Lake Jons - Jon Lindsay - Safari Gold - Honeymilk - Sur Back

Lake Jons - Lake Family.

Background -  “Lake Family” is the final single that Helsinki’s innovative lo-fi pop trio Lake Jons are sharing ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album (out next Friday, January 19th via AntiFragile Music). “Lake Family” is a euphoric track, masterfully showcasing frontman Jooel Jons’ effortless vocals and the bands’ undeniably assured, anthemic sound. 

Lake Jons has been flourishing in their hometown of Helsinki since 2014, utilizing atmospheric samples, simple driving rhythms, delicate guitar progressions and lush, hook-laden vocals as pillars of their forward-thinking songs. The result is an alchemic blend of ambient lo-fi pop, psych, soul and folk… it's the kind of album that could only come from a state of severe isolation and a mystical connection with the natural world.

It also explores themes of introspection, existentialism and human relationships, while the lyrics detail a quieter existence. A calm and persistent “life will go on” motif is prevalent throughout, which follows the bands’ previous two EP’s they released in 2016, Explore and Explode, along with their most recent singles from this album, “Call Me” and “Breathe Out The Fumes”. FACEBOOK.

Upbeat and refreshing 'Lake Family' also has plenty of heart and soul, the bands lo-fi music is the perfect soundtrack some really appealing vocals.

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

Jon Lindsay - Zebulon (feat. Matt Douglas).

Background - Chicago’s File 13 Records has announced they will release 'Zebulon', the compelling yet irresistibly catchy new single from solo artist Jon Lindsay.  Slated for worldwide release on December 22, this track features a ridiculously funky horn arrangement from Matt Douglas of The Mountain Goats and drums by John Howie Junior.

'Zebulon' also happens to artfully tackle systemic bigotry—from the bigot’s point of view, no less. A sonic departure from Lindsay’s 2016 modern pop/rock opus 'Cities and Schools' (via File 13 Records), Lindsay describes the “Zebulon” sound as “sort of this psychedelic gospel pop”. While the vibe is indeed reminiscent of late-era George Harrison and Warren Zevon, and the horns, keys, congas and infectious hooks are in step with pop masters of the 1980s like Steve Winwood, something entirely new is happening here.

Lindsay (self-described as “way, way left”) wrote the song based on a true story. One night last summer, he accidentally wound up in rural North Carolina, playing music on a farm at the going away party for a farmer’s daughter, who was heading off to a northern college in the fall. Lindsay knew very little about the situation heading into the evening, but there was a lot of narrow-minded language and odd ideas voiced that night, much of it by the farmer himself. Some of this is echoed in the song.

“I didn’t want to just skewer a guy like this with some preachy, easy tune," explains Jon Lindsay, "I wanted to put a more three-dimensional character sketch together that got at the undercurrents of why this person felt like his whole world was getting away from him. Maybe it would help me understand how these things happen? I just tried to imagine how somebody could turn out so hateful and seemingly not realize it even a little bit.” WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Bright and engaging from the opening moments 'Zebulon' is a rhythmic and catchy pop song with a musical arrangement that skillfully adds some extra instrumentation just at the right moment.

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

Safari Gold - Easy Company.

Background - I remember sitting in a hotel room (working) in India shortly after we put our first single ‘Howl’ up, and feeling grateful that people seemed to get what we were doing; especially the contrast between the light and the dark of Mog and Danny’s vocals and the mixture of organic and electronic instrumentation, which I’d tried hard to give equal bearing in the mix. More importantly, I was proud of what we’d made, and was excited
to see where it could take us.

Then a couple of us got shipped around the world with work again, passed exams, bought houses, dogs, vans…. for a while recording felt like thumbing putty into the gaps in our schedules, trying to stop the band from leaking away. But all the little seconds and minutes built up, as did the songs, and the idea of a ‘release’got swallowed up by tweaks and changes, mixing, re-mixing…. I realised we had to let go of it at some point or I might get swallowed as well.

So, at last, what feels like a decade later, I present to you the fruits of our labour as Safari Gold; a self-produced, self-indulgent, subjectively beautiful 15-track mess that our parents and labels couldn’t get their heads round, to be released across all digital platforms on January 19th, 2018.  That Friday night we’ll also be holding our album release show at our beloved Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

I owe a special thanks to Todd Campbell @ Stompbox Studios for helping me to produce it all, and reining me in when I was halfway to the moon with a drum-mic. We’d also like to thank our friend Mal who designed and painted our album cover, which encapsulates so much of what this album is about.  And of course a huge thanks to any of our friends who got dragged into the whirlpool, however briefly. Its taken a long time to finish a) because we needed to learn how to make it and b) because of life. 

It’s fun, it’s sad; it might not be what you expected. I don’t really know how to describe it properly, but what I do know is we’re incredibly lucky to be here at all, and we wouldn't be without you. So thank you too. - Lew, Sion, Mog & Danny. FACEBOOK.   

'Easy Company' is a combination of indie pop and rock where both the music, vocals and charming harmonies, suggest the album only needs to be this good to be magnificent.

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

Honeymilk feat. Matilda Wiezell - Coming Home.

Background - Honeymilk, who went from a four-piece to a two-piece a year ago, just completed their sophomore studio album, called “I Want You To Be Very Happy.

First track out from the album was “Time Will Kill You” which was released summer 2016, soon reaching 200 000 streams on Spotify. 

This was followed by “The Nothing New” and “Trip” which both was instantly hailed as the best tracks the band’s released by media outlets such as Clash Magazine, BBC Fresh On The Net and Jajaja Music. Airplay followed on renowned stations such as P3 in Sweden, Amazing Radio, German Flux FM, Norwegian NRK P13 and Finnish YLE Soumi..

Honeymilk’s new studio album “I Want You To Be Very Happy” is out January 26th on Birds Records. FACEBOOK.

'Coming Home' is a relaxed indie song that feels comfortable throughout, dropping hooks constantly and the vocal arrangement seriously adds some real wow factor as the tune unfolds.

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

Sur Back - Valentino.

Background - NYC-based, orchestral pop artist, Sur Back, shares her lead single "Valentino" and announces her follow up EP, Kitsch II, due out February 23rd, 2018. The EP was written, recorded and produced by Sur Back, and mixed and mastered by Patrick Brown of Different Fur Studios (Toro y Moi, Grimes, Zola Jesus, K. Flay, The Morning Benders).

Sur Back is the solo project of Caroline Sans, a formally trained dancer and musician, who channels the two forms of art into a baroque pop aesthetic. Kitsch II is Kitsch's darker, more somber cousin, as displayed by the similar, but darker, album art. Although most of the second EP's tracks were written around the same time as the first EP, as a collection, the record has taken on a new meaning with Sur Back's transition to living in the city and moving away from her childhood home.

While finishing production of this record, Sur Back moved from South Florida to NYC, which is reflected through the EP's wide-eyed optimism and dreamlike aesthetic. "Valentino" was written as if scoring a fashion show, with a straightforward beat with a bit of jaggedness, as if walking in heels. The gorgeous instrumental layers that Sur Back is able to produce and write alone in her bedroom pushes past the typical DIY sound of bedroom pop. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Expect the unexpected with 'Valentino' and then enjoy the gorgeous musical journey. Fascinating and captivating, this is an instant replay, and some!

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

Locks - Skin (Video Premiere)

Locks - Skin.

Background - The basis of the song is quite simple, it’s referring to inner demons, everyone’s are different and everyone deals with them in different ways. Some people are consumed by them to the point where their life revolves around them. Others fight them every step of the way. Sometimes they’re gone for good and other times they come back, either creeping slowly or rushing towards us like a juggernaut. The song is also linked to a previous track we did, but dropped unfortunately.

We shot the video on an iPhone again, we do all our videos on phones it seems.

The video started off with a very simple idea of inter cutting shots of each of us showing different expressions. Then had the idea of using coins found in a friends’ attic to coincide with the line ‘place two coins on those eyes before they start sinking’. Then this developed into the idea that we could use certain objects that could represent vices or triggers. We also tried to interweave the phrase ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ which represents both that and the constrictions we can place on ourselves, another nod to our inner demons. 

We had a lot of fun videoing this, there’s quite a lot of outtakes too and we got a huge amount of black paint everywhere. FACEBOOK.

We featured this song last month, then along came the opportunity to premiere the video. Now whilst plenty of music sites appear to love plastering "premiere" and other "first past the post" statements across their home pages, Beehive Candy's shoestring arrangements, usually mean that the caveat of demands that often come with such "opportunities" are just to time consuming.

Then along comes Locks - polite, easy going, if it's not to much hassle and so on, and for such a fine song. So lets just repeat our review, leave it at that, put our feet up & go & watch the TV (OK so we are exaggerating for effect).

Last month we stated "Bluesy and with a stripped back musical opening when the vocals and harmonies kick in this becomes a rich and very catchy song. I'm left looking forward to their debut album, and some."


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

John MOuse - INHEAVEN - Phantoms VS Fire - Super Hi Fi

John MOuse - Bunkbeds and Broken.

Background -  After a successful fan funding campaign, John MOuse releases his fifth album ‘Replica Figures’ out through Keep Me In Your Heart Records on the 19th of February 2018.   For ‘Replica Figures’  John returns to work with original band member Sweet Baboo. It's been 15 years since the two worked under John's previous moniker JT Mouse and the result is a touching album with glimpses of John's black humour, which has been a signature throughout his career.

"We had talked about working together but other commitments had taken president. This is the type album I have been wanting to release for some time.” Says John of his decision to work with Steve Baboo “Steve understood straight away what I was trying to achieve and we worked really quickly on just letting the songs breath and be themselves. Nothing was over thought or overworked."

‘Replica Figures’ features Steve Black (Sweet Baboo) on piano and bass, former guitarist of early 90's indie band Hopper (who were signed to Tony Wilson’s Factory Too records), Paul Sheppard, and John's daughter Maggie Lola on backing vocals. The album circulates around the concept of memories, different memories, how they are created, the lack of memory, enforced and false memories...

"We wanted the album to have restrictions in place, a limited palette of instruments and sounds, and most importantly a vocal performance to capture emotion and the moment.” Says John about recording the album “We are so used to listening to perfect vocals and I wanted to create a snapshot, much like a memory." FACEBOOK.

'Replica Figures' is one of those rare albums that starts out well and genuinely just gets better song by song. Somewhere near the mid-point we have 'Bunkbeds and Broken' a track that gives some good flavour of the whole, an anchor point if you like, however I really do urge you to check the other songs out, even if the shared song only registers a little.


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

INHEAVEN - Sweet Dreams Baby.

Background - After a year in which they fulfilled several landmark ambitions, INHEAVEN today share their brand new track ‘Sweet Dreams Baby’ – their first new material since their critically acclaimed debut album was released last summer.

‘Sweet Dreams Baby’ is an anthem for those who are hoping for better things to come in 2018. “Ever wish you were someone else? Every wish you were somewhere else?” begins frontman James Taylor, expressing desires that many will identify with. Subsequently joined on vocal harmonies by Chloe Little, the duo’s lyrics remind people not to lose sight of their aspirations.

Sonically, ‘Sweet Dreams Baby’ echoes a succession of timeless American influences – from the insistent percussion of the great 60s girl groups to Springsteen’s yearning and the widescreen hooks of Kings of Leon. The track was produced by INHEAVEN’s regular collaborator Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Pixies, The Amazons).

After selling-out London’s Scala in the autumn, INHEAVEN return to the road at the end of the month for a UK headline tour. The band will also embarking on their first North American tour alongside fellow British indie darlings Pale Waves. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

January
31st – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
February
1st – Portland Arms, Cambridge
2nd – Esquires, Bedford
3rd – Moles, Bath
5th – The Boileroom, Guildford
6th – The Face Bar, Reading
7th – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells
9th – Arts Centre, Norwich
10th – Mining Institute, Newcastle
12th – Deaf Institute, Manchester
13th – Arts Centre, Wolverhampton
March
19th - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX
20th - Dada - Dallas, TX
23rd - Rebel Lounge - Phoenix, AZ
24th - Soma Sidestage - San Diego, CA
25th - Constellation Room - Santa Ana, CA
26th - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA
27th - The Chapel - San Francisco, CA
29th - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
30th - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC
31st - The Crocodile - Seattle, WA
April
3rd - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
5th - Recordbar - Kansas City, MO
6th - Ready Room - St. Louis, MO
7th - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
9th - Velvet Underground - Toronto, ON
10th - Skully’s Music Diner - Columbus, OH
11th - U Street Music Hall - Washington, DC
12th - The Foundry - Philadelphia, PA
13th - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
15th - Sonia - Boston, MA

We featured INHEAVEN twice last year and ahead of the bands tour we now have 'Sweet Dreams Baby'. Once again we have a mature sounding rocker, where the production and clarity of sound is retained however much the energy levels build. With plenty of hooks the song quickly develops and insists on a second listen way before the closing chords.


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

Phantoms VS Fire - Starfish.

Background - Electronic music artist Phantoms vs Fire has announced a new expanded version of ‘Swim’, his debut album set for release via Hypersoma Records. This special edition, available exclusively on Bandcamp, is called ‘Deeper Swim’ and includes two additional tracks not available on the original version.

Phantoms vs Fire is the solo project of Italy-based Brazilian multi-disciplinary artist Thiago C. Desant. Both a composer and graphic artist, Desant focuses on melodies that incorporate traditional musical instruments, synthesizers and orchestral arrangements.

While Desant says that the artists who most strongly influenced his composition are Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Max Richter, Trent Reznor, and Gustavo Santaolalla, Phantoms vs Fire's output is very distinct from any one of them. Tastefully blending electronica and ambient with dreamy classical influences, this album is bound to appeal to fans of Tycho, Com Truise, Youandewan, Bonobo, Philip Glass, Japan, and Mike Oldfield.

Clearly blazing his own remarkably beautiful path, Phantoms vs Fire engulfs the listener, who journeys with each composition from introspection and relaxation to reverie and intensity in the best tradition of Philip Glass, Japan and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This is the perfect soundtrack to late night stargazing, capable of lifting you to greater sonic heights. WEBSITE, BANDCAMP.

To often we receive electronic based music that in all honesty, is not really even at the demo stage if your serious about taking it further. 'Starfish' typifies the quality to be found in Phantom VS Fire's music, and whilst we are not here to lecture anyone about their music, this album may well inspire some original ideas for others to develop.


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

Super Hi Fi - Dub to the Bone (Live in The Greene Space).

Background - Brooklyn, NY's funkiest, ambassadors of dub Super Hi-Fi are back with a genre melding new LP called Blue and White. By mixing elements of reggae, rock, world music, and jazz, Super Hi-Fi have created an album that feels as vibrant, dynamic, and undefinable as the boroughs of New York City. Holding true to their reggae roots Blue and White promises plenty of low-end heaviness and the dual trombone power that has come to define Super Hi-Fi's signature sound.

Super Hi-Fi- an underground supergroup of sorts whose members have backed a diverse collection of artists ranging from Beyonce to Donovan to Bill Frisell to the Skatalites- mixes jazz-inflected trombones, the heavy rhythmic thump of Jamaican dub and touches of afrobeat, funk and rock for a mix memorably described as an ‘imaginary soundtrack from Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, The Specials and Led Zeppelin.’ Led by bassist and composer Ezra Gale, whose last outfit, the San Francisco-based Aphrodesia, took their take on afrobeat all the way to Femi Kuti’s Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria, Super Hi-Fi has been making waves in the fertile New York music scene since 2010, releasing records nearly non-stop since their debut full-length album, “Dub To The Bone,” in 2012.

Deservedly acclaimed both for their prolific recorded output and their live show, Super Hi-Fi’s unique double trombone-led sound is equally at home at a raucous dance party or an intense listening session. Applying the improvisatory dub mixing approach to live performances of the band’s original compositions and inspired covers, the group has shared stages with John Brown’s Body, Rubblebucket, Beats Antique, Debo Band, Meta and the Cornerstones, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad and many others at venues like the Brooklyn Bowl, Maxwell’s, the Mercury Lounge, the Rocks Off Concert series and elsewhere.

Super Hi-Fi’s new release, “Blue and White”, will feature original songs and will have a stunning cover design from printmaker Robert Swainston, who designed a cover that will be printed on each album individually. “Each one will be a little different but will come from the same source” explains Gale, “which echoes the aesthetics of dub music where you have different pieces made from the same song.” It’s a different perspective and more ambitious than most, but it’s clear by now that there aren’t many challenges Super Hi-Fi isn’t interested in taking on. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We have a live version of 'Dub To The Bone' to share with you, it's the third of twelve tracks on the studio album and the featured version is a fine representation both of the original and also of the high calibre album as a whole. This is a band that can traverse genres whilst retaining a vibrant, uplifting and often highly energised sound. If you are going to name yourselves Super Hi-Fi then the production really ought to reflect that, and the band do, with plenty of sonic delight all round.


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

Stav G - Fruition - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Stav G - My Sheltered Room.

Background - Stav​ ​G​ ​​is announcing her new single “My​ ​Sheltered​ ​Room​” due out in early January. The recent NYC​ ​​transplant offers a scathing attack on the machinations of war and an open desire for dialogue and coexistence amongst people. All this is delivered with her signature mix of venom and melody.

Growing up in a musical environment, Stav ​G​ ​​knew from a young age she wanted to bea voice teacher. She focussed on music during her High School years and continued her education at the Rimon College of Contemporary Music. 

After studying voice pedagogy and performing in multiple ensembles, Stav​ ​​went on to study at the Complete Vocal Institute in Denmark, where she graduated as a certified CVT teacher. In the meantime she also became the songwriter and leader of the indie-rock band Malinka​, as well as the indie-pop duo Stav​ ​&​ ​Roni​ ​​both of whom toured widely.

The upcoming debut album was produced by Stav​ alongside with Avi​ ​Elbaz​, who also recorded, mixed, and mastered the tracks, as well as recorded some drum, guitar, and keyboard sections. This is STAV’​s first solo album, and features all of her own original lyrics. “My​ ​Sheltered​ ​Room”​ is due out in January 2018. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

There are some refined rock hooks running through 'My Sheltered Room' which mixes refrains and flowing music as a backdrop for Stav G's determined vocals that are reminiscent of Grace Slick circa her Jefferson Airplane days, and if anything even more potent and determined. A highly impressive song!

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

Fruition - Northern Town.

Background - Fruition have just released "Northern Town", the second single off their forthcoming album Watching It All Fall Apart, out February 2nd via LoHi Records. On Watching It All Fall Apart, Fruition transform pain and heartache into something truly glorious. With their songwriting sharper and more nuanced than ever before—and their sonic palette more daringly expansive—the band’s full-hearted intensity ultimately gives the album a transcendent power.

Fruition teamed up with producer Tucker Martine, (My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Modest Mouse) to adorn their folk-rooted sound with delicately crafted elements of psychedelia and soul. “Tucker helped us push ourselves to create something that glistens in subtle little ways that you might not even pick up on at first,” says Kellen Asebroek. “We got to play around with all this analog gear and these weird old keyboards we wouldn’t ordinarily use, like a bunch of kids in a toy store where everything is free.”

Watching It All Fall Apart finds the three singer-songwriters Jay Cobb Anderson, Kellen Asebroek and Mimi Naja fully embracing their rock-and-roll sensibilities bringing a gritty vitality to each track while still showcasing their sublime harmonies they first discovered during an impromptu busking session in 2008.

Fruition has now evolved from a rootsy, string-centric outfit to a full-fledged rock act, having taken the stage at such major festivals as Bonnaroo and Telluride Bluegrass (a set that inspired Rolling Stone to praise their “raucous originals filled with heartfelt lyrics and stadium-worthy energy”). Following the release of 2016’s Labor of Love, Fruition again made the rounds at festivals across the U.S., prompting Rolling Stone to feature the band on its “8 Best Things We Saw” at DelFest 2016. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Tour Dates:
 01/24 - Sandpoint, ID @ Heartwood Center
01/25 - Missoula, MT @ Top Hat
01/26 - Billings, MT @ Pub Station
01/27 - Bozeman, MT @ Eagles Ballroom
01/30 - Salt Lake City, UT @ State Room
02/02 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
02/03 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
02/07 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada
02/08 - St. Louis, MO @ Atomic Cowboy Pavillion
02/09 - Chicago, IL @ Martyrs
02/10 - Columbus, OH @ Woodlands Tavern
02/14 - Lexington, KY @ The Burl
02/15 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
02/18 - Nashville, TN @ 3rd and Lindsley
02/21 - Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic Lounge
02/22 - Wichita, KS @ Barleycorn's
02/24 - Steamboat Springs, CO @ WinterWonderGrass Festival
02/25 - Steamboat Springs, CO @ WinterWonderGrass Festival
03/17 - West Dover, VT @ Shamrock Weekend Mt Snow
04/06 - Olympic Valley, CA @ WinterWondergrass Tahoe
04/07 - Olympic Valley, CA @ WinterWondergrass Tahoe
04/12 - Las Vegas, NV @ Bender Jamboree
04/13 - Las Vegas, NV @ Bender Jamboree
06/01 - Taos, NM @ Music On the Mothership
06/28 - Rothbury, MI @Electric Forest

'Northern Town' is one very impressive song. The vocals and harmonies are gorgeous, the musicianship equally fine and the arrangement is just right. Alt rock with some Americana vibes and a huge dose of timeless beauty.


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

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Echo.

Background - Widely acclaimed California-based band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has released their new single “Echo” which is the latest offering from the veteran rockers that features a striking, heavy-hitting guitar riff with a tantalizing hook and a booming chorus. “Echo” is now available as an instant download when pre-ordering Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s forthcoming 7th studio album Wrong Creatures, out next Friday, January 12.

Recorded in Los Angeles, Wrong Creatures takes a journey throughout rock's history, taking unlikely twists and turns, both peppered with historic influences but also having one foot firmly in the present. Remarkably, drummer Leah Shapiro was recovering from a brain tumor she suffered a few years ago while the album was created. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has been crafting perfectly honed, bluesy, psychedelic garage-rock since 1998. Ultimately, the band are survivors during an era where rock'n'roll can often be overshadowed by garish pop and domineering hip-hop - they have learned how to cut out all the noise and concentrate on what matters.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has also announced a North American tour which will kick off on January 15th and bring the band to major cities across the country including Los Angeles, Washington DC, Boston, Brooklyn, and more – full tour routing is below and tickets are on sale now here. The band has partnered with Plus 1 for the tour in which $1 from each ticket will be donated to War Child, a worldwide organization that supports programs aiding women & children dislocated and impacted by war, political unrest, terrorism and poverty.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are Peter Hayes (vocal, guitar, harmonica), Robert Levon Been (vocal, bass, guitar), and Leah Shapiro (vocal, drums). WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

North American Tour Dates:
January 15 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
January 16 Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Bure                        
January 18 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
January 19 Austin, TX @ Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater
January 20 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
January 21 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues                                             
January 23 Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
January 24 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live                                     
January 26 Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
January 27 Charlotte, NC @ The Underground                                           
January 29 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
January 30 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
January 31 Boston, MA @ Royale                     
February 2 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel   
February 5 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
February 6 Toronto, ON @ Rebel
February 7 Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
February 9 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
February 10 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
February 11 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
February 12 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
February 13 Kansas City, MO @ The Truman  
February 15 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
February 16 Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall     
February 18 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
February 19 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
February 20 Seattle, WA @ The Show Box   
February 22 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
February 23 Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
February 24 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre

With an expansive guitar sound and vocals that are immersed in a wall of hook laden music, 'Echo' suggests twenty years on, BRMC still have plenty of creativity and style.


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

QWAM - They Might Be Giants - Rosie Carney

QWAM - Dirty Feet / Doggie Door.

Background - Brooklyn punk band QWAM will release its debut EP, Feed Me, on January 19th. 

It's a collection of five high-energy, angst-fueled tracks that feature driving guitars, frenetic drums, and snarling vocals from lead singer Felicia Lobo.

The band previously shared a taste of the EP with lead single "Doggie Door," and late last week they released "Dirty Feet," a song about finding yourself and holding on to who you are in a sea of faces.

Written during 3am subway rides and perfected in sweaty Brooklyn basements, Feed Me is full of clever lyrics, anthemic choruses, and catchy group vocals. It was produced, engineered, and mixed by Jack Counce at Studio G and is currently available for pre-order on Bandcamp.

QWAM will celebrate their debut release at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory on January 24th. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

Latest song 'Dirty Feet' from the soon to be released debut EP is accompanied by the first single 'Doggie Door' providing a double helping of QWAM and their uncompromising punk fuelled music. The band are smart and allow just enough melody to ensure the hooks keep on rolling through both songs, without compromising their delicious, exuberant energy.

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

They Might Be Giants - All Time What.

Background - With new track ‘All Time What’ from new album ‘I Like Fun’ out on streaming services now, the return of their Dial-A-Song service, a world tour including UK dates kicking off on January 17 and a contest to create a video for their track ‘I Left My Body’ underway, it is an exciting time for legendary alt-rock veterans, They Might Be Giants.

‘All Time What’ is an upbeat fuzzy guitar number about a decidedly un-upbeat subject: the falling apart of a romantic relationship. The album is a remarkable 15-track album, available physically and digitally on January 19, 2018. ‘I Like Fun’ jumps with surprises, vitality, and the startling point of view of these Brooklyn originals.

Songwriters and band founders John Linnell and John Flansburgh have drawn on themes of dread, death, and disappointment and set them to their driving, hyper-melodic music. Fresh and sonically adventurous, the band’s command of the studio and the song is in rare form from beginning to end. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured the song 'I Left My Body' back in October and with a band of this calibre, sharing the newly available 'All Time What' was to use the old expression "A No Brainer." It's catchy, vibrant and typically They Might Be Giants, through and through!


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

Rosie Carney - K.

Background - Rosie Carney’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful new cover of Cigarettes After Sex’s stand-out single “K.” which has just had an official release through Akira Records. Rosie's coming off a massive 2017, which saw the release of a trio of acclaimed singles, all of which are streaming via Spotify and SoundCloud.

Anyone that’s not already acquainted with Rosie’s mature-beyond-her-years songwriting would be forgiven for thinking she was some long lost contemporary of Joni Mitchell with decades worth of experiences to relate about life, love and adversity, and not a brilliant newcomer who’s barely left her teenage years behind. She writes the kind of music that'll stop you dead in your tracks, and has proven a deft hand at creating sublime tonal flourishes to complement her vivid lyrics and enchanting voice.

Of her decision to cover "K" she says “I wanted to record a song that was released by one of my favorite artists this year. I chose ‘K’ by Cigarettes After Sex because, firstly I’m a huge fan of this band and their music and aesthetic, and secondly because this song definitely resonated with me the most from their new record. It’s such an honest song and I just love the message it carries. I love how relaxing and transcending the melody is. It’s one of those songs that I wish were mine.” FACEBOOK.

If you include a recent duet then 'K' is the sixth feature we have carried for Rosie Carney, the artist that just keeps on giving beautiful musical renditions, be it her own compositions or gorgeous covers such as this.

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

Jared Saltiel - Lights and Bridges - Gianni Paci - Lisa Hilton

Jared Saltiel - The Fountain.

Background - “The Fountain,” the scene-setting new single from singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jared Saltiel, begins with a softly strummed guitar and Saltiel’s sweet falsetto, gently ushering the listener into an intoxicating haze of magical storytelling. The ornate arrangement of warm, rich strings, delicate harp, and bittersweet countermelodies give way to a lush trio of female voices, beckoning us toward a beautiful vision. The second single and opening track of Saltiel’s upcoming album Out of Clay (due out February 2), “The Fountain” was recorded at The Bunker Studio, and is available as an approved downloadable mp3.

The song unfolds like a chapter in a magical realist novel. Cast in a dreamlike mist, a sailor washes up on the shore of a deserted island. Through the fog he sees an ethereal, silver-y fountain, guarded by three mysterious women; are they spirits, or witches, or distinct manifestations of a Goddess? They show him a beautiful face in the water, his future lover, but warn him not to forget his “Queen.” In the morning sun, all is forgotten but the lovely face in the fountain, and the sailor sets off to find her deep in the hills. “The Fountain” serves as an introduction to Out of Clay’s narrative universe. The archetypes of the perfect-yet-passive love interest and the prophesying triple-Goddess are woven throughout the album’s twelve story-songs of love and loss. Saltiel explains, “Regardless of how you interpret the characters in the story, this song sets the stage for an album that examines the process of falling in love, from the externalized projections that create a sense of desire, to the pitfalls of possession.”

“The Fountain” features singers Dawn Cantwell (Wicked, The Last Ship), Kate Steinberg, and Katie Rose Summerfield, as well as jazz harpist Brandee Younger, and members of yMusic, Antony and the Johnsons, and Clare & the Reasons. It was recorded and mixed by John Davis (Jojo Mayer / Nerve), and co-produced by Justin Goldner (Dear Evan Hansen, Grace McLean)

Jared Saltiel is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn, NY. As lead singer and songwriter of Ann Arbor pop/rock quartet the Dirty Birds, he released his debut album How the Cause Became the Cure in 2009. After moving to New York, Saltiel released a series of EPs, which were expanded into the full-length album The Light Within (2013). As a producer and arranger, he has worked with a variety of musicians, including Bell the Band, Cassidy Andrews, and his brother Jason Saltiel. His upcoming album Out Of Clay was recorded at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn. It is the second chapter in a four-part concept series called Caught Beneath the Wheel. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Jared Saltiel's falsetto vocals are immediately inviting on 'The Fountain' a song that gently unfolds, before gradually building into a sublime choral arrangement which is itself a prelude to the material developing even further. The arrangement is magnificent, the track, totally lovable.

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

Lights and Bridges - Tears Of Gold.

Background -  Composer and instrumentalist Lights & Bridges (Tom Rossi) recently released his new EP comprising of four songs. Tom Rossi is best known for known for beautiful, groove laden, wordless world music records like Salma Har, featured on tastemaker programs like BBC/PRI's The World, NPR's Echoes and Talk of the Nation.

Tom Rossi’s a fluent multi-instrumentalist in everything from ceremonial Ghanaian hand drums to African kora. He’s a therapeutic musician, who’s dedicated years to the art of performing for those in the most vulnerable condition of hospice care.

It’s both intriguing and rewarding to hear these unusual skills and influences filter through the lens of more conventional instrumentation and song structure on instant classics like Superball (a collab with poet, Rich Ferguson) and Outside The Wall. Lights & Bridges becomes at once an avenue for reinvention, a return to roots, and a distillation. FACEBOOK.

The last of four songs on the new Lights and Bridges EP is 'Tears Of Gold'. The EP is a gorgeous folk orientated singer/songwriter collection of material, where gentle acoustic sensibilities provide an intimate and yet lush backdrop for Tom Rossi's personal and melodically pleasing vocals.


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

Gianni Paci - Honest Thing.

Background - “Honest Thing” is an ethereal ode to mixed feelings. Written, produced, recorded and performed on all instruments by Gianni at Pine Hollow Road Studios in Oyster Bay, NY, the song ebbs and flows with chime-like acoustic guitars, an R&B rhythm section and one mind-altering electric guitar solo that tears through the track like a terrible hallucinogenic fright. “I tried to right my wrongs, but I made a left,” he coos in a spacey, detached voice, as the undulating mood takes a turn for the curious and sinister. The lyric was so succinctly expressive and meaningful that Gianni decided to name the entire EP, released 11/17/17, after it. And yes, you are seeing double: the actress from the video who bears such uncanny resemblance to the artist is in fact his mother.

Long before he was legal, Gianni Paci was sharing the stage with rock stars like Ace Frehley of Kiss, Steven Adler of Guns N Roses and the late Mike Starr of Alice In Chains. He’s been in the studio with the likes of Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Gwen Stefani), Jon Anderson (Yes, King Crimson) and Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai). Gianni even toured with the infamous Butthole Surfers, earning a dedicated spot on their live album, “Live At The Forum London,” as the band sings “Happy Birthday” to him in front of that sold-out crowd.

Having performed at music festivals like Austin City Limits in Texas, Zappanale in Germany and Musikfest in Pennsylvania, Gianni learned the ropes while in the ring, honing his craft in front of audiences far and wide. He’s even had the privilege of performing at CBGB’s, the sorely missed punk rock landmark on Joey Ramone Place. Songwriting was a talent that sprouted even earlier, as Gianni wrote his first original piece of music at the tender age of eight. “It just seemed to pour out of me so naturally,” he recalls, reflecting on his propensity towards poetically simple songs that are as alluring in their charm as they are surprising in their depth.
   
Gianni released two full-length albums of original material under his old pseudonym, The Pine Hollows. This work landed Gianni on the cover of Performer Magazine and helped him to establish a considerable presence in the NYC music scene. His first solo release, “Walking Through A Movie Scene” [EP], ups the ante, as each analog-tracked song is accompanied by a visual vignette. FACEBOOK.

'Honest Thing' has a loose trippy feel to it that is both engaging and intriguing. The guitar break is a rip roaring and sudden occurrence that snaps the listener out of the spell, before the song lulls them back in again.


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

Lisa Hilton - Mojave Moon.

Background - "Lisa Hilton’s engaging, expressive and impressionistic compositions explore the soundscape of jazz and blues alongside classical and modernist ideas in refreshingly new but familiar ways."

For her 20th album Lisa Hilton wanted to provide uplift and relief, where listeners can be energized and feel rejuvenated, and this became the theme for the aptly titled Escapism. Each composition seems to generate, by albums end, a mental release or escape all its own. “Artists have an important role in our culture and community--it is through art and music that our souls and spirits can be energized, balanced and entertained--we all need to "escape" or transcend our challenges. I want our music to be a positive force whether you\\'re listening on the subway, while at work or lounging on a tropical island! Our music embraces the good experiences in our world,” Hilton comments.

After working solo on last year's Day & Night release, Hilton brought back saxophonist JD Allen, trumpet and flugelhornist Terell Stafford, bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston into Avatar Studios. “Our engineer James Farber, a true sound icon, captured the incredible sound of these amazing musicians - all leaders in their own right,” Hilton enthuses. Mixed by 23-time Grammy® Award-winning engineer Al Schmitt at the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood and mastered by multi-Grammy® Award-winners Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Mojave Moon' is just a small glimpse of Escapism an instrumental album that is centred around Lisa Hilton's outrageously good piano skills, alongside some highly talented musicians. Jazz might be the anchor point, the musical directions often explore from that point, and some lighter blues are also found along the way. Above all however is the fact that this is very assessable music, and those not usually so keen on these genres, might well find they are in for a refreshing surprise.


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

Berry - VanWyck - Rainbow Reservoir

Berry - Fragments.

Background - The music of Berry is a strange animal. But writing and recording over 100 songs in their 15 years together has resulted in some dense, delicate, graceful pop songs with a certain Searching for Bobby Fischer mentality.

Berry formed in 2002 on Martha’s Vineyard when guitarist/vocalist Joey Lemon and drummer Paul Goodenough connected at an intensive four-month music program. When they returned to the Midwest, the two recruited college friend and keyboardist Matt Aufrecht. Their first LP, Marriage (Right Place Records), was released the following year and was met with critical acclaim, allowing the band to tour extensively throughout the country.

After several tours and bass players, Berry moved to Chicago in search of a city that would fit their quirky and idiosyncratic music. There, they began a recording frenzy, releasing a series of six EPs between 2007 and 2008. To promote these releases, the band embarked on a novel idea for a tour. Foregoing the usual cargo van or bus, Berry purchased a 30-day Amtrak pass and booked shows from Chicago to Seattle, relying entirely on the whims of public transport. Carrying a tiny tube amp in a rolling suitcase, a children’s drum set in a single kick drum case, and a full-sized keyboard on rollers, the band took an even more literal approach to their already minimalist styling.

Exhausted by their Odyssey, Berry’s productivity hit a lull until close friend and bass player Shane Bordeau joined the band, revitalizing the group with a jolt of positive energy. Their next LP, Blue Sky, Raging Sun, was recorded and released in 2010 on Joyful Noise Recordings. This record took its inspiration from the Amtrak tour, juxtaposing scenes of epic natural beauty with the ennui of endless train rides where micro societies are formed by a handful of strangers riding coach. 

Despite a devoted following, Blue Sky, Raging Sun saw limited commercial success, and the members of Berry spread out across the country, each pursuing separate professional opportunities. The next few years bore little fruit for Berry, but in 2014, they decided to record again, this time with few expectations about what might transpire. Gathering in a re-purposed pole barn in rural Kansas, the group picked up as if they had never dropped a beat. After writing and recording the skeletons of 11 songs in four days, the album fell into production limbo for more than two years until producer Paul Klimson (John Legend, Erykah Badu, Kirk Douglas of the Roots) offered his services to help complete the album.

The result is a stunning follow-up to Blue Sky, Raging Sun. The new LP, Everything, Compromised, drops in early 2018 on Joyful Noise Recordings. Classic songwriting amidst Rubik's Cube structures -- the music of Berry is a curious hybrid. At once dense and delicate, their blend of forward-thinking indie-pop is as graceful as it is perplexing. In their decade and a half of playing together, Berry has found a way to marry meticulously detailed instrumentation with genuinely alluring pop. FACEBOOK.

The wasteland rock hashtag for 'Fragments' had me intrigued, however after my first listen it really does seem a very apt description for the song. There is a loose unorganised feel running through much of the piece, that both charms and engages the listener, whilst a gentle underlying melody gives the track a beautiful vibe.

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

VanWyck - Listen To You Breathe.

Background - "You start with some kind of urgency that is indistinct, and it takes a lifetime to uncover what the thrust of your activity was about. You sing from a kind of thorn in your side, which may just be the human heart aching in its particular predicament. And all art is an effort to address that aching." - Leonard Cohen

Upon first listening to Amsterdam singer songwriter, VanWyck, Leonard Cohen’s quote immediately comes to mind. A hauntingly atmospheric and melodious whisper in her ear, it emerges in the form of smoky soulful vocals aching with lyrical precision of stories untold.

The VanWyck moniker is in itself an untold story of front woman, Christine Oele’s grandmother. An homage to her grandmother’s maiden name, the project makes the invisible, visible. It’s this thread that weaves throughout, from the curiosity of the mystical songwriting process to calling into question the erasure of women’s history, their stories, and their names.

VanWyck says, “Both my grandmothers were strong women (a nurse and a teacher) who came from very humble backgrounds and had to work hard and take care of children. Being creative was a luxury that was often not allowed to them. Being in the foreground was also not something they were allowed to aspire to. One of my grandmothers was very inspirational in making me reach higher and to put all my talents to work. I keep her picture as a young girl on my desktop to remind me of the chances she never had and the way she pushed me to reach higher.”

Her push to reach higher formed into an eclectic musical background that has included training as a classical pianist, becoming a keyboard player and one of the first female rappers in the Netherlands in a jazz dance band, and being half of a trip hop duo. VanWyck launched a year-long project called One Song A Week after releasing her debut solo EP Tanned Legs, with the lead single “The Daughter” lauding critical acclaim from KCRW’s Chris Douridas in 2016. Songs floated in her head, snippets of ideas that needed fruition, and the way she felt she could give them a voice was through the song a week quest. Some of the songs she released were studio recordings with a full band, some came from live shows, some were shot as videos, and others were sung in kitchens. Some spoke of mystical longings, and others of earthy intimacies.

The result of that year is An Average Woman, Van Wyck's first solo album calls on the voices of the unsung heroes: the nurse, the teacher, the mother. Everyday women whose mundane tasks emanate into extraordinary outcomes. She's accompanied by the award-winning bass player and arranger Reyer Zwart, and singer Marjolein van der Klauw, whose silvery voice is the perfect counterbalance to VanWyck’s own darker tones.

An Average Woman is about women who are visible and hidden, sacrificing and selfish, ordinary and magical, obligated and free. It's about the mysteries lurking in the everyday. It's about creating your own universe and your own sense of belonging - and stumbling along the way. In this debut album, VanWyck is An Average Woman who's anything but. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured the track 'An Average Woman' back in October and it's good to be able to follow on from there with 'Listen To You Breathe'. Last time we commented "VanWyck's vocals are melodic, sensitive and carry some notable emotion." The sensitive and stunning musical arrangement and the alluring vocals of VanWyck working together on this song, is put simply, something very special.

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

Rainbow Reservoir - Fuzzy.

Background - Odd Box Records are delighted to announce the debut LP by Rainbow Reservoir will be released on 23rd February. The first cut to be shared from the forthcoming LP 'Channel Hanna' is 'Fuzzy' a buzz-saw pop song and a neat introduction to the record and is accompanied by a playful sock puppet video.

'Channel Hanna' finds the bands bite as hard as their bark - the title refers to Riot Grrrl pioneer Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin) and Rainbow Reservoir take their cues from the 90s explosion of riot grrrl rock bands but they fuse it with a poppier heart. Anyone who loves the power pop buzz of bands like Cars Can Be Blue, Tullycraft and The Spook School will fall instantly in love with the Rainbow Reservoir buzz pop sound.

With a session recently recorded for cult radio station - Dandelion Radio and numerous pop fest appearances under their belt, Rainbow Reservoir are set for an exciting 2018.

This is the first Odd Box release since we reached out for help at the end of 2017 and we are delighted to say that crowd funding drive has secured the future of the label and we are aiming to be here for many more years to come. BANDCAMP.

'Channel Hanna' is a collection of twelve songs, of which 'Fuzzy' acts as a pretty good indicator of this often feisty album. That said the band can and do tone things down on occasion allowing more melodic moments, however they also explode into life and demand your unreserved attention a whole lot more often!


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

Gasoline Lollipops - Peter Kernel

Gasoline Lollipops - Montreal.

Background - Gasoline Lollipops is a Colorado band that combines the sincerity of dirt-floor folk with the energy and rebelliousness of punk. It's an all-new incarnation of alt-country that’s both high-energy and heartfelt, like the American highway's soundtrack. This year marked the release of the GasPops' debut full-length album, Resurrection, and the band’s first-ever vinyl release Soul Mine.

Colorado Daily readers voted Gasoline Lollipops "Best Local Musician/Group" for 2017, and in 2016, Denver Westword named Gasoline Lollipops Color ado's Best Country Artist. 2014 and 2015 brought multiple awards and accolades to the Gasoline Lollipops. 

These included being selected to play six showcases in Austin during SXSW 2014; getting voted "Best Local Musician/Group" in the Colorado Daily's 2014 and 2015 polls; being selected as one of only six bands across Colorado for the highly coveted SpokesBUZZ Emerging Artists Incubator program; and winning the Oskar Blues Battle of the Bands in 2015. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Having featured Gasoline Lollipops twice towards the end of last year, the recently released single 'Montreal' seems to be a good way to round off matters, in connection with their recent Soul Mine album. The ten song album is a virtual melting pot of Americana styles from alt rock to outlaw country, and with 'Montreal' we have a slower and more gentle folk vibe, all with the natural and very individual Gasoline Lollipops sound.

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

Peter Kernel - There's Nothing Like you.

Background - Peter Kernel is a Swiss Canadian post punk band formed in 2006 by graphic designer Aris Bassetti (Swiss) and filmmaker Barbara Lehnhoff (Canadian). The two met in visual communications school in Switzerland and quickly launched the band and their own label On The Camper Records. Throughout the years they have been well noted for their clever and witty humour in communication and DIY approach.

In 2008 they were invited by Spencer Krug from the Canadian band Wolf Parade to open their UK and European tour. With the release of their 2nd album 'White Death & Black Heart' in collaboration with French label Africantape the band received a particularly warm welcome in France, launching Peter Kernel straight into the heart of the European musical scene.

In the past years Peter Kernel have played over 600 concerts across Europe and Canada, in a variety of different venues and festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival, the fashion week in Milan, Paleo Festival, The HMV Forum in London, Les Rockomotives Festival in France, The Great Escape in the UK, and in 2018 will be on stage at Eurosonic in NL.

In 2016 they were nominated for the Swiss Music Grand Prix. The same year they scored the music for the film 'Il Nido', by the Swiss Peruvian film director Klaudia Reynicke. The film was world premiered at Locarno International Film Festival 2016. In 2017 they were nominated as Best Live Act at the Swiss Live Talents. The same year they started an orchestral version of the band called Peter Kernel & Their Wicked Orchestra, rearranging their songs for piano, harp, cello, harmonium and viola. On March 7th 2018 they will release their 4th Album entitled 'The Size Of The Night'. BANDCAMP, WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The first single from the forthcoming album is 'There's Nothing Like you' and it's a gorgeous blast of post punk imagination. Vocals and music compete for attention with both elements having their moments in this addictive track.


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

Port Cities - Black Mamba

Port Cities - On the Nights You Stay Home.

Background - Port Cities’ music is a perfect balance of Nashville (where much of it was recorded) and Nova Scotia (where the band reside); of the rustic and atmospheric, of indie intimacy and the sort of arena-pop anthems that betray Port Cities’ globe-trotting ambitions; 2018 sees the band embark upon their second cross European tour, including a timely stint here in the UK, where their following is building up nicely off the back of 2017's visit, and the hugely successful #PostcardsFromPortCities series of videos.

A port city is a place where cultures and histories collide, where goods and ideas are imported and absorbed into the local bloodstream. Not entirely un-coincidentally, Port Cities the band is the musical equivalent; a melting pot of three of Canada’s most creative individual talents, drawn together to make an entity even more outstanding as a group than as its constituent parts.

As with any form of musical collaboration, the magic occurs in the blending of one element with another, but unlike most groups, Port Cities never started out to be a band. Comprised of trio of celebrated Nova Scotian musicians Carleton Stone, Dylan Guthro and Breagh MacKinnon, Port Cities were drawn together through songwriting as independent artists, with every intention of crafting new material, and then going their separate ways. Yet that is not quite how it panned out.

The first thing anyone observes when hearing Port Cities is that this band is tight. Seriously tight. Yet it begs the question; How to go about fusing divergent styles and experiences into such a singular rootsy Americana sound? From MacKinnon’s silky jazz-schooled timbre, allied to Guthro’s R&B influenced natural tendencies and Stone’s acoustic troubadour, the space in between the three is delightfully warm and resonant, yet entirely coherent across the course of their self-titled debut album, due for imminent release in 2018. FACEBOOK.

UK tour dates:
25th March: Manchester Castle – tickets here.
26th March: Glasgow King Tuts – tickets here.
27th March: London Slaughtered Lamb – tickets here. 
29th March: Bath Chapel Arts Centre – tickets here.

We featured Port Cities last August and a number of forthcoming UK tour dates seems as good excuse as any to share another song from the band, such as 'On The Nights You Stay At Home'. Filmed on the Brighton waterfront while at The Great Escape last year, it's another refined indie pop song with good old hints of Americana and a fine level of buoyant energy.


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

Black Mamba - Loop.

Background - Black Mamba is a female fronted Rock trio from Viterbo (Centre of Italy). Coming from different musical backgrounds, the band has developed on stage an high-voltage, extremely technical and eye-catchy show. 

Black Mamba has over one hundred and fifty performances under her belt and has shared the stage with some international acts, for example, Blaze Bayley (Ex. Iron Maiden Singer), John Macaluso, Carl Palmer, Braido and more. The band: Irma Mirtilla (Guitar and Vocals), Cecilia Nappo (Bass), Federico Maragoni (Drums) is endorsed by Vater Drumsticks, Mezzabarba/Masotti Guitar Heads, ATS Bass Heads, IQS Bass/Guitar strings.

Heritage the new album is ten characters, ten songs flowing through the river of experience. All of us are carrying something like an indelible heritage. Sometimes these experiences are bad, and the only solution is to scream and throw them out like a swarm of butterflies coming out from the stomach. We can represent instrumentally the album and how the Black Mamba conceive their concept of the band, as two large gears formed by bass and drums that rotate and run tirelessly with syncopated rhythmic joints that put the listener's feet well glued down to the ground while the world around is collapsing.

The guitar arrangements will stick you in the real world while a tornado is disheveling the landscape in the distance. The vocal parts are like a mermaid singing while all these things happen and the concept of this album is burned into listener's skin. Bass, guitar, and drums solos color this painting and enrich the tension and resolution music effect of the entire album of the Italian female-fronted trio. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Loop' is taken from the bands 'Heritage' album released a couple of weeks back. It's a fair representation of the album where full on rock is the norm and even on the odd occasion when the band reduce the pace, the levels of energy and dynamic presence is retained. Uncompromising rock & roll delivered with the potent power, rock trio's are renowned for.


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

Libertino Records - ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1 (Compilation Album)

Libertino Records - ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1.

Background from Wale's Libertino Records - ‘Into Space and Never Back’ Libertino MIX 1. This is a celebration of the first eight months of Libertino's releases. What a gloriously, head-spinning roller coaster journey it has been so far; and this is only the beginning. 

Holding steadfastly to our ethos of inclusiveness and community grass roots support for emerging artists, our releases have demonstrated a bravely eclectic streak from indie death disco to psychedelic folk and post punk feminist anthems.  

This compilation also includes taster songs from artists with whom the label will be working in 2018. ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1 is our way of saying thanks for all the support that Libertino's artists have received this year. All songs are free downloads. Turn up loud and lose yourself in the colours and sounds of our world.

Until 2018, thank you and diolch. Love from Libertino x

‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1Dyma ddathliad o ganeuon a ryddhawyd yn ystod wyth mis cyntaf Libertino.  Mae eleni wedi bod yn siwrnai llawn antur i'r label; a dim ond megis dechrau ydy hyn. Gan ddal yn dynn yn ein ethos gynhwysol a chymorth cymunedol gwerin gwlad ar gyfer artistiaid sy'n ymgodi, mae'n cynnyrch yn arddangos croesdoriad eclectig o indie death disco i ganu gwerin seicedelig ac anthemau ffeministaidd ol pync. Mae'r casgliad hefyd yn cynnwys caneuon blasu gan artistiad y bydd y label yn gweithio gyda hwy yn 2018. Ffordd Libertino o ddweud diolch i bawb a gefnogodd artistiad y label eleni yw ryddhau ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1. Gellir lawr lwytho'r caneuon yn rhad ac am ddim. Trowch y sain i fyny ac ymgollwch yn lliwiau a seiniau'n byd ni. Tan flwyddyn nesaf, diolch mawr. Cariad o Libertino x WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

1.     Adwaith - Lipstick Coch
2.     Los Blancos - Datgysylltu
3.     Names -  Limb by Limb
4.     Flöat - Vapitidty
5.     Hotel Del Salto - Yellow Rose
6.     ARGRPH - Llosgi Me
7.     Phalcons - Idle Ways
8.     Jaffro - Rhyfin Di-Dda
9.     Papur Wal - Anghofio Dy Hun (ar Fora Dydd Llun)
10.   La Forme - Birds In An Avery
11.   The Tates - Water
12.   ilu - Mewn Fydd

‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1' or if like me, your grasp of the Welsh language is somewhat lacking '‘Into Space and Never Back’ Libertino MIX 1' is a compilation album from independent record label Libertino who launched in 2017. Adwaith, ARGRPH and The Tates have already been featured on Beehive Candy and are joined now by another nine fine & promising bands / artists, some of which will hopefully make further appearances here in the year to come. In the meantime dip into and enjoy this exciting and varied collection of songs.


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

Andrew Reed - Stephen Michael Murphy

Andrew Reed - If All the World Were Right.

Background - Auspiciously due on 1.1.2018, with "If All the World Were Right" there is a shot of positivity in the world. There is nothing really being sold here except an atmosphere to "believe in yourself" and "embrace your own greatness" with heavy doses of humility thrown in thanks to our struggles through dense matter. This concept album is of a journey...a journey of a Prodigal, who has to return home after being defeated by life and the world... Humility fills the album.

The new album, Andrew says, is "about my journey, but I don't think it is unique to me at all. Most of us go through really tough patches during our lives. So much of it has to do with our thinking and the emotions that result from our thinking. We are constantly thinking about how to interpret or reconcile our lives... but we have a choice in how we experience the world! And all it takes to improve things is to change your thinking or perception of things. Once I got ahold of that idea many years ago, Bam! My life changed! We tend to become what we think about...and it is about that simple. So I started to think positively, about all the options there are...and how I could see others in a more loving way...without judgment or without the need to call them "right or wrong"...but just accept everyone as they are...and trust in Life."

Andrew Reed's music is for seekers. He is a reclusive artist and creative figure whose reflective ideas expressed in music, film and spoken/written word platforms. He cannot be bought or sold. Never afraid of challenging popular opinion, detesting celebrity culture and non-value-adding commercialism that preys on the masses, he always seeks to “make better.” He is an outspoken voice for art and ideas.

Andrew is a recording artist and Executive Producer/CEO of Artists International Media and Financial Companies (AI) and Multi-View Incorporated (MVI). He is a creative known for different things to different people. As a songwriter, his works have been recorded by artists in the United States and abroad. He is a principal of these artistic/entertainment and healthcare-related entities by virtue of a twist of fate in the music business.

The most fitting genre description for Andrew’s music is “Introspective Rock/Acoustic” where the rich inner world of experience is explored. As cited in the liner notes of Search for Significance. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The title track from the album 'If All the World Were Right' is one of thirteen songs, well make that twelve the final piece is a beautiful poem accompanied by some refined music. The featured song provides a fine impression of this gorgeous collection of material, that conveys a positive vibe throughout, even with the occasionally more sensitive song. What a grand release to greet the new year with!


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

Stephen Michael Murphy - Root Down Low.

Background - "Root Down Low", the title track from the RDL CD featuring Curtis Clark on lead vocals.  The actual recording of the 15 Root Down Low original tunes was accomplished on a worldwide level in a unique manner. 

Hundreds of tracks were played and recorded by gifted musicians from across the globe. Truly, a project without borders. The music did the communicating.

"We were heading for the hills of Ecuador when I got that familiar call from mission control to create something new". Many moons later the 15 song album entitled “Root Down Low” came to be.

I received enthusiastic aid on this project from a number of fine young musicians starting with Curtis Clark who laid down an inspired lead vocal here on the title cut. Ezzy Mourao from Lisbon, Portugal did the way cool art work on CD cover and this lyric video. WEBSITE.

'Root Down Low' is a fabulous mixture of soulful vocals and a rich musical landscape with hints of reggae, blues and more all arranged with refinement. A fantastic teaser for the new album...


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