Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Quality Not Quantity: Freedom Fry - Gillies Daddy - Lesley Barth

Freedom Fry - Awake.

Background - Freedom Fry is about to release a ton of great new music to follow up last year’s “Shaky Ground” single which is approaching 6M plays on Spotify, leading up to their debut album, and here’s the first single of the year. Prior to the release, “Awake” has been synced already in a handful of places including the Netflix show “Love” and the film “Baby Baby Baby.”

The name “Freedom Fry” – a satire on French/US relations during the Iraq war. The French & American duo have racked up over 40 appearances on the music blog aggregator, including SEVEN Top 10s and TWO #1s. While independent, they’ve amassed over 20-million combined streams on Spotify & SoundCloud and received support across airwaves from radio tastemakers KCRW, KEXP, BBC Radio 2, Radio 6, SIRIUS XM, WXPN, RTL2, and beyond.

Freedom Fry’s music, which heavily bleeds the warmth and sunshine of their home state of California, skirts the lines between pop, folk and indie rock – always blended with danceable rhythms and a sing-a-long chorus. Website here, Facebook here.


There is nothing like a well produced bright and breezy indie pop song to lift the spirit and 'Awake' does that in style. Delicious harmonies and vocals and a hook laden melody makes this song really stand out.


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Gillies Daddy - Mr. Robertson.

Background -  Straight from the frozen tundra of Winnipeg, Manitoba, to the sunlit shores of Los Angeles, California, came the two Canadians. They met in the confines of a summer session at United College, due to an aversion to math. They soon discovered an equally shared love of music.

Over the years the two have worked as songwriters, musicians and producers in both the film and music business. Through it all they have maintained their passion for melodic pop music. Culminating in this latest endeavour "Delusions of Grandeur", reflections of both writers weave in and out of the CD. John the optimistic, methodical one and Graham the moody, contemplative one- blended in more or less equal parts.

Hope is a necessary ingredient for any artist, and speaking as an emissary for the team, we hope that some part of this latest project touches you in some small way.

Delusions of Grandeur  is our 21st century evocation of the golden age of pop music , mainly the 60’s with an emphasis on the wonderful productions of the Beatles and George Martin though the influence of the Who , the Beach Boys , the Zombies and others can be heard throughout. It is designed to be listened in it’s entirety , complete with segues and transition pieces, That is perhaps a bit of an archaic concept in and of itself in this age of single downloads but we had a great time doing them nonetheless. Website here.


Although 'Delusions of Grandeur' has been around for a little while now, Nub Music have picked up on the duo and hopefully their wonderful music will reach a wider audience.  'Mr. Robertson' is typical of the wonderfully creative re imagining of all that was good about sixties pop music. Love it!

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Lesley Barth - Just Like Summer.

Background - New York-based singer-songwriter Lesley Barth is a master of fusion.  The daughter of an opera singer and an actress, she grew up in a very musical and creative household, studying classical piano, devouring Romantic poetry, and swimming in 60s/70s pop, rock, and soul. Following a few years of teaching music in Philadelphia, Barth moved to New York City 5 years ago and has been consistently building a name for herself.

After performing around top NYC singer/songwriter venues for a few years and capturing audiences with her strong voice and compelling lyrics, she released her debut EP, “Good Like This,” as a surprise to her supporters on her 28th birthday in summer of 2015, quickly building a loyal and devoted fanbase off of its warm reception.  Only several months later, in partnership with OvationTV and Rockethub as part of their first “Creative Studio” of artists, she was able to crowdfund her first full-length album from the growing number of supporters who were hungry for more from Barth.

The album “Green Hearts,” out January 27th, 2017, was made at Brooklyn’s Mission Sound, where Barth recorded her debut EP in 2014.  Elements from disco, folk, country, blues, and retro pop have been woven together by themes of longing, soul-searching, and young love in her first full-length album. Website here and Facebook here.


The new album 'Green Hearts' is packed with melodic and creatively varied songs that are produced to a very high standard. 'Just Like Summer' showcases Lesley Barth's superb vocals with one of the more uptempo tracks in this high quality collection.

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Monday, 16 January 2017

Monday Mix: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - The Raveonettes - Sarah Beatty - The New Respects

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Down (is Where I Want To Be).

Background - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, heads into its twelfth year and the release of its fifth album, The Tourist. Like previous Clap Your Hands Say Yeah records, The Tourist nods to Alec Ounsworth’s musical heroes—a group that includes artists such as John Cale, Robert Wyatt, Tom Waits and Nick Cave. However, this album also shows a natural progression from previous records. “Better Off” and “The Vanity Of Trying” are lush, keyboard-augmented songs, while “A Chance To Cure” and “Ambulance Chaser” are rhythmically askew, and the sighing “Loose Ends” is delicate, acoustic-based folk-rock.

Ounsworth spent about a week recording The Tourist at Dr. Dog’s Philadelphia-based studio with a drummer and bassist. After that, he and engineer Nick Krill spent a few months “tidying things up” and recording additional embellishments: backup vocals, keyboards, guitars and more percussion. That gives The Tourist more of a band feel than the last album, and contributes to why the record possesses a musical lightness. The dreamy opening track “The Pilot” especially has a lilting edge, courtesy of Smiths-reminiscent acoustic guitars strums and Ounsworth’s hiccupping, conspiratorial vocals.

The Tourist was then mixed by Dave Fridmann, who also worked on two previous Clap Your Hands Say Yeah albums, 2007’s Some Loud Thunder and 2014’s Only Run. Ounsworth says he and Fridmann are on the same musical wavelength, which makes their long-time working relationship an anchor of sorts.  “Dave and I don’t necessarily stick with what’s easiest which is fine and anxiety-inducing, in a good way,” he says. “He challenges me to do something a little bit different.” Website here, Facebook here.


The new single release 'Down (is Where I Want To Be)' is taken from 'The Tourist' album, due out on February 24th. We featured the first single (Fireproof) last month, and our enthusiasm for the forthcoming album remains buoyant with this powerful and pleasing song.

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The Raveonettes - Pendejo.

Background - The Raveonettes have completed their Rave-Sound-Of-The-Month series with December's release of the final track "Pendejo." The full digital album will be available February 17th, with the CD out April 21st & Vinyl release set for Record Store Day on April 22nd via Beat Dies Records.

The Rave-Sound-Of-The-Month playlist began at the start of 2016 where the band would upload a freshly recorded track on the last Friday of every month throughout the year. The 'anti-album' features a collection of new tracks that aren't bound by the constraints of the format.

The Raveonettes also continue their new Pledge Music Campaign where fans can pledge for the CD and vinyl of the forthcoming new album. Sign up for the Pledge Music Campaign here. Website here and Facebook here.


We featured Octobers song release (This Is Where It Ends) and thought it a good thing to dip back into the series of music, with the last one 'Pendejo'. Atmospheric, vibrant and something of an epic piece at twelve minutes long, The Raveonettes complete their Rave-Sound-Of-The-Month series in epic style.

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Sarah Beatty - Bandit Queen (Acoustic).

Background - Out on February 3, Bandit Queen is a folk fabled concept album that began with a 19th century horse thief named Belle Starr. The title track “Bandit Queen” documents the creative transition from concision, which was central to Sarah Beatty's first album Black Gramophone, towards a supersonic mythological expansion that happens in the new album. There are all kinds of mythologies telling people who they are and who they aren’t. "With this song, I wanted to invite the dark parts into the storyline and inspire listeners to be their whole, real, bodacious, outlawed selves".

Bandit Queen really came into existence in the 19th century through the historical account of an exceptional and flawed woman. Sarah Beatty says When I read about Belle Starr, the fabled bank heist mastermind turned horse thief, she grabbed my attention immediately. And from that original inspiration, I began imagining and contemplating all kinds of stories that rarely get told about women, even in the 21st century. Each of the songs on this record tells a different story, and as a collection they become the spine of a whole other adventure. Website here and Facebook here.


Sarah Beatty has created one very fine album that takes the listener on a musical journey that mixes Americana with Folk Rock, Blues and pretty much every genre in between. Final song is the acoustic version of the title track 'Bandit Queen' and is one of thirteen fabulous tracks. This is one of those albums that deserves to be heard, and hopefully many will do just that.

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The New Respects - Money.

Background - Nashville's The New Respects has returned with a new single, "Money," releasing the track today at all digital music services. 2017 is shaping up to be a breakout year for The New Respects, having recently signed with Credential Recordings and music distributor Caroline. 

“'Money' was written while we were in college, when we didn’t have much,” reflects the band's bassist Alexis Fitzgerald. “The chorus says 'life ain’t about money,' and that’s true; we found happiness at a time when money was tight, and we wanted to share that sentiment with our fans. Our producer, Jeremy Lutito, helped us create a fun chorus and rhythm that would allow our audience to let loose and enjoy life in the moment."
It was a chance meeting in Nashville that brought The New Respects together with producer/drummer Jeremy Lutito (of rock group Leagues). Lutito took an immediate liking to The New Respects' soul/rock sound, and produced this single along with the group's previous two tracks, "Trouble" and "Hey," which landed on Spotify's U.S. Viral 50 Chart.

The New Respects is a family affair, made up of three siblings, twins Alexis (bass) and Zandy Fitzgerald (guitar), along with their brother Darius (drums), and cousin Jasmine Mullen (vocals/guitar). The group is heavily influenced by the gospel music they were surrounded by growing up in Nashville, which extends to artists including Aretha Franklin, Alabama Shakes, and John Mayer. Looking ahead, The New Respects will showcase as an official artist at this year's SXSW in Austin, TX. Website here, Facebook here.


Second time around on Beehive Candy for The New Respects this time with the funky and feisty 'Money'. The band are energised, the song is full of hooks, the chorus says 'life ain’t about money,' and we agree. 

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Sunday, 15 January 2017

And The Beat Goes On: Brandon Krebs - Diet Cig - Long Distance Relationship - The William Shakes - Johnny Flynn

Brandon Krebs - Alarm Pheromones.

Background - “Avant-garde pop for everybody, filled with romantically gloomy soul voyages” is the best way to shorthand the windswept ache of Brandon Krebs’ widescreen rock. “Making records for me is a therapeutic process almost,” Seattle songwriter/musician/producer Brandon Krebs explains. “It's my favorite thing in the world.”

Krebs has decided to go with creating under his own name for new album Refuge In Exile, due out in mid-March. A deliberate change up from the heavy guitar-rock of his last release Tethered to A Piece of Falling Sky (recorded under previous moniker Stranded Sullivan), Refuge In Exile’s instantly breathtaking sweep and rhythmically undulating hooks challenge its title’s reveal of how it was made intimately and mindfully in an uncertain two-year period of the artist’s life.

The nine-song full-length will be released both digitally and on vinyl. Krebs says it comes from an urgently transitional period in which he did a lot of soul-searching and self-reflecting. “I have moved every December for four years and it has definitely shaped this record.” There are themes varying from the struggle of such change, being thrust into awkward situations; feeling self-imprisonment and then having to move on; grappling with technology the way we all are these days. “I guess I would say Refuge in Exile is about the struggle to be myself and live the life I want to live instead of one you’re taught to want and pursue and its inherent struggles and loses and or compromises.” Bandcamp here and facebook here.


'Alarm Pheromones' gives some idea of what the album is about, but only some. Brandon Krebs explores different musical approaches and packs in some considerable variety across the nine songs. Keeping the listener in expectation of what's next is fine, as long as the quality is there, and with this album that's a positive yes.

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Diet Cig - Tummy Ache.

Background - Diet Cig are happy to announce the forthcoming release of their hugely anticipated debut album. Entitled Swear I'm Good At This the album will be released on April 7th via Frenchkiss Records. On Friday the band shared the first single off the album - the highly infectious "Tummy Ache."

The band, who are well-known for their energetic and bombastic live shows, will be touring the world in support of Swear I'm Good At This and the first tour is announced today as well.  It kicks off April 5 in New Haven, CT at Bar and concludes May 8 at The Catalyst Atrium in Santa Cruz, CA.  Diet Cig will play two shows in one night at Brooklyn's Baby's All Right on April 7 and The Echo in Los Angeles, on May 4. Further, the band will play a handful of pre-release dates including at set at this year's Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco on February 22 and shows during SXSW. The complete list of dates below and tickets go on sale tomorrow, January 13.

Diet Cig is Alex Luciano (guitar and vocals) and Noah Bowman (drums).  The two have been playing music together ever since Luciano interrupted the set of Bowman's other band for a lighter. The New York duo have since released the infectious, 2015 Over Easy EP that introduced consistent sing-a-long lyrics with thrashing drums and strums that never held back.

Swear I'm Good At This accumulates Diet Cig's tenacity for crafting life-affirming, relatable tales with a gutsy heart at their core. Luciano has the ability to write lyrics that are both vulnerable and badass, perfecting a storm of emotive reflection that creates a vision of a sweaty, pumped-up room screaming these lines in unison. Diet Cig make it okay to be the hot mess that you are. Website here and Facebook here.


'Tummy Ache' mixes melodic vocals with some powerful rock, that at times is a wall of potent sound. The song is catchy whilst retaining some natural raw energy throughout. 

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Long Distance Relationship - Wanting To Fly.

Background - From the home of innovative new sounds - Nub Music comes the new album by 'The Long Distance Relationship'.  The long Distance Relationship was born as a concept right after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Designed as a musical collective to record the songs of New Orleanian Dave Baker, the group pulls from former bandmates and many other talented musicians from far and wide. Dave culled together a lifetime’s worth of songs to become the self-titled, ten song debut album. Loss, death, optimism, infidelity, love, inevitability, emotional numbness: These are all themes that surface on this collection of songs. 

A multi-instrumentalist, Dave plays bass, keys, accordion, and guitar. A musical jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, these performances by him and others serve the song to their psychedelic-tinged, drone-ish, harmony-laden, hooked end. When fellow musicians are discussing the songs, performers such as Beck, Beach Boys, Elliott Smith, XTC, Kinks, Hollies, early Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett, Yardbirds, Jefferson Airplane and others get thrown around in casual conversation.

Dave played with multiple bands since landing in Asheville, NC. Most notably, The Steves and Pick Your Switch. He currently plays bass and sings in Fritz Beer and The Crooked Beat. The Album release will include guest musicians Chris Carter (Alarm Clock Conspiracy), Dorsey Parker (Dorsey’s Big Benefit Band, Velvet Truckstop, Artimus Pyle Band), Bill Kopp (Orgatroid, Glampas), Ken Jones (Fifty Year Flood, Mountain Song Guitars) and Louly Peacock. Facebook here.


One of my favourite songs from the album 'Wanting To Fly' certainly has some psychedelic vibes from times gone by, coupled with plenty of fresh originality. In fact despite the above cited musical references, the album has plenty of it's own originality and I would suggest the comparisons really should be seen as a compliment for a fine collection of songs.

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The William Shakes - The Fault.

Background - The William Shakes is as much a concept project as it is a band. Written, produced, and fronted by Mark McGettrick, The William Shakes decontextualizes Shakespearean prose to the tune of alternative indie pop. The debut release How Goes The Night? EP explores five Shakespearean characters: Banquo (MacBeth), Helena (All’s Well That Ends Well), Horatio (Hamlet), Cordelia (King Lear), and Cassius (Julius Caesar).

Inspired by David Bowie’s use of the “cut-up” technique for writing lyrics, McGettrick thought it would be fun to test the method on Shakespeare’s words and characters. His “cut-up” process was as follows: Select the character, Isolate their lines, Randomize their lines, Curate into new lyrics, and Compose an original melody. The songs were originally conceived as an acoustic project for the February 2016 RPM Challenge, but he quickly realized they needed the weighty production of a full band.

The William Shakes are thrilled to release their debut single "The Fault" off their upcoming How Goes The Night? EP. "The Fault" is based on the words of Cassius from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Lyrically, McGettrick explores the relationships between fathers and sons and the responsibility they hold to one another regardless of the hand fate deals us.

Completely self-composed and produced, Mark proudly performs guitar, bass VI, bass, percussion, and vocals throughout the How Goes The Night? EP. It also features musical collaborations with New York, Boston, and Los Angeles artists Carrie Ingber, Rob Sistare, Matt Diekmann, and Jason Dunn.

Beyond The William Shakes, Mark McGettrick is a staple artist in Boston’s thriving music scene. Most recently, he was featured playing drums and backing vocals on The Luxury’s 2015 album Bones and Beaten Heart. He has also performed with Seven Sunless Days, Sugarshaped, Chromavoid, and Fade. How Goes The Night? EP is McGettrick’s debut project as The Williams Shakes and is thrilled to see where it takes him. Website here and Facebook here.


'The Fault' typifies the music found on the upcoming EP. It's a mixture of indie pop and rock with the emphasis perhaps on rock, that is uncomplicated and sincere in sound.

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Johnny Flynn - Raising The Dead.

Background - Johnny Flynn has shared news of his long awaited fourth album, ‘Sillion’, alongside first single ‘Raising the Dead’. ‘Sillion’ will be released 24th March through Transgressive Records.

‘Sillion’ has grown episodically between Flynn’s commitments to acting, composing, and his young family. It’s an album about the sacredness of man’s endeavour to connect with the earth while separated from it. It’s the sound of Flynn breathing in and breathing out. The titles of Flynn’s records have become a talismanic focus for him over the years, and ‘Sillion’ rings out like a bell, converging unlikely forces — friendship, politics, poetry – to capture the album’s colour and mood as a measure of its times.

‘Sillion’ sees Flynn reunited with David Beauchamp (drums), Adam Beach (bass), Joe Zeitlin (cello), sister Lillie Flynn & Holly Holden (vocals), with guests Cosmo Sheldrake (electronics) and Dave Tattersall on lead guitar for ‘The Landlord’. First single ‘Raising the Dead’, tells of Flynn getting to know his newborn daughter. “My Dad died when I was 18, and that was quite a galvanising experience,” Flynn says, “and there’s often an element of that in anything I’m writing; every big loss that you suffer in life, I think everything comes through the conduit of that. I had a really strong sense of my daughter having elements of my Dad when she came along, and it made me kind of laugh - that cyclical sense, of thinking of my daughter as my Dad.”

A March headline UK tour with his band The Sussex Wit has also been announced, plus solo appearances at the SXSW Conference in Austin, Texas. Tickets for the UK tour go on sale Wednesday 18th January at 9am. Website here and Facebook here.

Johnny Flynn Live Dates
Tues 14th March-Sat 18th March: SXSW - Austin, Texas
Fri 24th March: Brighton St George’s Church
Sat 25th March: Leeds Church
Sun 26th March: Manchester Gorilla
Mon 27th March: Edinburgh Caves
Tues 28th March: Birmingham O2 Academy 2
Wed 29th March: Bristol Trinity
Fri 31st March: London St John’s Hackney.


It was the intriguing non folksy first few seconds that threw me. 'Raising The Dead' then veers into a beautiful chunky folk song where the vocals and harmonies are eclectic and oh, so moving. Put simply, I love this song.

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Saturday, 14 January 2017

A Couple More Weekend Wonders: Dirty River - Hand Habits

Dirty River - Purple Dreams.

Background - Alternative, eclectic country duo Dirty River formed in 2012 around the talents of singer/songwriters Lea May and Jimi Dobbs. Lea was working as a solo artist and needed a fuller sound. Jimi was also searching for something different, having played in bands and solo for more than 20 years. Somehow their voices found each other and it was inevitable that this was the beginning of something that needed to be heard.

This dynamic duo are passionate storytellers who have only just begun to tell their story. Their new single, ’Purple Dreams’, is ultimately a love song that depicts the story of two people desperately searching for a kindred spirit who has the ability to love honestly and see them for who they truly are.

“The song started out very different in the beginning, the guitar melody was a lot darker. I asked Lea to write the second verse and somehow she came out with this completely different vocal melody... I rewrote the guitar parts and ‘Purple Dreams’ was born!” says Jimi Dobbs on writing the track. ‘Purple Dreams’ was recorded in a little studio under a house in South Golden Beach by a man who calls himself ‘Slim Pickens’.

Many artists struggle to establish their musical identity, laboriously trying on different musical styles like a piece of clothing, looking to find what fits. But there are others that emerge fully formed, in full command of their craft, their identity and their music. Dirty River fits firmly in the latter category. The style and live performances are a captivating and moving experience that heralds the arrival of a gifted and significant new talent, one whose music feels familiar in the best possible way, while striking out on its own territory.

Not ever wanting to be labelled as fitting into a particular genre, Dirty River find their style in everything from heartfelt folk ballads, to soul, funk and alternative country blues. Yet, to try and put new single into a particular sound or find similar bands is nearly impossible. ‘Purple Dreams’ is unique in every way. “Purple Dreams” by Dirty River will be released 13th of January 2017. Website here and Facebook here.


The harmonies on 'Purple Dreams' are just so natural and right for what is a melodic country rock song. Production is crisp and refined, this is just such a likable song.

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Hand Habits - Sun Beholds Me.

Background - Hand Habits shares new track "Sun Beholds Me". “Meg Duffy, aka Hand Habits, is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Upstate New York. She has been putting her time in on the road and in the studio over the past two years with  pacific northwest band Mega Bog, and the Kevin Morby Band, making an impression on everyone she comes across with her natural charisma and uncharted talent as a multi-instrumentalist. But letWildly Idle (Humble Before The Void) be her open invitation to the world to step inside and take a much deeper look into who Duffy actually is. Tracked in an Upstate New York living room, then finished in her current home in Los Angeles – it is appropriate that this album was recorded by Meg herself – for Meg, who has an acute ear for detail, has touched every corner, has seen every vision ’til its end.

Because of this, Wildly Idle feels incredibly intimate, like a secret between her and the listener. It hits soft, like warm water, and before you know it it is all around you – a bath, and Meg’s whisper has made its way inside you. Like many bedroom-debuts before it (The Microphones, Jessica Pratt, Little Wings, Grouper)  let this be the first of many to come, for Meg has music in her touch – and this is only the beginning. But let us not look to the future now, but instead stand alongside her, our trust in her will, both humble before the void, with her first chorus as the mission statement; ‘hold you like a flower, hold you like an hour glass’.”- Kevin Morby. Facebook here.

Live Dates:
01/18 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *
02/10 Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right #
02/11 Philadelphia, PA - Everybody Hits #
02/12 Cambridge, MA - Lily Pad #
02/13 Portland, ME - Apohadian Theatre #
02/14 Winooski, VT - The Monkey House #
02/15 Montreal, QC - La Vitrola #
02/16 Albany, NY - House Show #
02/18 Washington DC - Songbyrd DC #
02/19 Asheville, NC - The Mothlight #
02/20 Louisville, KY - Zanzabar #
02/21 Chicago, IL - Schuba’s #
02/22 Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe #
03/14 - 03/18 Austin, TX - SXSW
* = ACLU / PP Benefit show w/ Kevin Morby, Sharon Van Etten, Beirut, Daniel Rossen
# = w/ John Andrews & The Yawns


Third time on Beehive Candy for Hand Habits and if the music stays as good as this hopefully it will not be the last. 'Sun Beholds Me' is the perfect showcase for Meg Duffy's enchanting vocals with the musical arrangement gently supporting her.

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BeeVids: Spiral Stairs - Dutch Uncles - Grog - Cavegreen

Spiral Stairs - Dance (Cry Wolf).

Background - Spiral Stairs (Pavement's Scott Kannberg) will release his second album under that name, Doris and the Daggers, on March 24 on the Nine Mile label in the US, on Domino in Europe and on Coolin' By Sound in Australia / New Zealand. This week he has shared the first single and video from the album, "Dance (Cry Wolf)". The video stars Jason Lytle of Grandaddy who plays the part of Spiral Stairs in the video.

The album features guest appearances from Matt Berninger of The National, Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew and Justin Peroff, Kelley Stoltz and Shudder To Think's Adam Wade. Spiral Stairs has also launched a Pledge Music campaign where fans will have the option of buying archival Pavement and Preston School of Industry merch and memorabilia (or a DJ set, private show, trip to IKEA or a round of golf with Scott) along with their pre-order of Doris and the Daggers.

The Real Feel – the Pavement guitarist and Preston School Of Industry leader’s 3rd album (and first as Spiral Stairs) – arrived in 2009, just as Pavement were announcing a hugely successful burst of reunion shows through 2010. “Then, after the Pavement shows, I moved with my wife to go live in a house in the country near Brisbane, in Australia,” the amiable Scott remembers, of those years of seeming inactivity. “Then we had a kid, and that sort of got in the way. I tried to do music, but all of a sudden it was two years later and I’m mowing my lawn and tending my garden.”

A little while after that, Scott and family got bored of life in Australia and moved to Los Angeles. “I had the perfect set-up there, so I started work. The way I write songs is, I put on my electric guitar and walk around the house and play it and look at myself in the mirror,” he laughs, “and just make up stuff. But because the kid was off at school for three hours a day, I only really had an hour or so to do that. So it took a little time. It was my intention to have done at least a couple more records by now, things just got in the way.”

You can’t hurry genius – not even the genial, unforced and unpretentious genius that has long been Scott’s forte. What’s for sure is his second album as Spiral Stairs, Doris And The Daggers, is worth the wait. It’s some of the best music Scott’s been involved with, and also some of the most personal and emotional music he’s ever written, reflecting the life changes that occurred over those eight years. During that stretch, Scott weathered the loss of friends, treasured the joys of fatherhood, lived life as an Australian and even ate haggis meat – experiences that inform these warm, sweetly melodic and soundly honest songs. Website here.


There is a cool alt rock feel to 'Dance (Cry Wolf)'. The melody and rhythm develop hand in hand with just a little menace in the vocals to add some edge. Looking forward to the album in March.

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Dutch Uncles - Big Balloon.

Background - Manchester’s idiosyncratic art-popologists Dutch Uncles return with Big Balloon, their new studio album, on February 17 on Memphis Industries. Taking musical inspiration from Kate Bush's The Red Shoes, Low-era David Bowie, some slightly-less fashionable records belonging to their Dads and East European techno, Big Balloon is the fifth Dutch Uncles studio album and the follow-up to 2015's acclaimed O Shudder.

Big Balloon is the latest chapter in Dutch Uncles’ brilliantly witty, hip-swiveling, left-field adventures and was recorded in Manchester’s old Granada TV Studios where Sex Pistols and Joy Division made their televisual debuts. Big Balloon then is Dutch Uncles’ finest album to date, taking listeners on an exhilarating cerebral journey that marks them out a one of the UK’s most consistently forward thinking bands.

Dutch Uncles are Duncan Wallis, Robin Richards, Peter Broadhead and Andrew Proudfoot. Big Balloon is available to pre-order on limited edition clear 180gm vinyl and CD from the band’s website here and iTunes

Tour Dates:
18 February – Manchester, Piccadilly Record Out Store @ Low Four Studios
20 February – Nottingham, Rough Trade In Store
21 February – London Rough Trade East Instore
01 March - Edinburgh, Electric Circus
02 March - Newcastle, The Cluny
03 March - Leeds, The Wardrobe
04 March - Nottingham, Bodega
06 March - Birmingham, Hare and Hounds
07 March - Sheffield, The Plug
08 March - Oxford, O2 Academy2
09 March - Bristol, Fleece
11 March - Brighton, The Haunt
12 March - Southampton, Talking Heads
13 March - London, Village Underground
15 March - Manchester, Dancehouse Theatre.

As someone who has spent many a happy time watching stock cars, bangers and hot rod racing, the video for 'Big Baloon' had me so engrossed first time around, I hardly heard the song. Good news is listening with my eyes shut sorted that one, and this is one really fine and bright, upbeat delight!

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Grog - Prodigal Daughter.

Background - “The story of the prodigal son fascinated me as a kid. It’s not as straightforward as it seems. One son went away, made mistakes, squandered his inheritance and finally returned repentant and destitute. His father welcomed him back, forgave him and, indeed, celebrated his return; much to the annoyance of the elder son who had stayed home and sensibly worked in his father’s fields.

It compares the attitudes of law and merit with those of love and graciousness. The story resonates with my belief that we need to get lost to get found, to experience life to learn. I’ve never been a big fan of ‘playing it safe’. Seeking your true self and destiny can take you on a wild and sometimes lonesome journey, but we carry our friends and everyone we’ve ever loved in our hearts at all times.

’Prodigal Daughter’ is a fun one for the girls, for everyone who loves the girls and for the warrior spirit of the individual carving out his or her path, attempting to stay grounded and brave while negotiating technological advancement and the realities of ultra global ‘connectedness’! So dance while the music’s playing and turn it up.— Grog, Jan 2017. Website here, Facebook here.


'Prodigal Daughter' is one very catchy and determined song. Full of hooks and oh so lively this is a real mood lifter.

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Cavegreen - Sun.

Background - Cavegreen is the artistic collaboration of Eleanor Murray and Gianluca Bucci that blends electronic and acoustic music, poetry, and images. 

Cavegreen is getting ready to release their first full-length album Vita Lucida, a positive electro-pop experience that combines earthly drum and dance beats with light, dreamy melodies, a soundscape that is both grounded and ethereal.  The songs sing about the profound human connectivity to the elements of nature, inspired by ancient philosophical traditions. Vita Lucida is one to dance with, dream beside, and ponder with.

Eleanor has been a musician, songwriter, and performer for the past eleven years, releasing five studio albums and touring the US extensively. Gianluca comes from a background of environmental work, photography, and an ongoing interest in the ancient and modern philosophical traditions of the earth. In 2015, Cavegreen released their debut EP, Journey of Return and began performing shows and around the Pacific Northwest. Their newest album, Vita Lucida, is to be released February 3rd, 2017. Website here and Facebook here.


With a slowly building and atmospheric start 'Sun' builds into a finely crafted song. The drum beats are wonderful and the layers of sound work so well.

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Friday, 13 January 2017

Weekend Wonders: Joe Goodkin - Illuminertia - Equinox - Tobin Sprout - James Parry

Joe Goodkin - Never Come Back.

Background - Joe Goodkin’s musical career took an unusual turn when he wrote a thirty-minute adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” for voice and guitar. For years now he has been a travelling bard performing this piece all over the country. It’s the same ethos that has worked its way into his trinity of EPs, starting with Record of Life and now continuing with Record of Loss.

If you’re unfamiliar with Record of Life, the 6-song EP is an extremely personal record—sorrowful, profound, and a reminder of the human condition. It’s a visual record in that his lyrics provoke powerful imagery and have you examining your own life in the process and taking comfort in the fact that you aren’t alone.

Record of Loss is conceived of as the first side of an eventual piece of vinyl... one side is called Record of Loss, the second side (to be released in summer 2017) will be called Record of Love --as in, Love and Loss are the two sides of Life—to complete a trilogy with Record of Life.

On both Record of Life and now, Record of Loss, Goodkin takes his personal experiences and makes them accessible to his audience. As online music magazine Pop Matters points out, “Incredibly straightforward is the prescription by which Goodkin stands…and the beauty of its simplicity is absolutely able to be felt.” Record of Loss is the 2nd in a Trinity of EPs:  Record of Life, Record of Loss and Record of Love (To Be Released Summer 2017). Website here.


One of six songs on the February 10th EP release 'Never Come Back' is perhaps the most stripped back of the collection and gives a fine example of the emotion and feeling that typifies the collection.

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Illuminertia - Akasha.

Background - Bay Area based psydub producer and multi-instrumentalist Illuminertia releases his newest EP Akasha, a downtempo and ambient trip hop album. 

Upon listening to this stunning EP you'll enter a sensual world of electronic meets organic instrumentation. The arrangements are comprised of organic beats, symphonic layerings and soaring female vocals.

It’s a highly danceable poly-rhythmic creation that will take you on an enchanted inspiring adventure with roots in global grooves, break beats, chill trap and divine orchestral arrangements. If you’re looking for an uplifting next level musical experience then this is it. Bandcamp here, and Facebook here.


'Akasha' is the first of six tracks in the new EP and the above description "electronic meets organic instrumentation" is spot on. This is a creative and delightful feast of trip hop music, absolutely wonderful!

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Equinox - Goodbye (feat Dementio13).

Background - British spoken word artist Equinox will be releasing 'Goodbye', a new dark ambient single with freaky electronic crafter Dementio13, who is renowned for his ambient, drum n bass and krautrock influenced work. This collaborative single is sure to please fans of Neu!, Anne Clark, Delia Derbyshire, Coil, John Cooper-Clarke and Throbbing Gristle.

Equinox explains: "It's about true love. One that you feel will never fade. One that will last for all time. Your lover is your best friend and will never leave your side. Then, the dark side of my poetry appears - the depression that has followed me all my adult life. All alone after the split. All is lost. Life descends into darkness. All is lost."

When William Blake penned his often recited poem 'Jerusalem' about the North West of England (more specifically East Lancashire), he could almost have been unwittingly setting the scene for the work of Equinox.  Those ‘dark Satanic mills’ are practically a metaphor for the depression that is prevalent within the poetry and the ‘mental fight’ that has virtually become a daily battle.

The poetry of Equinox takes no prisoners, with subject matter ranging from male suicide to prostitution, but with equal amounts of undying love and devotion. But Equinox isn't just about poems, but instead stands to break down some misconceptions about the spoken word genre. This artist is already working on his debut album 'It’s Hard To Be Happy When Your Head Is Full of Sin', which is planned for release in late spring 2017 and will involve numerous key musical influencers he's met over the last few years.

Dementio13 is a Cardiff-based producer, who makes music which has been variously described as 'ambient acide', 'electronic post-rock' and cinematic with Krautrock-influenced drones.Facebook here.


We have featured the occasional spoken word piece on Beehive Candy and 'Goodbye' really grabbed my attention, especially as the soundtrack is the perfect companion for the words, in this imaginative single.

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Tobin Sprout - A Walk Across The Human Bridge.

Background - Tobin Sprout's second single "A Walk Across The Human Bridge" has been released. How do you bring a child’s curiosity to life? For Tobin Sprout, formerly of indie rock icons Guided by Voices, the answer is to revisit it with the wounded tenor of an ageing piano man; someone searching, desperately, for his place in the cosmos. The Universe and Me is Sprout’s sixth solo album; hatched during a seven-year gestation period that included unearthing lost recordings (the single, “Future Boy Today/Man of Tomorrow” for one, was being saved for GBV), and digging through a treasure chest of memories in his home studio in Michigan, where Sprout composed behind his shambling grand piano and trembling, boyish voice. Each home recording was captured live with Sprout’s new band — which led to marvellous imperfections.

The Universe and Me takes  a deliberately primitive approach that focuses on feeling, as opposed to production. The result is a vague bridge  between the ballads of psych-era Beatles,  and the haunting vulnerability of Daniel Johnston’s Hi, How Are You?. It’s no surprise, then,  that Sprout penned and illustrated his own magical children’s books as The Universe and Me  plays like a deceptively dense reimagining of simple subjects like comic books, finding your purpose in life, and growing old.

Many of the 14 tracks acts like a diorama of a boy’s imagination, like “Future Boy/Man of Tomorrow,” which was inspired by Sprout's fascination with superheroes from his childhood. Not every song, however, is about Sprout’s childhood. “Walk Across the Human Bridge” is a heavy-hitting rocker driven by shredding and lyrics describing the decline of humanity. “Tomorrow  From Heaven” is about dealing with the sadness that follows death. Pasted together as a collage, as opposed to a rigid whole, and we have  the soundtrack to Tobin Sprout’s life

The Universe and Me will be available on Burger Records on January 27, with a limited pressing of a baby blue vinyl for the first 300 copies. Following the release, Sprout and his new band will embark on a nationwide tour. This will be his first tour in over a decade, supported by Burger Records, who’ll be reissuing Sprout’s mid-'90s Matador albums — Carnival Boy and Moonflower Plastic — in the months ahead. Website here.


Our second song feature from the 'The Universe And Me' is the second single 'A Walk Across The Human Bridge'. This is an energised rock song with the vocals well up in the mix and some potent guitar playing lurking just behind.

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James Parry - Every Weekend.

Background - Following the recent release of James Parry’s acclaimed album In The Lights, comes the new video for album track, ‘Every Weekend’. The ‘Every Weekend’ video follows a day in the life of a sleepy city, in keeping with the song's feeling of walking through honey.

Hobart filmmakers Alex Laird and S. Gerry Edwards used tilt-shift and time-lapse photography to capture the feeling of a place that’s both familiar and foreign. Hobart's lesser-known angles star as the day beats on in time with the music, a captivating grind that inspires the viewer to look at their own world from a slightly different angle.
 

In The Lights has travelled far and wide through not only Australian stations like FBi, Edge Radio, and Inner FM, but it’s made splashed on US airwaves as well. Sweet and juicy guitar riffs, deft drums and uplifting organ support James’ straight-shooting vocals, which tell a nostalgic tale of heady young love with a dark twist.

James has supported artists including Alex Lloyd, The Gin Club, Leah Flanagan, Jackson Dyer and Ryan Downey, and a review of Almost At The Ivory declared that James’, “signature voice and passionate harmonies have led him to become a solid gold chip in the Tasmanian wedge of Australian independent artists.” Website here and Facebook here.


It was not that long ago that we first featured James Parry and the song and video for 'Every Weekend' is to good to ignore. The vocals are a little edgy and the distinct guitar and unpretentious soundtrack all make for a very cool song.

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Thursday, 12 January 2017

Genre Wander: Greg Graffin - James McArthur - Torgeir Waldemar - Eureka California

Greg Graffin - Making Time.

Background - Greg Graffin, frontman of the iconic Los Angeles punk band Bad Religion as well as a renowned author, will be releasing a brand new solo album entitled Millport this March 10th via Anti- .

Millport delivers a stirring though perhaps unexpected reinterpretation of the classic Laurel Canyon country-rock sound alongside Graffin’s insightful lyricism, all propelled by some esteemed colleagues from the LA punk scene including Social Distortion members Jonny ‘Two Bags’ Wickersham, Brent Harding and David Hidalgo Jr., with Bad Religion co-founder Brett Gurewitz producing.  The resulting record is less a reinvention then a creative liberation -  a group of Los Angeles musicians at the peak of their game, playing a brand of music they genuinely love.

As Graffin explains, “This feels as exciting to me as when we made the Bad Religion record Suffer. Like everything had been leading up to the songs and they just happened totally organically in this short intense burst. I’m really just doing what I did back then, which is write songs that mean something to me and deliver them in a way that is completely honest.”

Album producer and Graffin’s longtime Bad Religion collaborator, Brett Gurewitz, adds, “It’s the two songwriters from Bad Religion and the rhythm section of Social Distortion, two influential LA punk bands, getting together to do an authentic country rock album, a genre most would think is the absolute antithesis of punk rock. But I think it sounds great. Both are iconic Southern California genres. It’s like the Laurel Canyon sound played by the kids who were smashing up the clubs a few years later.” Greg Graffin will be performing at the forthcoming 2017 SXSW Festival in March. Facebook here.


'Making Time' suggests that the March album release of Millport is something to look forward to. The juxtaposition of punk and country rock, is noted above, however this is a really fine song, and it may well be that the punk roots, will indeed keep the lyrics focused and intriguing.

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James McArthur - Burnt Moth.

Background - James McArthur releases new video for single 'Burnt Moth' taken from the album of the same name, due out January 20th. It takes place up, on the rooftops of London, with a setting sun and a simple delivery, to capture the peaceful, poignancy of the song. And with more news being promised for 2017, all eyes are on McArthur.

‘Burnt Moth’ is the second album from Welsh-born, London based folk singer/songwriter James McArthur. Having acquired years of experience as a stickman to various big names, he moved front stage to create his debut album “Strange Readings From The Weather Station” which was met with much well-deserved attention from the likes of Uncut, Prog and Record Collector.

This record captures modern folk at its best. James McArthur’s sincere yet tranquil vocals guide the wandering melodies of this album through the different folk scenes of the past, while the playful lyrics cast a contemporary feel onto a perhaps previously dusty setting. Songs as soft as sunlight trickling down through autumnal leaves are grounded by the sheer musical skill of McArthur and his intricate Jansch-like guitar plucking.

His previous release ‘Strange Readings From The Weather Station’, was showcased in the unique venue of a tiny caravan to audience members two at a time, now ‘Burnt Moth’ looks out on to a fresh site. Comforting and familiar yet with a perspective like no-one else’s, this collection of songs will grow with you from the moment you hear them. Website here.


The musical arrangement on 'Burnt Moth' is so well crafted and provides just the right background for James McArthur's gentle and melodic vocals. This is a real tease to check out the album!

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Torgeir Waldemar - The Bottom Of The Well.

Background - Torgeir Waldemar has shared the new track "Bottom Of The Well". The new album "No Offending Borders" will be released March 17 on Jansen Plateproduksjon.

Torgeir Waldemar took the Norwegian people and music press by surprise with his eponymous debut album in 2014. Who had thought that the black-clad, long-haired and bearded man would deliver an album that captivated and moved us as much as it did. An acoustic masterpiece that sounded like it came straight from the rehearsal room of a young troubadour from Laurel Canyon in the seventies.

While his previous album cultivated a pure, acoustic sound, we get more rock music this time, and for Torgeir Waldemar nothing is more natural. With his background as a guitar hero in various rock bands, it was only a question of time before distorted tones would assert themselves in his solo career. No Offending Borders is a gloriously composite work with both dead honest acoustic laments and grandiose rock songs.

The chair on the cover of No Offending Borders is from Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand. This is the chair that Wilhelm II, the King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany, was sitting in when he was told that World War I had started. Wilhelm II was a friend of Norway and spent much time on the west coast in the early 1900s. What would you have done if you were sitting in that chair and received that message? Sit down, think thoroughly about it, while you’re listening to No Offending Borders. Website here and Facebook here.


We first featured Torgeir Waldemar just over a month back and it's a pleasure to include the new track 'The Bottom Of The Well' today. This is a far more acoustic affair and has the powerful and passionate vocals to the fore. Torgeir is a fascinating artist, the new album sounds very promising.

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Eureka California - Wigwam.

Background - Eureka California announce January Southeast tour and debut new track 'Wigwam' from their upcoming 7". Release date is February 24th.

In just under a year since releasing their last album “Versus,” Eureka California are back with a new single,  “Wigwam.” The band had a set plan in mind when going into the studio: get in and knock it out and release a single to hold over ‘til recording the next full length. With “Versus” they went overseas to the UK and recorded with MJ at Suburban Home, but for “Wigwam” they decided to record here in their hometown of Athens, Georgia, with Dave Barbe (Sugar / Mercyland / Dave Barbe & the Quick Hooks) at his Chase Park Transduction Studio. Wasting no time, they recorded and mixed the single in one afternoon. A single on a tight budget, three tracks in under 8 minutes, hand-decorated sleeves -- everything about this is economical. Eureka California have two brand new tracks, “Wigwam” and “Only Birds (No Feathers)”, and a cover of Superchunk’s “Slack Motherfucker.”

Both the band and their label HHBTM Records wanted to make a statement with this single. The current trend is labels charging upwards of $7 for singles -- they are bringing the 7” pricing back down to reality and selling the single for $3 direct and hopefully no higher than $5 in stores (can’t really control how stores mark up records). By recording, mixing, and mastering in one session, and by  getting creative and DIY on the sleeve both, band and label can let them sell for roughly cost. There was a time when labels used singles like an advertisement to get people to buy the full length album. A promotional item. No one really thought of singles as something you do to make money. So, not only did HHBTM make the single $3, but went back and marked all their back catalog singles down to $3 as well. Facebook here.

January Tour Dates:
12th - Panama City, FL @ Mosey's
13th - St Petersburg, FL @ the Bends
14th - West Palm Beach, FL @ Respectable Street
16th - Jacksonville, FL @ Nighthawks
17th - Athens, GA @ Cine'
18th - Atlanta, GA @ 529.


'Wigwam' is a feisty and thunderous song, a good old rock'n'roller that cuts out the nonsense and just blasts any cobwebs away.

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Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Midweek Muse: A Valley Son - Loose Buttons - Jo Harman - Les Bohem

A Valley Son - In the Low Light of the Late Afternoon.

Background - “In The Low Light of the Late Afternoon", is the newest single from A Valley Son’s debut Sunset Park EP that they’re self-releasing on January 27th. The song tells a cautious tale, and perfectly showcases the bands’ harmony-laden, soulful rock & roll, following on the heels of the EP’s previous singles, “Lights In The Sky” and “Dark Places”.

As a band that is barely a year old, this collection of songs is simply a starting point for A Valley Son (whose name comes from the title of a deep cut from Grandaddy’s catalog), but it’s a strong one. Much like their home base of New York City, the group is an anomaly, comprised of three Southern transplants that grew up on Stax and Motown, and one Yonkers-born Gospel drummer turned bassist.

After seeing a generation of bands seemingly value aesthetics over substance, the four members vowed to make music that strips away all of the unnecessary decoration and puts songwriting, emotion and musicianship back at the forefront, and their debut EP does just that. Their songs aim to invoke a Sunday service as much as it does a barroom, and the stories the songs tell are no less truthful and honest than the playing. Facebook here.


Second time around on Beehive Candy for A Valley Son and another track from their extremely good EP this time we have 'In the Low Light of the Late Afternoon'. Last time we described their EP as a "mixture of alt rock and Americana (via southern rock and everything between!)". Hopefully you will find we were not overstating matters, with this fine new tune to share.

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Loose Buttons - Am I The Only Reason?

Background - Loose Buttons release the new track "Am I The Only Reason" followed by their forthcoming EP, Sundays due Feb 24, 2017.

The promising quartet met while playing for different local bands as teens, eventually coming together and releasing their debut EP, Damage Gallery,in 2014. Since then, Loose Buttons have honed in on a blend of new wave and pop that is all their own.

The band comprises of Eric Nizgretsky, Zack Kantor, Manny Silverstein and Adam Holtzberg. Facebook here.


It was a month a go today that we featured Loose Buttons for the first time and the new song 'Am I The Only Reason?' is also deserving of a feature. In December we said "Straight down the line indie rock is taken up a notch or two, with some melodic guitar work and vocals that just draw you in". With the new song things are a little more gentle however the band have a consistently good sound and demonstrate their ability to deliver a fine melody as well.

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Jo Harman - When We Were Young.

Background - Award-winning soul and blues singer-songwriter Jo Harman will release her much anticipated second studio album, People We Become, on February 3rd. Recorded in Nashville with producer Fred Mollin (Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, Carly Simon, Jimmy Webb) the album features soul legend Michael McDonald (The Doobie Brothers) on the first single “When We Were Young.”

Raised in Southwest England, Harman found success on her own terms with her debut, Dirt On My Tongue. The album was released independently in 2013 and supported by a touring schedule that found Harman sharing the stage with icons like Patti Smith, Joan Baez and Sinead O’Connor. Dirt On My Tongue was embraced with particular devotion by the blues community in the U.K., with Harman racking up more than a half-dozen nominations from the British Blues Awards.

People We Become marks the biggest leap of Harman’s career. While a winter storm raged outside, Harman and Mollin holed up inside Nashville’s famed Sound Emporium Studio for three weeks, focusing on a warm sound — full of upright piano, Rhodes, unaffected bursts of electric guitar, and the soulful sweep of Harman’s voice — that contrasted with the town’s snowy weather. The most striking instrument on the album is Harman’s voice, sharpened by her years on the road, and sounding better than ever.

A veteran of the UK festival circuit, Harman released the live album Live at the Royal Albert Hall in 2014. She’ll make her US debut at Joe’s Pub in New York City on March 28. Additional tour dates will be announced soon. Facebook here.


Whether its Blues, Soul or even something with a little hint of Nashville about it, Jo Harman delivers as 'When We Were Young' more than capably demonstrates. Adding Michael McDonald into the equation gives the song some well placed supporting vocals, however I think it fair to say Jo Harman has firmly put her stamp on this track, as her song!

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Les Bohem - Fancy Footwork.

Background - Les Bohem was part of the great Los Angeles music scare of the early 1980s.  His band, Gleaming Spires, had a cultish hit with their single, “Are You Ready For the Sex Girls‚” (if you ever saw Revenge of the Nerds, you know it).  At the same time, he was holding down a day job as the bass player with the band Sparks. 

After this burgeoning career in rock and roll stopped burgeoning, he found a job writing screenplays about rock and roll musicians whose careers had stopped burgeoning. But no one makes movies about rock and roll musicians whose careers etc, and so he wrote A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5, The Horror Show, and bits and pieces of several other memorable epics.

Eventually, Twenty Bucks—a movie he wrote based on a 1935 script by his dad, Endre, a screenwriter and producer from the 1920s through the 1970s— was developed in both the Sundance writers and directors labs.  The film earned critical raves and several awards, including an Independent Spirit Award.

Bohem’s other feature film screenwriting credits include Daylight, Dante’s Peak, The Alamo, Kid, Nowhere To Run, and The Darkest Hour. He also wrote and execute produced the mini-series Taken with Steven Spielberg.  Les won an Emmy for Taken, as well as a Television Critics Award and a Saturn award.  He and Taken were also nominated for a Golden Globe and a Writers Guild award   Right now, he's executive producing the first season of Shut Eye, a show that he created. It is set to premiere on Hulu this December.  His short novel, Flight 505, was published by UpperRubberBoot last year, and his short story, “Geister,” is included in Blumhouse Books’ inaugural offering, Book of Horrors. 

Les has never stopped playing music. He's had songs recorded by Emmylou Harris, Randy Travis, Freddy Fender, Steve Gillette, Johnette Napolitano (of Concrete Blonde), Alvin (of the Chipmunks), and the awesome Misty Martinez.  He wrote and performs Walk On Well Lighted Streets, the title song for Shut Eye.  He has just finishing recording his first solo album, Moved to Duarte. Facebook here, and Website here.


With twenty one tracks on the album 'Fancy Footwork' is but a small taste of whats to be heard. This is a truly delightful collection of songs, so much so, it enables me to say for the first time this year, if you like the featured song, the album is a must have...

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Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Tuesdays Alternative Take: Klasey Jones - Khodara - The Proper Ornaments - Anna of the North

Klasey Jones - Cement.

Background - Plastician’s Terrorhythm imprint have been breathing plenty of life into the mutated, hybrid club sounds emerging from both UK and US beat-makers over the past two years, crucially spotlighting producers like Ganz, AWE, Patrick Brian and JD Reid for the first time.

The latest name to emerge from the camp, Klasey Jones, has been bubbling under for the past year, with his tracks earning heavy rotation on Plastician’s Rinse FM show in particular — itself often a valuable resource for those seeking a link between grime, drill and instrumental, cloud-wave rap. Jones’ debut EP — the widescreen, cinematic ‘Foreign Buyers Club’ — is a profound case in point, linking the above sub-genres with flashes of 80s synth music, anime OSTs and some genuinely one-of-a-kind sound design.

At five tracks long, Jones is also able to explore the variants to his sound fully across the EP; see the morbid dystopia of opener ‘Area 55’ for example, or conversely, the hazy, string-led romance on ‘Gang Gang’. With over 150 instrumentals currently sat on his hardrive, Jones’ potential is limitless, but ‘Foreign Buyers Club’ serves as the perfect introduction to where he’s headed. Facebook here.


Awash with layers of rich and vibrant synths 'Cement' is one of five tracks on the EP. On the featured track the rhythm comes and goes and for moments the synths just swirl around deciding perhaps where to go next. This is both imaginative and creative music.

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Khodara - Billie.

Background - "Billie" is the first single off of Khodara's newest EP of the same title, out 3/17. 'Billie' will come out just months after her debut EP 'Where's Your Love?' , which was released on 12/13.

Khodara’s second EP entitled Billie – EP is a slower collection of pop songs, reflecting on the artist’s journey to date.  Produced and co-written once again by Billy Pavone, the 4-song EP has been compared to the XX and Phantogram while vocally recalling an early Madonna or a more refined Lana del Rey.  The purity of Khodara’s heart shines through in the lyrics.  Billie – EP’s overall message of overcoming fear is what young women around the world need to hear right now.


Website here and Facebook here.

With it's slow and easy beat 'Billie' is one very fine song. Melodic vocals gently build and then drift back into the atmospheric vibes. High quality pop music is alive and well with Khodara.

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The Proper Ornaments - Bridge By A Tunnel.

Background - The Proper Ornaments – the project of James Hoare (Ultimate Painting, Veronica Falls) and Max Oscarnold (Toy) – will release their sophomore album 'Foxhole' on January 20 via Slumberland Records (US) and Tough Love Records (ROW).

You can catch the band on their UK/European tour which kicks off later this month. Full list of tour dates listed below. Facebook here.

Tour Dates:
01/22 Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club (Games Room)
01/23 Glasgow, UK - Mono
01/24 Birmingham, UK - The Hare & Hounds
01/25 Brighton, UK - The Joker
01/26 London, UK - Moth Club
01/28 Lille, FR - Le BiPlan
01/29 Lyon, FR - Sonic
01/30 Luzern, CH - Gewerbehalle
01/31 Lausanne, CH - Le Romandie
02/01 Winterthur, CH - Albani Music Club
02/02 Heidelberg, DE - Karlstorbahnhof
02/03 Berlin, DE - Marie Antoinette
02/04 Copenhagen, DK - Loppen
02/05 Hamburg, DE - MS Stubnitz
02/07 Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
02/08 Utrecht, NL - ACU
02/09 Rotterdam, NL - V11
02/10 Paris, FR - La Mecanique Ondulatoire


We have already featured a couple of tracks from the forthcoming album release and as the band are consistently turning out refined material and have some tour dates to share here is the latest song they have shared 'Bridge By A Tunnel'. This is a more laid back piece with fine harmonies and a superbly calm vibe throughout.

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Anna of the North - Oslo.

Background - Electronic duo Anna of the North (Anna Lotterud & Brady Daniell-Smith) today unveil new single “Oslo”, transporting you to a crisp, wintery walk through the streets of their city. It’s an icy, reflective synth-pop cut which beautifully marries the coldness of the climate with the warm sensation of home.  It’s got all the allure and emotion we now expect from Anna of the North, and follows the success of Anna & Brady’s previous singles “Sway”, “The Dreamer” “Baby” and most recently “Us”.

The idea for the track came from a photo of the city that Brady from the band had, “I’d never been to Oslo. It seemed so untouched and really captured my imagination”. The song began to form a few winters back, written as gift for a group of homesick Norwegian friends that Brady had met in Australia. He continues, "I met Anna soon after and we finished it together - she brought an authenticity to it that makes it feel like a love letter to the city."

Anna Of The North have recently played Pitchfork Music Festival, completed an arena tour with Kygo, as well as a run of UK shows with Liss. The band play Eurosonic Festival on Jan 13th. Further live dates to be announced soon. ‘Oslo’ is out now via Honeymoon / Different Recordings. Facebook here.

Back in August last year we first featured Anna of the North and said of the song 'Us' at the time "a smooth electro song with a hypnotic groove and Anna Lotterud wonderful vocals". Fast forward till today and the new piece 'Oslo' confirms that the duo are more than capable of exceeding expectations, this is a beautiful song.

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Cactus Lee - Sons of Sevilla - Gwenno

Cactus Lee - Got A Heart Like Rainwater Blues. This spring Cactus Lee released a new self-titled album (with R. Crumb artwork) via the este...