Quality Not Quantity - Acoustic & Electric Delights

Great Father - Coming soon - Bicentennial Blue by Great Father out on September 25, 2015. After taking a break from song writing for more than a dozen years to work full-time as a hospice social worker and found the label Exit Stencil Recordings, Brandon Stevens delivers us a meditation on the commonplace complexities of ageing---the disappointments, losses, regrets, and inevitable changes that arise as youth fades further in the rear view and middle-age unexpectedly approaches.  

The album has a decidedly overcast aesthetic, wrapped in the warm tones of nostalgia for the '70s a la Tobias Jesso Jr., and delivered from a perspective of someone who lives with loss close at hand.  At times reminiscent of Mojave 3's dream/country/folk amalgamation; at others, an Elliot Smith / Conor Oberst-like approach to lyrics and vocalisation; and at others, just approaching things straight up like Pink Floyd and letting it breathe.

Keep Great Father in mind, the featured track is just a taster and there is so much more going on within this album. Some of the words above are sombre, however this album has so much feeling and character that it is likely to be up high amongst my favourites this year. Facebook (here).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rum Thief - Background - Rum Thief is solo artist Jot Green with support from his band,  based in Chorlton, Manchester. The project began when Green, after playing as a drummer in bands for over ten years, decided to record some songs of his own. Booking into Airtight studio in Chorlton, Manchester he performed the drums, guitars, vocals and backing vocals to produce his first EP 'Clouded Mind'. 

The titular lead track generated interest from media outlets across the north west and with the help of ex band mates and a new live drummer, Rum Thief secured some local gigs, festivals, support slots and airplay on local and national radio. 'Reach For The Weather Man' is Rum Thief's second EP and is characterised by Jot Green's keen ear for melody and his sharp observational lyrical content.

To me Rum Thief oozes 'Manchester attitude'. Energised, gritty, to the point, Jot Green sings what he is thinking and observing. His total involvement in the studio pays off. Rather than feature the title track I thought I would include 'Stitch In Time' as personally sound wise, I feel this meets somewhere in the middle of the EP, that said this is a mighty collection of songs. Facebook (here).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim Muddiman and The Strange - Background - Tim Muddiman and The Strange releases their second single “Rolling Stones” after a global response from the debut track “Wildwood Stone.”  Extensive worldwide radio play, international blogs and buzzing fans from the UK to Australia are sure to be hyped by this new track from where its predecessor left off.

The song has been crafted underpinning a huge bass line with a sleazy blues guitar riff, wild tremolos and an instantly catchy grunge vocal melody.   Lyrically the song explains solitude and the feelings of organic change until you’re “done and gone alone”, with only music, art, yourself and your life left. “Rolling Stones”… The B-side track is darker. It’s solemn. It has powerful melody, swampy guitar and a sparse but intense feel. The story behind this is real and deeply personal. Something the artist is not afraid to pen. Tim Muddiman is a long-time member of Gary Numan’s band as well as being an established music producer, remixer and session musician to bands like Pop Will Eat Itself and many more.

As I listen 'Rolling Stones' has this 'marching' feeling to it, something along the lines of Led Zep's 'Kashmir' although sonically quite different. I am pretty certain this song will get the attention of many and am more than pleased if Beehive Candy is a small part of the buzz.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sweet Lou - some words - Sweet Lou is a rock band from the northern part of Sweden, the city of Luleå. Sweet Lou came together a while back and due to band members various back grounds and influences it provides an interesting mix in the sound of Sweet Lou, having Mattias on guitar and vocals, Andreas on drums, Joakim on guitar and Simon on bass.Down the muddy road is about hope and despair. About making up your own answers, telling the oracles and know-it-alls to xxxx off and chasing whatever keeps your blood warm.

This is a belting rock track. As it's a while since we have featured something that might loosely be called classic rock, lets here your wild applause for The Sweet Lou and 'Down The Muddy Road'. This surfaced around a month ago, their Facebook (here).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jefferson Starship - Santa Cruz, 1992 (Internet Archive).

From the Internet Archive this is Jefferson Starship live at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, USA, back on October 9th, 1992.  Prior to inclusion on the Internet Archive the recording circulated as a bootleg and was originally titled, "Hal's Death by Jefferson Starship #1," it included a phone message and an interview with Papa John and Gretchen Creech, which were removed to ensure there would be no conflict with anyone's permission policies.

In 1992, Kantner reestablished the group as "Jefferson Starship – The Next Generation," a nod to the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. This version of the band would, at times, include various former Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship members, to tour and perform.

After the first couple of years, the band dropped the use of "The Next Generation", and began to perform as Jefferson Starship. The revived band grew out of Paul Kantner’s decision, following the "Unplugged" trend, to hit the road in 1991 with an acoustic ensemble called Paul Kantner’s Wooden Ships, a trio that included Slick Aguilar and Tim Gorman from the KBC Band, a previous group centred on former Jefferson Airplane/Starship members.

The success of this project prompted Kantner to reinvent his electric band, and Jefferson Starship took off once again. In addition to Aguilar and Gorman, Kantner recruited former collaborators Jack Casady and blues violinist Papa John Creach; former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince; and former World Entertainment War vocalist Darby Gould.

Recording Details: Dsbd master > first-gen cassette > 24-bit Wav (WaveLab) > FLAC.

Sound Quality: Soundboard - very good.

Set List:

First set:

01. Other Side of this Life
02. Crown of Creation
03. I'm on Fire
04. Lawman
05. Shadowlands
06. First Pull Up, Then Pull Down
07. There Ain't No More Country Girls
08. Women Who Fly
09. Ride the Tiger
10. We Should Be Together

Second set:

01. Blows Against the Empire
02. Wooden Ships
03. PJ's Down Home Blues
04. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
05. Genesis Hall
06. Have You Seen the Saucers
07. Dark Ages
08. America > "Get Ready" poem
09. Volunteers
10. crowd
11. encore: Girl With the Hungry Eyes

Line Up: Paul Kantner, Darby Gould, Jack Casady, Papa John Creach, Mark "Slick" Aguilar, Tim Gorman, Charles "Prairie" Prince.

Comments: This recording is also available for streaming or download on the Internet Archive in the following formats - FLAC, MP3 and OGG VORBIS - HERE.

Band Official Website: HERE.

Stream Full Concert Below:

Sundays Expansive Alternative Take

DVN - About them - Nileskog & Anton Stjärnqvist are DVN. At just 22 & 23 years-old, DVN have been have been hard at work in their studio for three years now, and with a big with a side-dish of DJing which in the past have had them open for a few big domestic names in the form of, Sebjak, Mikael Wermeets and Alex Moreno. They now have honed their skills to a point where they are ready to release their soulful deep-house influenced first single Oblivion feat. Duncan. DVN hail from Landskrona, in the southernmost part of Sweden. A place that has shaped them musically and where they work daily in their production-lab.

Passionately sung vocals over a refreshing soundtrack take it in turns to dominate this piece, all to good effect.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Afternoons in Stereo - Tells us - It's been ten years since my first Afternoons in Stereo release and I'm celebrating by sharing my new album 'Retrospective'. 'Retrospective' compiles 10 years of the funkier, club-driven side of the my work, featuring two new tracks. This new collection is the perfect bookend to last year's 'A Jazz Odyssey', which assembled the more jazz-oriented side of my output.

This is an outstanding selection of music, the jazz influences are there along with so much more. A couple of videos (Here) and (here) and the impressive 'Galaxina' below, if you like any of these the album is definitely worth your time.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Royal Disco - Background - After taking almost a year long break, Tel Aviv trio Royal Disco is back and better than ever with their new EP titled Dark Energy. Beginning with their EP titled "Dark Energy", you're welcomed into a spatial, atmospheric void filled with melodic keys as you're  bombarded with sawing laser-esque synths and deep sub bass and thrown down the worm hole that is Dark Energy. As you begin to come up from said ride, you're greeted with soft horns and canorous keys as "Sensei" begins. 

Just as quick, you're smacked in the face with an aggressive hook as you nose dive into a bass laden drop filled with unsympathetic synths leaving you hyped and wanting more. Luckily, there's one last hill to climb as the final track "Welcome to the Universe" beings with an epic drum intro leading into electro keys, reminiscent of an old John Hughes flick. The harmonious vocals uplift the track, then gets torn back as you fall into merciless drop after drop.

As you can tell by their words above the enthusiasm is most definitely there and rightly so with this power house of sounds, prepare to be bombarded and treated to energy driven layers, you will not stay still!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ooah & M!NT - Going back one week - Over last weekend, The Glitch Mob’s Ooah and Brooklyn-based producer M!nt released an unexpected collaboration called 'If The Smoke Clears'. This atmospheric single combines house and hip hop influences, and Ooah says of its creation “We didn't over think it or over cook it, randomly we started messing around in the studio and next thing we knew we had put together this song. This moody yet dancey break beat type of song we thought would be a good addition to your late night summer feels.”

With its hypnotic house atmosphere and grooving hip hop break beats, “If The Smoke Clears” is a great example of the higher creativity that results from artists working together spontaneously.

Trying hard to avoid the 'well if this is what you can do spontaneously' route is difficult, as it does beg the question of what else this pair might achieve. Anyway all power to spontaneity and long may it continue as this piece proves the case.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moonlapse - The story so far - Moonlapse is the electronic, progressive rock project by 21-year-old composer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Ben Strick, who is releasing his intoxicating and transcendent nine-song debut release in May 2015.

Strick came by his love of progressive rock at age 14 via classic bands such as Genesis and King Crimson. Soon he moved on to more contemporary prog metal like Dream Theater, Opeth and Porcupine Tree. “I studied them and learned to play their music,” Strick says. “In doing so, I was introduced to a lot of strange and beautiful chord progressions, which I didn’t hear in other music. Gradually, I began to compose my own songs using a lot of those chords and scales.” Strick, who studies computer science at North western University, recorded all of his guitar tracks on a computer using MIDI and a plug in called Omnisphere.

“Omniphere is really useful because it has tons of electronic instruments that are designed to sound like the real thing, and you can manipulate the tones and frequencies in some really cool ways.” Strick says. “I could never get guitar tracks to sound the way I wanted using a real instrument, but by orchestrating them digitally, they sounded new and original.  For drums, I used Battery 4. Everything, including mixing, was done on my computer.”

This was a pleasing listen and one that I hope gets a larger audience. Ben Strick has a talent both in constructing music, but more importantly in composing highly listenable pieces, play and enjoy. Website Here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Loksop - Background - Loskop’s new single entitled “These Sparks (Featuring Maiya Sykes)” showcases their acutely refined deep house, techno and pop sensibilities, sharpened by spending years DJ’ing in the unique and gritty underground club scene of post-Apartheid Johannesburg. The result is a deeply satisfying, genre-bending track that is made that much more striking with the addition of the massive vocals of Maiya Sykes, who was a 2014 finalist on “The Voice.” The song was released last month on their home turf, and it’s already in Top 40 rotation on 5FM, South Africa’s biggest national radio station.

You can watch the video (here), however it was Loksop's remixes on Soundcloud that gained my interest the most and the one below is just one example and if you like that, or the latest release go have a listen to the other remixes, you are in for a nice surprise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BECOME X XYLO - Keeping it very short (and sweet) we are told - Please enjoy our sophomore release -- BECOME x XYLO 'Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea' -- currently making people dance everywhere!

So we will keep it short and sweet, listen up! it's a good one!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Danny Darko ft Lulu Falemara - The words - Silent Cries is a new chilly trap revamp of Danny Darko's song "Silent Cries". Silent Cries is a meaningful song against animal cruelty conceived by Danny and performed by british singer Lulu' Falemara.

I featured Danny Darko back on May 8th, his work continues to astound. This only came my way today and is to good to miss out. Website here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two Very Different Tunes For Saturday

Ember Isles - Background - Brooklyn's finest trio of delicate harmonies, Ember Isles, released their newest 'Love Song' from their seven track, debut EP, Embers earlier this week.

 'Love Song' was written during a muggy summer in a half furnished room at their first apartment in Brooklyn and speaks to a younger view of love and wanting. The kind of song you might need after a solid weekend of drinking and falling in and out of love with strangers and exes or after reading a Hemingway book, lying in your hammock in the heat of summer.

Ember Isles is a trinity of modern folk writers, lyricists, and instrumentalists. Their yearning vocals and raw lullabies scratch at the ribs and burn the throat like scotch whisky. With personal origins stretching from Scotland to California, and back over the grey Atlantic waters to England, The Isles evoke the foggy dawn seashore and the warm cup of tea you would crave after a forlorn walk down the coast.

Whether on a ukulele, fiddle, or electric guitar, this trio yields a soundscape of resilience and fragility that illustrates the smouldering hearts of these three women. Hannah Read, Tamsin Wilson, and Megan Lui are currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

This is a soothing gentle song that gradually unfolds with a mixture of exquisite vocals over a haunting soundtrack. Just right for a hot summer evening (or a cold winters morning if you prefer).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yuck - Background - are back with a new track and a handful of US shows this August.  The band is currently wrapping up work on their third album, which will be out in early 2016 - "Hold Me Closer" is our first taste of it.      

Yuck's new album has been recorded and produced entirely by the band in their London studio. Their new songs are wild and compact, centred and expansive, forward-thinking and referential. They are the output of a band that loves being a band, loves playing music, and loves touring the world over and over and over again. They're songs that, in short, are exactly the songs that a great band like Yuck should be making.

8/05 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny's Brenda
8/06 - New York, NY - River Rocks / Pier 84
8/07 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
8/08 - Raleigh, NC - Kings
8/09 - Atlanta, GA - The Wrecking Ball.

Now if you prefer your music with a little more kick, Yuck are well placed to deliver. Fuzzy wall of noise vocals, with a tight, no nonsense band, that plays with power and attitude and style.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2015 - Out Of Our Inbox - July - Two

Background - Teen Daze will release his first album for Paper Bag Records on August 7th 2015.  'Morning World' was recorded with John Vanderslice at Tiny Telephone, his all-analog studio in San Francisco with co-producer Simon Bridgefoot. Teen Daze has also announced a massive tour of North America.

In 2010, Jamison, the person behind Teen Daze, had no idea what Four More Years would bring. That debut EP, a collection of blissful home recordings, was the work of a carefree 24 year-old. By 2012, things had changed, as they tend to do: relationships dissolved, illness affected his family, windows for outward communication were closing. The gravity of it all made for constant output; he reached for futuristic utopia with All Of Us, Together, found a devotional sanctuary inside The Inner Mansions, and embraced hibernation on Glacier. In hindsight, this was an artist coping through various forms of introverted escapism.

While proud of the material, Jamison sought to break this cycle when approaching the next record. He knew it would take a few leaps of faith, most directly: out of his bedroom... out of his comfort zone. For the first time, he gave up some control, inviting the input of others. Bearing over 30 demos, Jamison joined one of his musical heroes John Vanderslice at Tiny Telephone, his all-analog studio in San Francisco. Beyond the immediate sonic advantages of recording to tape, the sessions with Vanderslice and co-producer Simon Bridgefoot encouraged a new positivity and confidence to his craft.

Teen Daze has a distinctive sound and Jamison clearly has a talent for writing and developing music and lyrics. The album both surprised and pleased me, the featured song is just one of many fine tracks on this release.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - Up and coming musician Sky Jones has released her debut self-titled EP, and her latest track ‘Linger’.

‘Linger’ is described by Sky as “an anthem of heartbreak”; it’s real, raw, passionate and heavy, and has a melody that is hard to let go of. Written and produced right in her own home with the help of a close friend, the creation of this track is a “really deep personal song” for Sky. It’s a track where the lyrics flew freely and Sky has been amazed how the track “just came together”. 

Said of the production of the song, “I had a definite plan of how I wanted it to sound, but I let my friend have a go with it and when I heard what she did with it I was like, oh my goodness, so we continued working on it, and here we are.” This single is due to be added to her next album which she is currently writing and recording.

The fresh Auckland, NZ based songstress crafts powerful and emotional tones, described as “that dark kind, like Florence and the Machine.”  Her brilliantly strong voice and heartfelt stories she tells in her songs leave your skin tingling; Sky’s music has been said to be “brooding and deep lyrically and emotionally but engulfing musically and big." Website Here.

Sky Jones has one powerful voice and yet somehow it does not dominate over the music but rather compliments the soundtrack. In my opinion this is a really mature and well produced song, it is emotionally charged and given enough exposure could be really successful.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - Color Collage announces debut album, 'Pieced Together', via Paper Garden Records on August 7th. Color Collage started as a side project for Shane Conerty while living in Asheville, North Carolina playing in a touring band called Now You See Them in late 2010. After NYST was put on hiatus, Conerty relocated back to Brooklyn where he currently resides. The project was initially based on sampling mp3's of brand new indie music that Conerty found on blogs and making unique, original remixes of them. 

After two well received mixtapes, the music of Color Collage (Formerly Leann Grimes) is once again shifting gears. The current focus of the project is taking the indie pop songwriting aspects of Now You See Them and applying them to the mid-fi, dusty electronic sound of Color Collage. The result is something that Conerty is currently describing as "Electronic Doo Wop", and is a fresh sound that is unlike anything floating around at the moment. Facebook page Here.

Having heard just three songs from this album, I am totally hooked on Color Collage's music and cannot wait to hear more. 'Electronic Doo Wop' is a fantastic description for some really creative and 'must here more' music. '2048' was on the EP and is on the album, this is one gem of a song, there will be more! Keep an eye on their Facebook page for tour details.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - Stolen Jars is the indie music project of Cody Fitzgerald and Molly Grund. Inspired by acts as diverse as Sufjan Stevens, Elvis Costello, and Dirty Projectors, the music is a vibrant mixture of looping intricate guitar lines and floating melodies all brought to life by a live band featuring Elena Juliano, Connor McGuigan, Matt Marsico and Tristan Rodman.
  
Fitzgerald and Grund are building off the success of Stolen Jars' self-titled album released in 2011. The single off that album, "Driving," was featured in an international Apple iPad commercial and was awarded Song of the Week by Alt Mag. Their sophomore album Kept is decidedly more ambitious. Fitzgerald composed and layered tracks in his bedroom, tinkering to ensure precision. He and Grund then worked together to build vocal melodies around the tracks.  
  
Over the course of the last year, Stolen Jars has been performing regularly in the Northeast, including shows with Sofar Sounds, at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn, and at Brandeis College's Springfest where they opened for St. Lucia, ILOVEMAKONNEN and Jessie J. In addition, Fitzgerald has been working as a film composer on features such as The Rewrite (2015) and Hard Sell (2015).

Tour Dates:
7/23 - Pianos - New York, NY
8/5 - AS220 - Providence, RI
8/7 - Elvis Guesthouse - New York, NY (Album Release show) 
8/15 - The Space - New Haven, CT
8/28 - Arlene's Grocery - New York, NY
8/29 - All Sounds - Bloomfield, NJ

There is a saying in Britain "you wait ages for a bus and then three come along together". Well I may not have been waiting ages for some really appealing music, but going through those chosen for this feature, I can't help but feel spoilt by the sheer quality and Stolen Jars really are part of that. They are a musical delight.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - Walking Through The Fire is the debut single from Indierock five piece Timber Bones. The Bone's Boys write music with a saying in mind "Feel what you play, play what you feel." Focusing on an emotion or memory they write with the intention to capture that moment. Working in studio with producer Caleb James imbued the track with a little something more. “Recording with Timber Bones was an absolute blast and it definitely came through on the single."

"The song came out sounding like a young Michael Jackson threw a block party on Sesame Street with Elton John and Elmo jamming out on the keys. It's such a blast to play live, I love seeing people from different walks of life jumping around together, this track really gets the crowd moving." Says Kendall, Lead Guitarist. Kurt's catchy piano lines paired with Kendall's cheerful skanks imbue the air with an infectiously playful vibe. Sam and Anson make the wheels on the big groove bus go round with a rock-solid funky rhythm while Luke conducts the whole occasion with a powerful golden tone and some mean, lean tambourine.

Timber Bones have spread the love from Brisbane to Byron Bay and now all the way down to Melbourne. Inspired by classic music icons such as Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and almost all of the others the Bones Boys are avid lovers of all music. More recently their talents have been cultivated by bands such as Half Moon Run, Band of Skulls, Delicate Steve and Tame Impala. An "electrifying" live show will have you on your feet moving and grooving, rubbing shoulders with future friends. Timber Bones are currently planning a tour from Melbourne all the way up to the Sunshine Coast this summer. Keep your ears up and the beers cold, it's not to be missed. “Walking Through The Fire” by Timber Bones will be released 24th July 2015.

Just in case I have been to gentle on your ears in this round up we can go up tempo with Timber Bones. There is an 'upbeat freshness' to this song and an undeniable party feel, all in all a great way to finish any new music feature.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Genre Hopping Wednesday

Steady Legend - Background - Steady Legend is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Michael Mancuso. Originally from North Carolina, Mancuso spent his high school years a trombone player touring around the Southeast with various acts. After high school, he attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC studying music, where he picked up bass, guitar, drums, and keys while attending frequent jam sessions in the musical hotbed tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. After graduation, he moved to Austin to create a band that could handle a menagerie of different styles and blend it together into a fun, dance-friendly show. In Spring 2011, he met singer Debora Otero through a chance Craigslist ad and the band was formed.

Releasing their heavy hitting self-titled debut album in March 2015, the record takes listeners on a journey though melodic horn features, chant choruses, epic guitar solos, catchy vocal riffs, and everything in between. From the upbeat soul sound of “No Troubles” to the mysterious reggae vibes of “Mirrors” to the the catchy swing/ska finale of “The Best For Last”, one thing is certain - the future is bright for this young group.

Although their debut album came out in March, I didn't wan't to miss out on featuring this fine band. Sometimes upbeat Ska just hits the spot as does the song below, from a quality album, that I feel is worth another plug along the way. Website Here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BLiNDNESS - Background - Formed in 2008, Blindness features Beth Rettig (vocals, programming, noise), Emma Quick (bass, noise), and Debbie Smith (guitar, feedback,noise), the latter being guitarist for 90’s bands Curve and Echobelly and, later, Snowpony.
Taking sonic tips from The Jesus and Mary Chain as well as My Bloody Valentine and with the hook sensibility of PJ Harvey. 

Blindness are a band with a machine gun etiquette, showing "exquisite warmth" in their "seductive dark wave electro pop." The songs on their forthcoming debut album ‘Wrapped In Plastic" on Saint Marie Records will take you on an adrenaline fuelled, rollercoaster ride of beautiful chaos.

The album is due out on July 24th and the above is a fair reflection from a band who drift around the shoegaze genre, dipping into other places and confronting the listener with a power house of sounds. Fans of the name dropped artists above, really should give this band a careful listen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Malka (NYC-Peru) - Background - New York City-based psychedelic dreampop band Malka presented their debut EP, The Constant State, back in March 2015. Recorded at both APT Studio (NYC) and Elohino studio (NJ), mixed by Darko Saric, and mastered at 825 Studios by Grammy Award-winning engineer Butch Jones (Madonna, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, The Gun Club, B-52s), The Constant State takes listeners on a genre-melding journey, ebbing and flowing through the realms of dreampop, post-rock, nugaze, and psychedelic rock.

The songs are evocative both musically and lyrically, touching on metaphysical, existential and interpersonal subject matter with an honesty that resonates to an emotional core. Their music is a reflection of the triumph and tragedy of the world, compelling us to look deeper into the realms of our consciousness. Malka is trying to stretch the concept of songs to make them sound more like emotional lapses of time. The vocal melodies assume an instrumental form and transcend language, adding transparency to bilingual Spanish-English lyrics shared between three lead vocalists.

OK if you have read the above and are still trying to work out just how this band might sound, take a listen to the featured track and then anticipate that they do a lot more besides and you will be pretty near to the genre spanning sounds Malka produce. Website Here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh Geronimo - Background - Not too long ago, my basement bedroom flooded as a result of heavy rainfall and snow melt. This happened twice during the transitional turmoil between Ontario's sombre winter and damp spring. It had a much more tragic and lasting effect than I anticipated, since many sentimental items were slowly destroyed by mould. We wrote these songs about it. 

As a child, it can be easy to immerse yourself in a moment. As an adult, regret and anxiety and stress get in the way. My friends and I have a project that provides an escape from the daily rigours of modern life. Together we craft songs about the experiences that have defined our lives. In order to fully express ourselves, we ignore all of the distractions, and free fall into the moment. Oh Geronimo.
We all need an escape.

A song that tells a story about an event that caused distress and yet somehow bounces along in a cheerful way. It should not work, but does, and the second song demonstrates greater depth (oops) from a band to keep an ear or eye out for.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quality Not Quantity - Tuesday Just Got Better

Dirty Hearts - Promo Says - Nothing gets a true-blue Aussie more ready for a cold beer on a hot day than a dose of instantly distinguishable, solid '90s pub rock. Inject a 70s Brit infusion, plus a trio of hard-working blokes and you can begin to imagine what a driving live force Dirty Hearts have become. 

Favourites on the live scene for years now, Dirty Hearts have supported the likes of Violent Soho, DZ Deathrays, You Am I, Velociraptor, British India, Airbourne, Dallas Crane, Magic Dirt and Jebediah. Now, they officially release their debut single 'Louis XIV'. With a sound that demands to be listened to – loudly - 'Louis XIV' embraces distorted vocals, a decadent guitar solo and a driving belt-it-out chorus as singer Matt Doe and the rest of the band wail a catchy 'get high on my own' lyric. 

With more shows to be announced later this year and an official release of Dirty Hearts' self-titled debut EP on the way, there's not stopping these lads as they win over both the cleanest and dirtiest of hearts towards a growing '90s pub rock revival.

Beehive Candy says - Crack open the beers and enjoy. As the TV advert tells us 'it does exactly what it says on the tin'.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Slow Turismo - and we are told - Luring in listeners with infectious melodies and rolling grooves, Slow Turismo is a dynamic indie band from the Nations Capital (yep Aus) already making waves on home soil and abroad. The four-piece band creates the kind of indie pop that alternative listeners are looking to hear. Similar to the bold work of Alt-J, Cloud Control and LCD Soundsystem, they write music that nestles in between several genres.

Slow Turismo are proud to release ‘I Sit Down As Soon As I Get Up’ the lead single from their debut self-titled EP. This latest release was recorded between Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne, and a log cabin hidden away in the hills surrounding Robertson. 

Having spent time with Magoo for pre-production and tracking in 2014, the band have settled into their sound and, with the help of Aaron Dobos, self-produced ‘I Sit Down As Soon As I Get Up’ over the first few months of 2015. ‘We really got a lot out of our time with Magoo last year, committing to sounds during the recording process became a production focus for the project. Being able to get away to the cabin was also a really great excuse to delve into the tracking whole-heartedly and let the songs become their own.’ “I Sit Down As Soon As I Get Up” will be released 24th July 2015.

This is a catchy and well crafted song and yes there is an element of Alt-J in some of the structuring, however that cannot be a bad thing. One listen will not be enough!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Painted Palms - their words - Painted Palms' second full-length album, Horizons, exudes a sense of confidence and purpose that is only present when two creators share a singular focus and absolute trust in each other's talents. On Horizons, emotional states are suspended between light and dark, driven by the tension of efficient song structures. This week the band shares the synth-laden "Tracers," melding '60s psych pop with heavy-footed '80s drum machines. 

Though vocalist Chris Prudhomme and producer Reese Donohue chose to collaborate on their second full-length by sending song ideas back and forth over e-mail, just as they did when crafting their 2014 debut Forever, Horizons marks the first time the duo has expanded their sound beyond the bedroom by stepping into the studio. Mixed by former DFA house engineer Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem, Classixx), Horizons engages with a diverse sonic palette on each track: '60s psych-pop, '80s synths, hypnotic vibes of the kind induced by Bjork and early '90s Creation Records bands, and the trunk-rattling minimalism of Southern hip-hop.

Horizons is a meditation on achieving balance in a place where things are always changing, and there are no real ends. As a result, Painted Palms refines and executes their best work to date.

Somewhere along the line 80's synth pop has crept back in, which at one level should be quite alarming. However with Painted Palms that's just one element and thankfully not the old over produced sound that I find painful to listen to these days. This is actually a breath of fresh air and one well worth a feature.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flagship - cut and paste time - North Carolina band Flagship debut their new single, “I Want You” off their highly anticipated new EP Faded (out July 10 via Bright Antenna Records). In support of their new EP, the band will play July support dates with Good Old War in The must-see tour in support of their new EP, kicks off July 12 in Cleveland, and culminates with two California dates at the end of the month.

Of the new EP, Drake Margolnick (one half of Flagship along with Michael Finster) says, “It is the most mature writing we have done. We didn’t feel like we were writing songs, just writing lines. It’s just real life; that’s all it is. That’s what we’d like to create; something that’ll be around for a long time and people will still listen to it. Leave a good legacy, write good music and have a lot of fun doing it.” Flagship is best known for its impressive blend of pop-minded melodies and passionate, aggressive performances.  The band sifts through the pastoral folk rock graces of bands like Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear, with occasional detours into wide-eyed pop catharsis. Since releasing their debut album, Flagship has shared stages with the likes of Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, The Shins, Iron & Wine, Little Daylight, Terraplane Sun, The Wombats, and others.

Good Old War support dates:

7/12 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues (Cambridge Room)
7/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
7/15 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s
7/17 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
7/19 – Alta, WY @ Targhee Festival
7/20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
7/21 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
7/23 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
7/24 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
7/27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
7/28 – West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy Theatre

This is a great song, it has that drive that makes watching a live performance of them very attractive (not a plea for tickets I'm to far away). Another one that demands a second (and third...) play.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smashing Pumpkins - Columbiahalle, Berlin 2007 (Internet Archive).

From the Internet Archive this is the Smashing Pumpkins live at Columbiahalle, Berlin, Germany back on the 6th June 2007.

The Smashing Pumpkins are of course an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1988. Formed by frontman Billy Corgan (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and James Iha (lead guitar), the band included Jimmy Chamberlin (drums) and D'arcy Wretzky (bass guitar) in its original incarnation. It has undergone many line-up changes over the course of its existence, with the current line up including Corgan, rhythm guitarist Jeff Schroeder and Chamberlin.

From Wikipedia we have the following details for the period prior to and around this concert tour - On June 21, 2005, the day of the release of his album TheFutureEmbrace, Corgan took out full-page advertisements in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times to announce that he planned to reunite the band. "For a year now", Corgan wrote, "I have walked around with a secret, a secret I chose to keep. But now I want you to be among the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive the Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams". Corgan and Chamberlin were verified as participants in the reunion, but there was question as to whether other former members of the band would participate.

In April 2007, Iha and Auf der Maur separately confirmed that they were not taking part in the reunion. Chamberlin would later state that Iha and Wretzky "didn't want to be a part of" the reunion. The Smashing Pumpkins performed live for the first time since 2000 on May 22, 2007, in Paris, France. There, the band unveiled new touring members: guitarist Jeff Schroeder, bassist Ginger Reyes, and keyboardist Lisa Harriton. That same month, "Tarantula" was released as the first single from the band's forthcoming album. On July 7, the band performed at the Live Earth concert in New Jersey.

The band's new album, Zeitgeist, was released that same month on Reprise Records, entering the Billboard charts at number two and selling 145,000 copies in its first week. Zeitgeist received mixed reviews, with much of the criticism targeted at the absence of half of the original lineup. The album divided the Pumpkins' fanbase. Corgan would later admit, "I know a lot of our fans are puzzled by Zeitgeist. I think they wanted this massive, grandiose work, but you don't just roll out of bed after seven years without a functioning band and go back to doing that".

The band are touring in the USA this July and August (2015) tour details can be found on their website (link below).

Recording Details: 16bit: MBHO MBP 603 A / KA 200 N > Sound Devices MP-2 > Edirol R-09. Lineage Master WAVs > dEdit > FLAC.

Sound Quality: Extremely Good.

Set List:

Part 1:
01 (Intro)
02 United States
03 Bleeding the Orchid
04 Neverlost
05 Stand Inside Your Love
06 Today
07 > Bullet with Butterfly Wings
08 Home
09 Silverf##k > The End [The Doors] (tease)
10 Glass and the Ghost Children (with Uli Jon Roth)
11 [Fade Out]

Part 2:
01 [Fade In]
02 Rock You Like a Hurricane [Scorpions] (tease)
03 For God and Country
04 Thirty-three
05 Rocket
06 Winterlong
07 To Sheila
08 Tonight, Tonight
09 Tarantula
10 Starz
11 Zero
12 Annie-Dog
13 Drown
14 Hummer
15 Lucky 13
16 That's the Way (My Love Is)
17 1979
18 [Fade Out]

Part 3:
01 [Fade In]
02 Disarm
03 Untitled
04 (Encore Break #1)
05 Cherub Rock
06 Muzzle
07 (Encore Break #2)
08 Gossamer (with Uli Jon Roth) > Who Do You Love [Bo Diddley] (tease).

Comments: This recording is also available for streaming or download on the Internet Archive in the following formats - FLAC, MP3 and OGG VORBIS - HERE.

Band Official Website: HERE.

Stream Full Concert Below:

Sundays Alternative Take - For Your Ears Only

Nightriders - Background - Boston-based house/nu-disco duo Nightriders kicks off the summer with five sizzling remixes of their track “Demand You,” taken from their February released EP ‘Until We Are Together.’ For the remix EP, the duo enlists heavyweights like Grammy-winning house music pioneer Ralphi Rosario, in-demand NYC producer/remixer, DJ, and Tiki Disco founder Eli Escobar, DJ/producer and Get Up! Recordings co-founder W. Jeremy, nu-disco maverick Alcala, and newcomer Jamie de Von to cleverly reinvent their slo-mo sleeper hit into a scorching summertime anthem covering the spectrum from deep tech house and nu-disco/indie dance and jackin’ Chicago house with hints of Detroit techno.

It was a tough choice on what remix to feature, the 'Alcala Remix' wins by a whisker for my ears, the variety of interpretation across all five versions is impressive. On iTunes Here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas Deil - Background - A young  DJ/Producer from Italy,with a Tropical House remix of KSHMR - Jammu, and looking for yours and my vote over on Spinnin' Records Talent Pool (Here) & that's all I know!

Worthy of a feature by us at the very least, this is a very cool remix. I will leave you of course to decide if you want to vote over at Spinnin' Records.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BluBird - Background - “Good music is its own genre. It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that.” So says Dejko, one half of Slovenian live-electronic outfit Blubird. Hailing from a part of the world perhaps best known for language barriers and border disputes, Blubird’s ethos is as unifying  as possible: they’re looking to blur the final gaps between DJ set and live act.

It’s a format that appears to be working. The likes of Klingande and Bakermat rate their tunes, as, it seems, does YouTube. The duo’s debut Emotions track featuring a live Sax earned over 100,000 plays in a couple of weeks. “We’re the kind of guys that’ll be playing tech house at a house party somewhere at Slovenia, then suddenly from the kitchen one of our dudes walks in with a trumpet and just starts going for it” explains other half of the pair Damjan.

The pair’s live sets in Slovenia, Croatia and Barcelona have already won them a cult following, all based on this unstructured, is-it-a-band, are-they-DJs approach which fluctuates between DJ set, live instruments, MCs, laid back tropical house or injections of tech house. ‘It’s not about being in a superclub, it’s about being at the best house party you’ve been at in your life..’

Not only YouTube videos, you are also spoilt for choice on Soundcloud where there are some outstanding tracks by Blubird. Came up with this tune to feature, it is just one dimension of their art.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kat Vinter - Background - Islands Remix EP. Vimes' remix of Kat Vinter's 'Downtime' has offered a lighter, more summery perspective of the original. Like dappled light dancing among the shadows, the sounds used create an atmosphere of buoyancy without losing the lush textures and intimacy of the former. New hooks are created by playfully pitched and stretched vocals, as they become less a plea for intimacy, than a celebration of it. 'Islands (Remix EP)' is out July 10th on Culvert Music.

Between the urban creative hub of Berlin and a small cabin located deep in the woodlands of the Swedish border to Norway the team has since been crafting layers of hip hop inspired beats, tribal drums, waves of synths and aching ethereal vocals. Themes such as isolation, intimacy, fate, deception and obsession surface and re-occur. The result is a lush and mysterious soundscape of brooding, beat driven pop music with moments of darkness and light, beauty and tension.

This is an incredible EP including the original version of 'Islands' along with remixes and 'Sooner Or Later' and 'Downtime' both of which have also been remixed with stunning results.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Babayaga DJ and Josh Blackwell - Background - Babayaga DJ and Josh Blackwell combines a melodic house vibes with deep sounding drums and synths to create a very cool dance floor oriented track. A super sexy deep vocal line and sporadic synth elements rise and fall over and over while the percussion keeps the entire ship afloat and rocking.

Short and sweet background info. Actually this has a timeless dance floor feel, along with it's own fresh and breezy style, I reckon you will be unable to stay still to this one.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some Summer Saturday Songs to Sing (and dance to).

The Kite String Tangle x Dustin Tebbutt - Here's the low down - Ahead of his return to the US, and fresh off the back of the 'Illuminate' release; a collaboration alongside fellow Australian artist Dustin Tebbutt, rising talent The Kite String Tangle has unveiled a new video for the title track. Having made his stateside debut at last year's CMJ Music Marathon, The Kite String Tangle will be playing a run of dates this July/August, including a show at New York's Mercury Lounge and Echo in LA. The Kite String Tangle, a.k.a. Danny Harley, has enjoyed a great run since the release of his breakthrough single ‘Given The Chance’. Striking, delicate electro-pop tunes including ‘Arcadia’, ‘Stone Cold’ and ‘What If’ followed; sold-out headline shows and some killer festival appearances confirmed his popularity, as did an ARIA nomination and a spot in the Top 20 of the 2013 & 2014 Hottest 100.

And here's the video, for all lovers of fine music and the desire to escape...

 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soft Lions - What you need to know - "Every Soft Lions song is basically born in my diary", states Megan Liscomb, the shy, rainbow-haired singer/guitarist of the San Diego trio Soft Lions. Liscomb's songs evoke heartfelt memories, distilling in them a wide range of emotional states and colors. To make the music come to life she sought out Lex Pratt to help with vocal duties. Pratt replaces the traditional bass player with her percussive, psychedelic style on keys. Jon Bonser serves as the backbone on drums.

The band crafts songs that are a blur of decades, mixing the sound of 60's San Francisco pop with noisy garage-guitar driven tracks, lending the songs a definitive west coast vibe. Liscomb's songwriting is angular and interesting without losing any of the big sing-along melodies you want to hear. Soft Lions have cut their teeth like any new band should: by playing a bunch of local shows and sharing the stage with numerous national acts. They also made an appearance at this year's SXSW festival.

Caution all surviving original hippies, this video contains flashback inducing material (and it's superb!).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monks Of Mellonwah - Keeping it simple - Australian rock group Monks of Mellonwah has just released a new lyric video for their single, 'Even When It Burns'. The band's new 7 track EP Disconnect is set to be released August, 2015. Formed in 2009 by school friends Vikram Kaushik, Joseph de la Hoyde, Joshua Baissari and John de la Hoyde, the band represents a collision of musical personalities, creating a fusion of alternative, indie, and film-inspired rock.

OK then Beehive Candy readers it's buckle up and sing along time, on the count of three.....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack + Eliza - Definitely on the 'ones to watch out for' list - We have two songs that may well delight you and make your day! "Quarter Past The Hour" is the latest track off their upcoming August 7th debut LP 'Gentle Warnings'.

Also enjoy their video for "White Satin". One is ideal for a gentle summer afternoon and one reminds us to enjoy these summer afternoons, oh you will work out which is which, both are an absolute joy to feature.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2015 - Out Of Our Inbox - July - One

So lets find out a little about Los and the Deadlines - Describing themselves as a blue collar band, Los and the Deadlines came into being when Arizona native and lead vocalist Alex LoSardo moved to London in 2010. After being introduced to guitarist Neils Bakx, the two found common ground in their interests and influences and started composing music while studying for their undergraduate degrees.

After several line up changes and the release of two EPs, the band recruited Italian drummer Alberto Voglino and Israeli bassist Rotem Haguel. Together they embarked on the recording of third EP 'Perfect Holiday' which marked a new direction in the band's musical journey. The epitome of art-rock, Los and the Deadlines utilise cliches to convey their message through their broad-ranging sound, which encompasses grunge, stoner rock, noise rock, punk and sludge.

The band's 'Perfect Holiday' EP explores the absurdities of Western civilisation by contrasting the reality of an urban, deprecating society and its opposing depiction in the mass media. This in congruence is described not only through tongue in cheek lyrics but also through music where there is an ever present competition between noise and melody through thrashing riffs and thumping rhythms.

Sometimes you just need a band and a song that cuts to the chase. Los and the Deadlines seemingly have this sussed out and the featured track 'Feel At Ease' is the perfect remedy from a band that can belt out a song, without taking themselves to seriously.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK on to My Old Dutch and the background on the featured song - My Old Dutch is an explosive two-piece lo-fi rock’n’roll outfit from Melbourne. Bashing out 50’s inspired tales of love lost, found and stolen, their crunching wall of guitars, soaring melodies and bed of beats are sure to get your foot tappin’ and your heart racing!

My Old Dutch’s second single ‘Queen of the Dogs’ was recorded and produced by Craig Harnath, Jez Giddings and My Old Dutch at Hothouse Audio in St Kilda, Melbourne. Queen of the Dogs was one of the early tracks to come out of the My Old Dutch catalogue, inspiring them to turn a recording project into a live act.

Queen of the Dogs is the second single from My Old Dutch. This is "dirty edged blues" at its best. From the first crack of the snare to the last spluttering decay of the guitars. You’ll be hooked! Selling sex with pain, My Old Dutch is joined by the devilishly talented Cat Deller on vocals. With Cat belting out seductive lyrics, this track screams chaos and disorder. Yet you still can't ignore the simplicity of the structure. Queen of the Dogs. "She not never let you die"! 'Queen of the Dogs' by My Old Dutch feat. Cat Deller will be released 10th July 2015.

What can we add, this is another no nonsense classic rock'n'roll beast of a song with just enough originality and modern day slant to appeal to those who just fancy three minutes of bedlam to leap around the floor to.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Calming things down a little and next up Alejandro Meola & Robinsones. with some background on them and also the featured number - “Gypsy Woman” is on his new EP, “First Impressions,” releasing to digital stores worldwide and in North America beginning July 15th.  

Miami-born, Buenos Aires-bred, New York-based Meola filed two singles in the US in 2014 (“Please” and “Black Feathered Angels”).   He’s been making music between South and North America since 2007.  That includes 2 LPs and 2 EPs before debuting in the US last year.

“First Impressions” is a record of his first impressions of  his new hometown of NYC. Witness the gorgeous skyline to surfline video for the single “Please” here.

“I could have called it “First Impressions of New York” easily…. It’s essentially the musical expression of this inner revolution I’ve experienced in the past couple of years since I first moved to New York from Buenos Aires. The people, the streets, the language, the bars, the food, the fashion, they are all imprinted in these new songs. Not mentioned once literarily in the lyrics but in the sound.  The sound is different. And by different I mean new,” says the Latin troubadour.

Aesthetically, “First Impressions” is a total departure from his previous work.  It’s five episodes according to the writer.  Each one very different from the other, but still connected by an overall sound. Super songwriting, arrangement and production courtesy of Meola, Francisco Botero’s engineering for Studio G Greenpoint and Steve Fallone’s mastering for Sterling Sound contribute along with his band, Robinsones, to Meola’s professed “eclectic 25 minute rock ‘n’ roll  voyage.”

My first impressions are of a stripped back indie rock feel, with quality musicianship and some catchy songs. Check the featured song, if you like, then the EP is a must have.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New for me are Twin Within and apologies if I am a little late to the show. Background is - The group consists of Steve McKay and Alex Samaras. McKay mainly known as the percussive force behind Bruce Peninsula, collaborate with Timber Timbre, and songwriting partner of Allie X, while Samaras background is in Tuvan throat singing and working in countless vocal ensembles. 

Merging classic pop with classical sensibilities, in a uniquely modern way. Together their voices have a natural affinity beyond technical ability, and recall classic duos like Righteous Brothers, Walker Brothers, or Simon & Garfunkel. Alex's vocals enhance the arrangements with the same depth and originality that an Owen Pallet string arrangement would, enhancing Steve's catchy, but intricate, Grizzly Bear like song writing. An anti-throwback throwback. With just a touch of yacht rock.

Yacht rock? Na come on hows a genre mix addict like me going to cope with that. Harmonies and oh so cool music are very spot on and we can throw in a wonderful as well. A hint of the classic Steely Dan precision to add to the name checking going on above. Warm sunny week off rock!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next up - Telegraph Canyon. We are featuring their single from their upcoming LP, 'You From Before' due out on July 31st.

Loads of background - In 2010 the Fort Worth, TX based band, Telegraph Canyon released The Tide and The Current on Velvet Blue Music. Whatever the expectations were for the album, none anticipated the level of success The Tide and the Current enjoyed. Following the release of the LP the band’s Texas shows brought greater opportunities as the septet found themselves in front of larger and more diverse audiences. Telegraph Canyon’s regional fan base quickly expanded. Over the next two and a half years the band toured throughout the U.S. and Europe on the momentum of that surge, while their songs, praised by Rolling Stone as having “irresistible choruses,” appeared in multiple films and television shows. Now, five years removed from the release of their sophomore album, the band prepares to issue it’s follow-up, You From Before. 

You From Before is an intensely personal record, and is, at times, uncomfortable in its intimacy. “Every song is about a person or a relationship I've had," says front man (singer/songwriter) Chris Johnson, "many of them women, some romantic, some not. The songs aren't all about breakups, but most of these people aren't in my life any more. Some of them were only there for a day or two but affected me in a huge way." Since the release of The Tide and the Current, Johnson’s life has had it’s share of obstacles. A difficult divorce, a period of homelessness, living in an RV in Fort Worth, various line-up changes in the band, and the pressure to avoid artistic redundancy, collectively forced Johnson to navigate through an unfamiliar emotional terrain.

Throughout the writing process, the impact of the impermanence of Johnson's daily life left him meditating often on death and the question of an afterlife. You From Before reflects the idea that some of us live several different lives on earth during the course of our life and wonders how that relates to what happens to us after we die. Themes of reinvention and reincarnation play throughout the album and culminate in a general attitude of perseverance. An attitude Johnson and the band have come to rely upon in their commitment to a lifestyle of creating and performing music together. The new songs are just like the last five years of Johnson's life, lively and moody, cinematic yet introspective, and filled with the magic of uncertainty.

I can add that NPR & Rolling Stone have picked up on this band and the featured song below suggests why. Without wanting to state the obvious this is classy music with those 'play again' hooks everywhere. Album now on the 'must have' list.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sons Of Rico finish this round up in style, first some background - Melbourne indie rock quartet Sons of Rico are back with a brand new single, 'What Am I Doing Here?'. "It's the question we ask ourselves in moments of discomfort, loneliness, or dissatisfaction, and the confidence it can take to address it." - says Alex MacRae. The song is the first taste from the band's forthcoming third album, and the follow up to 2013's colourful 'In Rico Glaciers' that spawned singles 'You Don't Know What You're Missin' and 'I'm Not Thinkin' About You'.

The song is introduced in a manner that may have one thinking the band has travelled back to the 80s. What are they doing here? Electronic drum samples, swelling Toto-inspired synths, and Belle and Sebastian-esque vocal deliveries from frontman Alex MacRae and keyboardist Siobhan McGinnity seem to pave an entirely new direction for the band. However, we're instantly snapped out of the calm when Adam Weston's (Birds Of Tokyo) guest appearance on drums thunders in and the song confidently charges ahead, gaining momentum with every section -- keeping your ears on their toes.

Recorded in their new digs of Melbourne at Newmarket Studios, Sons of Rico were thrilled to have local hero Callum Barter (Dorsal Fins, British India) behind the desk engineering MacRae's vision.
Sons of Rico launched out of Perth in 2010 with the single 'This Madness' from their debut album 'Reactions'. In 2012, MacRae and Weston relocated to Brisbane to record the band's sophomore album 'In Rico Glaciers' with legendary producer Magoo. Shortly thereafter MacRae relocated to band's current home of Melbourne enlisting new members Terry Mann (Coach Bombay), Siobhan McGinnity, and Nigel Moyes (Money For Rope).

This is a tonic for anyone struggling to smile or in need of a lift. Harmonies and a lively soundtrack that say 'come on - it's summer'. If this don't work it's time for one of those positive life changing sessions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And Now For Something Completely Heavyweight

Introducing The Heavyweight Brass Band. New to Beehive Candy lets get up to speed with this intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable band.

The band is currently embarked on a Canadian Tour including stops at top Jazz festivals, in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax amongst others.

The Heavyweights Brass Band is all set to perform at the prestigious 2015 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, the world’s largest jazz festival in Quebec July 2-5, 2015. The alliance with the two industry leaders comes on the back of an overwhelming response from their audiences for more performances across the continent.

The Heavyweights Brass Band debuted to great appreciation and admiration in 2009 and saw much success at the release of their highly acclaimed album Brasstronomical in 2014, which featured original compositions that brought out their unique sound and style. The band is composed of trombonist Christopher Butcher, Tom Richards on sousaphone, Paul Metcalfe on saxophones, Lowell Whitty on drums, and Jon Challoner and John Pittman on trumpet. 

The band have recently signed with Cuza Agency and Slammin Media in a worldwide agency representation deal, in search of wider attention and recognition. Well good for them, however even better for us is the refreshingly different and totally enjoyable sound these people make. It's always a delight when some band decides to do what they feel is right, rather than what might make them 'super stars'. A couple of numbers from last years album below, enjoy them if you are at the 2015 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, from tomorrow. And if it helps, they are 'super stars' for Beehive Candy. Their website Here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------