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| Photo - Camilla Calnan |
Luther Dickinson says about, “Who Do You Love.” - "This Bo Diddley classic is built on a track I wrote on bass and keyboards and finished with my Memphis friends, Mem_Mods (Steve Selvidge and New Memphis Colorways). Their contributions and Datrian Johnson's vocals fit so naturally and felt so good, I knew we were on a like-minded endeavor showcasing some of my closest friends as well as scratching an aesthetic and stylistic itch of mine."
Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars will release Dead Blues Vol. 1 on October 17, 2025 via Strolling Bones Records. The 9-song set was produced by the 10-time GRAMMY Award-nominated Dickinson and is a collection of blues songs the Grateful Dead performed throughout their career by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Bo Diddley, the Mississippi Sheiks, Willie Dixon, and more. The album features vocals by Datrian Johnson, as well as a host of special guests including Phil Lesh’s son Grahame Lesh, Steve Selvidge of The Hold Steady, Dickinson’s brother and North Mississippi Allstars bandmates, Cody Dickinson, and Ray Ray Holloman (Eminem), and more.
Dead Blues Vol. 1 lands somewhere between the Mississippi Delta and outer space, reimagining an array of traditional blues tunes from the Dead’s catalog through a boldly experimental sonic palette. The songs here bear little resemblance to their forefathers; the musical beds are more Memphis funk and jazz than blues and folk, and the melodies are completely transformed to match. Only the lyrics remain largely unchanged, and the result is an exhilaratingly adventurous work that’s equal parts innovation and preservation. Dead Blues Vol. 1 is a distinctly modern, original take on the foundational building blocks of American music delivered by one of its most steadfast champions.
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Willem James Cowan’s new single, “You Will (A Brief Reminder to Look Up),” is a warm, Laurel Canyon–inspired ode to optimism – a gentle reminder that no matter how heavy life feels, things will get better. Breezy yet reflective, the track blends folk, rock, singer/songwriter, and Americana influences to create an uplifting space that feels both timeless and personal.
The spark for the song came in an unlikely place – a movie theatre. “A couple months after ending a long-term relationship, my brother and I went to see the movie Beau is Afraid,” Cowan recalls. “The movie as a whole didn’t have a huge impact on me, but I was really inspired by the dream sequence about three-quarters of the way through where a woman is prophesying a character’s life. Each sentence starts with the phrase ‘you will’ as she details the events to come, and I really liked the way it sounded. I had to pull my phone out and write the idea down (against theatre etiquette – sorry everyone). I went home and wrote the lyrics with the same idea. This song is a reminder to myself and others that no matter how down you feel, things will get better.”
From a production standpoint, Cowan set out to capture the comforting, easygoing essence of the Laurel Canyon scene of the ’60s. “There’s something really comforting and easy about a lot of those records and I wanted to capture that too. It’s definitely lighter and breezier than anything I’ve released before. Less wordy, maybe. I’m not usually so optimistic in my writing, so I wanted the production to reflect that.”
The song’s standout moment for Cowan is a personal one: a clever Joni Mitchell reference in the second verse. “It’s specific to someone in my life and a little more personal than I usually get. I like a lot of the lyrics in this song, though. It’s easy to get corny with songs in this theme, and I think I rode that line pretty well.”
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We have to say there is this timeless vibe about Down West, possibly because of their musical influences that they are quite open about, however the musicianship and quality of songwriting demands to be recognized as something quite special and addictive.
Celebrating their 10-year anniversary in 2025, Down West began life as an acoustic duo in 2015. Now a (much louder) alt rock trio featuring veteran songwriter Steve Stanard on guitar, Zep fan Theo Waddell on drums, and Echo Park native Ron Feliciano on bass, it's the kind of song-focused rock that could only grow in Southern California. With an unapologetic 90s-era emphasis on guitars, hooks and the message, Down West is driving David Bowie into Crazy Horse’s garage in a noisy R.E.M. Ford Taurus.
Their rock album Cold Sun is set to release on September 17th. It features the singles “Little Big Men”, “Hollow” and “Break Down The Door”. Cold Sun was recorded at Vinegar Hill LA Studios in Downtown LA, produced by Mario DiLeva, & written by Steve Stanard.
The Cold Sun Album by Down West features nine original tracks of indie, psych, and 80’s rock that are easy to listen to and a bonus cover of “No One Is To Blame” by Howard Jones. Fans of The Flaming Lips, David Bowie, & R.E.M. would enjoy this album.
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Greenness - Meltdown.
This is a gorgeous song and definitely a band to watch out for, the video adds an additional layer of delight and ticks a lot of positive boxes for Beehive Candy!
Fresh from their Glastonbury debut, and ahead of a much-anticipated full band performance at Victorious Festival, Greenness released their new single Meltdown last Friday (29th August 2025) via One Fern Records. Following on from previous single Hilltop (“Utterly flawless” - Music is My Radar), this indie alt-pop seaside bop is the second single from the duo's upcoming sophomore album, Honeymoons.
In the words of Greenness’ singer and songwriter Cess, “Meltdown is a tragic-comic take on the modern artist’s struggle to get their voice heard in an endless sea of noise. I wanted to write honest and relatable lyrics for anyone out there pursuing their dreams relentlessly, to the point of burnout and despair; chasing fame like an elusive mistress, trying every trick in the book to get noticed, feeling frustrated and stressed… and almost forgetting who you are in the process.”
“As independent musicians, we give it our all, and get caught up in this kind of madness now and then”, acknowledges Greenness’ producer and composer Graham, who plays every instrument on the track. “No role left unassumed, no stone left unrolled, everything in quadruple! It’s too much and never enough, but what it always comes back to is the joy of making and sharing our very own music, just for the hell of it.”
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