Ohio-based indie rockers Librarians With Hickeys return with a brand new single that looks simultaneously back to the year of its title, “1972,” and to the band's future, serving as an early preview of their fourth album on the way in 2027. Packed with three tracks, the radio-ready Single Version, the longer Original Mix, and a special bonus track paying tribute to one of LWH's key influences, it's out now on all digital platforms worldwide.
Librarians With Hickeys, well-known across the US and global indie-pop scene for their charming and addictively melodic jangle rock/power pop sound, are a true jewel in the crown of the Big Stir Records roster. All three of their albums, from their beloved 2020 debut Long Overdue through their 2024 breakthrough How To Make Friends By Telephone, have been released by BSR, making them one of the few whose full career arc has been handled by the label.
LWH – singer/guitarist Ray Carmen and guitarist/vocalist Mike Crooker, who also fill all the instrumental roles on their recordings – genuinely haven't stopped writing and recording since they arrived on the scene, and the Summer of 2026 brings a brand new preview of what they're working on now.
The new single single “1972” sees them back and in peak form with a late summer track ready for grilling and chilling at the beach with a heaping side of Hammond B3 organ and a light dusting of 12-string fairy dust, just like Larry Page advised. The new track's title refers to both a time and place, much like a hazy Brigadoon playing back from a slightly worn 16mm film print memory. “1972” is a melodic tribute to both Ray Carmen’s late sister Cathy and to early '70s AM radio, a time when DJs played rock, pop, country, gospeland novelty numbers back-to-back and thought nothing of it. You can't live there, but it's nice to visit every once in a while, and there can be no better tour guides than our Librarians.
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Endless scrolling, breaking headlines, and mounting pressures have cast a weary shadow over the early 21st century, affecting our relationships with others and ourselves. Responding to this increasingly disconnected world, Queensland country artists Georgia Scarlett and Joel Spence join forces on their new collaborative single, ‘Honey Let's Go’, out yesterday, August 14.
Following their previous collaboration, ‘The Wise Folks Say’, released in June, Scarlett and Spence reunite with a wealth of experience behind them. Since the release of her debut album last year, Georgia Scarlett has established herself as one of Queensland's promising country artists, earning widespread support across radio and the Australian country music community, while Joel Spence brings more than 18 years of experience, having shared stages with Daryl Braithwaite, Jon Stevens, Spiderbait and The Angels.
Together, Scarlett and Spence channel their shared gift for heartfelt storytelling into an exploration of connection and emotion amid the distractions of modern life, encouraging listeners to reconnect with what truly matters.
Led by uplifting acoustic guitar, banjo and the hearty tones of the harmonica, ‘Honey Let's Go’ settles into its themes with Spence's opening lines, gently acknowledging his partner's loss of self amongst the urban sprawl. Spence shares: “‘Honey Let’s Go’ is a reminder that while the world constantly changes, the importance of human connection never does.”
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We have featured The Womack Sisters a few times on Beehive Candy, loving every song they have released and so it's with great pleasure that we can now share their self titled album in full. It features a Daptone Records staff favourite from the album, “Monster” which is a deep, heart-wrenching ballad about coming to terms with the devastating, emotional void left by unrequited love. A must-hear for all soul music fans, the song captures the timeless spirit of the sweet soul scene of Southern California and beyond.
As a reminder - The Sisters grew up on the road. Their schools were stages and studios all over the world, where they sang behind their parents, Zekkariyas & Zeriiya (fka Womack & Womack), alongside their four siblings. Nowhere was home for long. No matter where they lived they were always surrounded by music and family.
Their 2026 self-titled debut album,The Womack Sisters, is the musical culmination of the Sisters’ long and winding journey to find themselves. Over an intensely soulful collection of tunes that harkens back to when pop music had substance, vibe and purpose, each of their distinct voices have their moments in the spotlight.
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On the heels of his warmly received debut single “Before You Go,” Canadian singer-songwriter D.B. Tait is sharing “Nothing To Lose,” another tantalizing glimpse of his forthcoming full-length release Losing Time. Like its predecessor, the song shows Tait working the same modern Americana pastures as Greg Freeman and Ryan Davis, adding hints of indie rock to complement the desperation at the heart of his stunning vocals.
Tait says of “Nothing To Lose,” “It was inspired by being ready to take a significant next step in a relationship, whether it be romantic or platonic. It’s a feeling of being ready to fully throw oneself into something, and committing to that with every bit of heart you have. That sense of having nothing left to lose and leaping forward has helped guide me through my life, in terms of both music and other relationships. I’ve come to understand it as a true desire to change and adopt a path forward or, in some cases, another direction.”
As with “Before You Go,” Tait recorded “Nothing To Lose” and the rest of the upcoming album (release date TBC), largely in his home studio in Ontario’s Prince Edward County, tracking most of the guitars and vocals on his own. Close collaborators Ian Roantree and Mitch Cory from the band Kojak added overdubs, while fellow Prince Edward County singer-songwriter and Littleknown Records head David James Allen handled the mix.
Since co-founding Kojak in 2018, Tait has gradually embraced a parallel path as a solo artist in order to express different themes of life’s everyday problems and how facing them helps to break free of destructive cycles. His songs explore how these actions affect love, death, relationships with friends, and the need to gain control of one’s self-governance. In naming the album Losing Time, Tait is essentially taking up the fight for all of us against letting our personal hourglasses run out.
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| Photo - Jens Martin York |
The heart is naive. It knows the price of love - yet it throws itself into it again anyway. And again. It is this paradoxical, almost comically cosmic truth that NP York’s new single ‘As bold as a heart’ revolves around - and celebrates. ‘As bold as a heart’ is released on August 14 and is the third single from NP York’s upcoming album, ‘What’s Next?’, which arrives in September, shortly before NP York’s autumn tour.
While NP York’s first single from the new record, ‘Walk On By’, explored apathy as a counterweight to a chaotic world, and his follow up, ‘Sugar’, dealt with self-forgiveness, ‘As bold as a heart’ turns its attention to the most fearless and indomitable thing we possess: the courage that, despite the risk of being shattered, compels the heart to keep risking everything, again and again. Like a kamikaze pilot with infinite lives.
“At its core, the heart is irrational, and in a remarkable way that means it chooses love over and over again, even though it knows the cost. It defies all logic and that’s incredibly brave” says York. Musically, ‘As bold as a heart’ is a catchy folk-rock song with a powerful chorus, driven by a warm, organic energy and a sense of musical joy that flows naturally from York and his band.
NP York made his debut in 2024 with the album ‘Music for Fools’, recorded with his band, The Fools. The songs were written in the aftermath of a depression, the band was formed when he reached out to musician friends, and the indie-folk sound emerged from a spirit of musical collaboration. The album was very well received on both radio and live stages.
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Sarah Hardwig - Breaking Away.
Country artist Sarah Hardwig releases new single "Breaking Away," now available on all digital streaming platforms. Fresh off a breathtaking America’s Got Talent Season 21 audition that earned four enthusiastic yes votes and a standing ovation from the judges, Nashville country singer-songwriter Sarah Hardwig is stepping into a powerful new chapter with “Breaking Away,” a fiery country-rock anthem about taking control of your future, embracing who you are, and finding the courage to forge your own path.
Hardwig introduced herself to millions of viewers with an emotional performance of Lainey Wilson’s “Heart Like a Truck,” earning widespread praise from all four judges. Howie Mandel called her performance “beautiful and heartwarming” and described Sarah as “the epitome of resilience.” Mel B praised her vocal control, while Sofia Vergara told Sarah, “I wouldn’t change a thing,” adding that everyone was going to fall in love with her. Simon Cowell called the audition “really, really good” and told her she has a “natural gift.” All four judges ultimately voted yes, sending Hardwig through to the next round. Lainey Wilson even gave her a nod on social media, praising Sarah's performance of her song.
The moment was especially meaningful given Sarah’s extraordinary journey. Born blind after being diagnosed at just five months old with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), she has never allowed her diagnosis to define her. Instead, she has transformed her experiences into music, building a career as a powerhouse vocalist, heartfelt songwriter, and inspiring performer whose story reflects resilience, independence, and determination.
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