Rosa Anschutz - The Bankes Brothers - Drea Lake - Dynamyte - Ezra Bell

Photo - Rosa Anschutz

Rosa Anschutz - Sabbatical (Album).

Berlin-born artist Rosa Anschütz, known for her spellbinding vocal work in the electronic underground, has released her new album Sabbatical via Wesley Eisold's (Cold Cave, American Nightmare) Heartworm Press, her first international release outside of Germany.  Heartworm has previously released books by legendary artists Genesis P'Orridge, Mark Lanegan, Alan Vega and more, and Rosa Anschütz's ambitious 14-track statement compliments the label's catalogue with her haunting minimalism and visionary depth.

Swapping pulsing club beats for a raw, cinematic intimacy, Anschütz channels the spectral beauty of Moon Pix-era Cat Power, the mystique of Nico, and the experimental clarity of Björk and Dead Can Dance. The stripped-back arrangement foregrounds Anschütz’s arresting voice, carrying lyrics that feel both prophetic and personal. 

With Sabbatical, Rosa Anschütz emerges as one of the most compelling avant-garde voices of her generation... an artist unafraid to dismantle genre, geography, or expectation. The album is a bold reinvention and a testament to the patience and precision of a singular creative vision.

============================================================================

The Bankes Brothers - Where Do We Go From Here? (EP).

The Bankes Brothers return with their most dynamic release to date, the new EP, Where Do We Go From Here? (produced by Gus Van Go), featuring the high-energy focus track “Waited All Night.” Known for their infectious live shows and timeless rock ‘n’ roll spirit, the band continues to carve out their place as one of Canada’s most exciting emerging acts.

The EP also features recent singles “Bedroom Wall,” “Get To Know,” and the title track “Where Do We Go From Here?” – each showcasing a different side of the band’s songwriting. “He was great at opening us up to the mindset of ‘serve the song,’ and the production style and choices were a direct result of that,” Nelson Bankes (lead vocals, guitars) says of working with acclaimed producer Gus Van Go (The Beaches, Arkells, Hollerado).

Following their debut EP In Waves (produced by Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat/The Zolas), the band is now entering a new era – bigger, bolder, and brighter than ever. With Where Do We Go From Here?, The Bankes Brothers deliver a collection of indie-rock bangers made for the stage, proving themselves not just as a band to watch, but a band built to last.

============================================================================

Photo -  Jen Squires

Drea Lake - Dream Spinner.

As anticipation builds ahead of the release of her full-length debut album A Call From Somewhere Else on Nov. 7, Canadian singer/songwriter Drea Lake is offering another preview with "Dream Spinner," a song that pays tribute to people in our lives whose unwavering support often goes unacknowledged.

Co-written with James Maltese and built upon an arrangement by Timothy Abraham that incorporates intertwined trumpet and synthesizers lines, the music of "Dream Spinner" lives up to its title and follows the pattern set by previous singles "4U" and "Sturgeon Moon" in demonstrating that Drea Lake is not a typical folk singer.

Drea says, "'Dream Spinner' is about uncovering those loved ones that often do so much for others but may have a hard time taking center stage. The wonderful Dominic Leveille played the first ever trumpet line that I composed and he brought such a great touch to the song. And Timothy Abraham did something so creative and magical in the way he arranged this song. I love the dreamy quality."

Drea co-produced A Call From Somewhere Else with renowned Quebecois acoustic guitarist Antoine Dufour, who also added his instrumental talents to a majority of the songs, along with a host of other contributors drawn from the worlds of Canadian roots, jazz and classical music. Blending genres has always been a major focus of Drea’s compositional style, and the album sessions were carried out in the spirit of collaboration.

============================================================================

Dynamyte - Probably.

Rising artist Dynamyte released her highly anticipated second single, “Probably,” last Friday across all digital platforms, accompanied by a dynamic visual performance video. The visual showcases Dynamyte behind the drums in a live studio setting, surrounded by her band, delivering vocals straight to the camera with undeniable confidence and energy.

This new track follows the success of her previous single “Checkmate”, which marked the beginning of a bold new musical era for Dynamyte. With “Probably,” she continues to expand her repertoire, combining her signature blend of classic R&B, sultry neo-soul, and sharp hooks with rhythmic intensity and an upbeat groove that highlights her rare ability to sing while drumming.

“This was one of the last songs written on this album, a few months before meeting my girlfriend. We realized I didn’t have a true love-themed song in my catalog yet, so this track filled that gap. During the session, one of my co-writers asked, ‘What would you do if the love of your life walked in right now?’ Without thinking, I said, ‘I’d probably run.’ That one line became the backbone of the whole song,” says Dynamyte. “The song is about the fear of vulnerability and the instinct to run from someone who might actually be ‘the one.’ ‘You’re probably the one, so I’m probably gonna run’ is both funny and heartbreaking. It captures that contradiction perfectly.”

============================================================================

Photo - JCPenney

Ezra Bell - Cannonball Wingman.

Ezra Bell, one of the 21st century’s most organically successful folk/Americana bands, has released their new single “cannonball wingman,” the latest offering from their forthcoming studio album, Chin Chin. Ezra Bell’s ninth studio album serves as a tribute to the band’s lead singer and lyricist Ben Wuamett, who unexpectedly passed away in October 2024. 

“Cannonball Wingman” captures a day in the life of someone spinning stories that may or may not be true. The gangster tale reflects Ben’s beginnings in the hip-hop world with that genre’s internal rhymes and syncopations finding their way, subversively or not, into his lyrics, while channeling Ezra Bell’s signature mix of raucous Americana, folk, and indie grit.

Set for release October 24th via ONErpm, Chin Chin was fully written and recorded before Wuamett’s unexpected passing last fall. The 11-song collection serves as both a way of honoring Ben’s life and musical legacy while also paving a way forward for Ezra Bell, an eight-piece band that has created its own sound featuring an unusual mix of street-hard lyrics with folk-pop and Americana sounds sprinkled with elements of rock, blues, jazz, and R&B.

============================================================================

heddlu - Peech. - Ezra Bell - Katy Guillen & The Drive

heddlu - Tramor (Album).

The Welsh Electronic / Indie Artist 'heddlu' released his new album 'Tramor' via Zawn Records a couple of days ago. Beehive Candy have already featured three great tracks from the album and are really pleased to share the full album now. As a reminder heddlu is the new musical project by Rhodri Daniel. The Ceredigion native was a founding member of renowned Welsh band Estrons who had a major impact on the industry.

 After finishing the band in 2019, Rhodri became aware that his hearing was severely damaged. Years of touring the live circuit had taken their toll, Rhodri ultimately being diagnosed with hearing loss, tinnitus and severe sensitivity to noise. The effects were so acute, Rhodri was unable to play live music, leading to him composing his critically acclaimed debut album (Cantref, 2022) in his head whilst completing the entirety of the Wales Coastal Path (900 miles). His family and namely his sister, were great sources of comfort and hope during this difficult period. Serendipity led Rhodri back to music, and heddlu was born. Meaning ‘Police’ in Welsh, from the words ‘peace-force’, heddlu's music has been true to its’ name, offering a force of peace to the songwriter.

Rhodri spent the next few years writing and experimenting with new sounds and instruments as his hearing slowly recovered. Whilst writing and recording his 2nd album, life found a way of both disrupting and influencing the creative process, leading to multiple re-writes and an entire album being erased. Eventually, despite the interruptions, heddlu’s 2nd album, ‘Tramor’ - was completed. Meaning ‘Overseas’ in Welsh, ‘Tramor’ is series of intimate and volatile songs, detailing years of loss, estrangement, trauma and hope.

============================================================================

Peech. - Going West / Tomorrows.

Rising country-folk artist Peech. released his debut EP, Small Town America, yesterday via CCMG/TAMLA. The six-song collection captures the warmth, ache, and transformation of leaving behind everything familiar in pursuit of something greater. Beehive Candy feature two songs from the EP Going West and Tomorrows.
 
Since his breakout single, “Don't Miss Your Moment,” Peech. has been spotlighted by CMT, the Academy of Country Music, All Country News, Fandom Daily, Sweety High, and Earmilk, earning praise as “a voice worth listening to.” Building on that momentum, Small Town America blends vivid lyricism and intimate vocals into stories of growth, nostalgia, and chasing the unknown.
 
“It's about moving forward, letting go of hardships while holding onto the warmth of home, missing the moments that shaped you, yet embracing the thrill of the unknown,” says Peech.
 
With growing support from media and industry tastemakers alike, Peech. is poised for a breakout moment. Small Town America marks the beginning of a larger narrative—one that promises depth, honesty, and a whole lot of heart.


============================================================================

Photo - JCPenney

Ezra Bell - let me in.

Ezra Bell, one of the 21st century’s most organically successful folk/Americana bands, has released their new single “let me in” and announced their ninth studio album, Chin Chin, a tribute to the band’s lead singer and lyricist Ben Wuamett. The new track sums up the living contradiction that is the life of a man and the fate of a band, with lyrics that reflect Ben’s turn toward guarded optimism in the last years of his life. 

Set for release on October 24th via ONErpm, Chin Chin was fully written and recorded before Wuamett’s unexpected passing last October. The 11-song collection serves as both a way of honoring Ben’s life and musical legacy while also paving a way forward for Ezra Bell, which has created its own sound featuring an unusual mix of street-hard lyrics with folk-pop and Americana sounds sprinkled with elements of rock, blues, jazz, and R&B.

“I’m not about to tell you what this song means or what inspired it,” shares Aaron Mattison (horns, backing vocals). “We can't say it any better than by making you this track. I can give you the lyrics. I can tell you that it is more prescient and true than is comfortable. I don't know what it means though…Ben passed. This was some of his last work, his best work. He was a writer and a singer; he did both here. He did not graduate high school, and he could not stay. And we leave no one behind.”

============================================================================

Katy Guillen & The Drive - Outcome.

Kansas City duo Katy Guillen & The Drive led by music + life partners Katy Guillen (vocals/guitar) and Stephanie Williams (drums) prides itself on fostering empowered spaces for women in music both onstage and off, and their performances showcase the group’s signature all-female powerhouse formation, technical prowess, and electrifying chemistry. 

This core value heavily influenced the band’s second full-length effort Make That Sound, produced by Megan McCormick (Allison Russell, Amythyst Kiah), due October 17, 2025 via Are and Be Recordings.

The driving, melodic rocker “Outcome” gives a taste of what’s to come from the new album. It is about finding your voice, and going for what you want in life, no matter the challenges or hurdles along the way. “It’s a call to push through self-doubt and create your space in the world. You can steer the outcome,” says Katy.

============================================================================

Ben Arnold - Ezra Bell - Pearly* - Larches

Photo - Andy Bilinski

Ben Arnold - Catch The Lightning.

Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter Ben Arnold has announced that his new album XI will come out on September 26 via ALP Recordings. Produced by Shane Smith (Los Lobos, Amos Lee), the roots-rock record finds the longtime musician bridging the gap between personal insights and universal statements. Along with the announcement, he released the first single “Catch The Lightning,” which combines anthemic heartland rock with early ‘90s power pop to reflect on Arnold’s decades-spanning journey so far. He also shared the official music video, which utilizes Artificial Intelligence to portray Arnold’s experience growing up in Center City Philadelphia, falling in love with music and doing whatever it takes to make it work. 

“‘Catch The Lightning’ was the last song sung and mixed for XI, and it obviously came not just from my own nostalgia, but also a sort of self-helpy viewpoint,” shares Arnold. “Slowly acknowledging the possibility that if I allow in all the colors of the rainbow, after all the shit storms, then maybe I can walk the path forward with a little more ease and satisfaction. It's probably the most orchestrated song on the record, and I couldn't be more thankful for my buddies Shane Smith and Barrie Maguire who helped me to get my vision more into focus.”  

Arnold wrote the songs on this record between his hometown of Philadelphia and hotel rooms in upstate New York where he began traveling every month to visit his terminally ill mother. The grief and introspection of this experience found Arnold turning his gaze both inward and outward, penning songs about the personal battles he was facing himself as well as tracks about the current state of our country that live in the same world as the folk protest songs of the 1960s. No matter which category they fall into, they all feel pertinent to this specific time in Arnold’s life. Sonically, the album finds Arnold pulling from folk, blues, soul, rock & roll and classic pop for a distinctly American sound – taking inspiration across musical traditions, genres, time periods and places.  

============================================================================

 Photo - JCPenney

Ezra Bell - Tommy’s Lullaby (New Video).

Ezra Bell, one of the 21st century’s most organically successful folk/Americana bands, has released the official music video for their single “Tommy’s Lullaby.” The somber track was first released in August 2024 just weeks before the unexpected death of the band’s lead singer and lyricist Ben Wuamett.

Since their inception over a decade ago, Ezra Bell has created its own sound featuring an unusual mix of street-hard lyrics with folk-pop and Americana sounds sprinkled with elements of rock, blues, jazz, and R&B.

“The song is a conversation with God,” shares the band. “Tommy, our bass player, came up with that beautiful bass part and Ben's words just started flowing. The music video captures the loneliness that hides in plain sight. Even in a room full of people, we are often alone. God's message to us: a love like ours is better from a distance.”

============================================================================

Pearly* - Not So Sweet.

Pearly’s cathartic title-track second single, ‘Not So Sweet’ navigates the feeling of realising a person is not always as good as they appear to be. While lyrics were written by a 17-year-old Phaedra it sat for years until guitarist Joel put it to one of his proudest musical compositions, finally completing the song, giving the song the depth Pearly* felt it deserved.

Early "Dunedin Sound" influences — especially that of The Clean — caught producer Nick Roughan’s (Skeptics) ear, realising that Pearly* were on to something special. Not So Sweet is a moody, magnetic contrast to Superglue, and is accompanied by a music video directed by Kieran J. Dodd with assistance from Cooper Sharplin, with Matilda Macandrew on DOP duties.

============================================================================

Larches - Tuckered Out.

Larches began as the project of Jacob Cona, a musician from Athens, GA raised on Elephant 6, R.E.M., and the B-52’s. 

What was originally started as a band to perform the debut album, “Attack of the Telephones,” Larches has turned into a collaborative creative endeavor with Adrian Franco and Robby Fox. 

The band are touring this summer to promote their self-titled EP. Their recorded material aims to capture the energy found playing live together up and down the Pacific Northwest.


============================================================================