More On Monday: March and Beauty - Jackson Dyer - Alyssa Bonagura - Port Juvee - Poster Children

March and Beauty - Stay.

Background promo - Austin's March and Beauty are thrilled to share their music video for "Stay" off their recently released Summer Said EP.

March and Beauty is an indie rock foursome based in Austin made up of Terri Dittmar (vocals/bass), Tim Dittmar (drums), Sean Mullens (guitar), and Paul Stautinger (guitar). They independently released their Summer Said EP on September 5th. Recorded at OHM Recording Facility with Chico Jones, the EP moves from folky dream pop to darker shoegaze and explores the importance of being young at heart. March and Beauty takes pride in that they don't use any synthesizers. Every ambient drone, weird crash, and beautiful swell are done live with guitars using analog effects!

This Fall, March and Beauty will be bringing their Summer Said EP across Texas, making stops in Austin, San Marcos, Houston, and Dallas. Please check below for additional show information. March and Beauty will also be releasing a full length in early 2017. Bandcamp here.

'Stay' is more at the folky dream pop end of the bands spectrum, with its laid back and melodic feel and Terri Dittmar's soothing vocals and very honest and natural feel.

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Jackson Dyer - Projection, Abstraction.

Background - Australian singer, songwriter and producer Jackson Dyer released his third and final single "Projection Abstraction" on September 23rd, ahead of his Compartments EP (due out 21 Oct). This single follows on from "The Absolute", and "Steal Away".

"Fortunately, I’ve been involved in the music industry for a few years now and I have the luxury of being able to pursue music as a songwriter and performer. However, I’m often left questioning the disconnect between the music industry and the “real world”. The reality of being a musician, especially a solo songwriter, is that you spend many hours in the studio or on the road alone, living parallel to everyday life. It’s so easy to fall into what others expect of you, diluting or doubting your motivations and sometimes I wonder if I’m just a parody of myself or a typical musician. This song is about those emotions that I think many of us feel at harder times in our lives and careers".

Upcoming EP Compartments is a distinct culmination of many months spent in the studio focusing on his songwriting and production, and indicates a mature new sound for the talented young artist.

Jackson Dyer first arrived in Berlin, his newfound home, just over three years ago. The vibrant city has offered the Australian singer-songwriter an array of opportunities, where he has progressed from playing his indie-folk and soul infused songs on the streets to sharing the stage with the likes of Grammy­ nominated acts Hozier and Hiatus Kaiyote.

Over the last few years Dyer has toured extensively throughout Europe in support of Berlin’s indie/folk outfit Mighty Oaks, performed to over 3000 people in Munich as the opening act for Jamie Cullum, and played at a host of European festivals. Facebook here.

Jackson Dyer demonstrates his fine vocals with 'Projection, Abstraction' a melodic and atmospheric song. The drums are well up in the overall mix giving the song a distinctive sound, one that actually works very well.

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Alyssa Bonagura - Rebel.

Background - Powerful lyricist Alyssa Bonagura is celebrating the release of her highly anticipated solo project, Road Less Traveled, available now on iTunes. Currently sitting at No. 11 on the Country iTunes Chart, the album showcases Alyssa's soulful prowess as a singer-songwriter, with the ability to deliver moving messages and hard-hitting vocals that resonate with listeners and solidify her as an artist with a path to carve all her own.

Road Less Traveled is composed of ten original tracks (five of which were solely written by Alyssa herself), including the hit single, "Rebel", whose video recently aired on CMT Music, that highlight her authentic songwriting style and impressive vocal tenacity. Recorded live at Petti Sound in Nashville, Tenn. and produced entirely by Alyssa and Mark Petaccia, the album also displays her multi-instrumental talents, featuring her on the acoustic guitar, piano, ukulele, lap steel, electric guitar, bass, B3 and harmonica.

"The love that was put into this record is immeasurable. I am so beyond proud of it and grateful to all of my friends who helped make this dream a reality," says the soulful songwriter. "I'm so proud to be carrying the torch in country music from my mom and dad. This music is my entire heart and soul and I can't wait for people to hear it." Described as a "project of love" that brought her closest friends and family from the underground music community together to create meaningful music, Road Less Traveled presents Alyssa as a solo artist in her truest form to date. She is set to perform on the ASCAP Shady Grove Stage presented by City Winery at the Pilgrimage Festival on Sunday, and will host an album release party at 3rd & Lindsley next week on Sept. 28.
 
This daughter of country music (her parents being RCA country recording artists, Baillie & The Boys) has already been named "A fixture on Nashville's Indie singer-songwriter scene" by Rolling Stone while the Bee Gees' Robin Gibb said she is "Stunning, Original, A future star in the making. Alyssa has evolved into a songwriting seamstress for a number of artists including Steven Tyler ("I Make My Own Sunshine"), Jessie James Decker ("Lights Down Low") and Jana Kramer ("Circles"). The six-stringed songstress now looks forward to taking her fans on a solo journey with music that she, and the industry, fully believes in. Website here.

'Rebel' unfolds as a gentle vocal and piano lead song, with a sensitive musical arrangement, that helps the track build into something quite powerful. It's country music with a more modern and very natural style throughout.

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Port Juvee - Double Vision.

Background - Canadian post punk outfit Port Juvee share new single “Double Vision,” from forthcoming album Crimewave (November 4th, 2016). “Double Vision” sets the pace of the album with it's ramshackle post-punk urgency and underlying dark verve, encapsulating the feel of prowling around the shadowy downtown of Calgary at night.

Port Juvee may call the plains of Canada home, but they are no stranger to international success. Having played a multitude of festivals including CMJ, Sled Island X-Fest and Rifflandia, the fivesome has also supported DIIV, Titus Andronicus, Twin Peaks, Sticky Fingers, Bleachers and The Orwells on tour. The band also slipped into the global spotlight in 2014 when tracks from their Revenge EP were featured in Herschel Supply Company’s Spring ad campaign.

Although Port Juvee embody a sound that is equally indebted to New York City post-punk and California surf garage, the band's stomping grounds are in Calgary. An isolated city that thrives on extremes, the huge vacant buildings downtown take on an eerie feeling after dark and inhabit a post-apocalyptic vibe. This, combined with the band's obsession with gritty 80’s films in the vein of John Carpenter and David Cronenberg, are the essence and source of inspiration for their energetic post punk sound.

Written and recorded in Calgary during a transformative time for the band, Crimewave is Port Juvee's third studio release and their most dizzying assortment yet. Produced by the band with help from Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend “Contra”), Crimewave moves seamlessly through the lackadaisical punk of "Bleached Out Soda Pop," "Trapped Under Water’s" pounding garage rhythms and the 80’s-inspired escapism of the title track. Bandcamp here.

With a tight beat and wailing guitars setting the backdrop and post punk vocals sitting well in the mix  'Double Vision' is a blast of sounds from the past, with a modern slant, plenty of feeling, and bags of energy.

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Poster Children - If You See Kay (March 1989 Blanket demo).

Background - Recorded by Steve Albini in 1990, Daisychain Reaction is a raw blast of Midwestern post-punk from the heyday of indie rock. It includes Poster Children’s most well-known song “If You See Kay.” The album was released on Twin/Tone Records in 1991 and re-released in 1992 on Sire Records in the US and Creation Records in the UK. It has been unavailable on vinyl since.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Daisychain Reaction‘s release, Lotuspool Records is proud to present the definitive vinyl edition of this early ’90s classic, available on Sept. 30th. The album’s twelve songs have been remastered from the original tapes and cut to lacquer by Bob Weston of Chicago Mastering Service and pressed onto 180 gram black vinyl. You can pre-order it right now, right here.

The package features a 12-page retro fanzine with a new, exclusive essay by Jon Fine (author of Your Band Sucks) and reflections on the making of the album by members of the band. In addition, a digital download card for three previously unreleased tracks (an early version of “Where We Live” from the Albini Flower Plower sessions and 1989 demo versions of “If You See Kay” and “Where We Live”) is included.

Poster Children will be touring the US in the fall of 2016:
09/29 – Brooklyn, NY – St. Vitus
09/30 – Washington DC – DC9
10/1 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
10/2 – Boston, MA – Great Scott
10/12 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
10/13 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill
10/14 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir
10/15 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
10/16 – Vancouver, BC – The Cobalt
11/23 – Chicago, IL – Schuba’s (2 Shows).

'If You See Kay (March 1989 Blanket demo)' is one of three bonus tracks with the reissue. Full of raw intensity the track erupts with power, as it drags us back to a quarter of a century ago. As for the album, well it has stood the test of time, the sheer energy and post punk indie vibes come through as fresh today as they did originally.

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Beehive Candy Talking To - Jen Baron

A week ago we featured singer and songwriter Jen Baron and her composition 'Til I've Got You.

Since then we have had the opportunity to ask her some questions, and of course being Beehive Candy use this, as a valid reason to share another song, in this instance 'Joy Machine' a much rockier piece and a really good one at that!

The major labels have been slow adopters of all things Internet, do you think they now 'get it'? - I definitely see their presence on platforms like Sound Cloud and Instagram. It's a great way for them to promote their artists. I think we'll only see more engagement in the future.

Live gigs or selling music, whats the lucrative one these days? - As a songwriter and producer, I'm rarely out there playing live music. The last time I played live was for a Girls Rock SB benefit concert. For me, I'm focused on licensing my music and working with artists directly to cover the songs I write. What I love about the landscape of the millennial music industry is there are so many options for artists to get their music out there.

Can music still influence people on mass, like the "protest songs" of the sixties, and if so, in a positive manner? - Wow - that's such a good and thought provoking question! I would like to say yes and believe that exists, but honestly I don't know if music is the catalyst for change anymore. It seems like the power of social media has taken it's place in a big way. I wish music was still a driving force of political activism - I know the punk scene still uses it in that way.....but that is usually more underground.

How does a song writer go about getting others to perform their material these days? - All I can do is speak from my own personal experience. I asked people I knew for a lot of advice starting out. I think industry folks are just inundated with artists wanting them to listen to their material and help give them a leg up, but asking for advice - I think it's less daunting. I keep every response I've ever received in an email folder and I frequently go back and look at peoples comments . I focus on forming meaningful relationships. I stay open to critique and always, always try and remember those pieces of critique when I'm writing. I work hard. However hard I expect a publisher or management team to work for me and run the material, I expect even more of myself. From the outside the music industry looks like a locked kingdom - but if you take the time to form the relationships, be open to advice, and really work on your craft, you'll start to see the doors open.

What's the future of music radio in the age of streaming Spotify, Itunes etc? - I rarely stream music. I have an 11-year-old who lives by streaming services like Spotify though. There is something I just love about radio: great DJ's and personalities, contests.. oh my god there was seriously nothing better than winning a pair of concert tickets as a teen! If I heard one of my songs on Pandora I'd be like, " that's cool!", but if my song was charting on the radio -- I would flip out! I think radio still has such a strong place in our future.

Whats the best thing you have got out of the music industry (and the worst)? - The best thing are the wonderful people I've met. I've had the opportunity to work with incredible song writers and industry professionals who have become like family to me over the years. The worst thing? hmm.. I think in the beginning hearing critique from music bloggers especially was hard. Now I look back - and I considered a bad review someone saying " such a great song, just needs some work on the production"  - and it would just gut me. Now I'm like, "cool - i'm gonna focus on a killer production for this track".

What motivates you to write songs? - Heartbreak. mine or others. I'm an overly empathetic person, which as a songwriter gives me a really unique ability to tell stories that are not my own, but still have the emotional underbelly of a first hand experience. My kid says I only know how to write sad songs, so then I wrote " She Looks Like Katy Perry " just to prove him wrong.

Tell us a little about the Girls Rock project? - Girls Rock SB is a non-profit I founded that empowers girls through music education, creative expression and performance. I started it in 2012 with 29 girls enrolled and today we serve over 500 girls between the ages of 7-17 years old a year. It's just the coolest curriculum: girls sign up to learn to play either drums, bass, guitar, vocals, or keys, they form a band, are mentored by our all-female staff, and spend 10 weeks in our after school program or a week in our summer camps writing an original song, recording it and performing it to a sold out crowd. Last year girls in our program wrote 81 original songs!! Two years ago we expanded our program to include a photography and film track, journalism track and sleep away camp for our teens. Girls are gaining important leadership skills and learning to work in a team, supporting each other instead of tearing each other down. We're changing the world and the coolest thing is we are part of a much larger network of like-minded non-profits who share the same mission. Want to talk about music influencing political change - it's rad!

Can musicians, songwriters, survive professionally long term these days? - I sure hope so. Ha! I think the best thing to do is surround yourself with a creative team you believe in and who believe in you.
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Globetrotting: Bitter's Kiss - Miss Max - Blue House - TVRQUOISE - PLGRMS - Chain Wallet

Bitter's Kiss - My God.

Background bio - Bitter's Kiss is primarily a vehicle for singer/songwriter Chloe Baker to showcase her talents.  Chloe grew up in a home filled with music, with a father who maintained a studio, a guitar collection and a band, and has been active in musical theatre for years.  Chloe currently attends High Tech, an arts academy in North Bergen, NJ.  Chloe has been serious about writing music for around a year, and has worked with her father to record and produce her music over the past several months.  

The reception has been incredibly positive, with a lot of encouragement to take her efforts to the next level.  Chloe uses songwriting as a diary and a means of exploring her world.  The track The Rope, for example, examines her feelings about the suicide of a distant cousin from a very religious background and the importance of staying true to one's identity and finding something personally significant to make life meaningful.  Another song, Too Far Too Fast, is a reaction to watching her older sister go off to college and noting how quickly time passes. The magic of Bakers work though is that despite this sad and often strange world she still manages to find hope. Website here.

The song 'My God' has been around for a few months however the video is new. The film brings the lyrics to life, and asks a reasonable question regarding what religion is about. Well we are about music and this is one fine song, as regards religion, all I will add is, the truth is out there...

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Miss Max - Gypsy Heart.

Background promo - Hailing from the remote one street tourist town of Coral Bay in Western Australia, barefooted folk songstress Miss Max recently crowned “Best of the North West” has captured the beauty of the nomadic travellers lifestyle with her new track ‘Gypsy Heart’.

Miss Max recently opened the 2016 North West Festival Weekender for the likes of Xavier Rudd, Sarah Blasko and The Rubens. Her debut EP has been capturing hearts since its release at the beginning of the year, her story telling shines in the single 'Gypsy Heart' capturing the beauty of the nomadic travellers’ lifestyle. “‘Gypsy Heart’ is a song to inspire those who haven't quiet found themselves, to travel and to live there lives for themselves and not others, its based on the spirit of the travellers I've met working in tourism and the nomadic lifestyle in which they and myself follow,” says Miss Max about the track.

In July, Miss Max started an Australia wide tour in her big blue van to promote her EP "Gypsea Heart". The tour began back down in Margaret River, and she is currently heading north following the WA coastline towards Darwin, down the middle through Alice Springs to the Eyre Peninsula and Adelaide, then across to Melbourne and up the coast through Sydney and Brisbane.

At the beginning of the tour, Miss Max was announced the winner of the local artist competition 'Best of the North West', seeing her open the 2016 North West Festival weekend in Port Hedland late August and with the re-release of her inspiring track 'Gypsy Heart' she is set to catapult onto festival line ups around the country. The track ‘Gypsy Heart’ was recorded and produced by the talented Dave Mann, in his custom built shipping container studio on his self sufficient farm in the heart of Margaret River. Dave is a seasoned gypsy and songwriter himself and features in the track with his soulful harmonies. Website here. Upcoming Show: 14th Oct - Port Lincoln Hotel.

Miss Max has a really pleasing and melodic voice, that is just right for modern folk music. 'Gypsy Heart' is a wispy and engaging song, that feels quite personal, whilst also having something of a mood lift within it.

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Blue House - Albert Played The Euphonium.

Background - “John the Unready” is one of two tracks that the duo, James Howard and Ursula Russell, released on September 9th via Canvasclub, Canvasback’s imprint for singles by up and coming musicians. The side B, "Albert Plays The Euphonium."

The band, comprised of James Howard and Ursula Russell, makes music that is subtle, elliptical, and ambiguous - rarely an obvious beast. They present us with a world of haunted pop — songs about people just departed, places just left, and events just witnessed.

Leaving no stone unturned, Blue House willfully explore the intricacies of pop, with an emphasis on poetics and quality songwriting. The fragile balance of atmospherics and presence in their music lends an understated and entrancing numerousness throughout it.

This Canvasclub release comes ahead of Suppose, the duo's debut full-length, out worldwide on September 30th via Whipped Cream Records (UK). Facebook here.

'Albert Played The Euphonium' is one of those song titles that gets you halfway to being featured on Beehive Candy even before a listen. In actual fact this is a delightful song, that gently delivers a fine melody alongside calming vocals. This one is a quite addictive, you have been warned!

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TVRQUOISE - Liar and the Fighter.

Background - Faye Wellman, a Michigan native, is a vocalist and writer living in Los Angeles, CA. Faye merges musical and emotional intuition with her education in music, performance, and writing to compose lyrics and inspired melodies. 

Matt Hogan (NY) is a multi-instrumentalist and producer living in Los Angeles, CA. With a background in classical upright bass, Matt combines his love of free flowing expressive musicianship with a mix of ethereal textures, electronic beats, and dream pop.

The two met during their studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Two years later, on the California Coast, TVRQUOISE officially emerged with a sound best defined by color.

TVRQUOISE’s debut EP reveals tender moments from half a decade. Faye’s lyrics derive from residencies, travels, and encounters in places such as Boston, Michigan, New York City, San Francisco, Mexico, and Belize. From Paralyzed Legs, a piece revealing the subconscious thoughts surrounding a captive relationship, to Calling Out, a track echoing the constant struggle between being a wanderlust and seeking lasting human connection, the trying pivot from youth to adulthood is present. 

The project’s name was derived from a train of fateful events and the power of the turquoise stone. Turquoise paves way for strength, wholeness, and truth. Turquoise aids in self-forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the release of useless regrets. Turquoise provides protection and the recognition of beauty, enabling new beginnings. TVRQUOISE is the electro-dreampop project of Faye Wellman and Matt Hogan. Website here.

'Liar and the Fighter' slowly builds into a dreamy and quite calming song. The vocals are smooth and beautifully immersed in the musical flow. It's electro dream pop, with a subtle hint of shoegaze somewhere within the mix.

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PLGRMS - Gemini.

Background - “Accepting defeat from that little voice of persuasion in your head and becoming attached to the alter ego; it can feel like someone else is in control of you. You become a vessel of thoughts and feelings that aren't necessarily your own, and you get to escape for a while.” Gemini. The man with two personalities, the twin, the alter ego.

We all have that desire to give in to the little voice on our shoulder, not caring about what may happen. This is the sentiment behind new single ‘Gemini’ from Australian duo PLGRMS, released 23rd November via London-based singles club 0E0E.

‘Gemini’ stands up to its name in sound and lyrics, showing another side to the duo through a darker, more brooding sound compared to previous singles. 'Gemini' is a bit darker and slinkier’ explains Jonathan Bowden, one half of the Australian duo alongside singer-songwriter Jacob Pearson. “While 'Gemini' still harbours elements of the previous singles, we were keen to give it its own distinct flavour…'Gemini' was a real team effort between both Jake and I and our producer, Ross James.”

PLGRMS’ newest offering follows previous singles ‘Fools And Their Gold’, and debut ‘Pieces’, which have collectively garnered 3million streams so far on Spotify/Apple, 150k SoundCloud and 20k Shazam. PLGRMS is the Sydney-based duo of singer-songwriter Jacob Pearson and multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Jonathan Bowden. Facebook here.

The superb vocals on 'Gemini' immediately grabbed my attention. Musically it's a sophisticated electro soundtrack, and combined together it's one very good song.

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Chain Wallet - Faded Fight.

Background - It can’t be denied that there is something sorrowful behind the Bergen-based, lo-fi dream/psych pop trio Chain Wallet, and they can’t hide that their music suits the environment wherein it was created. It may be a cliché that it always rains in the band’s hometown, but when you play Chain Wallet’s self-titled debut album, it’s not too difficult imagine the mist hanging heavily over their dystopian vision of Bergen.

The band's Frode Boris talks about the new video: "It is a video about liminality and the paradox of hedonism. It was directed by our talented chum Kristian Engelsen. We have worked with him in the past, on the video for “Stuck In The Fall”. The girl is Maria, a young photographer and energy drink enthusiast. The video was in fact conceived when the director wanted to get a free tattoo from her. There are so many people in this video, and they all belong to an emerging scene celebrating creativity."

Even though feelings of nostalgia and melancholy lurk in the Scandinavian shadows, it’s not difficult to find indie-pop gold in its purest form, glittering below the heavy layers of synth and reverb. Tracks like ‘Shade’ and ‘Abroad’ have an up-tempo urgency to them which calls to mind bands like Motorama, whereas other dreamy psych ballads like ‘Muted Colours’ and ‘Stuck In The Fall’ occupy a rich and hazy middle ground between Diiv and Wild Nothing. Though Chain Wallet may not have many genre colleagues in Norway, they easily join the ranks behind international indie counterparts like Twin Shadow or Beach Fossils.

On their debut album, Chain Wallet explore themes of betrayal, idleness and crushed dreams against the backdrop of an existential breakdown. Wrapped in the shimmer and haze of the lo-fi soundscape that they conjure, the album is loosely based in the same universe, and portrays different aspects of the quarter-life crisis. Self-titled debut album out Oct 7th via Jansen Plateproduksjon. Facebook here.

'Faded Fight' has a paced psych pop vibe running right through it. The vocals and the music flow along well together, with the mix and production bringing out the best of both. At the very least it's a good appetiser for Octobers album release.

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Quality Not Quantity: The Dustaphonics - Oh Pep!

The Dustaphonics - You Don't Love Me Anymore.

Background promo - The Dustaphonics: London 'party beat' rockers reanimate with "Johnny & Bo" - new album release. Kingaling and Dirty Water Records present the fourth album from London Town’s R&B surf-rock’n’roll combo, The Dustaphonics. Like it's predecessors (Burlesque Queen, Party Girl & Big Smoke), this record is a fine mix of soul slamming, popped out powered, garage rock rave-ups, all fine tweaked by producer DJ Healer Selecta.

The title song is a tribute to two inspirational legends, Bo Diddley and Johnny Ramone, whose unique guitar styles influenced zillions of rockers the world over. Also included is an ode to the band's dear friend and fan Tura Satana, actress best known from her high-kicking jinks in Russ Meyer’s cult Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill! - who sadly passed shortly after the first single of The Dustaphonics, which she also co-wrote.

The album boasts the uber-catchy “You Don’t Love Me Anymore," an uptempo garage punk version with one foot in 1966 Texas, the other in 1977 London, and a high octane R’n’B version complete with a honking horn section. If pounding surf is your thing, “Listen To Showman Twang” will have you hanging 10 with your toes on the nose. If groove is your move, you will need to shake your “thang” to the New Orleans funk of “Q Sounds Groove”.

“Dreams on Screen (Dolce Vita Dream)” is a laid back slice of perfect cinematic pop; ideal for kicking back with a ”Cachaça” cocktail on a beach somewhere.The band reinvent a slinky version of Billy Gales/Ike Turner’s “I’m Hurting which will tug at the ol' heart strings.

And as if that wasn’t enough of a marvellous melange of musical mayhem, everything draws to crashing crescendo with a breathtaking run-through of The Specials’ classic “Gangsters”, rearranged with a breaking, bad ass surf edge. The closing track “Love Jinx” is a top notch instrumental “Hammond” garage mod-rocker, perfect for a ride on Sunset Boulevard. With fantastic artwork by Tony Diavolo, Johnny & Bo” is a de-luxe lexicon of top quality R’n’B-based music styles that will shake up your party house all night long! Tour dates and more here.

'You Don't Love Me Anymore' is a mixture of chunky riff's and hot urgent vocals. Raw and spicy garage meets surf rock, and is dispensed with style and passion. As a taste of the album, this hits the spot.

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Oh Pep! - Bushwick.

Background - Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs met in music secondary school in Melbourne, Australia, drawn together by a shared love of songs with no boundaries or expectations. The duo, now both 24, have since unveiled three EPs, but it’s their debut album, Stadium Cake, that truly showcases Hally and Emmerichs’ uniquely compelling collaboration.

Hally and Emmerichs decamped to Halifax, Nova Scotia to record with producer Daniel Ledwell. After initially meeting Ledwell in early 2015 and recording two tracks with him for their Living EP, Oh Pep! felt that he had the right sensibility to carry these new album songs through the recording process. The band spent their August in Ledwell’s studio, and celebrated the culmination of the recording by swimming across Lake Echo, which neighbors the studio.

Stadium Cake marks the first time Oh Pep! recorded with a multi-track approach rather than recording live. They wanted to be completely open to new ideas and approaches, and to not confine themselves to preset conceptions of how the music should be made. “Doctor Doctor,” the album’s first single, is a pop song with elements of the unexpected, revealing the band’s interest in experimental and occasionally dissonant melodies as Hally sings “Where is the light, for me it's the darkest night.” A sense of light and dark stitches together the tapestry of Stadium Cake, continually bringing a sense of tension to each song. It's heard in the texture of “Tea, Milk and Honey,” as Hally sings with sparse accompaniment before the delayed entry of the band. That tension can also be heard in the jarring time changes of Emmerich's line in “The Situation” and “7 Babies.”

Oh Pep! has been bringing their recordings to the stage for years, first trekking around Australia and then touring internationally since early 2015. They’ve performed at CMJ, SXSW and Nashville’s Americana Music Festival, and for Seattle’s KEXP and NPR’s Tiny Desk. KCRW named Oh Pep! an artist who 'won' CMJ and NPR's Bob Boilen proclaimed that “the Melbourne band’s music is infectious. Their harmonies are sweet, with lyrics that are thoughtful, deep, funny and poetic.” In 2016, Oh Pep! will tour Europe for the first time supporting Lake Street Dive, and in North America with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Lord Huron before making a triumphant return to Australia later in the year. Tour dates here, including a London show at The Lexington on Friday 28th October.

This is a fine song. 'Bushwick' resonates with pop and rock sensibilities, and with tasteful vocals and a super fine musical accompaniment, my first reaction was to go and search for more of their music.

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Weekend Wonders: Cory Goodrich - David Nyro - Brufield - SLØTFACE

Cory Goodrich - Far Side of Lovin' You.

Background promo - Grappel/Cohen Recording Endowment winner Cory Goodrich pays tribute to the roots of country music and the Carter Family with her album, Wildwood Flower. Songs of yesterday and today are woven together with the Appalachian autoharp as the central uniting factor. Featuring five different harps, guitar, banjo, and mandolin, this acoustic set, produced by Malcolm Ruhl, explores the past and the future of traditional folk.

Cory has been seen on stages across the country in shows like Ragtime, Bridges of Madison County and Ring of Fire, where her portrayal of June Carter Cash earned her a coveted Jeff award and sparked her interest in the autoharp.

Born in WIlmington, Delaware and raised in Michigan, Cory Goodrich is a Jeff Award winning actress for her roles as Mother in Drury Lane Oakbrook’s acclaimed production of Ragtime, and as June Carter Cash in the Jeff nominated Johnny Cash revue, Ring of Fire at Mercury Theater Chicago, where she was also seen as Alice in The Addams Family, and Alma in The Christmas Schooner. Coming this fall, Cory will play Carol Brady in the hilarious war between the Partridges and the Bradys in The Bardy Bunch.

Cory recently returned from the first regional production of he Bridges of Madison County,  at Arkansas Rep. She has played Pepa in the midwest premiere of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at Theatre at the Center, Seussical the Musical at Chicago Shakespeare on Navy Pier and before that as Sr. Margaretta in The Sound of Music at Lyric Opera, Chicago. A five time Jeff nominee, Cory has performed in productions at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare, Theatre at the Center, Ravinia, Candlelight and Drury Lane. A Graduate of Michigan State University, she is also a singer/songwriter, producer, writer, and mother of two,children's composer with her two award winning CDs, Hush and Wiggly Toes. Website here.

'Far Side of Lovin' You' is the first of twelve songs on 'Wildwood Flower'. It's an album that explores classic country and folk songs along with some new material, doing so with superb musicianship and Cory's outstanding vocals. Indeed her vocals give the collection it's identity, so that old standards take on a different feel, albeit whilst remaining true to their original roots.

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David Nyro - Stand.

Background - With his powerful music video for “Stand,”soulful singer/songwriter David Nyro sings from the heart about the tragic Syrian refugee crisis. A prolific writer whose retro pop has earned him comparisons to Jackson Browne and Don Henley, Nyro calls “Stand” a determined plea for action and an attempt to answer the difficult questions surrounding the conflict in Syria: “How many children must wash up on a beach? How many millions of lives must be torn asunder? How many hundreds of thousands must die before we do something?”

According to Nyro, he saw a tweet by well-known humanitarian Dr. Alison Thompsonshortly after recording “Stand.” Thompson, who has courageously volunteered her humanitarian services to help refugees for more than 22 years, tweeted about not standing for all the violence and heartbreak in Syria. She insisted that “we need to stand up for the refugees.” Thompson is also an acclaimed filmmaker, with Sean Penn presenting her award-winning film, The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story.

Compelled to let Thompson know about “Stand,” Nyro asked if she wanted to hear it. She did, and decided to put “Stand” in a new documentary she is making on the refugee crisis. Thompson also granted Nyro permission to use some of their unused footage and stills of the refugees that videographers Ian Stevens and Zack Bivins (Amphora Media) incorporated in the video for "Stand."

Always the optimist, Nyro calls the Syrian civil war and resulting refugee crisis a “chance for compassion, redemption, transformation, and amazing grace.” He admits that while “Stand” was “born out of pain,” he hopes it can provide an opportunity for “awareness, change, and peace.” Website here.

Our second David Nyro feature this year, this time with 'Stand' a poignant song to say the least. It's also one of those music videos that adds a vital dimension to the song. As for the song itself, it's passion and concern for one particular problem mankind faces, is genuine and heartfelt!

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Brufield - Goodbye.

Background - Australian based pop rockers Brufield have had a busy 3 years cementing their reputation as one of Perth’s must see bands. Fusing captivating melodies with powerfully emotive vocal delivery, Brufield take audiences on a rollercoaster ride of emotion from the lows of their brooding ballads to the highs of their sparkling pop anthems getting even the most skeptical of pundits tapping their feet!

The band are excited to release their much anticipated new single, ‘Goodbye’. The track is being launched through The A&R Department and is being backed by a national tour and a short tour run in the UK and Ireland. In June 2015 the band released their debut EP, Cracked, which was very well received by music press, scoring 4/5 stars with themusic.com.au.

In November 2015 the band released the title single from the EP, 'Cracked', along with a poignant music clip. This clip attracted a lot of attention due to its controversial content. January 2016 saw Brufield launch their ambitious double A-side single. This double single explored the light and the darkside of Brufield. The release was met with widespread acclaim, with AMNplify dubbing the band as 'One of the bands to watch in 2016'. “Goodbye” by Brufield will be released 30th of September 2016. Website here.

'Goodbye' has all the content to expect from an indie rock song, where the band really do want to stand out in the crowd. Melody and power combine to give us a three minute plus blast of quality pop'n'rock.

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SLØTFACE - Bright Lights.

Background - SLØTFACE lift the lid on new single ‘Bright Lights’ – a melancholy mood-brood signaling the release of forthcoming EP ‘Empire Records’ on November 18 via Propeller Recordings.  It showcases a more mature sound for the Norwegian four-piece – with a bass line that harks back to ultimate 90's alternative bands, a la The Pixies – while retaining their signature pop-punk sheen.

“Bright Lights is about escaping from things that are going on in your own head and in society in general by distracting yourself, especially from the minor and major personal issues we all have,” explains vocalist Haley Shea. “It’s about a desire for escape, and a break from dealing with things that might seem too hard.

“We recorded it at Ocean Sounds in Norway – the most beautiful studio in the world – with our awesome producer, Dan Austin, late last year. The environment and stormy weather when we were recording really helped set the mood for what is a quite melancholy, emo track,” she says. 

Also hosting jive cut ‘Take Me Dancing’ – which was recently afforded a fittingly physical Video – new EP ‘Empire Records’ follows the band’s acclaimed four-track debut, with its title track ‘Sponge State’ clocking more than 1000 plays across international radio, including weekly spins from Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart on BBC Radio 1 and a playlist add at triple j in Australia.

'Bright Lights' suggests the November EP will be a good one. The band have an intensity with this song, where emotions seemingly could boil over quite easily. The music drives the song along adding to the sense of potential melodrama, punk theatre I might suggest...

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A Couple Of Live Ones: Sweeney - We are Bandicoot

Pure Phase Ensemble 4 (ft. Mark Gardener) - Happy Dancing Woman (Radio Edit).

Background promo - This coming weekend, Liverpool hosts the fifth installment of the city's International Festival Of Psychedelia (a.k.a. Liverpool Psych Fest or PZYK), hosting over 100 live acts and DJs across its four stages for two straight days - Friday, September 23rd and Saturday, September 24th.

Pure Phase Ensemble is a Polish international music collective with revolving membership and several core players. Previously featuring members of Spiritualized, Stereolab and Ride, this space-rock collective renews its lineup every year, showcasing a wide range of collaborators from the world of PZYK.

Created specially for the SpaceFest! festival of shoegaze, space-rock and psychedelia in Gdansk (Poland), the 4th edition of the project – Pure Phase Ensemble 4 feat. Mark Gardener – was particularly successful, with the 'Live at Spacefest!' album receiving over 100 rave reviews and loads of airplay worldwide. Apart from featuring the frontman of legendary shoegazers RIDE, this collective also includes Ray Dickaty (ex-Spiritualized), Karol Schwarz (KSAS, 7faz), Jacek Rezner and Kamil Hordyniec (Wilga), Michal Pydo (Hatifnats), Michal ‘Kostek’ Stolc (Cisza nocna). Website here.

Having listened to the seven song collection 'Live At SpaceFest' (Bandcamp), the radio edit of 'Happy Dancing Woman' gives just a taste of the bands space rock and psychedelic excursions. Oh to be in Liverpool this weekend!


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We are Bandicoot - Temper (Live).

Background - Kent five-piece We Are Bandicoot have been topping the lists of Indie tastemakers throughout 2016 and their debut album “Temper” out Friday 18th November shows just why these inventive trendsetters are causing such a song and dance, literally.

Living together in a secluded farmhouse in Kent, the band have been busy sweating away all summer finishing their debut album “Temper” in their purpose built home studio. Cut off from civilization and phone signal, who knows what went on within the walls of the We Are Bandicoot live room, but whatever the conditions were, the band could make a fortune by bottling it.

Recalling the likes of Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley and recorded entirely live no less, “Temper” brings erotic guitar grooves and sweeping drums to deliciously compliment the inventive vocal hooks and harmonies from frontman Simon Briley, the likes of which have already secured the attention of more than just the Internet’s most revered bloggers. Not content with invading our screens, We Are Bandicoot have been attacking the airwaves in 2016 with multiple spins on BBC Introducing from Tom Robinson and plays coming from far and wide with Radio Kaos Caribou in France and The Justin Wayne Show in Montana, both championing the band.

Following shows with Broken Records, Moulettes and Heg & The Wolf Chorus and festival appearances at Boardmasters, El Dorado and The Great Escape, the trailblazers from the South East will be on the road from September to December supporting 90’s Brit Pop legends My Life Story, 60’s Rock legend Arthur Brown, Folk Rock favourites Blackbeard’s Tea Party and hosting an exclusive Album Launch Show in November. “Temper” is released by Blizzard Records on 18th November 2016.

Catch We Are Bandicoot at a show near you:
24/09 - Fools Paradise Festival, Leeds
08/10 - Folkstone, Leas Cliff Hall
15/10 - London, The Borderline - Supporting My Life Story
20/10 - Wolverhampton, The Robin 2 - Supporting Arthur Brown
11/11 - Sussex Arms, Tunbridge Wells - Album Launch Party.

Second time on Beehive Candy this year, and the live version of  'Temper' suggests Novembers album release will be a good one. It's also a very good indication that if you are local enough in the UK, one of the above live dates is worth the ticket.

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Genre Wander: Avakhan - Firebug - MV & EE - Terence Jack

Avakhan - Just Let Go.

Background promo - Swedish female fronted indie-pop Avakhan share latest single 'Just Let Go' + Album coming 2017. Written and produced by the band, their latest single Just Let Go is an upbeat, feel-good pop tune. An outrageously addictive chorus paired with Tegan And Sara - esque vibrant vocals is the perfect combination for what feels like a summery hit. The piece is taken from their upcoming album to be released in 2017.

It all began when Ava, Kristoffer and Joakim met in Stockholm and started a band touring clubs and festivals. After many celebrated concerts it was not long until they were the labeled as “Sweden’s best unsigned live band” by a Swedish Idol Judge on Channel Four. After they released their debut album it’s not what you believe in which one of Sweden’s greatest jazz musicians Magnus Lindgren collaborated on it. Website here.

'Just Let Go' has all the right ingredients for a fine, melodic indie pop song. It's good to here a Swedish band, where the vocalist does not adopt a mid Atlantic accent, for me, it feels more from the heart.

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Firebug - For The Love.

Background - At a time when society seems hellbent on working itself to death just to get a paycheck, New Orleans psychedelic indie rockers Firebug are committed to pursuing their passions, no matter the cost. Frontwoman Juliette Tworsey calls Firebug’s soulful new single, “For the Love,” an ode to “doing what you love, no matter how difficult, simply because you love it.”

“For the Love” is the first single from Firebug’s upcoming full-length album, Homeostasis. Co-produced by Chris Goss (Queens of The Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys), Homeostasis is set for a 2016 release. More information on Homeostasis and Firebug is available on the band’s official website.

Fueled by Tworsey and multi-instrumentalist Jules Shapiro, Firebug embrace a variety of musical genres, including soul, ’60s/’70s rock, ’90s alternative, and modern rock. Tworsey’s charismatic presence helps the outspoken singer stand out, earning her comparisons to rock icons Chrissie Hynde and Grace Slick.

Based in New Orleans, Tworsey and Shapiro are inspired by the city itself and its rich musical history. Upon their arrival in New Orleans from Los Angeles, the duo performed as street musicians in the French Quarter. “We met so many talented musicians on the street,” Shapiro remembers. “It was a real awakening for us. New Orleans has inspired new ideas that we’ve incorporated into our sound and our songwriting.” Bandcamp here.

Juliette Tworsey really can deliver rootsy soulful vocals as 'For The Love' demonstrates. This is a passionate and powerful song, with both vocals and an equally superb musical performance pumping things up, something akin to The Black Crowes with a female vocalist! (now there's a thought - followed by a swift apology to Chris Robinson).

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MV & EE - Feel Alright.

Background - "MV & EE take their homespun hypnotics and cosmic country sounds to new levels on Root/Void. I love this album - it trips hard and hauntingly - a gift for languid golden afternoons or late night moonlight powwows. 

Anthem-worthy tape edits on some cuts crack open surreal and cinematic vistas. While joined by fellow travelers here and there, this LP remains in essence a fecund duet from two entwined souls, updating and re-defining their unique pool of sound. Intrepid audio bathers: get thee immersed!" - Lee Ranaldo Italy, July 2016

MV & EE - LP / digital - pre-order here. Release Date: Oct. 7, 2016.

I like the description "cosmic country" and for 'Feel Alright' it's just so right. The video paints a picture of just what that means, so more cosmic country please.

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Terence Jack - Errors.

Background - Choral swells and cascading guitar riffs envelope the triumphant new single 'Errors. 

As with the previous single, Eastern Rise, Jack partnered with producer and fellow Vancouverite, Daniel Klenner (We Are the City, Tourist Company, Hey Ocean), to write and co-produce the song.

Errors was conceived during a wine jam-session and evolved from a punchy riff to the full-bodied song in The Space studio with Daniel. Errors details the bitter-sweetness of leaving someone, or being left, in favour of chasing dreams. The departure, the return, and the ride reflect that concept.

"We just succumbed to the poppiness of the song and served the song. The bridge was added last and turned out to be my favourite part of the whole record."

Summer engulfed Terence in a 45-day tour and a ton of festivals. He'll be heading back to the studio to work on his next full-length album soon, due for release in 2017. Facebook here.

Second time this year on Beehive Candy for Terence Jack and the brand new song 'Errors'. Once again we are treated to his distinct and pleasing vocals, against a solid alt rock background. Next years full length is likely to create considerable interest, if this years material is anything to go by.  

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Mood Mixer: Allie & Ivy - TwinFin - Real Numbers - Dark Mean

Allie & Ivy - Best Friends.

Background promo - Best Friends is the latest summer party jam from Sydney electropop singer-songwriter, Aleisha (Allie) Conlay who goes by the musical pseudonym, Allie & Ivy.

"This song is my 'happy place',” says Allie. “It’s about those summer days spent drinking in the sun at pool parties with your best friends – the days when it feels like you don't have a care in the world. I wrote Best Friends when I was living in an epic sharehouse that had a pool and a jacuzzi, and that’s literally what we did all summer. It was one of the happiest times of my life.”

A cocktail of hook-driven melodies, bright synths and energetic beats infused with infectious group vocals and the carefree spirit of youth, Best Friends is an escape from all your worries.

Allie & Ivy is indie electropop singer-songwriter Aleisha (Allie) Conlay, from the sunny northern beaches of Sydney, Australia. Writing songs since the age of 11 and picking up the guitar at 14, Allie was schooled in music at a very young age by her father, a guitarist and record collector from London with a passion for 60s music.

Having developed a deep infatuation with The Beatles at age 11, Allie had dreams to one day front an all-girl rock band called The Ladybeetles but unfortunately never managed to find her Paul, George or Ringo. Not one to let that get in the way of her plans, Allie conjured up alter ego Ivy, giving her the comradeship, confidence and support a real band couldn’t.

Allie & Ivy’s fresh sound and penchant for catchy hooks and infectious melodies have gained accolades both in Australia and internationally with success in the International Songwriting Competition (2015) and the Unsigned Only Music Competition (2016 & 2015). Facebook here. also on Itunes.

Imagine a bright sunny day, clear skies and just a gentle breeze. Oh and to add to the pain, it's your week off and it's a choice between a cool drink or a swim, or both, with more fun to come. 'Best Friends' would have to be the song for that week, and some...

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TwinFin - Jungle Room.

Background - Twin-Fin's high-energy music has topped national jazz and blues radio airplay charts (since March of 2016). Their swingin' songs have been streamed more than 3 million times in wildly popular viral videos. They have performed for raucous and rollicking swingabilly audiences from London Music Hall to the East End Rockabilly Riot and Rockabilly Shake Up.

Now, London, Ontario-based rockabilly-swing, blues and jazz band, Twin-Fin and Infinite Entertainment Group are happy to announce the September 18, 2016  worldwide release of the band's debut album, Whiskey Wine and Venom Love. The album features 10 original songs of gin-soaked deception, debauchery, and determination, including the band's #1 radio hits, "Straight Six and Four on the Floor" and "Jungle Room." Whiskey Wine and Venom Love was produced, recorded and engineered by Cole G. Benjamin, at Higher Ground Sound and mastered by Juno Award Winner, Dan Brodbeck.

Twin-Fin is: Dana MacCabe: Vocals, Guitar Cole G Benjamin: Vocals, Saxophone Paul Wickerson: Guitar, Vocals Eric Roelofsen: Upright Bass, Vocals Brad Ondrovcik: Drums.

Twin-Fin is high energy Swing, Rockabilly, Blues and Jazz. Based in London, Ontario, this 5-piece band loves to perform original songs along with repertoire by Janis Martin, Louis Prima, Brian Setzer, and Tarantino soundtracks to keep the shows jumpin'. Website here.

'Jungle Room' is a vibrant energised swingin' song, that demands a little foot tapping at the very least. The video concentrates on their natural live flair, and the hooks are everywhere!

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Real Numbers - Frank Infatuation.

Background -  Wordless Wonder is the long awaited full length from Real Numbers.  It follows up a pair of 12" EPs on Three Dimensional Records, a single on Florida's Dying, and recent appearances on cassettes from Forged Artifacts and No Problem. Tenderly crafted by Matt Castore at his St. Paul, MN studio A Harder Commune from late 2015 to early 2016, it is presented here on Slumberland Records for your enjoyment.

Members of the band include Eli Hansen (Cozy, Boys Club, Retainers) on vocals and guitars, John Eggerman (Cozy, Private Interests, Mystery Date) on bass, and James Blackfield (France Camp, Nice Purse) on drums. The addition of full time lead guitar player Ian Nygaard (Nice Purse, Howler) reveals a much fuller sound while maintaining the band's trademark DIY simplicity.

 Real Numbers made their debut East coast rounds last summer and are planning a return trip in September.  Previous jaunts have consisted of Gonerfest (2011), SXSW (2013), UK/Europe (2010 & 2011) and Japan (2013 & 2014).  An Australian tour in 2013 yielded such tremendous opportunities as lawn bowling with The Stevens, performing live on FBI Radio, crashing at Gooch Manor, and having Shorty and Joe from Royal Headache fill in on drums and guitar.

Wordless Wonder will be released by Slumberland records on October 14, 2016.

'Frank Infatuation' typifies the timeless feel of the forthcoming album. The band come across to me as content with a back to basics approach, where adding a twelve string guitar or wind organ is more than enough excess. I have to say the approach works, their focus on each song and ensuring the core sound is right and production crisp, leaves us with a straight down the line rock'n'roll album mixing indie with new wave vibes, and their own unique and forcefull sound.

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Dark Mean - Settle Down.

Background from the band - For the past year we've been quietly chipping away in the studio. We've focused our spontaneous fits of inspiration, normally captured on cell phones and wired between Ottawa and Hamilton, into something concrete. Our new song  'Settle Down' is the first to come from these new sessions.

Years of struggle and extended hiatuses are nothing new for us. That’s how we've always operated. Incessant file sharing and e-mails, frustrating Skype calls, relentless attention to detail, and the odd show amidst chaotic life schedules, are just a few ways we've not only hung together, but they've made it possible for us to keep releasing music. A focus on the music that could only come from a group of guys with no time for dilly-dallying.

'Settle Down' has a raw feel to it, as the song slowly builds, and draws the listener in. There is a lofi vibe to the song, where emotion takes centre stage, and it works.

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Quality Not Quantity: Adult Future - Jen Baron - Carey Ott

Adult Future - The Leaf House.

Background from the band - We made a record about you. Yes, you read that right. In a time of disconnect and increased alienation of the individual, the band wanted to make a record that emphasised the singular stories that we all have and share as human beings. What personal story was life-changing for you? How would it come to shape and refine you? What would make your lead headline? Your front page?

All of the songs on this record were inspired by personal stories and were utilised as a method to reconcile those feelings of estrangement. It was an attempt to bridge those feelings of isolation that seemingly contradicts a shared environment where people are literally living on top of each other. Drug abuse, mental and physical illness, violence and love – all of these things impact us individually, but when seen as an amalgamation – is the totality of human history. So, we’re here. And we’ll continue to listen to your stories because they inspire us. Thank you for being our muse. Full album releases on September 30th.

'The Leaf House' is a rich alt rock song, with thoughtful lyrics and enough grit and energy to stand out. It's my introduction to the band and a fine one at that. Find out more about Adult Future on their website here.

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Jen Baron - 'Til I've Got You.

Background - Jen Baron is a songwriter and producer from Santa Barbara, CA. Her work can be seen in multiple films including Sharon Stone's, Femme. She has worked with some of the industry's top song writers. 

She is also the Executive Director of Girls Rock SB, a non-profit organisation that empowers girls through music education, creative expression and performance. More about Girls Rock here.

This song was written and produced by songwriter Jen Baron and sang by recording artist Sophie Rose for the demo

'Til I've Got You' suggests that Jen Baron has a very natural flair for writing intimate and intriguing songs. The production brings the best out of the musicians and vocalist, giving the song that little extra edge. It's also provides me with an opportunity to mention Girls Rock (link above), which is a pleasure.

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Carey Ott - Nocona (High Hangin' On A Limb).

Background - Nashville singer-songwriter Carey Ott has just dropped his new album Nocona, which follows up the acclaimed Lucid Dream (released by Dualtone Music), 2010’s Human Heart and 2012’s Muddy Water. The album features contributions by a group of Nashville friends and stalwarts that includes Will Kimbrough, Cage The Elephant co-founder Lincoln Parish and Dualtone recording artist Rebecca Roubion.

Ott, who grew up in Ottawa, Illinois, moved to nearby Chicago in the mid-90s where he fronted the band Torben Floor. The group recorded albums with esteemed engineers Steve Albini and Brian Deck and toured nationally before calling it quits in 1999. The breakup allowed Ott to concentrate on his solo career, which found him relocating to Nashville, and has yielded the Uncut Magazine-acclaimed 2006 album Lucid Dream (released by Dualtone Music), 2010’s PopMatters recommended Human Heart and 2012’s Muddy Water, which WRLT radio described as "a landscape of musical soul, grit and passion."

Ott’s songs have been featured in episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and The Gates, as well as the feature films The Killing of John Lennon and 37. Other commercial placements include ads for Coors Light, Piraeus Bank and Burton Snowboards.

Nocona (No-koh-nah), a Comanche word meaning “The Wanderer,” refers both to a small town in Texas and a song that Ott co-wrote with fellow Nashville musician Ryan Culwell, who was actually born in Nocona, Texas, a town which Ott has never visited but feels a spiritual connection to.

Carey Ott’s Nocona, an album inspired by a sleepy North Texas town of barely 3,000 people, is a collection of ten songs – co-produced with Neilson Hubbard – that play like a roadmap through an amalgamation of emotions and themes. Opening track “Nocona (High Hangin’ on a Limb)” (which has already received airplay on Lightning 100, Nashville’s Independent Radio) explores leaving small towns for big dreams; “Til the Well Runs Dry” is a lighthearted and fun song about lust; “Cosmic Joke” asks listeners to learn to laugh, love and live without taking life too seriously; “Speed of Love” is about healing and slowing down enough to appreciate the good that’s all around us; “We Are a Circle” talks about the eternal thread of love that connects all of us.

'Nocona (High Hangin' On A Limb)' is the first of ten tracks on the recently released album. It's a good representation of what is a high quality selection, of Americana and alt rock songs. Carey's music does not follow any one format, the one consistent feature for me are his vocals, the rest is left to discover, song by song.

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Sunday Best: Tammy - SALT - Miniature Tigers - INDIIA

Tammy - Away For The Weekend

Background promo - Friday just gone and indie twosome Tammy release their latest single, "Away For The Weekend". Of the track, the band says, "'Away' is one of the first songs we ever played together. When we would play it at shows we'd always say we were playing our future hit single... In the Tammy repertoire, we break most of our songs down into the categories of love songs, hate songs, and songs about making out.. this one, written before we conceived of those designations, doesn't fit so neatly into any one of them. The subject is in love but it's a hopeless kind of love, and in the end we dont get the feeling that it's come to fruition."

Members Aaron and Brooke, who met for the first time at a New York bar called Ioana, possess the kind of undeniable chemistry that brings to mind some of the most beloved American folk duos, like Simon & Garfunkel and Dylan and Baez. Aaron’s bouncy acoustic riffs provide the perfect backdrop for Brooke’s sweet yet sultry, honey-soaked vocals, giving Tammy its truly original and unforgettable sound.

 Influenced by everyone from Burt Bacharach to Nirvana, both Aaron and Brooke began developing their musicality at the age of four. Now, asTammy, they draw inspiration from their experiences as New Yorkers. And as Brooke puts it, “We can’t wait to keep singing and writing songs about love, hate and making out.” Website here.

I featured Tammy back in early July and their new song 'Away For The Weekend' really is deserving of a share. This is a slower piece, however the hallmarks of fine vocals, melody and just right music, is all there.

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SALT - Don't Look at Me That Way.

Background - SALT’s intoxicating blend of high-energy, narrative-driven rock’n’roll began to take shape in the summer of 2014 as the five-piece came together to “drink milk and play music”. Milk swiftly drunk, the band turned their attention to the music, forging an exhilarating take on alternative rock, melding elements of Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, The Killers and Pearl Jam into a standalone, stadium-ready sound. The youthful outfit’s rapid ascent belies their short lifespan, as they’ve accumulated an avid fan-base to pack out sweaty gigs in their home town of High Wycombe and beyond, as well as having recorded live sessions for BBC radio, enjoyed prime billing at a number of summer festivals and even cut tracks at Abbey Road Studios after emerging triumphant from an online competition. “If The Beatles were bigger than Jesus, then we might just about be on a par with Ant-Man,” says singer Frankie with tongue-in-cheek modesty. SALT may be temporarily under-the-radar but it won’t be that way for long — like the miniature Marvel hero, they pack an almighty punch. SALT are: Frankie Lord, vocals; Jack Reynolds, guitar and backing vocals; Ryan Morritt, guitar and backing vocals; Sam Brookland, bass; Dean Ward, drums.

Directed by Peter Roe with Jesse Llande as director of photography, the striking, stylish video to SALT’s ‘Don’t Look At Me That Way’ frames the band in smoky, atmospheric monochrome, before surreal visual cutaways pair with flashes of colour that soon submerge proceedings in something of a neon storm. It’s a powerful presentation in-keeping with the tenor of the song, a ballad of longing for a distant partner who’s far away from home. Pealing guitar gives way to a crunchy, skittering grunge progression and a rollin’ and tumblin’ rhythm that underpins singer Frankie Lord’s stirring verses and anthemic, arms-aloft chorus, which he emphatically guides to its lung-busting climax. “The song is about a dream,” says Frankie, “where you wake but the dream was so vivid you can't help but attach real emotion to it.” There’s real emotion to ‘Don’t Look At Me That Way’ all right, conveyed here in masterful sound and vision.

Live:
Saturday 24 September: Musicians Against Homelessness Festival, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire
Friday 30 September: The Troubadour, London SW5 (acoustic set).

The video may be stylish and a little intriguing, however it's the song that really gets me. 'Don't Look at Me That Way' is a really fine rock song. Maybe indie or alt rock, who cares, the musicianship is superb no nonsense rock'n'roll and the vocals are just right for this type of song. I look forward to hearing more!

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Miniature Tigers - Crying In The Sunshine.

Background - "Persistence is the key ingredient when it comes to the story of Miniature Tigers. Originally started as a bedroom project by front-man Charlie Brand in Phoenix, Arizona in 2006, the band has since released 4 studio albums, toured the planet and cultivated a cult base of die hard fans through their constant output of brilliantly written records. Early albums such as Tell It To the Volcano and Fortress garnered them critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, NPR and Stereogum while later albums such as Mia Pharaoh and Cruel Runnings (recorded in Jamaica) sent them on more futuristic indie-pop realms, garnering support from Neon Gold and festival appearances at Lollapalooza, ACL, Fun Fun Fun, and international touring with multi-platinum act Fun.

Like many bands after nearly a decade of hard work and moderate success, Charlie Brand started considering his future. He started an exciting buzz-worthy project with close friend Jeremy Malvin (Chrome Sparks) called Promises Ltd. , wrote and produced for other artists such as rapper Skizzy Mars and after a long relationship came to and end, naturally he turned to what he always turned to….and the output took shape in what eventually would become Miniature Tigers 5th LP.

 “I Dreamt I Was a Cowboy was written after the end of a long relationship. I wanted to leave those recordings intentionally raw to maintain the feeling of that time. I wanted it to feel clear and immediate.” As the “demos” came together, it became evident that the recordings were actually album cuts. “I spent a few months couch surfing with friends in Texas and New York before eventually moving to Los Angeles. Many of the songs on the record were written and recorded while I was living on someone’s air mattress. This album felt so specifically personal that when it came time to finish I decided to not re-record anything in a studio and to just mix and master it myself. ”

The end result is a 5th album jam packed with the excitement and energy of a debut album…but with the mastery that can only come from a seasoned writer like Brand, where the lessons learned and scars bourn from a life dedicated to music are not in this case in vain but celebrated in the mastery of expression in it’s truest form.

'Crying In The Sunshine' is from the forthcoming album, "I Dreamt I Was A Cowboy" due 28 October. It's a smooth alt rock song with the quality and production you would expect from a band with their experience. Vocals and music are refined and energised in what is a hook laden piece.

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INDIIA - Sunny Day.

Background from Indiia - We are INDIIA a new act from Stockholm Sweden and we just dropped our debut single “Sunny Day”. Would be humbled if you wanted to post the tune on Beehive Candy.




 
It's useful (to say the least) if bands/artist or their agents at least forward some background details and information, however the above is all I received from INDIIA and in fairness I quite like 'Sunny Day' so why not just feature it and be done! -- It's a lively indie pop song, see, I can be minimalist to!

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