflective of my own mood at the time. I was months away from moving out of Canada and although the change was exciting, I was very melancholic."

She continues, “‘Snow in May’ articulates this sentimental feeling of outgrowing something and the reluctant awareness of aging out of your youth. I wanted the song’s contrasting dynamics to mirror these complex emotions that I was feeling. The isolated piano at the beginning of the tune is me playing on an old upright piano at Blue Willow Studios, which had a very similar sound to the piano at my parents’ house that I’ve used to write the majority of my songs.”

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