Tuesday, 11 April 2017

FAERS - Wes John Cichosz - Saints Patience - Corner Suns - PANGEA

FAERS - Everything You Know.

Background - FAERS’ singer Steven Anderson-Howard met his future bandmates at his popular weekly indie night Club Yuck in Uxbridge in early 2015. Named after his label, the event showcases groups he’s signed alongside guest DJ slots from established bands. A bond quickly formed between the London five-piece and they released their debut EP ‘WAVES’ in October that year. Before long they were selling out shows in London and Brighton and netting support slots with JAWS, Native People and The Cribs. Having sold out Barfly, The Borderline, and single launches at The Water Rats and The Lexington, alongside appearances at the Y Not, Penn and Camden Rocks festivals, 

FAERS are rapidly growing a loyal fanbase thanks to their intriguing melange of afrobeat and psychedelic indie. Staunch wireless support has come from John Kennedy at Radio X and Gary Crowley on BBC Introducing. Throughout the coming year FAERS’ fanbase will undoubtedly grow. Their raw, visceral sound and effortless songwriting is channelled through their electrifying chemistry when they perform together. With a host of new material that will showcase new frontiers for the group, FAERS may well prove to be one of the most vital acts in the capital, and by extension, the nation.

Sounding like an instant summer festival classic with its high-octane riffs and explosive band chemistry, ‘Everything You Know’ is an adrenaline-inducing dance floor anthem. Loaded with hooks that stay with you long after the song has ended, FAERS have lit upon an invigorating brand of psychedelic afro-funk tinged indie rock. ‘Everything You Know’ is the first release from a crop of tracks created during songwriting sessions late last year. After a week of jamming at an undisclosed location far from any towns and cities in the UK, FAERS ventured to Gothenburg to capture the new sounds they’d constructed with alongside Warner-affiliated producer and long-time friend Anders Largerfors. 

Whilst there, they engaged with the thriving local scene and invited Pale Honey vocalist Tuva Lodmark to sing on the song. The result is an infectious and eclectic pop classic that highlights the effortless cohesion of its writers. Website here, Facebook here, live details on Beehive Candy's tour page.

'Everything You Know' combines intense guitar fronted indie rock with a twist of funk, alongside some feisty vocals that sound just right. Fresh and full of hooks.

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Wes John Cichosz - Everybody Says.

Background - Wes began playing on the Chicago club scene at age 15 with a variety of jazz and rock acts. Shortly thereafter he received a full scholarship to University of Illinois at Chicago where he won the prestigious Bar Association Music Award. During this time he also had the opportunity to play in the orchestra for the lost Duke Ellington musical, Jump for Joy.

In the 90's he was a part of Chicago's Wicker Park music scene performing regularly with members of Tortoise and Wilco.  As a regular studio musician at Gravity Studios he performed on numerous recordings including the Grammy Nominated, self-titled album Studebaker John and the Hawks. More recently, Wes played a tenor sax solo for Phil Collins on a tribute record for his dear friend legendary songwriter, John Martyn. Wes has played with or opened for War, Ziggy Marley, Maceo Parker, Smashing Pumpkins, Guster, 3 Dog Night, Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), Adrian Belew, Oz Noy, Dave Weckl, Tony Williams, Umphree’s McGee, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Tributosaurus, Robert Irving and Richard Patterson (Miles Davis), and Rolling Stones sidemen Jack Leavell, Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler (and many more).

A competent multi-instrumentalist, Wes performs in various capacities including solo vocal/acoustic, blues trio, and jazz quartet. Some groups he is integral to include ChiNola (Chicago Blues meets New Orleans Funk and Soul), The Improbable Thursays (Experimental Groove/Jazz) as well as his own progressive-rock-meets-singer-songwriter group, WJC. Chicago DJ Richard Milne of WXRT 93.1 once described Wes's music as "...unlike anything going down in the town." Wes has recorded/produced numerous artists over the years including Dave Tamkin, Scottie Long, Typhanie Monique, and Cameron McGill. A capable arranger, he is currently the music director/guitarist/singer/saxophonist for Arlen Music Productions 17 piece orchestra, Evolution. Wes resides in Chicago and continues to write, record, produce and perform hundreds of dates per year. 

In The Moon Threads a Needle, guitarist/saxophonist/singer/songwriter Wes John Cichosz (Chee-Hoas) seamlessly weaves elements of rock, blues, jazz, and folk into an intensely personal album. Website here, Bandcamp here.

The first of thirteen songs on the new album is 'Everybody Says'. The album embraces so many musical directions, that this track is just a small taste of what follows. The above description that states " Wes seamlessly weaves elements of rock, blues, jazz, and folk" is absolutely spot on. Individual songs can morph across genres, or take on a specific style as an anchor point. Quality and feeling dominate the whole album, it's creative and passionate, and worthy of listening to in full.

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Saints Patience - Taste Of You.

Background - About ‘Taste Of You’. A certified funk-rock fusion treat, ‘Taste Of You’ is a candid declaration of love and lust which, according to Saints Patience frontman Mudibu, is “about opening up to someone and letting them know your secrets and desires; asking them to let go and trust their instinct”. This he expresses in a vocal both hugely soulful and raw – “Heaven knows, forever you’ll be close to me” – while a wonderfully rotund bassline, shuddering synths and wah-wah guitar coalesce into one distinctly disco-flavoured belter. ‘Taste Of You’ is essentially a sexy, catchy pop song with a chorus hook that’s primed for the airwaves. Don’t touch that dial.

About Saints Patience and ‘Weather The Storm’ “We’ve created something epic, something exciting and captivating.” Essentially the project of two London-based musicians, multi-instrumentalist Spencer and vocalist Mudibu, Saints Patience place melody and groove front and centre in a thrilling audio format that mixes the classic and the contemporary by following the lead of such timeless artists as Queen, Otis Redding, Led Zeppelin and The Wailers. Their songs, enhanced live by artisanal musicians taking on rhythm section duties, are cohesive amalgamations of Spencer’s prolific guitar jams and improv sessions in his home studio, which Mudibu, formerly of Mantilla, Lostchild and The Jezebel Sextet, enhances via his rich and powerful voice. 

This intuitive pair – “You know it’s good when you just look at each other and smile” – have now collected the best of their writings into their debut album ‘Weather The Storm’, recorded using valve amps and minimal gear at Spencer’s studio and thus exuding a fresh and dynamic analogue vibe. Indeed, to control the sound during recording the band used loads of old duvets and blankets, covered up the windows and warned the neighbours. Proper old-school! In Mudibu’s words, the album captures “an expression of emotions that are both political and relational in context. It's a sifting through of what really resonates with oneself and the surrounding environment. The same emotions can be individual but they are experienced by many in varied contexts. The notion of bravery in the face of these emotional challenges is implied in the album title "Weather The Storm’. Website here, Facebook here.

Back in July of last year we first featured Saints Patience and without hesitation it's a delight to do so again. New song 'Taste Of You' is a fabulously funky affair which manifests soulful vibes against a soundtrack that is seemingly on fire. Floor filling and mood lifting, this is a band to watch out for.

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Corner Suns - The Rattle In The Room.

Background - Brandon Carr of folk-psychedelia band The Earlies and John Dufilho of experimental pop group The Apples In Stereo and indie rockers The Deathray Davies have joined forces to create Corner Suns.

Combining neo-psych and baroque pop the Dallas based band released their eponymous debut via ??Idol Records in ?January 2017 after Dufilho tempted Carr back into music following a period during which Carr says he'd "given up on it". Corner Suns' memorable melodies, catchy hooks and insightful lyrics, influenced by the likes of The Zombies, Magnetic Fields, and The Shins, are all evident on new single 'The Rattle in the Room', providing ample proof that this is a musical pairing worth coming out of retirement for.

Asked about Corner Suns' sound, John says "To me, Corner Suns sounds like The Deathray Davies, The Apples in Stereo, The Earlies, John Singer Sergeant, CLIFFFS – all rolled into one record. It’s actually beyond that. Dallas bands I’ve played with and loved, recording engineer friends of mine I’ve learned from… I’m lucky to have people like Brandon to collaborate with, as it’s a million times better than on my own. More fun, too." The Rattle in the Room is released in Idol Records on 12th May 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

'The Rattle In The Room' is a vibrant and snappy song, with a tuneful soundtrack providing the back drop for some upbeat vocals and breezy harmonies.


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PANGEA - Something Bad.

Background - “Something Bad represents the self-destructive search for passion. To find a love so consuming that it will drive you to insanity; it’s about wondering how far you can go before you break.” Slye, PANGEA.

Ever felt so intensely about something or someone that you’ve been driven to actions you deeply regret? That’s the consequential dilemma at the heart of ‘Something Bad’, the smart debut release from Liverpool quartet PANGEA. Dropping with a taut groove, punctuated with Nile Rodgers-like guitar chops, tasteful lead licks and on-point vocal harmonies, ‘Something Bad’ is a slice of crisp indie funk blossoming into a deliciously catchy chorus. 

By the time those exuberant riffs kick back in after the tune’s refined breakdown, it’s clear from the dexterous drum fills, full-blooded guitar lines and hook-heavy vocals that PANGEA are four musicians lost in their music – and this is our invitation to join them. ‘Something Bad’, produced by AQ, was recorded and mastered at Liverpool’s renowned Parr St Studios.

PANGEA have a refreshingly direct mission statement for a band of indie inclinations – make the people dance. A supertight unit forged at the University of Liverpool, the four-piece meld slick yet visceral funk grooves with euphonic pop melodics. Slye, Levi, Paul and Kieren bring something new to the contemporary soundscape by channelling the energy of Seventies and Eighties greats into songs of relevance to the fledgling 21st-century. 

Shades of US titans like Prince, Chic and Funkadelic colour PANGEA’s material, as does the dynamic edge of the modern British indie scene, notably bands such as Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. The resultant songs are primed for their listeners to move to – and be moved by – as notions of unity, passion and introspection are transmitted through immersive grooves and intelligent lyrics. Here is a band founded on a policy of arch yet danceable pop, and with their irresistible debut single, PANGEA are taking that message to the masses. Facebook here.

Immediately the song begins, a funky and appealing musical foundation is laid. 'Something Bad' certainly delivers on the bands intention to provide good danceable music, they also clearly have a informed ear, for melody and memorable music.

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Monday, 10 April 2017

Djustin - Lusid - Kate Nash - Twilight Fields

Djustin - New Preset.

Background - Djustin "New Preset" - new single. Just two weeks after the release of Te Legends' Nightshift album, Sweden’s Johan Angergård returns alongside longtime American confidant, Rose Suau, to release Djustin's debut album, Voyagers on May 5.

Voyagers is a glittering, sensual exploration into an unchartered and fully-electrified universe. It is a tale of "Future Love", where a newly-conscious, idealized romanticism is propelled by contagious dance beats, synth-driven melodies, and sweetly seductive vocals. The soundscape is sophisticated and visionary, yet the stories are intimate and relatable. "Voyagers" is a journey through a spectrum of emotional highs and lows: from the apex of adult infatuation and desire, to the darkest abyss  of disconnection and existentialism. Every detail from beat, hook, and lyrical lexicon is unveiled deftly. Clearly, Rose and Johan wouldn't surrender anything less.  

Djustin's existence seemed to crystallize due to the forces of quantum entanglement, a pull of energies which was always inevitable. At many points in their personal lives, Johan and Rose had walked separate but parallel paths. The Swedish-American pair were both born as middle children in the same year, exactly 13 days and an ocean apart. Both spent their musical formative years finding footing in remarkably different settings; Johan grew up in pastoral Ǻhus, Sweden, while Rose grew up in suburbs outside the birthplace of techno, Detroit, Michigan. Website here, Facebook here

Dazzling synths and a driving beat provide a rich backdrop for the atmospheric vocals on 'New Preset' a song that suggests the album Voyagers will appeal to many, many electronic music lovers.

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Lusid - Plotting A Murder.

Background - Lusid release sublime debut single "Plotting A Murder." Warm, melancholic and dynamic. 10 seconds into ”Plotting a Murder”, the debut single from Stockholm, Sweden, based five piece Lusid, it’s impossible not to get drawn into their dreamy soundscape - a lonely piano, then airy vocals, and so the drums kick in.

With a sound that is reminiscent of what we love most about 60’s and 70’s analogue music, Lusid presents themselves with high quality song writing and sublime vocal arrangements. A new band for a new thing.

A full EP called "Legend" will be released in June 2017. Facebook here.

Whilst 'Plotting A Murder' is not on my one thousand things to do list, it makes for a beautiful song. Musically this is an elegant, fabulously crafted track, that matches the intimate beauty of the vocals. Together they provide a memorable and exquisite modern pop song.

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Kate Nash - Call Me.

Background - Zone 5’s favourite Kate Nash announces a brand new EP ‘Agenda’ and that it will be available digitally on the 21st April and as an exclusive vinyl at this year’s Record Store Day (22nd April) for which she is an ambassador. ‘Agenda’ will be Kate’s first official release since 2013 and features live favourites such as ‘My Little Alien’ as well as new single ‘Call Me’.

Kate says about her new single: “‘Call me’ is about going through a lot of stuff and surviving it, hitting your lowest point and coming back from that. Once you have you can help other people get through it too, it's about pain being useful as it can be used as advice and support and wisdom when other friends/loved ones go through rough patches. Call on me when you go through it.”

Kate has also recently announced the 10-year anniversary of her platinum selling, Brit-Award winning debut album 'Made Of Bricks'. Kate will be touring the album over the summer including a show at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire. A limited run of original pink 'Made In Bricks' vinyl will be available on the tour. A lot has happened to Kate, since the release of ‘Made Of Bricks’ back in 2007 - failed relationships, record label fall-outs, punk record releases, a relocation to the other side of the world...  Despite all this the singer-songwriter-come-activist retains her heroic spirit, possessed of an impervious rebellion and a lightness of being that makes her ‘give-a-f[]k?’ honesty even more contagious. Everything seems to be coming full circle.

In other news, Kate Nash has been confirmed to play Rhonda is the upcoming Netflix Original series “G.L.O.W.” Produced by award winning Jenji Kohan (Weeds, Orange is the new Black), “G.L.O.W” (aka Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) was created by Liz Flahive (Homeland) and Carly Mensch (Orange Is The New Black) and is a 10-episode comedy inspired by the real story of the 1980s female wrestling league. Tour details on Beehive Candy's tour page, Facebook here, website here.

'Call Me' has passion, energy and plenty of that Kate Nash style, which typifies her continued ability to provide top class music whether it be indie pop like this or something a whole lot deeper.

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Twilight Fields - Lost.

Background - Twilight Fields is from Northern Canada and makes a mixture of atmospheric and psychedelic rock and influences from progressive rock, ambient, dream-pop, psych-folk and shoegaze. This music asks big questions about life and loss; it's serious music for serious-minded people.

The second Twilight Fields album "Consolamentum" is a post-rock singer-songwriter album that deals with a number of difficult subjects such as depression, betrayal, loss, and disconnection in an increasingly fractured society but also offers the power of unconditional hope, determination, and love as the solution to these ills. 

The album's musical influences stem from a variety of sources, including post-rock, dream pop, ambient, post-punk, psychedelic rock, acid-folk and progressive rock. Bandcamp here.

'Lost' is one of eleven tracks on the new 'Consolamentum' album. I was very impressed by the previous offering by Twilight Field, and although this sees the music shift towards a more post rock feel overall, the ideas, creativity and variety are there in abundance. 


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Sunday, 9 April 2017

System Corporation - Singer Sargent - No Win - Gothic Tropic - Eileen Carey

System Corporation - Dismal Universal Hiss.

Background - New Zealand’s System Corporation Announce Debut Single 'Dismal Universal Hiss'. New Zealand rock outfit System Corporation are releasing their debut single ‘Dismal Universal Hiss’ well ahead of their debut album ‘Fiction Dept.’, slated for release in late 2017.

System Corporation began in 2011, based on a conversation between Phil Somervell (The Datsuns) and their long standing engineer Scott Newth about swapping demos. The two were sharing a flat in Stockholm while The Datsuns were working on their fifth album ‘Death Rattle Boogie’. 

Scott began work on producing the demos, cutting them up, rearranging them, and adding vocals. They became a trio when they enlisted fellow Datsuns’ bandmate Ben Cole (also from The Joint Chiefs) on drums, and then evolved into a five-piece when Scott started working on his own demos for the project, finally enlisting his brothers and bandmates Andrew and Kent Newth (Rumpus Room) to help flesh them out. However, the original trio ended up collaborating on a number of new songs, giving System Corporation two distinct songwriting avenues.  

The band’s debut single ‘Dismal Universal Hiss’ could easily have been written about the rise of Trump or Brexit. But it wasn’t – it was written at the time of the Occupy Wall Street movement and the rise of the so-called 99%, mass protests, and rallying against a broken system that creates ill-gotten wealth and sucks it into a vacuum unattainable by the mere masses. Dismal Universal Hiss will be released on April 28 and will be made available via usual online platforms, but can already be ordered through the band’s Bandcamp here. Website here, Facebook here.

Powerful full on guitar rock, with vocals that glide sky high above the roar of 'Dismal Universal Hiss' makes for a fabulous anthem like song. The track packs commitment and emotion, this is one top class debut single.


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Singer Sargent - Western Life.

Background - You just know it’s real when you hear his voice, one that comes out of a heart that’s been broken more than once. It’s in the raw soul of a singer with a working man's charm that's not afraid of the fierce intelligence behind life’s pain. Singer/songwriter Tim Sargent’s debut song-cycle is superbly produced by Phillip Peterson (Portugal the Man, Shaprece) and comes out June 2nd on new label House of Breaking Glass. 

Working under the banner of Singer Sargent, the songs from  An Ordinary Life were lovingly woodshedded on an acoustic guitar at open mic's in Seattle, near a campfire on the beach and sometimes in the near dark. 

The songs were then brought to Phillip Peterson. They collaborated and exchanged ideas, tracking and sometimes re-tracking until the groove felt right. Tim played the acoustic and electric guitars. Phillip on bass, cellos, organ, horns & percussion. Andrew Barkau had a beautiful turn at the drums, with the legendary drummer Hal Blaine in the talks leading up to the session. Steve Norman took it in a new direction with his pedal steel, which works deftly on the pop songs. Shane McDonald handled the keys, whose understatements speak volumes. 

First single ”Western Life" is an almost verbatim account of a five year span during his twenties, except there was three boys, not "a boy and a girl." 

The first of thirteen songs that make up 'An Ordinary Life' is the single 'Western Life'. This is an exceptional album that should appeal to lovers of country & country rock, alt rock and Americana for starters. Or if you just like melodic variety, intelligent lyrics and a stylish engaging singer who is surrounded by excellent musicians and vocal harmonies that make you tingle, this might just become your brand new favourite album.

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No Win - Crooked Heart.

Background - No Win shares "Crooked Heart" his latest single which is available via Dangerbird Records. Beer soaked bloody nose broken heart...this is what LA's No Win does best.  The solo project of Musician/Producer/Engineer Danny Nogueiras, is rife with honesty, distortion and great songs!  With a little help from his friends Max Keuhn (Fidlar), Brandon Schwartzel (Fidlar), Marshall Vore (Ryan Adams, Phoebe Bridgers), and David Jerkovich (Kind of Like Spitting).  No Win’s two new singles “Crooked Heart” and “You’ll Be Fine” out via Dangerbird keeps us up to speed with, and wanting more of No Win’s straight up, unapologetic brand of rock and roll. Just imagine if The Replacements got into a bar fight with Teenage Fanclub and somehow Superchunk ends up with the black eye...That’s No Win.

Microdose is a monthly single release and live event series celebrating new music from our neighborhood (LA's Eastside) and beyond. This platform will serve as a launchpad for up-and-coming artists, uniting and expanding our artistic community.  Monthly singles will include an A-side and B-side, and each artist will perform live at Dangerbird's Silver Lake based HQ/event space. "A good old fashioned keg party for the artist, their community and the neighborhood as a whole. Dangerbird Records here.

'Crooked Heart' is one of those songs that just gets a good feeling vibe going, and then digs it's hooks in deep. Likable Alt rock delivered with warmth and feeling.

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Gothic Tropic - Your Soul.

Background - Los Angeles’ Gothic Tropic have shared "Your Soul" the fourth single off the upcoming album 'Fast or Feast' due May 19th on Old Flame Records. 

The brainchild of Cecilia Della Peruti, Gothic Tropic keeps the vibe playful and punchy, bringing audiences into a new era of female rock nobility, nodding to stars like Debbie Harry, and Chrissie Hynde. 

Delivering a blend of Richard Lloyd and Nile Rodgers on guitar, Gothic Tropic’s Della Peruti has won sponsorships with Fender, and leading pedal manufacturers, and works professionally as a touring and session player for Charli XCX, BØRNS, and more. Old Flame records pre-order here. Facebook here.

This is fifth time around on Beehive Candy for Gothic Tropic and the fourth single ahead of May's album release is 'Your Soul'. Clearly their music has won me over, in fact they now hold our House Band status!

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Eileen Carey - Good Bad Girl.

Background - Award-winning singer-songwriter Eileen Carey recently grabbed music industry headlines when New Music Weekly named her its 2017 Crossover Artist of the Year. Gracefully breaking down the barriers between country and pop, Carey is at it once again as she blurs the line between naughty and nice in her flirtatious feel-good new single "Good Bad Girl."

Having recently starred at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN, Eileen Carey is also thrilled with both the immediate and possible long-term effects of her NMW award: “This award is particularly satisfying because it reflects the opinions of the radio music directors, programming, and industry folks. They’re the ones who can make a big difference in your career.”

Eileen Carey continues to post in her new blog, The Music Mom. The Music Mom reveals Carey's desire to positively impact others via the sharing of her experiences and wisdom: “The world is filled with ups and downs, so I want to help people see things in a more positive light and find a better place in life.” The Music Mom here, Facebook here.

Another slice of country music full of pop sensibilities is 'Good Bad Girl'. No wonder the award mentioned above, this is straight and honest popular music that has feel good tattooed all over it.

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Saturday, 8 April 2017

Polar States - The 27 - Nacho Londono - Sleep Party People - The Bandicoots - Future Lives

Polar States - Gold.

Background - Emerging Indie Rockers Polar States from Liverpool are back with a brand new single called "Gold" (Release: 7.4.17) taken from the band's upcoming debut EP "Electric". Championed by BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq, up and coming Indie four-piece Polar States from Liverpool have exploded locally and nationally, selling out the Liverpool o2 Academy twice and completing a 10 date UK tour in support of their previous single Elizabeth, which was added to the BBC Radio 1 ‘Best Of Introducing’ playlist and the Topshop playlist.

Now the band is back with a fresh new offering called “Gold” taken from their soon to be released debut EP “Electric”. The song embodies everything Polar States stand for: Huge melodies, sparkling guitar riffs and smart lyrics. According to the band the song is about valuing what you have. 

“The ‘million in my heart line’ was basically a way of saying you should see wealth not in terms of money, but in terms of the people around you whom matter.” – Paul Tong (Vocals/Guitar)

In 2016 the band also appeared at Liverpool Sound City, Tramlines and X&Y Festival in addition to supporting Clean Cut Kid, The Japanese House, We Were Promised Jetpacks and more. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on the Beehive Candy tour page.

Polar States have created a very catchy indie rock song with 'Gold'. The vocals are well up in the mix and could provide the melody alone, however the band are equal in their contribution and give the song additional vibrancy.

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The 27 - All The Time.

Background - With the irrepressible vintage vibes of ‘Call Me A Friend’ applauded by critics, four-piece male harmony group The 27 are now set to release the unforgettable sing-along ‘All The Time’. With the authentic roots driven harmony-pop on ‘Call Me A Friend resonating well with fans, racking up over 100,00 views on Youtube and close to 50,000 on Spotify. The 27 shake up the formula on ‘All The Time’ without losing the core sound that got your hips shaking. Calling on a plethora of influences, ‘All The Time’ boasts the timelessness of The Beatles, the hook of Lord Huron and guitar skills akin to Eric Clapton, all delivered with the harmonies of The Everly Brothers.

Lead vocalist Henry spent six eventful years seeking like-minded musicians, searching for a sound and experiencing the highs, lows and heartbreak you’ll hear in his lyrics. Along the way, he has played covers in pubs on David Bowie’s vintage Gibson guitar, shared stages with country music star Margo Price, travelled to Nashville to write, recorded an ill-fated album in L.A. while living in the laundry room of a hair salon and spent a summer working as a guitar tech, prepping Coldplay’s guitars for a tour.

The Oxfordshire-based group have enlisted the support of The Next Room Productions, and legendary musician Clem Cattini also contributes, having worked with the likes of Nirvana, The Kinks, Paul McCartney and Dusty Springfield and many others across his stellar career.

The 27, comprising of Henry Parker, David Page, Tom Michell, Alex Tschaikowsky, have already received glowing reviews and significant streaming support and are now ready to reveal the full scope of their talent through a versatile body of work due later this year. Facebook here.

This is a modern enough sounding song, however the chorus harmonies on 'All The Time' take us hurtling back to the sixties! The music and vocals are highly professional and thankfully not overly polished allowing room for a natural and lively feeling to shine through.


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Nacho Londono - Abiertos.

Background - Fresh off his GrassRoots Live! debut, Colombian singer-songwriter, Nacho Londoño, will perform this Sunday, April 9th at Morning Glory presented by Craft and Sounds and taking place at Woodfers Cafe in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. Providing quality entertainment to the local community, Londoño headlines the free event that includes performances by Miami's independent artists, Dama Vicke, and Minimal and top sets by a few of Miami's talented DJs.

The live performance, a blend of folk and experimental pop-rock, includes Nacho Londoño on vocals and guitar, Sammy Gonzalez on bass, Moises 'Moi' Linares on drums, and Charles 'Chip' Gardner on keyboards. Setting the atmosphere at 11:00 a.m. with a DJ set, the all-ages happening will also include crafts, a group of eclectic vendors, a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as organic food provided by Woodfers Cafe kitchen truck. Facebook here.

I have not got a clue what Nacho is singing about on 'Abiertos', that said his vocals are just so charismatic and the music so well crafted, this song had to be included.

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Sleep Party People - The Missing Steps.

Background - Sleep Party People have announced a new album Lingering, due out June 2 2017 through Joyful Noise Recordings. Written, recorded, produced and performed entirely by Danish multi-instrumentalist Brian Batz, Lingering - featuring collaborations with The Antlers’ Peter Silberman & Air vocalist Beth Hirsch - is Sleep Party People’s fourth studio album, and the first release since 2014’s Floating.

Sleep Party People are trailing the announcement of Lingering with blissful lead single ‘The Missing Steps’. A fragile love song buoyed by a DIY gospel choir (comprised of fellow Copenhagen artists Irah, CODY, Hymns From Nineveh, Disa and Luster), it finds Batz trading in classic SPP uplift, with a pacy, fuzzed-up drum beat liberated from personal Revolver highlight, ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’.

Though Copenhagen-based Batz & his 5-piece live band have become synonymous with the rabbit masks they wear during Sleep Party People live performances, Lingering finds Batz shedding his guard to create some of the most personal and accessible material of his career. Whilst ‘The Missing Steps’ and other moments on Lingering engage demonstrably with bliss (also the woozy, unhurried not-quite title track, ‘Lingering Eyes’), it is nonetheless a record also concerned with anxiety and doubt, and the ways in which we cope with those insecurities that can persist through adulthood. Facebook here.

Second of twelve songs on the forthcoming album release 'Linger' (June 2) is 'The Missing Steps'. Mixing dream pop and electronic music the album is full of appealing songs similar in style to the featured track, each piece has clearly been a labour of love, and totally worth checking out if you like what you hear so far.

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The Bandicoots - Rocky Horror.

Background from The Bandicoots - After self-releasing our first two EPs ('This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things' 2015; 'Quarters at the Penny-Arcade' 2016), we've quickly gained recognition in our hometown, finding ourselves playing to sold out crowds.

‘Overnight Innovator’ and ‘Could You Get Me To Tomorrow?’--the singles from our sophomore release--climbed CBC’s Radio 3 Top 30 chart for up to 7 weeks and Even made CBC's best of year-end list. The latter single came in just shy of 250k plays on Spotify since it’s release.  Damn we had a good 2016! 

We've been oiling our gears leading into our third release (due late June ’17). In the meantime, we've been appearing live from city to city across the east coast of Canada. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

With a slightly laid back groove 'Rocky Horror' is a slice of indie rock, that helps explain the attention the band received last year. The songs melodic and rhythmic hooks make this a track that is hard to ignore.

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Future Lives - St. John's Fair.

Background - Fourteen people played on Future Lives’ debut LP Mansions, but the heart of Future Lives is six major dude(tte)s. King of Prussia songwriter Brandon Taj Hanick sings, plays guitars and orchestrates what Flagpole Magazine calls “a veritable supergroup.” Formerly with The Drive­-By Truckers and now with Mike Mills and Japancakes, John Neff bends his pedal steel lines like sine waves etching hummable tunes into the brain. Memphis­ bred Sarah Robbins stacks layers of rich, crystal­ clear vocal harmonies that would sound at home on a Staple Singers record. 

In addition to arranging the vocals with Smile-­esque wonder, Sarah’s big bro Nick Robbins (Velveteen Pink/Blue Blood) brings musical inventiveness to his complex, but tasteful, drum parts. Patrick Burke (Giving Tree Band), whose Lynchian flow and precision on bass buoys the jams, isn’t shy about picking out a lead guitar part that David Crosby would twirl his moustache to. Cameron Steuart’s string parts are as cinematic as they are down-home; as much canvas as they are ether. The arrangements are dense, but the expert mixing ears and of John Keane (R.E.M., Vic Chesnutt, Widespread Panic) ensure that every part breathes.

On June 27, 2017, Future Lives will release their debut album Mansions on vinyl and digital via Soft Magic Records. The band will hit the road for an East Coast tour in July with Roselit Bone and Hanick will play solo shows between Athens and Portland in July/August. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'St. John's Fair' is taken from the album 'Mansions' that comprises of twelve tracks. The album is awash with beautifully developed songs, and although the featured track gives a reasonable flavour of the album, the music does venture into some other creative places along the way. Overall it's a very fine collection of songs delivered by some very talented musicians and vocalists.

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Friday, 7 April 2017

Bumper Jacksons - The School Book Depository - Chloe Foy - Bonzie - Hunter & The Bear - Lillie Mae - Louise Lemón

Bumper Jacksons - I've Never Met A Stranger.

Background - 4am, campfire in Your Backyard, summertime. - The firelight bounces off fiddles, horns, guitars, and the faces of the men and women singing together in the deep parts of the night. They might not know each other’s names, but there they are, pouring their hearts out to one another in song, playing tunes older than their great-grandmothers.

A certain magic happens in moments like this where a common thread of humanity, going back thousands of years, is plucked – and strangers become old friends.

Music creates a sort of temporary social apocalypse where the niceties and norms of society are blown away and a radical openness to others is allowed to take it's place.

These are the experiences that birthed the Bumper Jacksons. Our new album "I’ve Never Met A Stranger" is a toast to all the ways in which we humans bridge the divide between our souls. Website here, Facebook here.

Traditional folk music full of Americana goodness makes 'I've Never Met A Stranger' just so likable. The video manages to increase the charm, this is a fabulous example of whats to follow on the new album.


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The School Book Depository - Salvation.

Background - The School Book Depository is an imaginary storage facility where the Swedish musician and songwriter Fredrik Solfors releases his songs and videos. In April The School Book Depository releases it’s first album, a bunch of songs recorded in his home studio in Växjö, Sweden during 2016. The motto for this project has been ”it’s my party, I can do what I want”, in order to embrace all forms of creative outlet both musically and lyrically. The songs range from groovy, psychedelic hip hop to noisy and catchy garage pop and beautiful, atmospheric post-rock.

Humorous lyrics depicting depressing gym-visits, metaphorical micro-analysis of the American presidential election, weird poems and songs about being a rabies ridden stray dog, all fit in The School Book Depository.

Fredrik Solfors started early playing the drums but moved on to vocals, guitar, piano and songwriting in bands as Wagon, The Low Season Combo and Kinetics, appointed best international act by the British Magazine Pure M in 2015. He also played drums in Surrounded, a Swedish band signed by American Deep Elm and British One Little Indian. The first single from the album is “Salvation” released this week.

'Salvation' is a melodic post rock kind of a song, with a laid back vibe and atmospheric feeling running right through it.

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Chloe Foy - Flaws.

Background - Flaws is the first track to be taken from Chloe’s forthcoming EP ‘Are We There Yet?’ which will be released on Friday 12th May. Showcasing her talent for skewed, ambitious songwriting.

Chloe Foy has previously been likened to such artists as Laura Marling and Sharon Van Etten. Her songs are imbued with lyrical and textural inflections evocative of much of the music she loves - taking inspiration as much from neo-classical music as much as wider trends within indie-rock, Chloe’s new EP comprises carefully constructed arrangements that delicately compliment her cryptic lyrics.

Chloe’s last single, ‘In The Middle Of The Night’, received generous support from Steve Lamacq on both his Radio 6 & 2 shows, as well as favourable reviews from mainstream media across the country.

The single has generated over one million plays on Spotify, being featured on two popular playlists ‘Stress Buster’ and ‘The Most Beautiful Songs in the World’. Facebook here.

A very gentle and gradual introduction provides the ideal entry point for Chloe's enchanting and beautiful vocals. 'Flaws' grows in layers of sound adding additional melody, to this charming song.

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Bonzie - Fading Out.

Background - Bonzie shares new track "Fading Out". The song is the first to be released from her highly anticipated sophomore album, Zone on Nine, out May 19th.

The second album from Chicago-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bonzie, Zone on Nine pulls off the sublime feat of feeling both intensely intimate and otherworldly in scope. “All of my songs basically start as a conversation I’m having with myself alone in my room,” says 21-year-old Nina Ferraro, who’s created under the moniker of Bonzie since age 17. “It’s how I process and interpret things that have happened to me or in life in general; it’s my way of trying to understand the world.”

Throughout Zone on Nine, Ferraro eschews the confessional singer-songwriter approach and claims her role as a fiercely honest observer and commentator who delivers her lyrics with powerful abandon. That self-possessed artistry has earned acclaim from the likes of Spin, Vogue, and Paste, as well as led to praise in the pages of the New York Times (“Delicacy and drama, surrender and anger, made a riveting combination when Bonzie performed,” wrote chief popular-music critic Jon Pareles of a SXSW performance). At the same time, Zone on Nine finds Bonzie greatly expanding her sonic palette—formed from inspirations as eclectic as Tchaikovsky, Gil Scott-Heron, Judee Sill, and the score to Disney’s Mulan—and creating a more intricately composed take on surrealist pop. Website here, Facebook here.

'Fading Out' achieves a considerable amount. The soundtrack is both intricate and distinctive and yet it carries a reasonably straight forward melody, that somehow has it's own emotions. Add in Bonzie's vocals and the whole song grows into something quite memorable and stunning.


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Hunter & The Bear - Paper Heart.

Background - Hailed as “the heroes British rock needs right now” by the Huffington Post, the band have been featured on Classic Rock, Total Guitar and Punktastic already. They have already toured and  supported Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and Simple Minds.

Brought up on a heavy diet of classic bands like Led Zep, Sabbath and Pink Floyd, they’re equally inspired by modern acts like Biffy Clyro and Royal Blood and have had extensive plays on BBC Radio 6, as well as spots on big stages at Reading & Leeds, T in the Park and Hard Rock Calling. Website here, Facebook here.

Sometimes back to basics rock'n'roll is more than enough to satisfy my ears, especially with a song like 'Paper Heart'. There is a little bit of a stadium rock feel to the song, no problem with that, the band are polished in their delivery, thankfully they also add bags of energy and passion ensuring a more natural feel.


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Lillie Mae - Wash Me Clean.

Background - Third Man Records recording artist Lillie Mae is set to release her Jack White-produced album Forever And Then Some on April 14th. 

Pre-orders for Forever And Then Some are available here, with all digital pre-orders receiving instant downloads of the album's wistful first single "Over The Hill and Through The Woods," "Honky Tonks and Taverns," and  latest track "Wash Me Clean." "Over The Hill and Through The Woods" is also available as a  7" vinyl single -- backed with non-album track "The Last Time" -- at thirdmanstore.com. "Over The Hill and Through The Woods" was praised by Rolling Stone Country for "melding unique old-time vocal breaks, a rich sonic chug that evokes some Seventies rock psychedelia and evocative storytelling".

Lillie Mae will start a run of shows supporting Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals on April 28th in New Orleans, followed by festival dates this Summer and additional shows, including Canadian dates, to be announced soon. See Beehive candy's tour news page for more details, website here, Facebook here.

I'm sorry Jack White, but I thought Lillie May was the star of the show at your last Glastonbury set. So the new album is a welcome surprise and featured song 'Wash Me Clean' suggest we are in for a fine collection of songs, the producer is pretty good as well!


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Louise Lemón - Appalacherna.

Background - The up and coming death-gospel female artist Louise Lemón hails from Sweden and intertwines the dark, windy and cold Scandi ambiance into her music. Her debut EP ‘Purge’ has the opening track called 'Appalacherna' as the lead single of this release.

The haunted sound on the EP fits right in the isolated space between dream and reality, which stretches endlessly from one melancholy track to the next. In short it is strange that a barometer of youth culture trades in such intensely depressing music.

Louise says: “This record has been a very personal journey, first writing the songs, then getting to records it together with my long time band member and friend Anders Ludwigsson, then expanding the sound with Randall Dunn.“

What’s the outcome? The tracks sound like they belong to a larger canon of Southern California gothic albums because they send the listener into gloomier and rawer territory, giving it that hypnotic and supernatural edge when a scuzzy blend of guitars take over, reminding us of the self-confessed sad girls Cat Power, Lana del Rey and PJ Harvey.

Louise adds: “It is very important for me to be completely involved and to be able to work with people I trust and respect. To then have them colour the music and sound is very rewarding. Working with Randall Dunn was an amazing experience and I chose him because I wanted to expand the sound, make it heavier and darker and at the same time opening it up, letting it be vulnerable The record is called ‘Purge’, and making it has really been a cleansing and growing process, everything I write is deeply personal, and to me the sounds express just as much as the lyrics.”

The artistically poignant ‘Purge’ EP is out NOW through Icons Creating Evil Art. Website here, Facebook here.

'Appalacherna' takes us into a slightly darker and melancholic place and at the same time has a level of warmth due to the emotional commitment and the richness of both music and haunting vocals.

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Thursday, 6 April 2017

Down On Maddy - GRMLN - Second Still

Down On Maddy - Wake Yourself.

Background - Down On Maddy mines enigmatic groove music swathed in majestic synth ambience, funky guitar, rugged beats, and infectious rubbery bass lines. 

Down On Maddy evokes the immersive qualities and ambitious arrangements of Pink Floyd, Yeasayer, The Doors, and MGMT. It’s a credo indie producer/multi-instrumentalist Patrick Kleven lives and creates by through the dream funk project Down On Maddy.

To produce this cryptic and cathartic music, Patrick has had to confront Loneliness. Demons. A Tumultuous (or Roller Coaster) Past. With Down On Maddy’s debut, he brings listeners light by sharing the passage through darkness. Facebook here.


The video provides us with a visual story, whilst 'Wake Yourself' provides a cool soundtrack. Take a second listen without the visuals and the song really does have quality and character in it's own right. Refined alt rock with attention to detail and enough passion to entice another listen.


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GRMLN - Red.

Background - California rock outfit GRMLN is set to release their latest musical offering, the 'Discovery' EP on April 7. Today the band shares album track "Red." GRMLN is the musical project of 24-year-old, Yoodoo Park. He was born in Kyoto, Japan and moved to southern California at a young age (though he currently resides in Japan). Yoodoo started playing music at the age of 13 when he was given a bass guitar and has been playing music ever since.

During the summer of 2010, Yoodoo started recording relaxing songs for himself to listen to in his car during lazy summer afternoons. 2012's The Explore EP captures this time in Yoodoo’s life with clean sounding guitar rhythms and a mixture of drowsy melodies. Yoodoo’s 2013 full-length, Empire, was less of a follow-up and more of a departure. Empire’s upbeat rock songs and ‘90s pop-punk influenced sound eventually led to the alternatively stormy and peaceful tunes of 2014's Soon Away.

The Discovery EP is perhaps GRMLN's most ambitious and anthemic album to date. Park veers away from his pop-punk roots and delivers a darker, more refined sound. Park's commanding vocal delivery along with his sharp lyrics demand immediate attention from the listener, and the album's earworm melodic hooks are potent enough to hang your hat on. Facebook here.

Having heard a couple of other songs from Friday's (7 April) EP release 'Red' really does provide a good example of the overall direction and sound of the new release. The musical production has clarity and style allowing the vocals to standout, and the hooks to dig in.

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Second Still - Strangers.

Background - Second Still is a three piece band from Los Angeles. Though strongly influenced by No Wave and French Cold Wave, their electronic drum sounds, unconventional bass and guitar lines, and strange vocal melodies still set them apart from any traditional categorisation.

Bassist Alex Hughes and guitarist Ryan Walker met in 2007 and spent years combing through 80s underground records, the most memorable being Xmal Deutschland, Asylum Party, Garlands-era Cocteau Twin, and Opera De Nuit. It wasn’t until after moving to New York and meeting Suki San, (a classically trained violinist and former shoegaze vocalist), in late 2014 that they finally became a band.

Early Forms, the band’s debut EP, was released in March 2016 as a limited edition cassette. They recorded those four songs while snowed in, in a barn in upstate New York over three days in the dead of winter. Before re-locating to Los Angeles in January 2016, Second Still hunkered down in the studio and recorded their entire self-titled debut album in just two days.

The album is out April 7th, 2017 on Paris-based label Manic Depression Records, and in support of the release the band is hitting the road for their first US tour kicking off March 30th at the Acerogami in Pomona, CA. Facebook here.

There is a fresh individuality to 'Strangers' an atmospheric post punk song that has hints of bands as diverse as Siouxsie and the Banshees through to earlier Cocteau Twins material. Confused? well good, as they are simplistic indicators, in part because Second Still create unique material, that challenges referencing.  

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Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Dig Deeper - Mermaidens - Mira Aasma - The Megaphonic Thrift - Morrissey and Marshall - Stolen Jars

Dig Deeper - Stars Tonight (Have You Seen).

Background - Dig Deeper share new single "Stars Tonight (Have You Seen)" plus "Stars Tonight" EP is released May 19th through The Alien Agency. “When we realised we were stuck in a northern outpost, where those elected to political power were working to close borders, refuse people in need basic rights and brag about having the strictest policies on immigration in Europe, we decided to make this record.”

These are the words of Norway’s Dig Deeper about their new “Stars tonight” EP, which they use as a way to highlight and criticise their government’s inhumane policies on immigration, and tell stories in the tradition of American alt-country from a European perspective – think Richmond Fontaine or Son Volt. This was somewhat of a turn for Dig Deeper; a band that originally set out to focus on having a good time playing trippy guitar music, described as “Norwegian mountain rock with a touch of War On Drugs and paisley underground.” 

Dig Deeper seeks into the Norwegian mountains with their spacious, glacial sounds, long, layered grooves and singer Einar Kaupang´s heartfelt honesty. Their electric Norwegian road rock has a prominent psychedelic prefix and sets itself out with a clear storytelling approach. The songs here draw up the outlines of a man trying to “make it” in today´s Europe. These are songs of escape, distance, travel, identity, loss, and the search for freedom. 

Dig Deeper started out 2010 when singer Kaupang lived in Bolivia, trying to figure out what to do next when he got back to Norway. Dig Deeper soon built a name for themselves playing a whole lot of shows around Norway, trying to capture the essence of bands like Grateful Dead and Natural Child, yet still with a Nordic psych approach to their songs. This resulted in the 2015 album “How You Spend Your Days” and extensive touring and festival slots packed out the band’s calendar. Facebook here.

'Stars Tonight (Have You Seen)' is a beautiful psych rocker that has so much charm and feeling. It's a timeless, melodic and vital song and a massive tease for the EP due in May.

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Mermaidens - Lizard.

Background - Mermaidens share a new single (Lizard) and announce their new album Perfect Body, due out on 4th of August via Flying Nun. Mermaidens are a three-piece outfit from Wellington, New Zealand, who are renowned for their intricate and unique songwriting, boldly raw but increasingly refined studio production, and a hypnotic live synergy that leaves audiences enchanted. 

Their sound offers a mesmerising dip into the realms of post-punk and psych, while the voices of Gussie Larkin and Lily West embrace warm harmonies and dreamy, hypnotic lyrics, entwined with dark and moody riff-based melodies, underpinned by Abe Hollingsworth's fluid and dynamic percussion.

Mermaidens pride themselves on an engaging and polished live performance. Their impressive portfolio of support slots and sold out shows, attests to the charm and excellence of their live show. In just a few years Mermaidens have sold out major venues in New Zealand as well as supporting international acts such as Death Cab For Cutie, Sleater Kinney, and Mac Demarco, and Windhand.

As a band who have grown dramatically since their inception, both creatively and musically, Mermaidens are undoubtedly a band to watch very closely, and are set to make a similar impact on the global music scene as they have at home in New Zealand. Facebook here.

New single 'Lizard' mixes melodic vocals with starker post punk music, that occasionally ups the power, helping the song to twist and turn it's way, keeping the listener engaged throughout.

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Mira Aasma - Snow White Wedding.

Background - Since releasing debut single ”Ghost” in December 2015 twenty year old Gothenburg native Mira Aasma has taken giant steps towards the stars. Follow up ”Stereoscope EP” got praise from The 405, Noisey, Bon Magazine and Nordic By Nature, and she did a full Swedish summer tour, including gigs with current Swedish superstar Miriam Bryant. Since then Mira’s been working in classic Gothenburg indie studio Music-A-Matic, producing what is now her forthcoming debut album for Birds Records.

We find ourselves in between the experimental, dark and dystopia, just as much as in the playful, cheerful and welcoming state of mind. Contrasts. Pounding bass meets violins and choirs. Vocal sounds taken from everyday life finds its way through samplers and gets out in completely different shapes and forms. Digital and mechanical sounds clashes with the warmth of analogue.

Mira’s been writing, producing and recording this material by herself, also playing the main share of the instruments on the album. The album was mixed and mastered in Stockholm by Robin Rudén.

First single out is "Snow White Wedding", as song described by Mira like this: "My friend and I were out walking on a foggy day in Bohuslän, when we suddenly stumbled into a small sign by the lake about a bridal couple that had fallen down through the ice to drown there on their wedding anniversary many years ago. Just a moment later two white swans emerged from the fog on the lake and we started walking back to the cottage feeling quite a little strange and very excited to write songs." Facebook here. Live dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. 

A sombre and atmospheric beginning makes 'Snow White Wedding' register straight away. A slow marching beat and gentle build in passion, helps make the song stand out.

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The Megaphonic Thrift - Interlopers.

Background - On April 7th, Norwegian four-piece The Megaphonic Thrift will release their album Sun Stare Sound in the US via Old Flame Records. In 2015, the record won a Spellemann Award (equivelant of a Norwegian Grammy Award) for best indie album.

The Megaphonic Thrift is composed of four Norwegians from Bergen, a rainy scenic city on the west coast of Norway. Joining forces with the collective desire to create a new sonic adventure, Richard Myklebust, Linn Frøkedal (The Low Frequency in Stereo), Fredrik Vogsborg (Casiokids) and Njål Clementsen (The Low Frequency in Stereo) created The Megaphonic Thrift. 

The band has performed at at SXSW, CMJ, The Great Escape, PopKomm and Roskilde, as well as several support shows for Dinousaur Jr, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Band of Horses and A Place to Bury Strangers.

This past November, the band released their album Få meg til verden i tide, which was featured on Beehive Candy at the time. Website here, Facebook here.

We are seemingly featuring The Megaphonic Thrift in reverse order, having covered the 2016 album release last November, we go back a year for the Sun Stare Sound album and featured track 'Interlopers'. It's a vibrant psychedelic rock song, that suggests the bands back catalogue is well worth checking out (in whatever order you decide upon).

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Morrissey and Marshall - She's Got Love (Radio Edit).

Background - Two friends Darren Morrissey and Greg Marshall busk outside the bank, two friends play local bars, two friends get scouted by The Magic Numbers in said local bar in Kilburn, two friends release debut album “And So It Began”… and so, it began.

After hauling from Dublin to London the band were seen ascending from Camden bars to Trafalgar Square with their debut album. Now the acoustic duo are back and ready to make an impact with their second album - featuring new single “She’s Got Love”.

“She’s Got Love” was picked up as Record Of The Day last week, calling it ‘a proper solid indie guitar anthem’, stuffed with uplifting harmonies with Radio 1 Ireland soon following suit, naming the single Record Of The Week.

Morrissey & Marshall hold some solid support under their belts and have formerly been compared heavily to the likes of Simon and Garfunkel and The Everly Bros. Their latest single however, leans towards a more indie-rock/alt folk vibe; think The Lumineers run into Walk The Moon in a Finsbury Park basement.

“She’s Got Love” is a clear result of the duos evolution, with their smooth guitar riffs and matching melodies in the form of their “simply beautiful unison vocals” still very much present, now however, met with regimented drum bars. Facebook here.

I use the expression timeless to describe a song or artist, where the music could have been from decades gone by and 'She's Got Love', is perhaps as definitive an example I could provide. It's also melodic, catchy and a real breath of fresh air!

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Stolen Jars - Long New York.

Background - On April 7th Stolen Jars will release their new EP, glint. Describing the concept behind the release, Stolen Jars songwriter and band leader Cody Fitzgerald writes, “A glint is a shimmering reflection of light and, at the end of the day, that is really what this EP is, a small 16-minute moment of reflection. It is 5 songs centered around themes of loss and renewal, songs about finding hints of memory in the present and trying to keep sight of them just long enough to let them go.”

The group has also released a new music video for their song "Long New York", which blends imagery that is equally nostalgic and ominous with interwoven vocal lines and chamber-pop orchestration.

"Long New York" follows the release of Stolen Jars' video "Eliot", the EP's lead track, which debuted on Brightest Young Things. Fitzgerald writes that the song was largely inspired by writer T.S. Eliot: "[Eliot] felt that in order for an artist to be truly universal they had to completely remove themselves from the work... But all of my music is really personal, it’s about these tiny moments in a day. And so the song is basically me wrestling with that concept."

On Stolen Jars' upcoming glint EP, each track plays alongside a composition from different video artists, animators, choreographers, and directors to create a "Visual EP" experience – Evelyn Ross for "Eliot," Jenelle Pearring and Nora Alami for "Gold Age," Abie Sidell and Felix Handte for "Long New York," Marissa Goldman and Blaine Dunkley for "Gone Away," and Henry Chaisson for "Afterlight." Website here, Facebook here.

Sparkling and melodic vocals unfold above, as the intricate soundtrack develops with 'Long New York', a fabulous and lovable song.


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Violent Vickie - The Paper Kites - Will Romeo / The 1984 Draft - Mick Clarke - Steel People

Violent Vickie - Open the Door . It's a massive welcome back to Beehive Candy for Violent Vickie who we have had the pleasure of featu...