We Used to Make Things - The Luxembourg Signal - Frida Sundemo - Trupa Trupa - Sophia Marshall - Pale Honey - KLARA

We Used to Make Things - Yes Man (no no no).

Background - We Used To Make Things are an East London based band, the product of a fusion of influences as diverse as ELO and The Beatles, taking in Indie Rock, Punk and Horns along the way to create an explosion of sound, perfectly exemplified by new single 'Yes Man'.

The song is a about embracing the powerlessness inherent in our modern lives before a chaotic and angry eruption of sound rallies us with a battle cry against apathy, a catchy earworm of dissatisfaction.

The band chose a name to hint at their disillusionment with post-industrial Britain but also more personally about a danger that accompanies adulthood, that of losing the ability to play, make mistakes, be creative and ultimately, make things.

The songs on their album are shaped by warm, witty lyrics about dissatisfaction, personal politics, open plan offices and the kind of characters Mike Leigh and Pinter would be proud of. It is in turn funny, poignant and angry, but also very good to dance to. Website here, Facebook here.

'Yes Man (no no no)' is a song with a message & a point to be made. It's also fabulously catchy with determined vocals and a rich musical arrangement, and the video adds just a little more focus on the message at hand.


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The Luxembourg Signal - Blue Field.

Background - Luxembourg Signal debut new single and title track from their new album. Shelflife presents the new album Blue Field from The Luxembourg Signal available October 13th on limited edition LP vinyl, CD and digital formats on Shelflife and Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten (for Europe).

With the release of their first single and debut album on Shelflife in 2014, The Luxembourg Signal quickly found a loyal following among fans of dream pop/indie pop music, and received enthusiastic reviews for their pop sensibilities, angelic vocals and lush soundscapes. Since the debut release, the band's lineup of Beth Arzy & Betsy Moyer (vocals), Johnny Joyner (guitars), Brian Espinosa (drums) and Ginny Pitchford (keyboards) has been expanded with the addition of Kelly Davis (guitars) and Daniel Kumiega (bass).

The seven-piece played a handful of shows in the UK and Europe in the summer of 2015 to promote their debut album, including a Sunday evening performance at Indietracks that many cited as one of the highlights of the weekend. 2015 also saw the release of a split 7" single with Soft Science (Test Pattern Records), which featured a remix of Dying Star by Robert Hampson (Loop/Main).

For their follow-up LP, Blue Field, The Luxembourg Signal returned to the studio with engineer Mark Rains and produced an album that reveals a bolder, more developed sound with a darker undertone. The album's first single "Laura Palmer," released on 7" in June, earned immediate admiration from fans across the globe. The new LP also features special guest vocals from Bobby Wratten (Field Mice, Trembling Blue Stars) on the reflective track "Fall Feeling."Website here, Facebook here.

We featured Luxembourg Signal back in May & are pleased to be able to share the new single (& album title track) 'Blue Field'. Smooth, melodic and pretty dreamy, this is a fabulous indie song, leaving me eager to hear the album.

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Frida Sundemo - Gold.

Background - Swedish songstress Frida Sundemo has released her brand new single ‘Gold’ ahead of her highly anticipated international debut album Flashbacks & Futures, due on October 6th through leading Scandinavian record label Cosmos Music. 

‘Gold’ features glorious dewy production and evocative orchestration delivering a stunning soundscape surrounding Frida’s enchanting vocals.

Regarding the single Frida says, ‘”Gold’ is about being brave and embracing the beauty of life. It’s about having the courage to risk something that’s ”alright” for the chances of getting something you really dream about.”

‘Gold’ follows the release of previous highly acclaimed singles ‘We Are Dreamers’, ‘It’s OK’ and ‘Keep An Eye On Me’, all taken from Flashbacks & Futures. Frida Sundemo has created a debut of otherworldly beauty and one that is set to meet the expectations for one of the most highly anticipated albums to be coming out of Scandinavia this year. Website here, Facebook here.

The soundtrack is beautiful enough to be released on it's own, however without doubt it is Frida Sundemo's vocals that make this such a wonderful track. Indeed this is one beguiling song!

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Trupa Trupa - To Me.

Background - Gdansk, Poland post-punk-psych band Trupa Trupa announce their third LP Jolly New Songs. Today, they release the first single "To Me" via The Quietus, who writes, "Entitled Jolly New Songs, the album sees the band gunning for an overtly more triumphant tone than previous offerings. "To Me" was inspired by the poetry and legacy of poet Walt Whitman. BBC Radio is currently spinning the track as well. "To Me" gives a good taste of what to expect off the full record.

Nothing hurts harder than a surprise ending, and the title track of this album has a real face-slap of one. One minute you’re in bliss, carried away in a crescendo of spine-tingling post-rock guitars and soft, wordless oohs, the next you’re through - the song’s out the door, down the street, pulling away from the curb and into a new life. The overall tone of Jolly New Song is so anthemic and - for this band - uncharacteristically triumphant, only makes having the rug pulled out from under you like this seem so much more cruel, so much more funny. Perhaps the harder the fall is, the more you have to laugh.

Trupa Trupa are sodden in a particularly cryptic kind of gallows humour. This isn’t just down to some glitch in translation - it could be in part due to the band’s art-rock origins and because their singer and guitarist, Grzegorz Kwiatkowski is an award-winning poet in Poland (incidentally, Trupa Trupa themselves have been shortlisted for the Polish equivalent of the Mercury Music Prize). The band’s name in English roughly translates to Corpse Corpse, which sounds like the punchline to some inscrutable gothic joke. You can dance to this album - check out the to-die-for funk groove that propels the Can-like "Falling." You can trip out to it - check out the psychedelic meltdown that mutates the Wurlitzer fairground music of "Only Good Weather" into something dark and psyche-scarring.

Jolly New Songs comes heavily anticipated after their 2015 full length Headache that was released to raves from The Quietus, KEXP, and LA Times. The record will be released via Ici d'ailleurs (Yann Tiersen, Matt Elliott/The Third Eye Foundation, Stefan Wesołowski), and Blue Tapes and X-Ray Records (Jute Gyte, Tashi Dorji, Mats Gustafsson, Katie Gately) with american distribution via Forced Exposure. Jolly New Songs was recorded at Dickie Dreams studio in Gdansk, Poland, and produced by Michał Kupicz (recording, mixing and mastering). It is scheduled to release October 27, 2017. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

Described as a post punk psych band, Trupa Trupa are certainly living up to that description with 'To Me' perhaps with the psych element most notable around the vocals. Powerful & engaging this is my introduction to the band & it's an impressive one.


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Sophia Marshall - Bye Bye.

Background - Sophia Marshall announces debut album 'Bye Bye' out October 6th. Sophia Marshall burst onto the UK Americana scene as one-half of highly acclaimed band The HaveNots (Cooking Vinyl Records), earning praise alongside as an accomplished singer-songwriter within the alt-country music scene.

Having played hundreds of gigs across three continents from the tiniest dives to the grandest theatres, she’s delighted audiences at prestigious festivals like Summer Sundae in the UK and South by South West (SXSW) in the USA with her spellbinding voice and songs.

Highlights include performing Emmylou’s parts at a Gram Parson’s tribute alongside Evan Dando, (and earning the praise of Gram’s daughter Polly) and touring the land sharing stages with some of Americana finest, such as the Be Good Tanya’s, The Sadies and Tift Merrit.  More recently, Sophia joined Frazey Ford on her UK tour, as both the opening act and providing backing vocals for Frazey.

She conjures a sultry sound on her debut album ‘Bye Bye’ that keeps its roots in Americana yet harks back to elements of 90s trip hop. The album closes with an acapella sea shanty that draws a line of influence around the world from British folk to African choirs to the spirituals of the Deep South.

The clever and subtle arrangements, make full use of her intuitive harmony but also incorporate fractured electronics and loops. Her songs take unexpected twists and turns, throwing up unusual chords and timings and marking her out with an originality and quirkiness often missing in UK Americana. With 'Bye Bye' Sophia Marshall sets out her stall as a British songwriter to be reckoned with. Website here, Facebook here.

Distinctly pleasing vocals that are just naturally disposed to Americana are surrounded by a vibrant modern country musical arrangement on 'Bye Bye'. Full of hooks, top notch musicianship and plenty of passion Sophie Marshall will be pleasing a whole lot of people with her October album release.

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Pale Honey - Get These Things Out Of My Head.

Background - Two years have passed since Gothenburg-based band Pale Honey (Tuva Lodmark and Nelly Daltrey) released their critically acclaimed, self titled debut album. This year the band will release their second full length album Devotion, a record of real honest and maturity. 

It is no doubt that Devotion was named thematically. Written and recorded together with producer Anders Lagerfors at the legendary Nacksving Studios in Gothenburg, the album offers a snapshot into the changing shape of Pale Honey. Though their sound may be maturing and growing more ambitious, for this album they returned to the process that served them so well as songwriters while they penned their debut. They say the number one motivation was to stay curious about music and try new things; “We didn’t record our debut album knowing what we were doing - we were new to our instruments at that time, and so writing for Devotion was a bit like that. We’ve recorded ideas on instruments we don’t usually play.”

The band have also sought to make Devotion more of a curated experience to its predecessor; “Our debut album included songs that we wrote as teenagers and settled for anything that sounded good. For Devotion, we became extremely picky and left out a lot of songs that are good, but just didn’t fit in together or didn’t feel good enough. It has taken it’s time, two years of touring and writing but we’ve also had some time apart to be able to let ideas come in more environments than in the rehearsal room or studio. As we have pushed ourselves, we have become more confident in what we’re doing and what we like and don’t regarding our music.”

What shines through about Devotion, thematically, is its dealing with relationships on their many different levels, all the way down to the relationship with one’s self. In this way they’ve said the album has been quite therapeutic, and nowhere else on the album is this clearer than on the single track Get These Things Out of My Head. Amongst a swath of distorted guitars and menacing synths are lyrics that deal with singer / guitarist Tuva Lodmark’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, something she has suffered with since her teenage years; “For me, this is very personal to talk about. I even wanted to change the lyrics for the song to be about something else before we recorded the vocals, I was so afraid of what other people would know about me. But after I gave it some thought, why would I censor myself that way? We make music because it’s true. We write to deal with ourselves and things that happen around us. This condition I’ve been in is a big part of me and I want to be true to myself and shed some light on the disease. It’s more common than people think.” Over ten tracks, Devotion proves itself to be a deeply personal album to really get lost in. Facebook here.

'Get These Things Out Of My Head' is one of those songs that skips around rock genres with ease. Hints of punk meet alt rock, or is it new wave, by the time Iv'e tried to place the genre they have moved on again. It's a lot easier just to say the track is full of hooks, natural passion & vibrant energy.

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KLARA 'These Woods (Human Made).

Background - London-based Swedish singer-songwriter KLARA has announced the release of her new single These Woods. KLARA self-released her debut Playgroundhouse EP earlier this year, garnering support from the likes of Nordic Playlist, Apple Music 'Best Of The Week' and Spotify 'Fresh Finds:Hiptronix' playlists amongst others. 

Since meeting Justin Vernon of Bon Iver at Glastonbury and being invited over to spend time with him and his musical cohorts at Eaux Claires Festival in Wisconsin in 2015 and 2016, KLARA returned inspired and with a clear vision for her own music. With Bon Iver providing a creative influence, KLARA’s own love for the church-like reverb of bands such as Daughter, the powerful female folk harmonies of First Aid Kit and the bold yet sparse power of the likes of London Grammar have shaped her sound.

In June, KLARA entered Peter Gabriel’s legendary Real World Studios to record These Woods, also produced by KLARA. The beautiful and tranquil setting of Real World provided the perfect ambience for creating a track that is an epic soundscape of luscious strings, heart-wrenching French horns and pounding rhythms, underpinning the emotive piano and beautiful vocals. The recording features an impressive set of musicians including the QStrings and session musicians who regularly perform with the likes of George Ezra, Lianne La Havas and Ella Eyre. The track will also feature on the new Volvo advert which will run throughout September and October. KLARA says; “I wanted to write about my love of being amidst nature – some of my best childhood memories are from being surrounded by forests and lakes in Sweden and I think these early memories shape us as people. Recording at Real World Studios so close to nature was fantastic – I could feel myself connecting more with my lyrics when I was looking out on the water from the vocal booth.”

KLARA has shared stages with the likes of Lucy Rose, Fenne Lily and Clare Maguire across the UK and in September, she will undertake a special live performance of These Woods at the iconic Festival No. 6 in Portmeirion. KLARA has been hand-picked by the festival’s composer-in-residence, Joe Duddell, to perform a unique set with his No. 6 Ensemble, playing new musical arrangements of her songs, including These Woods, especially written for this performance. KLARA is currently working on her debut album which will be announced soon. Facebook here.

A gentle & understated piano opens 'These Woods (Human Made)' followed quickly by some beautiful vocals & harmonies. As the soundtrack adds additional layers, the power gently rises, adding to the emotional feel of an enchanting song.

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A Million Machines - OxenFree - Year of October

A Million Machines - Come Tonight.

Background - LA-based synth pop outfit A Million Machines have announced they will release their first full-length self-titled record in November 2017, preceded by the single ‘Come Tonight’. Featuring 11 tracks, this album is a synth pop kaleidoscope, densely layered in clean, modular synthesizers and a heavy melodic aesthetic between light and darkness. 

‘Come Tonight’ is a pulsating electronic burner that echoes Depeche Mode in its technical attack of modular synths, coupled with passionate male vocals. "This song encourages an awakening to the state of the world. An awakening to prejudice, corruption and human rights. An awakening to a revolution," says vocalist Fate Fatal. 

The entire debut album is, in essence, a blast of heart-thumping beats, stomping propulsion and intoxicating melodies. Fatal injects his gloomy obsessions with an ultra melodic harmony, abetted by MIG, a conscientious technician with an understanding of the inner workings of modular technology and exploring the abyss of self-made modular circuitry. 

Recording at their own studio in Los Angeles, A Million Machines use modular synths to make some of the most human sounds around. Based in Silver Lake, California, A Million Machines is a duo comprised of producer/multi-instrumentalist MIG (The New Room) and vocalist Fate Fatal (The Deep Eynde, Kittens for Christians). They formed in 2014 when MIG and Fate were separately called into an audition with an upcoming LA underground band and, while waiting, dived into discussion about their passion for electronic music.

The result is output that is rooted in raw analog synths and punchy vocals, using low-res electronic noise and pop hooks. After being showcased on local college radio stations, including LA’s KXLU, A Million Machines’ sound quickly progressed to incorporate various areas of electronic music; electroclash, shoegazing, electropunk and electropop. Website here, Facebook here.

Right from the opening moments, some rhythmic synths and lo-fi vocals ensure ‘Come Tonight’ has plenty of atmosphere. Add in a layer or two more of vibrant synths and energise the vocals and we arrive with a notable & already very noticed tune. It's the last of eleven tracks on the forthcoming album, & judging by the interest so far, it would appear mighty likely, that a large number of music lovers, are about to add another superb album to their collection.

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OxenFree - Caterpillar.

Background -  “Caterpillar” is the excellent second single from OxenFree’s upcoming Another Land EP, which will be coming out through Sneaky Bear Records on October 13th.

The video was directed by Diane Russo and stars the talented kickboxers Venus Providence Smith, Stoney Morales and Mariana Firestone defining their home. While it might appear to be a a violent home on the surface, it's also filled with happiness and love for self and each other. Doyle felt that that dichotomy is reflective of the world we live in, and represented the song’s core themes.

OxenFree’s new EP Another Land was recorded with producer Andrija Tokic in his Nashville studio, whose other credits include Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Benjamin Booker and Clear Plastic Masks. The band credits Andrija with harnessing the vitality of the record, and bringing a sense of experimentation to the band, pulling the right gear from his stacks of organs and amps to get the live sound right in the room. The result on Another Land rears whirling organs, vocals playing in delay, fuzzy guitar leads, and a punchy rhythm section.

Jeff Doyle, the front man and primary songwriter was born in DC and reared in Virginia. Living in Charlottesville, he recorded his first EP with Mike Bishop of GWAR (the original Beefcake the Mighty and current Blothar), before moving to New York and starting OxenFree. He resurrected two of those songs when he moved to Brooklyn and recruited Christopher Burns (drums, Sydney), Sam Ghitelman (guitar, New York), Sean Padden (bass, New York), and Emilie Soffe (vocals and keys, Alabama) to round out the band. Jeff, Christopher and Sam grew up playing punk music at house shows, while Emilie grew up in the theatre (she recently co-created and appeared in the acclaimed play Ski End). Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

With feedback & reverb 'Caterpillar' unfolds into a feisty and expansive rocker, where the vocals dominate above a decidedly robust musical arrangement. The harmonies add another layer of beautifully emotive sounds, and the rhythm changes just add more.


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Year of October - Come & Get It.

Background - Year of October just unveiled their lead-single “Come & Get It”, from the impending 3rd studio LP Trouble Comes, out in October. Following the release of their critically acclaimed 2nd album Golden Days, Year of October built up a loyal fan-base, and received raving media attention from a number of outlets.

Formed at University of Kentucky in 2010, Year of October is the passion-project of Phlecia and Josh Sullivan. Mixing their diverse influences of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles for Josh, and Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald for Phlecia, Year of October stands out for their clawing Nashville-rock edge, and soulful, swirling vocals. 

Previously, the band has released debut LP Stories and sophomore album Golden Days. Year of October has played over 250 shows across the South, and has built up a devoted community of fans with their cohesive and genre-elusive style. Website here, Facebook here.

'Come & Get It' is a bluesy rocker, where passion infused vocals are equally matched by some fabulous & timeless rock riffs.


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Pageants - Whitney Rose - Oddnesse

Pageants - Chai (חַי‎).

Background - Pageants' (members of Avi Buffalo, Cherry Glazzer & Best Coast) first single "Chai ( חַי)" has just been released. This teases their upcoming album 'Forever' which will be dropping November 3rd.

Pageants was formed by Rebecca Coleman in the aftermath of leaving Avi Buffalo (Sub Pop) in 2010, a band in which she was a founding member at the age of sixteen. Frustrated with clashing personalities and differences in musical sensibility, she, along with two other Avi Buffalo defectors, set out to revive the simplicity and spirit of earlier days. Diaristic yet dreamy and abstract in nature, her songs merge pop levity with melancholic lyrical undercurrents. 

Collaborating with boyfriend Devin O’Brien to flush out demos, their debut LP, ‘Forever’ was close to completion in 2015. When label interest around the album hit a wall, the band decided to hold off on finishing the record while pursuing other opportunities. 

Coleman continued to write, O’Brien focused on engineering and producing, while also being picked up by Cherry Glazerr (Secretly Canadian) to tour as their bassist and drummer Dylan Wood went on to play with Best Coast (Harvest). Inspired by fresh material and perspectives, Pageants decided to finish ‘Forever’ earlier this year and will be releasing their debut album via Eye•Dull Records. Website here.

'Chai (חַי‎)' is a gorgeous dream pop song with hints of indie rock. An attractive & emotional vibe runs throughout the song, giving it that play again feel, very impressive.

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Whitney Rose - Can't Stop Shakin'.

Background - Six months ago, Rose was primed to release South Texas Suite, a countrypolitan valentine to Austin, Texas. Days before the EP hit the streets and Rose kicked off a 4-month worldwide tour, the burgeoning songwriting force (and ‘country hair’ disciple) packed her boots for Nashville, where she entered BlackBird Studio A to reconvene with The Mavericks’ Raul Malo. In one short week, Rose, Malo and co-producer Niko Bolas channelled the tumult, turbulence and tension outside of the studio into Rose’s sophomore worldwide release, which includes nine self-penned songs. Playful yet uncompromising, Whitney Rose reminds us of popular music’s rich history of strong female voices and perspectives, and on Rule 62, Whitney Rose channels her inner Nancy Sinatra, Bobbie Gentry and Françoise Hardy.

Rule 62 finds Rose “breaking up with patriarchy”; a break-up evidenced by new songs that show verve, swagger and self-assurance in Rose’s instinctive sense of tone, broadened scope and attention to detail.  Rule 62’s ‘break up’ theme can be felt in songs like “Arizona” and “Time To Cry,” two fiery, merciless tunes that show Rose at the end of her rope with the manipulation and discrimination of women in the music business and beyond.

First single, “Can’t Stop Shakin’” was originally written as an anti-anxiety treatment in Memphis soul dance party form; however, recorded against an ominous political backdrop, the song now reverberates with an undercurrent of uncertainty and anger that reframes the self-calming shimmy as an act of protest.

Rule 62 is Rose’s second release of 2017, and sees the songwriter’s increased output matched by increased distinction. With so much touring now under the tires throughout North America, Europe and the UK, it’s no surprise that Rose’s best work yet often explores her journey woman’s experience. A move from her native Canada for a two month residency in Austin’s famed Americana bastion, the Continental Club, Rose describes as ‘lighting a fire in her’ and she felt compelled to stay. Smitten with Texas and the two-step dance culture, Rose found herself writing non-stop leading to the creation of both the self-produced EP South Texas Suite and Rule 62. Website here.

'Can't Stop Shakin' typifies the 'Rule 62' album, a collection of eleven modern country songs, that sometimes expand into other genres, broadening the appeal for this fine album. Centre to all of this are Whitney Rose's vocals, both melodic and interpretive, they have an impressive interchange with the musical arrangements, in fact the overall production of this album really does help all the key ingredients stand out.


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Oddnesse - Are You Down.

Background - The project began as a studio collaboration between musician Rebeca Arango and producer Grey Goon. The two east-coast expats had arrived independently in Los Angeles plagued by ghosts of old bands, with many gigs at the Cake Shop under their belts and expensive degrees in music on their linked-ins. 

They both shared a vision for infectious beautiful music with a dark, heavy groove and as friends occasionally dropped by the studio with contributions, Oddnesse was born. 

“I call this my “Pina Colada” song (in reference to the Rupert Holmes ditty). It’s a very confident and laid-back anticipation of my next lover, where I’m getting specific about calling in someone who can match my energy and approach to life. The question of going “slow” isn’t about romantic pacing per se (though that is important), it’s more about generally moving slow, never rushing to pack in too much all at once or getting anxious about “missing out,”  and preferring to sink in and explore the depths of all things.” - Rebeca Arango Website here, Facebook here.

Our third feature for Oddnesse this year, this time we have the new track 'Are You Down'. Consistently imaginative, Oddnesse up the stakes with each song they release, the ability to sound both powerful and yet uncomplicated is increasingly becoming a hallmark of their dreamy and passionate music.

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Desert Mountain Tribe - Michael Malarkey

Desert  Mountain Tribe - Interstellar.

Background - London based alternative/indie rock trio Desert Mountain Tribe are releasing the song ‘Interstellar’ from their 2016 debut album ‘Either That Or The Moon’ as a new single. It coincides with the band’s appearance at Manchester Psych Fest 2017 on 2nd September.
    
Edited from its original nine minute duration to just under five, the BVB Version of this epic track also boasts a superb video directed by Daniel Turner of Sound & Colour.

Turner explains the extraordinary camera method employed on the promo clip as follows : “It is effectively made to look like one single shot - going from wide to super close up, with the band rotating on a stage, speeding up and slowing down in a sort of ‘Matrix’ effect, with lights flashing and streaking in sync with the music. Together with my Director of Photography, I have developed a way to use multiple cameras to make a super-huge frame that we can zoom in and out of, and a way to time all the effects to the music.”

‘Interstellar’ follows a pair of digital EP’s, ‘If You Don’t Know Can You Don’t Know Köln’ and ‘Live At St. Pancras Old Church’, plus the single ‘Enos In Space (Top Of The World)’, which was mixed by Youth. The band have also spent much of 2017 on the road, including an extensive spring tour of North America and summer festivals in mainland Europe. 

Formed in 2012, Desert Mountain Tribe released their debut album ‘Either That Or The Moon’ in the spring of 2016 to positive reviews from UK publications such as Shindig, Classic Rock, Louder Than War, Drowned In Sound and The Arts Desk. The album achieved heavy rotation at US college radio, while their latest single has received support across BBC 6 Music. Facebook here.

Powerful and expansive ‘Interstellar’ teases the listener on first listen, with it's beautiful refrains and moments of high energy. In between this, there are some superb vocals and the wonderfully epic guitar solo's, just add to the bands sense of drama.


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Michael Malarkey - Uncomfortably Numb.

Background - Vampire Diaries actor Michael Malarkey’s has just dropped a new single called Uncomfortably Numb, written about the overbearing expectations placed on an artist thrust into the spotlight, it’s pretty fitting to the man behind the music.

Michael is about to release his debut album called Mongrels this September followed but a full set of EU/UK Tour dates booked in (below). Described as “folktronica” by Metro, the new record is a modern mash up of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Tom Waits.

Quote from Michael: It is about disconnectedness to this society but being forced to participate in it anyway, the contrast in the music and the lyrics reflects the unpredictability of mood swings and depression, the subconscious games we play with ourselves, how we react to that feeling of flight or fight when neither are appropriate, the love/hate relationship with addiction. 

Whatever crutches people turn to out of desperation or habit when walking through this world becomes tiresome - and the sometimes overbearing expectations placed on the reclusive artist thrust into the spotlight and forced to deal with the unquenchable thirst of the public. All of which magnifies the internal battle of lightness and darkness, the animal vs the man, the reclusive artist vs the public performer. It’s a fight song for the soul. This struggle is one of the main themes of the record. What does it take to be man? Is that even the right question? Facebook here.

Second song this month from Michael Malarkey this time with 'Uncomfortably Numb'. We stated last time that "The album comprises a fine mixture of material, occasionally dark in nature (but only occasionally), the refined melodies and desirable feel of each song, makes for a rich and pleasing listen. This deserves to be heard not because of The Vampire Diaries, but because it is a very affecting album". This song I hope endorses our opinion, enjoy!

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Giant Flying Turtles - The Mining Co. - Julia P. - Anna Coogan

Giant Flying Turtles - Waltz To The World (4 song selection).

Background - With a sound about as unique as their name, Giant Flying Turtles are carving a place for themselves in, and beyond, the thriving Brooklyn, New York indie music scene. Their genre bending music has no bounds, inspired by rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, and blues this high energy jam trio will blow you away. They have the uncanny ability to capture audiences small and large, young and old.

Johnny and Calvin met while playing in Kreisor on Teepee Records. They soon found they had a lot in common and started playing as a duo in bars around Brooklyn. It was then that this Maryland Jazz cat and Kansas born Dead Head came to be the musical force they are today. Soon they met drummer Jim Toscano and the chemistry between the three was obvious. In 2016, virtuoso guitarist TJ Jordan joined the group making the sound complete.

Their song Raven Hair is featured in the festival favourite One Wall – Kings of Coney Island. Their song Keep My Dream Alive is the theme of the film Shining In The Dark which was nominated in The Moscow International Film Festival, and they were invited to perform it there. Giant Flying Turtles are staunch advocates of music played well, from the heart, and their passionate performances are garnering them a consistently growing fan base in and around the east coast and beyond. Website here, Facebook here.

Here we have the first four of the eleven tracks that make up the very fine 'Waltz To The World' album. The band have something pretty special going on here, there is a consistent level of energy and imagination centred around an overall band sound, however their skill in switching genres or just mixing them up in one song, makes for some fabulous variety. As a tease I would also add that the seven other songs are equal to, or even better than those shared here!

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The Mining Co. - Mountain Fires.

Background - The Mining Co.’s debut album ‘Burning Sun and The Atomic Powers Within’ released in 2016 was an intriguing collection of downbeat Americana and alt-folk tracks which signalled the arrival of a new artist to challenge the current status quo of artists in those genres. Gaining attention from the likes of The Guardian, Gigslutz and Amazing Radio and key taste makers germinating what now is a band that are set to prove themselves.

The Mining Co.’s sophomore album ‘Mountain Fires’ should do just this with principal member Michael Gallagher returning to the studio in Spain in which their debut was recorded to fully hone his craft with songs that were creatively spurred on by the processes involved in the release of the first album. It’s an album that looks back to a different time, a time of total freedom, a wild childhood, long days and nights spent listening to radio stations like Radio Luxembourg, before the internet and before mobile phone communication and the start of a love for music: Elvis, Springsteen, New Wave: the soundtrack to love - come, gone and missed - a celebration to the past that still shines brightly.

From the minimal opening of ‘Julie’s Song’, Gallagher’s voice sounds deeper and more refined echoing in a distinct reverb and comforting with its angst and melancholy and the production seems polished and spacious. ‘Closer’ rattles with piano and retro organ with a darkness, Gallagher’s voice cracking from its deadpan style occasionally and reaching high notes offering an accomplished sound that yearns in histories coffee stained pages and sepia photographs and London’s grey streets and empty rooms and bars, recalling Nick Cave and Tom Waits perhaps with its darkness.

Stand out track ‘Against The Grain’, is just what Gallagher is. A maverick music obsessive who is heading backwards and forwards at the same time, perfectly crafting his tracks in 2017 with a caution and care like the best 50’s and 60’s singers. He laments that he is ‘always against the grain’ as the track escalates with gorgeous strings and glockenspiel and shuffling drums. ‘Valentine To Write’ is another highlight with its instant upbeat moods and sweeping organ as Gallagher ponders on another ‘valentine to write to’ and that he can’t believe another year has passed him by. It’s a daydream of a song that deals with lost time and dreams and indecisiveness in love.

It’s a superb collection of tracks that are rooted enough in traditions to be engaging but with enough quirk and eccentricities to find a place above the rest of Americana and folk’s recent bands and to cherish for years to come and to warrant continued listening. Gallagher is laid plain in some lyrics alongside other lyrics left veiled in metaphor and profundities. The Mining Co. are back with an album that should stand shoulder to shoulder with the best new alt-folk music around, so let yourself be taken on their gentle and psychedelic ride into glorious sounds. Facebook here.

If the vocals don't just grab you & refuse to let go, then surely the musical arrangement will dig it's hooks in on 'Mountain Fires'. The timeless vibe that pours from this track is sublime, so it's time personally to back track on last years material whilst anticipating whats soon to follow.

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Julia P. - Oleander Dreams.

Background - Julia P's jingle jangle sixties pop songs and her clear and unique voice have brought her international fame. New single Oleander Dreams is a sticky sweet and poppy song with the trademark casual West Coast sound and it's bursting with joy.

Oleander Dreams is the third single taken from her Summer EP. The previous singles did very well,  Big Beach was even featured in the Apple US Hot Tracks and landed on various Spotify Playlists. Both singles got picked up by radio stations from the US to New Zealand. 

Julia P. Hersheimer first got noticed in 1991 with her Twin Peaks Forever cassette. Thereafter many albums, EP's and projects followed. She shared the stage with Paul Weller, toured with dEUS and Daryll-Ann amongst other bands, was featured on the internationally acclaimed Eurosonic Noorderslag showcase festival, famous Dutch festivals Crossing Border and Lowlands, and on Dutch national TV.

Accompanied by backing band The Hengles, her international sound reminisces artists like Sharon van Etten and Courtney Barnett. Oleander Dreams is released on 1 September 2017. Website here.

It was only a few weeks back that we first featured Julia P. and the new song 'Oleander Dreams' really deserves a share as well. Unpretentious pop where the melody, vibrant music and delicious vocals and harmonies are all present & deliciously blended together.

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Anna Coogan - The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time.

Background - US singer-songwriter and former fisheries biologist, Anna Coogan, is excited to announce her return to the UK this October, following the release of her well received new record ‘The Lonely Cry of Space & Time’ in April. The live dates include a show at London’s Sound Lounge on Thursday October 19th.The album, a virtual two-person effort which features Willie B (Brian Wilson) on drums and Moog bass, combines Coogan’s three-octave soprano vocals, electric guitar soundscapes and pointed social commentary into a fierce cohesive piece which combines the personal and the political, in a musical hybrid of rock, country, pop and classical opera into a unique whole. Her new direction was born from her series of performances in her adopted hometown of Ithaca, NY, in which Anna and Willie B created live musical accompaniments
for vintage silent films.

Influenced by her classical opera training and her father’s protest albums by Phil Ochs andBob Dylan, The Lonely Cry Of Space &Time is a stylistic breakthrough for Anna. Call it operatic rock, a genre previously explored by the likes of Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, LeneLovich, Yoko Ono and Freddie Mercury, among others; there have been many attempts at rock opera in the past, but The Lonely Cry of Space & Time is something different.

A distinct stylistic change from her previous solo work (The Nocturnal Among Us, 2010; The Wasted Ocean, 2012; and Birth of the Stars, 2014); Coogan explains her shift from the acoustic Americana of her past to the jangly, electronic buzz of the new album could be described as her “Judas moment.”  As a guitarist, think of her rubbery, pneumatic, wah-wah sound like a combination of PJ Harvey, Courtney Barnett and her personal favourites, Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot.

A true independent, Anna releases her own albums and books her own tours, which have taken her all over the world, including international festivals like the Blue Ball in Lucerne, Switzerland, Maverick in Suffolk, UK, as well as the Glasgow Americana Festival and Celtic Connections in Scotland. She has also played extensively in Germany and the Netherlands, and toured as a member of the Johnny Dowd Band. Live dates are listed on Beehive Candy's tour news page, website here.

'The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time' is the third song we have featured by Anna Coogan this year. It's another powerful rock track where her vocals once again provide emotional commitment & drive the melody, whilst the music is straight down the line rock'n'roll.

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The Sweetheart Revue - SPC ECO - Talullah Ruff

The Sweetheart Revue - Civilised.

Background - The Sweetheart Revue came into being when lead singer Gerard Sampaio tried to impress a woman at a party by saying he was in a band (which he wasn’t) and inviting her to see them play. Gerard had plenty of songs scribbled in notebooks at this point, but had never actually sung a single one in public. Friends were called, favours were begged, a practise was scheduled and a few days later The Sweetheart Revue took to the stage.

That was pretty much the last time The Sweetheart Revue did anything in a hurry. They’ve been working on this album, their debut, for years, too many to mention, recording songs here and there, getting distracted by day jobs, having kids, that sort of thing. Along the way, they’ve played at Celtic Connections, The Kelvingrove Bandstand and The Grand Ole Opry (the one in their hometown of Glasgow). They’ve ventured as far North as Elgin, as far south as Pollokshields, and had a song featured in a Hollywood movie.

The result of this unhurried approach, of making music purely for the love of it, is a beautiful and diverse collection of songs, rich in warmth, texture and finely-honed lyricism. The album blends indie, rock, folk and country; real delicacy, gorgeous harmonies, grit and noise. All good things to those who wait. Facebook here.

'Civilised' is a clutter free melodic song where each musical element has it place without hogging the limelight. Vocals are bright, smooth and add an extra layer of energy.

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SPC ECO - Calm (album).

Background - SPC ECO has released their new album 'Calm', which follows their 'Under My Skin' EP, released earlier this year.

If the demise of ground-breaking duo Curve was a storm-cloud in the musical skies of the 90’s, the silver lining was that Dean Garcia went on to form SPC ECO with Rose Berlin. This a coming together of an electronic musical maverick and a vulnerable yet tender vocal style and even more endearing is the fact that this is informed by the bond of a father and daughter exploring their relationship and the world around them through music.

This bond lies at the heart of the music, and is something that goes beyond two musicians creating heartfelt sounds and becomes the language of their very souls, a conversation that is often too difficult to be encapsulated by mere words. Like many worthy conversations, Dean and Rose choose their words and make their plans carefully.

“When we started this record in early January 2017, we knew we wanted to take our time with it, no need to rush it out and go with the first ten songs we recorded, I think we made almost 3 albums worth of songs with this one so there are some cool outtakes to add or use as the album gets underway,“ says Dean Garcia. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured SPC ECO back in January with their 'Under My Skin' EP describing that collection of material as "an aural feast of quality." Now we have the new album 'Calm', which carries on from where the EP left off. Powerful and with rich layers of stunning music, the vocals are deep within the mix but not lost, rather embedded and merging with the music that swirls around them.

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Talullah Ruff - What Is Honest / I Am Not.

Background - NYC-based, alt-rock singer-songwriter, Talullah Ruff, shares her debut, self-produced EP, What Is Honest. What Is Honest was self-recorded in various locations - Ruff's apartment, her friends' NYU dorm room, the studio at Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and Brooklyn DIY studio space, Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen. The EP was mastered by Grammy nominated Tom Waltz. Talullah Ruff shared her lastest single, "Anger Is An Acid," on PopCrush's #NewMusicFriday, who praised the track's "gloomy, jazzy production colors" and "emotive, full-bodied vocal."

Reflection lies at the core of Ruff's art, her lyrics acting as mirrors for what she internalizes about herself and her experiences of dejection. She seeks to create sonic worlds for her listeners, while also attempting to forge refuge and connection. With over 200 unreleased songs and 2 unpublished novels to her name, What Is Honest represents a curated collection of her works from freshman year of high school to her sophomore year in college. Blending 1970s-esque production with 1990s alt-rock songwriting and aesthetics, Ruff has built her own brand of art rock, in which she seeks to blend each eclectic side of herself. Using piano and vocals to drive forward her heart-rendering lyrics, her music suggests a nostalgic nod to her inspirations, such as Fiona Apple, Jeff Buckley and Tori Amos. 

The album artwork, drawn and painted by Ruff herself, evokes a sense of rawness and honesty. The image of a half naked women with a flower head - with no intention to instill any level of shock-value - was meant to embody the simplistic beauty of the human body and the natural forms taken for granted or warped by our own misconceptions. The red rose symbolizes the stigmas that come with womanhood and others' expectations and projections onto Ruff. EP tracks such as, "I Am Not," and title track, "What Is Honest" touch on these influences - both external and internal - that evoke negativity and anxiety, but push through the issues with intricate lyrics and brazen vocal melodies. Facebook here.

We have a couple of songs from the new EP 'What Is Honest' and 'I Am Not'. Talullah Ruff's vocals are distinct, sometimes sombre & perhaps a little mysterious, but always engaging. The music finely matches the feel of her voice, with each composition beautifully thought through and delivered in an outstanding manner.


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Kelsey Kerrigan - Radio Wolf - The Blue Hour - Gestures & Sounds

Kelsey Kerrigan - Good Times.

Background - "When I was 9, I used to sit in my closet in the pitch black with headphones on, listening to these meditational CDs. The music was really moody, with lots of production. I would get lost imagining all the different sounds, all the counter melodies, recalls the LA-based artist. I always loved production.

While in school, Kerrigan kept up a grueling schedule of nine to 10 hours a day of songwriting while earning her degree in in audio engineering and production at Los Angeles Recording School. She was enrolled in the two-year production program. Initially, her decision to pursue production was so that she could make better demo versions of her songs, but the art of production would become integral to her musicality. A producers job is to decorate time and space, she says.  

Immersed in the craft of production, and the art of songwriting, Kerrigan began to discover and refine her aesthetic. She became inspired by the lush textural instrumentation and clever arrangements of new wave and post punk artists such as The Smiths, The Cure, Wire, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Tears For Fears. These artists became signposts, and would also help her reference her distinct production treatment. 

Through a combination of good fortune, prodigious musical gifts, and hard work Kerrigan has made an uncompromising and masterful debut album. It entrances with clever emotiveness, blissful new wave atmospherics, smart hooks, and sweetly seductive vocals. This inaugural body of work was produced by Johnny T. Yerington (Ryan Adams, The Virgins) and Gus Oberg (The Strokes, Albert Hammond) at Electric Lady Studios. Website here, Facebook here.

We have some beautiful new material from Kelsey Kerrigan who we featured for the first time just over three weeks ago. 'Good Times' is another melodic and catchy track, where production & the musical arrangement are top quality and the vocals exquisitely matched in what is a superb indie pop song.

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Radio Wolf - Song On The Radio (feat. Marika Gauci).

Background - Canadian/British electro-rock outfit Radio Wolf have shared their highly anticipated debut single, "Song on the Radio." With an ethos somewhere between that of a John Hughes or David Lynch soundtrack, "Song on the Radio" feels as if it could be the end of the most recent episode of Twin Peaks.  Featuring Marika Gauci on vocals, the track is a pulsating anthem that harkens back to the simpler times when radio was the be-all end-all of music consumption.  

The roots of Radio Wolf started in Blair's original experimental electronic rock outfit, Kindle, where he transformed his music into a visual experience complete with cyberpunk burlesque dancers.  After building a name for himself, and performing at the legendary Notting Hill Arts Club, electro-pop band Client quickly signed him to their independent record label, Loser Friendly. His all- instrumental first album was then released, simply titled Kindle. Ever-restless to build upon his own sound and evolve as an artist, Oliver conceived his latest project: Radio Wolf.

As Radio Wolf, Oliver has written and produced original songs with guest vocalists, Marika Gauci (Hotel Motel), Sarah Blackwood (Client), Kelli Ali (Sneaker Pimps) and Holly Dodson (Parallels). The sound is a unique fusion of electronic music and rock ’n’ roll, with a distinct retro-futuristic edge. The songs are crafted with lyrical and melodic power, combining uncanny rock guitar hooks, lush electronics, and distinctive vocal delivery. 

Radio Wolf's debut EP, Rock 'n' Roll Forever will be available everywhere October 31st, 2017, Facebook here.

For some reason the opening chords reminded me of The Psychedelic Furs, after which all likeness simply vanished. 'Song On The Radio' is a fabulous electro rock song, the music is absolutely splendid and the vocals provide distinction and emotion.

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The Blue Hour - One More Mystery (plus The Cure cover for Kyoto Song).

Background - The Blue Hour presents their new single 'One More Mystery' ahead of the release of their new album 'Always'. This 11-track offering is replete with swoons whirling the listener into the ether, wisped along with sonic elements cherished by fans of Kate Bush, This Mortal Coil, Marissa Nadler, Dead Can Dance, and Chelsea Wolfe. This new release comes on the trail of their 'Kyoto Songs' single, featuring a beautiful rendition of The Cure classic 'Kyoto Song'.

Living near Seattle, Brian and Marselle Hodges have been inspired by their life amongst the moss and mud and the ferns and forests of the Pacific Northwest, their raw mix channeling the purely natural and the esoteric via The Blue Hour.

Blending traditional folk melodies with dream pop, ethereal wave and synthpop, the result is ethereal folk-noir that is unique to them, charged with haunting ambience and some classical structures. This potent cocktail creates an otherworldly and hypnotic effect, focusing on texture and rhythm and beautiful discord ... and most of all magic.

Co-written and performed by Brian and Marseille, the two also share vocal duties on the 'Always' album. Maria Grig also contributes strings on three tracks: 'One More Mystery', 'Block the Sound' and 'Lost Landmarks'. Written and recorded between December 2016 and June 2017 at the Piksie Nest and Rabbit Hole, this album was mastered by Wade Alin at Standard Mastering. 

While not making music Brian Hodges works as a lawyer, researcher, and non-fiction writer. His fiction has been published by New Lit Salon Press, the Bearded Scribe Press, and Liquid Imagination, with his work having received acclaim in niche literary circles. The Blue Hour will be released on October 27, but is already available for pre-order via the band's own Bandcamp here. Website here, Facebook here. 

As both 'One More Mystery' and 'Kyoto Song' are mentioned in the above promo piece I thought it would make sense to feature both. Doing so helps to demonstrate the musical expanse The Blue Hour can & do travel through, the beautifully tender One More Mystery contrasts so well with the potent cover version of Kyoto Song. As for the rest of the album, the watch word for each track is unique, and if you wan't a second one then, imaginative springs quickly to mind.


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Gestures & Sounds - To: Rivers, From: Chomp.

Background - LA-based folk-pop outfit and filmmakers, Gestures and Sounds are proud to release their next music video for single, "To: Rivers, From: Chomp".  Playing out like an indie-Tim Burton film, Gestures & Sounds create an innovative and mesmerizing world where our protagonist goes on a perilous journey to find his way back home.

Utilizing their filmmaking skills to complement their energetic, rollicking sound, Gestures & Sounds creates a unique blend of art for all the senses.  Silly and self-aware, the band's debut album Bill Nye Thinks We're a Band takes its inspiration from a speech they saw the famed scientist give on a college campus.  Almost highlighting their future goals, Gestures & Sounds hopes to one day be big enough to attract the attention of their childhood hero.

Debut Single "Ass Over Tea Kettle" and the accompanying video was extremely well-received. Gestures & Sounds release their debut full-length, Bill Nye Thinks We're a Band, worldwide on September 15th, 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured 'Ass Over Tea Kettle' back at the beginning of July describing that song as "a feisty slice of modern folk pop" Now we have the new song 'To: Rivers, From: Chomp'a vibrant piece where folk pop might easily be replaced with folk rock as the base genre.


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Frøkedal - INHEAVEN - Knifey - Cody & Danz

Frøkedal - LTF / Cracks.

Background - Oslo, Norway based artist Frøkedal has released a new double single — ‘LTF’ / ‘Cracks’. Two captivating pieces of music, ‘LTF’ and ‘Cracks’ are similar in the sense that they both describe how feelings of love are often accompanied by an almost-physical fear. Yet, the two songs differ in their urgency, instrumentation, and overall artistic delivery.

‘LTF’ is full of twists and turns, as Anne Lise Frøkedal navigates her way around bustling drum work and complex guitar passages, hinting at a state of emotional bedlam: “Everything we aimed to be / The image stirs so easily / Too fast to follow / I don’t know what you’re doing to me”.

Speaking a little more on the tracks, Frøkedal explained: "‘LTF’ is set in an urban landscape, and inspired by the escalating chaos of daily life, whereas ‘Cracks’ gets back to basics – it’s more vulnerable, and mature in that way. ‘Cracks’ suggests that the problem lies in our nature – nothing is more scary than exposing our weaknesses and imperfections."

Instrumentally, the double release could be argued to be one of Frøkedal most diverse yet. "I wanted the arrangements in ‘LTF’ to channel the more chaotic nature of the lyric” Frøkedal says.

"The second instrumental in ‘LTF’ is like a mini-postcard from last year when I was a clueless Norwegian trying to navigate the busy and bustling streets of Beijing. I laughed a lot when I realised I had musically recreated that moment” - perhaps referencing the tumultuous instrumental finale to the track.

"‘Cracks’ is painfully honest. It was difficult writing a song like that, but I really wanted to try shortening the distance a little, lay it open. I got Familien [Frøkedal’s band] to sing a verse with me, because the theme feels universal. One of my favourite percussion instruments is the Cajun triangle, and you can hear a trace of it in the bridge of ‘Cracks’. To me, it sounds like a reminder of danger lurking around the corner.”

Despite track-by-track production, Frøkedal’s lyrical output has taken a much more thematic approach with recent single ’Stranger’, and the double single released today: “When I started writing this new material, I was picturing different ages or stages in our lives when our vision gets a little blurred. I wanted the songs (and the characters) to channel these critical moments when decisions are dominated by emotion and not necessarily by logic,” she says.

‘LTF’ and ‘Cracks' join Frøkedal’s already-impressive body of work, having previously collaborated with Robyn Hitchcock and fronted successful Norwegian outfit Harrys Gym. She remains a core member of I Was A King, who count Sufjan Stevens and Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake among past collaborators. Purchase here, Facebook here.

I mentioned back in June that I hoped I might be able to share some more material from Frøkedal this year & now we have two superb new songs 'LTF' and 'Cracks'. Both have the hallmark of quality that she consistently delivers, if you like either of these two tunes I thoroughly recommend her Norwegian Grammy-nominated debut LP of 2016, ‘Hold On Dreamer’.


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INHEAVEN - Stupid Things.

Background - Now counting down the days until their self-titled debut album is released on September 1st, INHEAVEN have already received an overwhelmingly positive reaction for the collection. Now the band present a final taster for the album by sharing the new track ‘Stupid Things’.

Produced by Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Pixies), ‘Stupid Things’ captures INHEAVEN at their most anthemic and romantic. As co-vocalists James Taylor and Chloe Little share sweet vocal harmonies over the track’s pounding rhythms, ‘Stupid Things’ takes you to a different place to the rest of the INHEAVEN songbook - a place where Brit attitude, boisterous grunge and Springsteen-esque Americana live in perfect harmony.

Lyrically it’s a song that reflects a near universal youth experience. As the band explain: “‘Stupid Things’ is a song for daydreamers. It’s about a love that exists outside of reality, it’s a romanticism you’ve created in your own head - but in the real world you have never even spoken to this person you think you know so well. It’s a school crush that feels like it will last forever. And it’s our very own coming of age soundtrack.”

INHEAVEN’s debut is the sound of a band who are set to change the lives of teenagers the length and breadth of the nation, and beyond. It’s a set that sprawls across the alt.rock spectrum from feral snapfire punk to the moody melodic distortion of shoegaze and the loud/quiet/loud dynamics of grunge. The life-affirming energy of their music combined with their individualistic ethos combine to make a band worth investing in beyond simply adding a few tracks to your Spotify playlist. Facebook here.

Following on from the live song 'Vultures' that we shared at the end of May, we now have 'Stupid Things' a thunderous rock anthem that combines melody and a rich rock arrangement with vocals and harmonies adding something quite special to this fabulous track.


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Knifey - Summer Girls.

Background - The new Knifey single is another perfect encapsulation of the surf-punk's Modus Operandi; it's as much a rallying cry for a rawkus beach party, as it is a wistful look back at what could've been. 

Dripping with summer soaked nostalgia, the track is a last stand to the waning days of perpetual sun and a holiday romances. Blasting out your speakers, the song comes from their debut LP 'Beached', out this September 29th. 

Quote about the song from lead singer Max Trinz: From frantic highs to ardent lows, Summer Girls is a song about romance and passion in the deep summer.  It's about the fast kind of love you can blink and miss while speeding down lazy summer roads.  

Reflective, patient hooks rise above relentless percussion and blistering guitars.  Like all Toronto summers, the song is short and precious, and, like the coming fall, quickly slows into a dreamy, reflective outro that yearns for things not appreciated in their time. Facebook here.

It's third time this year for Knifey on Beehive Candy and this time we have 'Summer Girls' a sub three minute sparkling surf punk song. Passionate, vibrant and charged with power, it's more evidence that this band can turn out fabulous music that should be noticed.

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Cody & Danz - So Small.

Background -  Cody & Danz have shared their new video from their debut EP. The song "So Small" comes from Only The Hits, which released on July 14th via Channel 9 Records in the USA and Tugboat Records in Japan. Cool Hunting calls the song "rambunctious" and says it "carries tremendous force without disrupting the pop sensibilities and musical intelligence of the two musicians." 

On the video, Cool Hunting adds, "Directed by Derik Smith, the visuals offer a candid-like take on an ordinary hang with Crump and Danz. It's simple, fun and works in tandem with the song." Look out for a John Stamos appearance, as well. 

The two artists both have burgeoning solo projects: Cody Crump and Computer Magic. Cody lives in LA and Danz lives in NYC. Consequence of Sound says, "Though about 3,000 miles separate these two musicians, their minds meet on one project, their collaborative debut EP, Only The Hits." Website here, Facebook here. 

Whilst we are in the habit of undertaking additional features for artists in 2017, lets not miss out on Cody & Danz this time with the new music video for 'So Small'. Potent, grungy, and punk fuelled, it's both primal and magnificent!


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