Violent Vickie - Skin and Bones.
It's pretty obvious that we are fans of Violent Vickie here on Beehive Candy by virtue of the number of times we have featured her. The reality for us is that, so far she has never failed to impress us and that's quite a statement considering how many other artists there are creating music in the genres she consistently develops within.
Violent Vickie’s “Skin and Bones” is the third track from her upcoming album Conjure, a darkwave/synthpop release built on atmospheric synths, pulsing drum machines, and melancholic, reverb-heavy vocals. Inspired by a neighbor and friend who passed away after struggling with anorexia, the song reflects on the painful experience of watching someone slowly disappear—and the deep sense of helplessness that comes with it.
Violent Vickie’s influences range from Crystal Castles and Grimes to Bjork and Bikini Kill to Siouxsie and The Banshees and Aphex Twin. Violent Vickie’s songs have been remixed by Fragrance, Kontravoid and she recently shared the stage with Stabbing Westward, Forever Grey, Assemblage 23, and Aurelio Voltaire and played Absolution Fest along with Glass Spells. Violent Vickie has also toured with Hanin Elias of Atari Teenage Riot and shared the stage with Pastel Ghost, Trans X, and Missing Persons.
Upcoming Violent Vickie shows:
5/23: Lake Worth, FL
8/1: Atlanta
8/22 Spokane TBA
8/28: Seattle
8/29: PDX
9/26: Austin TBA
12/11 or 12/12: Las Vegas (TBA).
Following his recent single ‘Icarus’, Eugene McGuinness returns with the next track from his highly anticipated forthcoming new record ‘Eugene McGuinness Versus The Universe’, which is scheduled for release on April 24th. ‘Eastend Requiem’ is a soothing introspective gem that sparkles and sashays with a pop melancholy and a nod to bands like The Divine Comedy and Tindersticks. Eugene’s own trademark lyrical wit and flair is woven between glistening synths, syncopated percussion and bittersweet Parisian orchestral flourishes, as the track grows into a stunning, harmony-laden lament for London’s East End, which is both candid and gritty, yet beautiful in its reflection.
Eugene McGuinness had accepted his career in music was over when his deal with Domino Records ended over a decade ago. A difficult self-released album, fatherhood, and just life generally, saw his personal dreams and ambitions slowly slip towards the horizon. A period of great change, McGuinness had embraced his new work and family life, happy to leave the ugliness of the ‘music biz’ behind him. However, the absence of making music - and the joy the process brings - left a noticeable hole.
Now, an evolved McGuinness is back. His brand-new album, ‘Eugene McGuinness Versus the Universe’, was recorded at Liverpool’s Docklands Speed Shop with friend and producer Gajo Paco. Encouraging spontaneity, Eugene, Gajo and a host of old friends and acquaintances were ‘feeling it out’ along the way, trusting the process and welcoming a series of ‘happy accidents’ to contribute to the record’s warm and organic sound. ‘Eastend Requiem’ was one of these glorious ‘in the present moment’ spontaneous creations.
On the track, Eugene says, "I wrote it as I walked to the studio. It's a song that I wrote with my daughter in mind. I was trying to write something that if it came on in the car, she'd like it! ‘Eastend Requiem’ might be actually my favourite track on the album".
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| Photo - Niamh Bennett |
Kelli Blanchett is a rising alt-folk singer-songwriter hailing from Corby and now based in London. Her music dives deep into personal narratives, exploring the disabled experience, friendship, love and the emotional ebbs and flows of life. Known for her long-time collaboration with pop artist Self Esteem, Kelli is forging her own path with her raw and heartfelt storytelling.
After taking most of 2024 out while her chronic illness took its toll, Kelli channeled that experience into her new five-track EP, Casual Dining. “I had to start living life in a completely different way, and this record is a break-up with the old version of me,” she shares. The EP is thematically rich, grappling with isolation, being stuck both physically and mentally, and navigating the memories of what once was. “I became really ill, and my life changed dramatically. I felt embarrassed about not doing the same things as everyone else, about possibly being left behind,” Kelli reflects. Ultimately, Casual Dining is a break-up record, not with a partner, but with her old self, embracing acceptance and the messy road to self-discovery.
Reflecting on its sonic direction, Kelli notes, “I love 70s singer-songwriters like Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, and Gram Parsons, and I knew that’s the world I wanted these songs to live in.” Minimalist yet powerful, the EP blends organic, plucky guitars, spine-tingling string arrangements, Wurlitzers, and flute organs. “I wanted plush, mournful strings, punchy organs, and vocals that feel raw and close. I also wanted it pared back and unfussy, just honest and direct,” she says. The result is a soulful blend of alt-folk and Americana, where Kelli’s vocals ooze with emotion, filling each lyric with genuine soul and heart.
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Irish post-punk quartet Scustin share the new single ‘Scustinism’ taken from the anticipated upcoming EP The Lock In (May 8th). Following the bombastic satire of ‘Dodgy Box Pyramid Scheme’, new single ‘Scustinism’ stands as the band’s self-proclaimed manifesto. Where its predecessor lashed out, ‘Scustinism’ looks inward and outward at once, a commentary on Irish identity that feels equally at home in a packed basement or echoing across a festival main stage.
Inspired by cultural voices such as Blindboy Boatclub and the introspective tone of Meditations of the Anxious Mind, the track rejects plastic paddyism and “gift shop” Irishness, dismantling inherited ideas of identity through satire, surrealism and defiance. Mythological and cultural symbols are twisted and reimagined, leprechauns reduced to absurdity, and Fionn mac Cumhaill recast in a modern tech landscape, “harvesting data” amid a new kind of famine. It’s a deliberate unpicking of the romanticised and commodified image of Ireland, replacing it with something more chaotic, honest and self-defined.
“Irishness, it seems, has never been more popular, but with that comes the risk of it becoming commodified and turned into cultural capital,” the band explain. “Identity is an interesting thing to play with, and for us, we wanted to bring it back to what actually feels true, both to Irish people and to us as a band. It’s not about splitting the ‘G’ or Aran sweaters, it’s about humour, honesty, defiance and sincerity.
That’s what we wanted to explore in ‘Scustinism,’ and it’s what became our manifesto. ‘I wanna laugh till I die, I won’t let life pass me by’, that’s the heart of it. In a world where cultural and moral values are constantly being distorted, it felt important to land on something simple, sincere and unifying amidst the chaos.”
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Nashville country artist Bri Fletcher this weekend releases a new music video for the single "New Her." “New Her” is a deeply emotional reflection on growth, gratitude, and learning to embrace every version of yourself. The music video brings that idea to life in a clear, intentional timeline — beginning with Bri coming face-to-face with her younger self, then later stepping in to care for and comfort her early-20s self.
Set inside a house that mirrors her past, the video moves between timelines as memory and present-day emotion exist side by side. We first see her with her childhood self — observing, connecting, and honoring those innocent beginnings — before the story shifts to a more vulnerable chapter. As her 20s self appears, overwhelmed and hurting, Bri doesn’t turn away. Instead, she holds her, gently reassuring her through the pain.
At its core, “New Her” is about appreciating the moments that shaped you — the innocent, the painful, and everything in between. By the end, it becomes less about looking back and more about offering yourself grace, capturing the quiet but powerful realization: every version of you mattered in becoming who you are now. Fletcher shares, “'New Her' was written about visiting older versions of yourself and being thankful for the growth that got you to where you are today. So in the music video, I really wanted to capture that visual and feeling by visiting past versions of myself and appreciating them from afar. For me, it was about accepting the innocent moments, painful moments, and moments that led to immense growth in my life. It’s a very emotional video that I hope makes you thank your younger self for everything!"
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