Background - We are told that Nee rides broomsticks and likes to gypsy around. Vanny likes to tinker and get stuff done. The pair met at a Melvins show in Chicago, and describe their sound is heavy glittery noise. They go on - "We like secluded areas and are rarely social. Our influences are stoner rock, doom metal, post punk, peanut butter and good beer. PS. Reject reality and live life as art". The most recent release Noise Nurse is a compilation album of songs written by Nee while living in Toronto, Canada in the time frame between 2008-2011. She worked at a psyche/dementia ward as a nurse during the time of those songs, and drew a lot of influence from her surroundings. Most of the songs were written for projects like My Flea Circus + Goldie Luxx, etc, however little promotional effort was used, as they were mostly just for fun + for friends and were performed at local clubs and venues in Toronto's thriving music scene at the time. Nee's writing style is evident in Fox Medicine and throughout the former projects, but continues to be curiously unique and peculiar. This section is an homage to that timeframe and songwriting phase and comes with visuals + vids! Website here. Bandcamp here.
I have chosen to feature 'Financial Elevator' from Fox Medicine's 'Based on Need' EP, for the simple reason it's my favourite track. Probably the noisiest duo we have featured this year, that's heavy glittery noise for you!
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Blonde Summer - Beer On Ice.
Background - Dangerbird Records announces Microdose, a monthly single release and live event series celebrating new music from our neighborhood (LA's Eastside) and beyond. This platform will serve as a launchpad for up-and-coming artists, uniting and expanding our artistic community. Monthly singles will include an A-side and B-side, and each artist will perform live at Dangerbird's Silver Lake based HQ/event space.
The series will launch on Jan. 12, 2017 with a release of a new single from Blonde Summer and live show that same night at Dangerbird Records. “Beer On Ice” was the last single from LA’s sun-bleached slacker-rock outfit Blonde Summer, released via Dangerbird Records back in November.
The A Side “Beer On Ice” and B Side “Sha La La” are both returns to what Chris Pope, the band’s mastermind, does best. Telling stories thru fuzzed out vocals, of Lazy Days, Wanderlust and Liquor Store Romances. The band’s stripped down approach to the Beer On Ice single is a departure from last years electronic infused Paradise e.p., resulting in a truer brand of rock that Blonde Summer fans have come to love over the bands 6 year, 4 e.p. career.
Blonde Summer’s Chirs Pope admits “there was a bit of hibernation” following the Paradise e.p. A necessary period where the band could get back to their roots. Hang out with their girlfriends, find jobs, quit jobs and get lost.
'Beer On Ice' has a cool almost lazy laid back rock'n'roll feel, that occasionally likes to pack a riff or two of full on energy into your ears.
It's been a busy few days and a considerable amount of new music came our way pretty much as soon as the last 2010FM feature was published. To keep on top of all the great tunes that have arrived this is yet another bumper helping of what we have enjoyed listening to.
Starting this time around at a rather gentle pace with Joshua English who has roots in both Portland, Oregon and Boston Massachusetts. Culling inspiration from Raymond Carver, perpetual motion, and oceans of black coffee, his new record, 'Lay Bare Your Bones', presents a unique brand of cynicism and leads a novel exploration of life's ironies.
With influences spanning Sam Cooke to Public Enemy, Joshua English's forthcoming release reveals core
threads of Brit-folk weaved over stylistic leanings akin to Chuck Ragan and Billy Bragg. Whether the
understated and meandering beauty of “Nickel In” or the over-caffeinated, somebody-done-somebody- wrong sensibility of “River Rising Quickly,” this collection of songs is woven together tightly, in the classic tradition of a cohesive LP.
It ain't all as gentle as the featured song but from what we have heard it is one quality album.
Featured Track:Nickels In. Website: Official.
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Glass Vaults is a Wellington, New Zealand based two-piece who use a mixture of washed textures, ambient and atmospheric sound scape's and an amalgamation of programmed and live drums. Both born in the rural Manawatu, Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce met at university in Wellington where they began experimenting with music under the name Vaults. Having recently graduated and undergone a name change to Glass Vaults, the pair are using their time to work on writing and shaping their sound under this guise.
The Glass EP is the pairs’ first release and was recorded on Rowan’s grandmothers farm in March 2010. They then teamed up with friend Bevan Smith (Signer, Over the Atlantic, The Ruby Suns) to produce the recordings into the final release. The Glass EP is an initial marrying of the pairs’ ambient, looped soundscapes fused with minimal lyrical content and structured songwriting. Glass Vaults successfully "deliver a fully realized EP buoyed by the peerless semblance of potential; rare that music can at once sound so wistful, but look forward with such promise" (Jonathan Shedletzky). JUKBOXR Records will release the Glass EP for the first time outside of NZ with a limited vinyl run out November 1st.
Well that's the official promo info and more to the point we are loving their music - superb.
Featured Track: Forget Me Not. Website:MySpace.
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Brooklyn’s My Other Friend is set to release their debut album Burning Bright Tonight, with wide distribution on October 25th. The album which was originally self-released digitally in late July is already starting to gain the attention of leading taste makers such as CMJ.
Burning Bright Tonight was produced by Kevin McMahon (The Walkmen, The French Kicks) and is comprised of brooding, well-crafted pop songs with layers of textural melody. Meanwhile, the boyfriend-girlfriend-best friend trio has been busy on the road playing with the likes of Titus Andronicus, Bear Hands, The Beets, and Drink Up Buttercup since July.
Getting to the point I really like this band, their promo material goes on to talk about the reasons behind some of the material including dealing with disaster and missing the one you love, I say just listen they are great.
Featured Track:Beast. Website: Official.
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Sometimes we get sent a little teaser in this case just 'peep it'.
Bikini are totally new to me.
I know nothing about them but like this tune enough so that they get a mention and that's all, because I just ain't got the time to dig a little more..
Oh apparently it's out in November.
Featured Track:A Cheerlaeder. Website: MySpace.
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Eleganza is the debut EP from the Los Angeles indie group Blonde Summer. Singer Chris Pope and guitarist Matt Reid slipped away from the glitz and glam of LA and found inspiration in 60's surf rock and the desert rat locals of Joshua Tree while crafting Eleganza's collection of drifter-esque indie rock songs.
Blonde Summer teamed up with Aaron Espinoza (Earlimart, Admiral Radley) at The Ship studio to create the "indie rock bliss" that would become Eleganza. The 5-song EP kicks off with the dance worthy "Cathode Ray," which immediately sets the tone of this promising debut. Chris Pope's vocals on "Scared You'll Get Hurt" float as if they've got wings and the musicianship of "Blonde" is reminiscent of 90s indie rock pioneers, The Pixies.
There's a nice vibe running through the featured track that takes it beyond 'comfortable indie format' and the guitar work builds in a manner that suggest these guys can move beyond the safe confines of pop.
Featured Track: Cathode. Website:Official.
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The "Do You Ever?" single by Summer Library was released on October 4th and has already garnered some internet buzz and positive reviews.
Summer Library is the solo work of Patrick Kelly from New Rochelle, NY. After a stint in a Pavement-inspired indie rock band, Patrick began recording as Summer Library, which takes its influence and direction from bands such as Galaxie 500, Brighter and Rocketship. The Swedish-sounding A-side is backed with “Past The Railroad Tracks,” which sounds as if someone might have snuck a synthesizer into a Field Mice song. Jangly guitars and catchy melodies pervade these two tracks.
It's available for free over at February Records and is absolutely worth a listen. I hate doing the whole age thing but this guy musically shows a maturity way beyond his years and I hope a lot of people keep an eye (or ear) out for more from Summer Library!
Featured Track:Do You Ever. Website:February Records.
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We are loving the layers of vocals from Scattered Trees and hope you do as well.
Background as follows - Scattered Trees is a dapper, young group of artists who grew up together in the outskirts of Chicago. Some of the members share last names, albeit for different reasons. They are the kind of friends who can separate and come back together at ease, entertained by a constellation of conversations and the familiarity of each other’s voices. As is the case with any ambitious set of individuals aspirations beyond their hometown, as they grew, Scattered Trees spent more and more time apart until it seemed the norm. Just when it appeared life had separated them for good, tragedy struck, a death, and Scattered Trees came back together, recording an album emblazoned with the sincerity and beauty that only the most terrible of times can yield.
This fall, the first singles from this record will be made available to purchase. In the coming months a short, multi-part documentary will be released telling Scattered Trees’ tale in a far more intimate way than a band bio ever could.
Featured Track: A Conversation about Death on New Years Eve. Website:Official.
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Shamelessly ripping the promo material here, but if its good enough for KEXP it's good enough for us (and actually that's an under statement - check this out!).
Dave Einmo’s Head Like a Kite is keeping busy and re-releasing its highly successful Dreams Suspend Night on November 9th through Roll Call Records. The album, which was re-mastered by Dave Cooley (Dangermouse, Silversun Pickups, Prefuse 73) will include bonus track “Diamond Paint” which features polar opposites, Asya of indie-pop duo Smoosh and Tilson of The Saturday Nights resulting in an airy yet hard hitting pop meets hip-hop piece. This will be Head Like a Kite’s third musical effort and their debut with Roll Call Records. Dreams Suspend Night pushes the limit of electronic music, combining dance, hip-hop, and rock into one neatly wrapped package.
The creative monsoon that is Head Like A Kite started pouring down upon Einmo in 2006 when he began to fuse progressive electronic music with sensible pop melodies. Einmo crafted a 2-step recording approach that begins with challenging pop songwriting, followed by his own tracking with live instruments. Once the foundation is in place, Einmo transforms into a producer/DJ, slicing and sampling his own instrumental tracks before peppering the recordings with guests. Like The Wizard of Oz – Dave Einmo is one man in a control booth turning knobs to create something that feels much larger. However unlike the film, when Einmo steps out of the booth and onto the stage, he is just as magical.
Dreams Suspend Night features multiple musicians and vocalists including: Smoosh, Her Space Holiday, Boom Bip (Neon Neon), Tilson of The Saturday Nights, and members of The Long Winters and Swervedriver. The indie-centric artists that have united to perform on Einmo’s Dreams Suspend Night have truly created a broad musical platform that blends hip-hop, indie rock, and electro-pop so elegantly. Consequently there is a unique musical personality that saturates Dreams Suspend Night, as the music is engaging, beat-driven, thoughtful, but most of all, fun.
The original record was released independently by Head Like a Kite in May and has already reached #1 at Seattle powerhouse radio station, KEXP. The band is garnering praise from elite publications like the Los Angeles Times and the London Times, and continue to win over audiences across the globe with their adrenaline fueled stage show.
Featured Track:Diamond Paint. Website:Official.
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After a quiet hiatus in the last year, Brooklyn’s dreamy electronic duo Home Video have re surged with melodies blazing to launch their highly anticipated latest opus ‘The Automatic Process’ to be released on November 16th.
Some background - Home Video are Collin Ruffino and David Gross, transplants from the misunderstood landscape of New Orleans, now living in the brooding brownstones of Brooklyn, New York. Here they revel in a self-created world of references to Edward Gorey, Massive Attack, The Brothers Quay, Smashing Pumpkins, and a dusting of Chopin, references that they have been collecting for nearly ten years.
OK so I did not write that but it is quite poetic and the music is damn fine so just listen and enjoy and if you do check em out some more!
Featured Track:Every Love That Ever Was. Website: Official.
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We here at the Beehive love a bit of hype for British bands in the USA so here's some for The Lines !!
‘There aren't really many good bands coming out of Wolverhampton, just one great band called the Lines’ – Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin
‘The fever has only just started’ – The Fly
‘Making big noises in more ways than one, blasting out of Wolverhampton’ – Steve Lamacq - Radio One Top5
They’re infectious, loved by Led Zeppelin, unabated Rock n Roll and hitting the USA with their throngs of British fans literally flying over to witness the buzz for their debut US Tour. These boys are going to be big.
Coming straight off their storming UK tour releasing their stellar self-titled album and selling out 1200 capacity venues, as well as all copies of the album on the release date at HMV, The Lines are definitely an international act to keep your eye on. Having toured with fellow Brit-Rock outfits Babyshambles, Supergrass, The Charlatans and Editors, and making huge headway on the airwaves with EP track ‘Domino Effect’ reaching Top 10 in the Indie Charts, it’s not hard to believe the fever is going to hit America hard when these boys rock out New York.
A couple of gigs still to go, so check them out if you are local.
23 Oct - THE LIVING ROOM - 1am
w. Paul and the Patients, SoKo, Kris Gruen and Ferraby Lionheart
24 Oct - ARLENE’S GROCERY - 11pm
w. Smile Smile, The Nifty Shrimp, Red River and Dan Maxwell and the Turnpike Sailors
Featured Track:Tracey. Website:Official.
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Lights on Moscow are Hazel Wilde (Aorta) and Justin Lockey (songs) and like their sound, their influences are big and small.
Justin; bashing melodies that collide with an undercurrent of sad chiming and celestial sweet spots
Together their music explodes into hallucinatory Indie noise pop hinting blues and folk.
Well that's what the info we received says's and on the strength of this song who are we to argue. As we rip through this round up please don't think that just a few words for some artists means they are somewhat lesser on our scale of liking. Light Of Moscow being a case in point - nothing could be further from the truth.
Featured Track: Lord Let Me Know.
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Rising Brooklyn act Mon Khmer (pronounced: Mohn-Kmair) is set to release their debut EP, Birthplace on October 19th via High Scores Recordings. Tiding listeners over until their forthcoming debut LP, the six track EP contains the highlights of their short but fruitful two years together. Playing alongside acts like Bear in Heaven, Secret Machines, and Micachu & the Shapes, Mon Khmer have been captivating listeners sending them into a groove/trance/dance mode thanks to their tribal relentless and hypnotic rhythms that are legitimately hard to resist with their refined yet unclassifiable sound. Some have made attempts, like Death and Taxes who wrote “You can easily parse out an influence of Battles in their sound for it was breezy and punchy, and their pool of effects pedals kept people’s ears perked up throughout.”
The band’s unusual name derives from a family of languages that exist in Eastern Asia, called Mon Khmer. The worldliness of the name is quite fitting taking into account the wide array of influences that co-exist with each member. Having met in Boston, the four friends found home in Brooklyn and formed Mon Khmer, following a summer of session work that included Hammarsing (Vocals/Guitars) joining Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes) on a world tour. With Hammarsing’s departure, the remaining members of Mon Khmer kept busy with equally as exciting side-projects; Dave Cole (drums) is also a member of Rubblebucket while Matt Scheiner (bass/synths/vocals) splits his time with other Brooklyn band Oberhofer and Elias Meister (guitar) spends time playing in various jazz side projects.
Featured Track: Birthplace.
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Right then this is what others have said about The Sheepdogs and we would also like to add The Allman Brothers and The Black Crowes as additional references!
"Rolling and tumbling out of the flatlands of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the Sheepdogs play classic rock-a-boogie, with shaggy-haired deference to the likes of Humble Pie, the Faces, and Blind Faith, all the while quietly harboring the musical chops to saunter away from their comfort zone when the mood takes them" – Popmatters
"The final product is equal parts blue-eyed soul and boogie rock, and carries DNA from such AOR staples as CCR, The James Gang, The Rascals and Humble Pie" – My Old Kentucky Blog
"Learn & Burn is a carefully-written, timeless record." – CHARTattack.
However many comparisons are made this band have their own strong identity and are in our always humble opinion superb rockers who deserve your attention. We are also told - Shaggy, bearded and born to rock is one way to describe this group of grooving roustabouts hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The Sheepdogs’ third record Learn and Burn, on which each track gushes of impeccable 70s classic rock sound, has just been re-released on vinyl. The band’s grooving melodies and dueling guitar riffs transcend generations with their double helix of rock revival and contemporary flair.
Tour Dates:
Nov. 9th- Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Café, 12pm
Nov. 9th- Los Angeles, CA @ The Mint, 9pm
Nov. 10th- San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop, 9:30pm
Featured Track: I Dont Know. Website:MySpace.
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Those nice people at Hidden Shoal Recordings announced a few days ago the release of new single ‘King Of All The Moves’ by Australian lo-fi rock magician Toby Richardson.
They went on to say (and we concur) In his inimitable bent rock stylings Richardson has produced another irreverent indie rock ‘n’ roll gem. ‘King Of All The Moves’ is like a garage band falling endlessly down a cartoon staircase. The track pays homage to dirty rock while turning it inside out and painting it with jelly. The songs skewed melodicism, married with Richardson's innate sense of song craft, creates a soundtrack to some unimaginable ‘70s cop show filled with sequins, half-naked dancers and possibly a dolphin. ‘King Of All The Moves’ is irrepressible dance music for the PCP crowd.
Whats more ‘King Of All The Moves’ is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store however we have it here on Beehive Candy as well. The track is lifted from the upcoming 5 track EP The Stones and the Rabbits out on 2nd December 2010. Toby Richardson's debut EP Golden Days and album Evergreen are also available through Hidden Shoal. Check this guy out soon!
Featured Track:King Of All The Moves. Website:MySpace. Buy:Hidden Shoals Store.
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We finish this edition on a high with Vermont's Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck who are set to release their sophomore album, Bottom of the Sky, on November 16th.
Recorded in the studio of longtime collaborator and friend, Levon Helm (drummer of The Band, and legendary solo artist), Bottom of the Sky showcases the band’s seamless melding of alt-folk, rock, and bluegrass, making for an easy comparison to Blitzen Trapper, the Drive-by Truckers, and the Felice Brothers.
Some more background for you - For Bottom of the Sky, Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck worked alongside Justin Guip (Engineer on Levon’s Grammy-winning albums, Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt) for a second time, to recreate the magic he helped capture on the band’s 2008 self-titled debut. The new album showcases Bow’s recent exploration of his beloved Deering electric banjo and effects boxes to create tones unlike any other.
While the exact date of Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck’s conception is up for debate, the group did bud from former band, Elbow, a trio of Boston musicians that drew inspiration from the delta blues. Although Elbow disbanded in the early 2000s, member Bow Thayer went on to record numerous solo albums, one of which features Levon Helm on drums and Morphine’s Dana Colley on sax, while bassist Jeremy Curtis hit the road playing with the likes of Booker T and Howie Day. After their adventures concluded, Bow and Jeremy found their way back to one another and continued to jam, adding Jeff Berlin on drums, Chris McGandy on steel guitar, and James Rohr on the keys, forming what is now known as the Perfect Trainwreck.
A great song from a talented and crafted band that deserve to be noticed far and wide, some tour dates below!
10/31 Cambridge, MA @ Atwood’s Tavern
11/13 Lebanon, HH @ Lebanon Opera House (Local Legends 2010)
11/20 White River Junction, VT @ Tupelo Music Hall (Album Release Show!)
12/04 Northhampton, MA @ The Basement
Featured Track:Bottom Of The Sky. Website:Official.
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Background: For those of you who follow folk on Twitter, you may well want to add Marissa Nadler to your selection. In recent weeks she has given away a number of songs from her 'Covers Volume II' album, in fact if you check over there now you may well still be in for a rather nice treat. Covers Volume II follows her critically acclaimed self titled full-length out now on her own Box of Cedar Records.
After releasing several albums with Kemado (and having one of her songs inspire the name for vinyl start-up Mexican Summer), Marissa Nadler ventured out independently for her critically acclaimed self-titled album, which has been featured on NPR "World Cafe: Next," NPR First Listen, Vogue, KEXP, Pitchfork 'Overlooked Records of 2011' with an 8.1 album review, and as one of SPIN's "5 Best New Artists for June 2011," among others.
Marissa Nadler released her first album, Ballads of Living and Dying, on Eclipse Records in 2004; her follow-up, The Saga of Mayflower May, was released in July 2005. Both albums have been long standing favorites at Beehive Candy and the positive reviews she has received over the last few years have in our opinion, been totally deserved. If you are new to Marissa then don't just take our word for recommending a listen - Her voice was described by the popular online music website Pitchfork Media as "a voice you would follow straight into Hades". In the Boston Globe, her voice and music is described: "She has a voice that, in mythological times, could have lured men to their deaths at sea, an intoxicating soprano drenched in gauzy reverb that hits bell-clear heights, lingers, and tapers off like rings of smoke. Hardly anyone considers Nadler a folk musician."
2011Candy Says: What can we add to the comments above, this is a haunting song that takes Bruce Springsteen's original into another dimension. Superb.
Background: Dutch soul-act Fuel Box is going to release their dark debut-album "I" on 14th December, worldwide.
Fuel Box combines old, bluesy soul, dark dub and modern hip-hop into catchy, psychedelic, soul pop songs. (Don't worry, this is not another retro-soul ripoff...). On December 14, 2011 the complete, 14 track album "I" (One) will be released worldwide.
Producer Joshua Boon composed and produced the songs, while soul singer Remy Britsemmer laid the vocals down as they took a few years during turbulent times recording in (bath)rooms of old and dilapidated houses. Occasionally, they received help from guest musicians, but the only other vocalist on the album is Holland's legendary old skool rapper Deams (Gang Starr family, early Urban Dance Squad, Zulu Nation). Deams recently released the "The Legacy" EP, by the way, featuring De La Soul, Chuck D, Ice-T, Jeru the Damaja & Big Daddy Kane.
Fuel Box made it to the selection of Soul & Jazz talent on national Radio 6 and received airplay on multiple programs. They were also rewarded with positive reviews, interviews and entries in several print magazines and websites and through music blogs worldwide. Tracks were also featured in Game Kings (Dutch MTV) and the national campaign VrijSOAVrij.
2011Candy Says: We featured the band back in May and having now had a chance to listen to the new album in full, we urge you to check these guys out. New music is alive and kicking!
Background: Forget everything you know about Scout. With All Those Relays, the band’s first album since 2003, Ashen Keilyn has deconstructed her band and put it back together piece-by-piece — new players, new producers and, most importantly, the best songs of Keilyn’s career. Scout’s new chapter finds Keilyn simultaneously at her most emotionally raw and her toughest yet, creating an album both empowering and vulnerable — and catchy as hell.
It all adds up to mean the breathless praise piled on her music from Billboard, SPIN, The New York Times and others rings true today. As the Village Voice wrote, “Ashen Keilyn is a star.”
Scout dropped its debut EP, Someplace Would Be Nice, in 1998 on Chrysalis; its breakthrough album, It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, followed just two years later. On the strength of huge buzz from the album, Scout appeared on NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” became an “Editor’s Choice” pick at Amazon.com, had tracks featured in films and TV, and toured with rock icons Sunny Day Real Estate.
After the 2003 follow-up The Soft Life, though, it was time to take a break. Keilyn began working with other musicians and recording with new producers, but one thing was apparent: Ashen Keilyn was the beating heart of Scout, no matter who rounded out the lineup.
With that freedom, Keilyn set out to create All Those Relays, inspired by music, film, and the idiosyncrasies of everyday life. Scout’s new music was created organically, each song born exactly when it was ready. Some ache with the melancholy of Cat Power. Some float like the folk of Azure Ray. But each track is anchored by her hushed voice. Keilyn took her time with this music, and her careful, relaxed writing makes for gorgeous, free-flowing songs.
2011Candy Says: A driving beat that at first seems at odds with the vocals simply connects into a great song.
Background: Performing their way down around the US at present, Yukon Blonde have be transforming their beards into waxed and groomed mustaches in support this year's Movember campaign.
Their recently released Fire//Water EP was produced by Colin Stewart (Black Mountain, Ladyhawk) the four song follow up to the quartet's Polaris and WCMA award nominated debut LP was written partially while on the road, and partially while off the road at a cottage in the Comox Valley (BC). The band recorded a total of 15 songs over the course of the summer, and the remaining 11 tracks will be featured on their sophomore LP in early 2012.
Yukon Blonde's career has so far been marked by their on-the-road ethic. Last fall they embarked on a 30+ date tour supporting Good Old War, as well as several headlining runs down each coast. This summer the young B.C. band played at Milwaukee Summerfest with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and the last year and a half has seen them rack up nonstop tour mileage both in North America, and Europe, including festivals such as SXSW, CMJ and Popkomm Festival in Berlin along the way. Make sure to check them out this fall as they wind through the entire country.
01 Dec - Ames, IA @ The Maintenance Shop *
02 Dec - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown Jr *
03 Dec - Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room *
04 Dec - Oklahoma city, OK @ The Conservatory *
06 Dec - Little Rock, AR @ Juanita's Cantina *
07 Dec - Dallas, TX @ Double Wide *
08 Dec - Houston, TX @ Fitz Downstairs *
09 Dec - Austin, TX @ Emo's Inside *
11 Dec - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
13 Dec - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
14 Dec -Boise, ID @ Neurolox *
16 Dec - Spokane, WA @ A Club *
17 Dec - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile *
18 Dec - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir *
21 Dec - San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall *
22 Dec - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
23 Dec - Los Angeles @ The Echo
29 Dec - New South Wales, Australia- Peats Ridge Festival Glenworth Valley
* All US shows after Nov 15 co-headline w/ The Fling.
2011Candy Says: Fine harmonies from this alt country/rock act that reminds me of C.S.N and Young with a lot more energy.
Background:The Handcuffs embody the spirit of rock music's uninhibited, sexy and overbearing appeal. Perfectly blending style and energy, they do not sound like anyone else, but at the same time they seem very familiar. They are influenced by everything good that sells and anything good that doesn't. Rock music is loud (not just in volume, but in its nature), pompous and fun and The Handcuffs embrace every reckless minute of it.
Chloe F. Orwell, the designated blonde of the duo, is the lead singer whose stage presence and vocal style oozes sex and scorches and rock and roll. She can slide from a corduroy growl to a shimmering silky sigh in a Detroit second.
Brad Elvis, the other half of The Handcuffs, is a black-haired, four-handed drummer whose manic-panic style paints a 747 jet rhythm to every Handcuffs tune. Brad is also the chief songwriter (although Orwell is known to have a song or two stashed in her boots) and one of the visionaries of the duo. Bam!
The Chicago-based pair originally teamed up when Elvis recruited Orwell as lead vocalist and contributing songwriter for his band Big Hello, which released three critically acclaimed CDs, played hundreds of shows and received airplay on college and commercial radio all over the globe. Their potent creative chemistry earned the duo praise from fans and critics alike for their musicianship and showmanship, plus accolades in the mainstream and alternative press throughout the world.
The Handcuffs evolved from Elvis and Orwell’s desire to explore a broad sonic territory while still believing in the power of a great radio hook. Their songs are fresh yet timeless, edgy yet accessible, skillfully crafted yet easily memorable. Their influences range from Bowie to Bacharach, P.J. Harvey to the Pixies, White Album to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with some Ting Tings, T-Rex and Sparks tossed in for good measure. You could spend all day trying to name that tune, but by nighttime it would still be The Handcuffs.
The duo started out making boombox demos with Orwell on guitar or bass and Elvis often singing the lead vocals and keeping time on a cardboard box or whatever was handy. Proper studio sessions, with the help of additional guest instrumentalists, followed and The Handcuffs recorded more than three albums worth of material. Then came song placement in television shows and films, followed by a self-produced music video. With plans to release their debut CD, they finally decided to put a live band together.
To complete their line-up, the duo has welcomed three powerhouse musicians to help them deliver the rock including Emily Togni, a Tennessee-by-way-of-Arkansas native, Chicagoan Ellis Clark on guitar and former New Jersey girl Alison Hinderliter on keyboards.
2011Candy Says; Great driving riff and super vocals, the whole thing has a punky edge that really works.
Background: On December 13th, Chicago's Old Town School of Folk will release a vast collection of live recordings by the countless musicians who have played the venue over the last 50 plus years. The collection's 127 tracks will be sold digitally on iTunes and Amazon. Among others there are songs by Andrew Bird, Steve Earle, Toumani Diabate, Lila Downs and many more. The release represents the best in folk/roots music, past and present.
On a stack of DATs in a shoebox lay the history of American music. There were local legends and major icons, global musicians and indie rockers. Some captured beautifully from the board, some gleaned quietly from the dusty archives of a radio station, the recordings held wildly creative decades of sound from Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, a roots-music touchstone for nearly 55 years. And no one had heard them.
Joan Baez and Donovan, Big Bill Broonzy and Ella Jenkins, Pete Seeger and Taj Mahal, Martin Carthy and Steve Earle, Doc Watson and Mahalia Jackson: It was a literal who’s-who of folk, gospel, country, bluegrass, blues, and world music, caught in hours of exciting performances. But someone had to put the pieces together—all 127 tracks worth—and someone had to clear all the rights with 85 different artists.
They succeeded, against odds that would have stopped others in their tracks. Live From The Old Town School (Old Town School Recordings; release: December 13, 2011) reveals not only the venerable institution’s storied start, but its role in the recent infusion of new energy into the roots music world, with everyone from Toumani Diabate and Oumou Sangare to Andrew Bird and Lila Downs.
This crucial collection of rare live gems is available for download from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby, with most of the proceeds going to benefit the School’s educational work with children and adults. And though very diverse, the tracks share a common quality.
“These are all performers who know how to communicate with the audience in a very personal way,” says Colby Maddox, librarian/archivist and teacher at the Old Town School, who spearheaded the project and attracted support for it from the Donnelley Foundation. “They don’t need that distance, that huge arena. They want to get down close and make people happy. And they are all coming from well-established traditions, all different, but all strong.”
2011Candy Says: Where do you begin? It's a massive collection of music's history and Andrew Bird was chosen at random simply because I did not know who to choose from this phenomenal collection
Featured: Andrew Bird - Tinys Tempo. Web: Official.
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Background:Ashtar Command's debut album, American Sunshine, is an evolved and involved labor of love from veteran musicians Chris Holmes and Brian Liesegang. It's an expansive and coherent album that defies being reduced to a single genre. Nick Drake could come to mind, as well as the Chemical Brothers. Spiritualized could be seen in there as well as The Beach Boys. There are songs of exquisite beauty and ones that unabashedly rock.
The duo were joined by guest vocalists Joshua Radin (whose debut album was produced by Holmes) on “Mark IV,” Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (“Save Me”), Har Mar Superstar (“That’s How It Is”) and Rachel Yamagata (“Blister of the Spotlight”). The dreamy “Rosa,” already in heavy rotation at Los Angeles’ KCRW, is one of two tracks featuring Priscilla Ahn, while Z Berg’s crystal clear vocals provide a stunning counterpoint to the throbbing groove on “Gravity.”
The group are well known for their song on Red Dead Redemption called "Deadman's Gun". Sci-fi fans may recall the concept of “Ashtar Command” that emerged in the 1950’s – an intergalactic U.N. with the mission of assisting the human race in a time of crisis. Think evolution by enlightenment, which makes the name a fitting metaphor for the band and what they're trying to accomplish.
2011Candy Says; A number of famous names mentioned above, yes this is one of those songs that for some reason makes it hard not to look for comparisons. Not that it copies anyone, it's just so good you want to liken them to some highly regarded band, I will add Bowie to the list!
Background:Beacon is Thomas Mullarney III and Jacob Gossett. Their “No Body EP” explores a combination of deep south bass music and ambient pop melodies, with R&B tinged vocals that accompany warm arpeggiated synthesizers.
The EP's atmosphere and narrative recall brooding spirituality in the wake of first love and the allure of the paranormal in teenage romance. Jacob and Thomas’s extensive work in the video production and set building worlds has given them the techniques to produce their own unique vision for the release of “No Body;” a cheap prom set where real and imaginary moments continually conjure up feelings of love, lust and all things in between.
2011Candy Says; A sparse sounding rhythmic intro that continues to build long after the beautiful vocals establish as a very special song.
Background: “Holmes is a singer-songwriter who pens the kind of melodic, unpretentious songs that scream for usage in film and TV. There’s a humor, wistfulness and universality that would compare with some of the best of Ben Folds or Beck.” - Los Angeles Times
Los-Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Holmes (the alias of Roy Shakked) today releases a full-length cover album aptly entitled Holmes: Covers on his label Groove Gravy Records. This marks the third full-length album under this moniker, following 2007’s Stop Go and 2009’s self-titled album, and precedes an album of more originals due in the Spring of 2012.
Holmes: Covers includes songs from all across the board—from Ice Cube to Elvis Presley and Genesis to Michael Jackson. Each song on the album has undergone a complete transformation, with Holmes arranging the songs to cast the lyrics in a new light. Narrowing his list of song choices from 100 down to 13, Holmes chose each for their lyrics. “Lyrically, every song on this album really speaks to me,” says Holmes. “All artists, with the exception of Macy Gray and Massive Attack, were ones I grew up on. The other two I just really dig.”
The first single of the album, a cover of Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day,” is as far from the original as can be. The music behind Holmes’ version is a song he wrote several years ago, but never found the lyrics to do it justice. “It’s always tricky approaching a hip hop track to cover,” muses Holmes. “It’s just an opening to being hokey, not to mention an invitation for abuse. I really like the way it came together. ‘Cube’s lyrics are ridiculously good.”
The album was tracked and mixed in Holmes’ home studio in Silverlake, CA. A handful of amazing musician friends contributed to Holmes: Covers, including Joel Shearer (Damien Rice, Alanis Morissette), Chris Bruce (M'chelle Ndegeocello, Sheryl Crow) Lawrence Katz (Bosstones), and Michael Jerome Moore (Blind Boys of Alabama, Better Than Ezra). Holmes thanks his lucky stars for good friends.
2011Candy Says: If there is a benchmark for how to reinterpret a song then this surely is it! And it really works, complete with the parental guidance lyrics..
Background:Rah Rah are a Canadian indie rock collective whose album Breaking Hearts was released to the U.S. a couple of weeks back along with a vinyl/digital remix album called Rahmixes.
The sextet are known for taking turns taking the lead, both in songwriting and while on stage, and constantly switching instruments and they've been compared to The New Pornographers, Stars, and Broken Social Scene.
Rah Rah's sophomore album, Breaking Hearts was recorded and mixed in Montreal by Kees Dekker (Plants & Animals) and was released on June 1, 2010 in Canada. It follows the widespread industry praise for 2008's debut album, Going Steady and reinforces the increasing visibility that has accompanied Rah Rah's relentless tour schedule. Rah Rah were crowned "Best new Canadian Band" and "Best New Alternative Band" by iTunes in 2009. The band has also been featured as iTunes Download of the Week and Starbucks Pick of the Week in Canada.
The proud prairie rockers sing of the seriousness of art, poetry, love, and politics, and contrast it with a stage full of confetti, pinatas, candy, and six friends loving life and having fun. But don't let their fresh faces, confetti cannons and constant sugar highs fool you, Rah rah are old souls. This young, six-member ensemble artully bridge sincerity with the absurd. Despite lyrics that touch on underwater sea creatures, stockbrokers, Saskatchewan (and now Montreal), and impressionist painters, their songs are built to break your heart. All this along with the melodic male/female vocals and diverse instrumentation (guitars, bass, drums, keys, violin, accordion, ukulele), ensures that a Rah Rah show will not disappoint.
2011Candy Says; I love this song, both the instruments used, the mix and the perfectly matching vocals. Music that crosses generations.
Background:Lissy Trullie is going to release the follow up to her debut EP Self-Taught Learner on March 6th (2012) via Downtown records. The new album is self-titled and was produced by John Hill (Santigold, M.I.A., Shakira) and David Sitek (TV On the Radios, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars).
Lissy Trullie, made in the L.A. studios of both Hill and Sitek, is coolly confident in feel, its mostly brisk punk foundation yielding to memorable pop choruses along the way, especially on “Big Heart” and the reggae-tinged “It’s Only You.” Trullie’s voice and presence is commanding throughout; with her elastic singing, she comes across at times like a modern-day Chrissie Hynde. But the artful precision of the arrangements belies the more spontaneous nature of the sessions, as Trullie reveals: “I think the benefit of working with John and Dave is that there was no mention of pressure, and they had zero rules. It was just free-form creativity, any wacky suggestion was taken, and that’s how the sound of the record happened. That style of working just suits me very well.”
And while the planning set her off down her road, it was the out-of-nowhere diversions that created the most exciting results. “We did track a lot of the band live, but when we did, it just happened; it was spontaneous. Our approach allowed for more accidents to happen that ended up being amazing. Dave is like a mad scientist – he has a house where his studio is located in one of the canyons and it’s a crazy wonderland. John was more the contained mad man – soft spoken, contemplative, and wildly talented. We had a real yin-yang situation going on.”
The more unorthodox the idea, the better, Trullie says: “We did a lot of vocals with different mics. John fell in love with this tape recorder microphone from the sixties and it’s on everything - -the drum kits, guitars, my vocals. He would hang it like a light from the ceiling. Its sound is kind of gnarly but amazing at the same time; it made the drums sound thin and dirty. We would layer that track over the proper drum track and it created an interesting texture, so we did that with the vocals as well. We tracked lots and lots of vocals; they had me in there every day.” There was an open door policy to go with their open minds: “Anyone who walked through the house somehow ended up playing on the record.” Special guests included Jaleel Bunton of TV On The Radio, XL Recordings artist Holly Miranda, and Florence + the Machine’s guitarist Robert Ackroyd.
"I write so I can find something new and hopefully keep growing," says Trullie. “This was the first time I got into a real studio with real producers and by the end of the recording process I wound up with what I wanted from the very start – to make music that has evolved.”
2011Candy Says: Yep another emerging artist to watch out for, and another song that grows and builds into something special.
Background: Following up their critically acclaimed debut, 2008’s A Mouthful, French-Finnish duo The Dø release their highly anticipated sophomore effort, Both Ways Open Jaws recently in the UK and in the US via Six Degrees Records. After a series of live sessions, two visually stunning videos and album teasers leading up to the release, The Dø are receiving recognition globally. The album is receiving rave reviews around the world and the band has made a lasting impression on international powerhouses like NME, Clash Music, Drowned in Sound, Digital Spy, The Fense Post, Italian Vogue and more. In regards to the new album, Colossal Pop claimed, "The darker groove of “The Wicked & the Blind” is another flash of brilliance that reminds me of what the Velvet Underground might have offered had they had a better ear for “the masses.” The gorgeous “Was it a Dream?” is another wonderful moment" and Baeble Music noted “Funky French/Finnish outfit provided one of 2010's more exhilarating debuts (A Mouthful), so it's safe to say we're excited to see what album number two has in store.”
French multi-instrumentalist Dan Levy and Finnish vocalist Olivia Merilahti met in 2005 while recording the soundtrack to a French movie and started writing songs together on the side. This side project took center stage when A Mouthful garnered praise from the likes of Pitchfork, and the band went on to play festivals and tour worldwide.
2011Candy Says; I have been a fan of The Do's since their debut, and this song see's them still developing and oozing energy and charm.
Background: Native New Yorker, Gina Zavalis, releases her first single, "In Your Eyes," off her debut self titled EP, Gina Zavalis. The album is now available for purchase on iTunes, as well as her website.
Gina Zavalis began her career as a young girl in Off Broadway shows, performing in several national tours and regional theatre productions. A lifelong passion for music combined with years of singing are what's behind the success of Gina Zavalis. "In my humble opinion Gina Zavalis is THE next great American voice. Her sheer talent and presence alone will win you over but just wait until you hear the girl sing...Remember I told you so when she is headlining the universe!" Remarked Joe Bonsall of the legendary Oak Ridge Boys.
Gina Zavalis' self-titled EP is filled with heartfelt lyrics, along with her intriguing sound and dynamic powerhouse vocals, showcasing her three plus octave range. LA Guitar Academy praises, "In her new song, 'In Your Eyes', Gina Zavalis' warm tone invites listeners to travel with her on the journey from despair to forgiveness. Her voice, plaintive at first, soars to brilliance as she captures the moment of transformation-a moment of pure freedom." The song is a snapshot of the transforming moment when the tangled chains of insecurity release into pure freedom. Introspective and brutally honest, Zavalis conveys the difficult emotion of giving in to the unknown.
2011Candy Says: On paper this should not be my thing. However the vocals are striking and the dominance of the piano (not being crushed by a full orchestra) makes this one fine song. Maybe I am finally growing up (time for another mid life crisis).
Background: From Paper Gardens Lovely Hearts Club we quote - Hours of listening to demo submissions eventually paid off when we opened The Great Afternoon's email to find that the banjo isn't just for making bluegrass tunes. Christina Ward has been rocking out on the banjo along side bassist Kris Knechel and Brian Huggins on drums for over a year now. Her soothing vocals carefully guide us through some of life's tougher realities while leaving a bit of hope for better days. Their first EP is not all doom and gloom as much as it is foot-tapping and and head bobbing thanks to a perfect blend of drum and bass lines with the unexpectedly soulful banjo picking.
The band has been playing a handful of shows around their hometown of New Jersey in support of their first EP "The Great Afternoon", which was released just a few months ago in August. Here's a stream of 'Science Fiction' but don't stop listening there, head to bandcamp or Facebook to stream the full album and maybe even make a purchase for just $7!
2011Candy says: I can see why Paper Garden spend ours listening to demo submissions, if this is the result of their labour. A great song and yes, yet another band to keep a watch out for.
Background Info - Teeming with the energy and grit of pre-Giuliani Manhattan, Blonde Redhead's long out-of-print early recordings have finally crawled their way out of the '90s basement thanks to Numero Group who will issue a 4LP / 2CD set on Sept. 30. Weighing in at 37 tracks, Masculin Féminin compiles the band's first two albums for Steve Shelley's Smells Like Records (self-titled and La Mia Via Violenta), their period singles, extant demos, and radio performances across four LPs or two CDs. Dozens of previously unpublished photographs illustrate two lengthy essays on this essential New York band's formative years. This is the latest instalment in Numero Group's 200 Line series which has also included releases from Unwound, Bedhead, Codeine, White Zombie and The Scientists. "These songs combine a raw need, a ready access to neediness, with seemingly incongruous cinematic changes reminiscent of '60s Italian pop music and movie scores. They switch between emotional grandeur and eye scratching immediacy." -Arto Lindsay.
'Big Song' was an early and quite rare single by Blonde Redhead and it immediately brings back some fond memories of the band for me. Somewhere in my garage is an old PC with loads of their early material on it, time to go and dig it out, in anticipation of these reissues!
Background promo - From the backwoods of Ithaca to the brownstones of Brooklyn, Zeke Finn’s journey is as rich and eclectic as his music. And, the multi-talented singer-songwriter and his trio are set to release their much-anticipated self - titled debut EP later this summer, which depicts the realities of both city and country life. “Love Song” has dropped on all digital outlets.
Each song on the EP, is impressively different from the next, elucidating Zeke Finn’s remarkable ability to blend genres and styles. With spacy rhythms and infectious beats, the band seamlessly combines elements of Hip-Hop, Reggae and Rock to create an unforgettable sound. Perhaps more importantly, Zeke Finn is dedicated to promoting good vibes and positivity through music.
'Love Song' is like a gentle summers breeze on a sunny warm day. Catchy is an understatement, and with thoughtful lyrics and an upbeat melody, it just works on so many levels.
Background - 1983 was a banner year for Pylon. The Athens quartet released their second album, Chomp, on Atlanta-based DB Records, toured the country extensively, and played several opening slots for then-up-and-comers U2. And then, without a hint of explanation, they quit. Their final show at the Mad Hatter in Athens, Georgia, was, as was always the case, a frenzy of minimal disco thud, post-punk guitar scree, and deliriously inspired howl. Oh, and dancing – always dancing – both in the crowd and on stage. The gig was recorded (both audio and video) for a failed PBS pilot called Athens Shows, and the tapes were put away and forgotten. That is, until now. Around three years ago, after Pylon’s DFA reissues hit the street, Chunklet CEO (and card-carrying member of the Pylon Fan Club) Henry Owings emailed the band bemoaning the lack of bonus material on the CDs, which sparked a larger conversation. “My favorite Pylon is live Pylon,” said bassist Michael Lachowski, with which Henry wholeheartedly agreed. Following a cordial sit-down at Michael’s apartment over the New Year’s holiday of 2015, an exhaustive search began for live recordings by Pylon. More specifically, live recordings from Athens in the early ’80s. Oh, and that sounded as good, if not better, than their proper full-length albums. Numerous dead ends followed, but finally, and somewhat fittingly, the multitrack recordings of Pylon's final performance at the Mad Hatter in 1983 were unearthed. Once the tapes were transferred and subsequently mixed, the explosive and compelling sounds raised one very significant question: Why in the world did Pylon quit? For a band whose legacy, in their original incarnation at least, was two full-length albums and a handful of singles, Pylon were first and foremost a live band who weren’t as interested in working in a studio. Pylon’s raison d’être was performing for a crowd, and now there’s conclusive validation. Pylon Live is a double vinyl album recorded on the band’s home turf at the culmination of their powers, and the results could not be more stellar. An all killer, no filler set with nothing left on the cutting room floor, Pylon Live includes powerful versions of the Pylon canon from their first and second LPs and even the hard-to-find song “Party Zone” (previously available only on a DB Rec comp) and their never-before-released rendition of the “Batman Theme.” When compared to the band’s prior body of work, Pylon Live bookends all of it; some might even say it’s a better representation of this Athens quartet, who thrived on bouncing around on stage infinitely more than sitting in a studio. There’s little arguing that the Athens powerhouse trifecta of R.E.M., the B-52’s, and Pylon is peerless. And while all three bands have achieved great critical acclaim, only the first two had the commercial acclaim they deserved. Pylon Live intends to correct that.
'Volume' is just a taste of the raw vibrant energy and passion that awaits the listener with this incredible live album release. I guess if you are going to look backwards, you might as well do it in style. This I feel, is a must have for any post punk fans. Twenty songs of which the featured track comes in as the seventeenth in the set, what a band and what an album!
Background promo - Brutus Begins is a solo project by Ricardo Temporao, a Portuguese-Canadian musician writer, and director currently based in Toronto (hailing from Kitchener, ON). Elements of folk are resampled and synthesized, blurring the lines between what is real and reconstructed and challenging notions of what is natural.
Ricardo has fronted bands for over a decade from the New Low, General Staff and Skinny Bitches (which was featured on Alan Cross's blog). In 2005, he released an album under the name “Rick Temporao & the New Low” which received radio airplay across Canada and earned critical acclaim (see below). He has also composed music for films and television (i.e. short films "Dead Wake", "The Visitor", Bravo television’s "Bravo Playlist" theme song and currently composing for short film "Scales").
Ricardo has directed and edited music videos for award-winning musicians Lily Frost, Cedar Park, and Fast Romantics. Recently he has begun his latest and most personal project, Brutus Begins. With influences from Leonard Cohen to Tame Impala and Shuggie Otis to T-Rex, Brutus Begins lives on the edge of a sonic "uncanny valley". The buttons, knobs and wires twist and bleed into something almost human. Where the copper pierces the flesh is where Brutus Begins. Brutus Begins will be appearing at Canadian Music Week 2016. His first album "Uncanny Valley" will be released this year.
I really wasn't sure which song to feature from 'Uncanny Valley' so I went for the last one I played, as I felt it was as representative of the collection as any other. I say this, in as much as I sense Ricardo is always trying to push the boundaries rather than follow a format, something that is pretty much fine with me.
Fox Medicine - Financial Elevator.
Blonde Summer - Beer On Ice.
