This is The Yardbirds in concert on the 30th March 1968 at the Anderson Theatre, New York, NY, USA and was a soundboard recording.
The notes that accompanied this mp3 version sum up the reason this recording surfaced concisely - This show comes from a rather infamous LP. With the success of Led Zeppelin, Epic decided to cash in on Jimmy Page and so released this LP. The hardcore are familiar with the story - the drums were recorded with a single mic, crowd noise was added with the sound of clinking glasses, etc. The result? Jimmy immediately had the Lp pulled off shelves, but not before some got out. This set is taken directly from the original Epic vinyl. The set includes an early version of Dazed & Confused (here called "I'm Confused"), which includes Keith Relfs original lyrics.
A CD version appeared in Italy in 1990 on a label called Golden Stars and distributed by Red Line, Srl via Trentacoste in Milan, this was probably taken from one of the vinyl recordings.
By 1968 Keith Relf and Jim McCarty wished to pursue a style influenced by folk and classical music while Jimmy Page, at a time when the psychedelic blues-rock of Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience was enormously popular, wanted to continue with the kind of "heavy" music for which Led Zeppelin would become famous. Chris Dreja was developing an interest in photography. By March, Relf and McCarty had decided to leave, though the other two managed to persuade them to stay at least for one more American tour. The Yardbirds' final single, recorded in January and released two months later, reflected these divergences. The A-side, "Goodnight Sweet Josephine", was in the same vein as their Mickie Most-produced singles of the previous year, while its B-side, "Think About It" (later covered by Aerosmith on their Night in the Ruts album), featured a proto-Zeppelin Page riff and snippets of the "Dazed" guitar solo. This last single did not even crack the Hot 100.
Wikipedia confirms the issue with Epic Records as follows - A concert and some album tracks were recorded in New York City in March (including the currently unreleased song "Knowing That I'm Losing You", an early version of a track that would be re-recorded by Led Zeppelin as "Tangerine"). All were shelved at the band's request, although once Led Zeppelin were successful Epic tried to release the concert material as Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page. The album was quickly withdrawn after Page's lawyers filed an injunction.
On 7th July 1968, the Yardbirds played their final gig at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire, England.
Source: Epic LP.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.
Genre: Blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues.
Set: Full set.
Set List:
01. The Train Kept A Rollin'
02. You're a Better Man Than I
03. Heartful of Soul
04. I'm Confused
05. My Baby
06. Over Under Sideways Down
07. Drinking Muddy Water
08. Shapes of Things
09. White Summer
10. I'm A Man
Background: Portland, Oregon-based artist Leigh Marble celebrated the national release of Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows recently. The album is a ten-track follow-up to Red Tornado, which Portland alternative weekly Willamette Week proclaimed "a burning, angst folk-rock masterpiece." Further extending beyond the pop-rock and folk of Red Tornado, Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows delves deeper into an indie-fied spectrum of soundscapes and experimentation, without losing the lyrical depth or sonic power of Marble's previous work. Willamette Week said of the album, "...the folk-tinged troubadour bends his signal genre well away from the self-styled punk Americana of his early efforts to embrace big-chorused indie pop and swaggering guitar rock, all of which meshes surprisingly well with his more introspective musings."
The album features guest appearances by longtime friend Erin McKeown, and local Portland musicians Jesse Emerson (Amelia, The Decemberists), Matt Harmon & Kali Giaritta (of The Ascetic Junkies), and Rachel Taylor-Brown.
Even with the help of friends, though, Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows wasn't an easy record to make, by any stretch of the imagination. It was both physically and emotionally draining to write and record, because, as many know, life will sneak up on you. Battling his now-wife's cancer with her, and the subsequent depression that followed, it took Marble all he had to make it through each day, let alone finish the record.
Once out of the darkness, and his wife in remission, Marble was able to finish Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows, pouring his heart out, just as he did on Peep, his debut, and Red Tornado.
"This record was mostly written after my wife (then my girlfriend) was diagnosed with breast cancer, and went through months of treatment and surgery for that. Those were sad and dark times for us, with long-lasting effects," comments Marble on the history of the album. "I descended into a depression that lasted over a year. So you'll hear themes of anger, frustration, and fear all over this record."
It may have taken Marble a lot to travel to the point of finishing Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows since 2007's Red Tornando, adapting to life's unexpected turns, and struggling with depression and the subsequent recovery period. Using writing as a last, desperate resort to creatively overcome these obstacles, Marble, not exactly known as a sunny songwriter before, goes from drizzle to downpour on Knives.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Having read the background to this album by Leigh Marble, I was half expecting something quite depressing, whereas although the mood is sombre at times these are fine stirring songs that are more thought provoking than sad.
Listen: Walk. (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Girl/girl DJ/Electronic duo Moneypenny was formed in the Spring of 2008 by long-time friends and well known Chicago nightlife personalities Chess Hubbard (DJ Mother Hubbard) and Jessica Gonyea (DJ A-Cup). With both ladies having experienced a great deal of success and high public visibility on their own – DJ Mother Hubbard has graced the pages of every major Chicago print publication (usually in a "sexy singles" issue) and is a founding member of Life During Wartime, one of Chicago's longest-running dance parties, while Gonyea has been featured in Spin, Rolling Stone, NME, Teen Vogue, and appeared on MTV and E! with her former band, OFFICE – Moneypenny hit the ground running.
The duo's first show ever was a direct support slot for international pop star Robyn at the Park West in Chicago and was followed by a Playboy "Rock The Rabbit" event the very next night. It didn't stop there either. The group has performed at some of the coolest parties in the US, from the official 2008 Lollapalooza after party @ the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago to the FADER Magazine party at CMJ just a few months later, and have shared the stage with the likes of Phantom Planet, The Heavy, The Bravery, Villains and Chromeo. With all that noise, people were sure to notice and that's exactly what they did, as Moneypenny quickly racked up favorable press from The Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Venus and URB Magazine.
2012Candy's Wise Words: I really think I should have heard of Moneypenny prior to receiving this song, thank goodness I have now, great electro music and vocals, delightful.
Listen: Sides. (mp3).
Background: M. William Helfrich, better known as the Portland, Oregon-based mbilly, a folk-pop songwriter with a knack for crafting time-proven melodies with aged wisdom, will celebrate the release of his sophomore full-length, Malheur (self-released), nationally on June 5, 2012.
A collection of eleven songs recorded over ten days in the summer at Type Foundry with engineer/producer Adam Selzer, Malheur was written in the months following the death of one of his best friends growing up. The album takes its name--French for misfortune--from the county in Eastern Oregon where he grew up.
"He and I were in a band together in high school and every aspect of my musical life began with him," mbilly says of his friend that passed. "We began playing shows together, writing songs, and recording; all of it was done for the first time with him." In a fitting coincidence, the album's June 5th release date would have been his friend's 32nd birthday.
He continues, "We weren't close at the time of his death, but it brought out a lot of feelings and questions that I hadn't anticipated and couldn't easily articulate. I have a similar ambivalence towards Eastern Oregon, where I grew up. It's very much part of who I am and I am anchored by it in an unidentifiable way, but I also felt very disconnected from it and at odds with it."
Attempting to address the parallels between his friend and his hometown, the songs mbilly wrote became an album of open-ended questions. "I didn't attempt to answer them," he says. "In past songs I've written I've tried to resolve them with an answer of some kind. The nature of the questions asked in these songs is such that there are no simple answers, nothing neat in the way things are wrapped up."
Another thing new for mbilly, who recorded his debut full-length, Mister Nobody Baby, at four different studios over the course of three years, is the structure in which this record was made. Spending plenty of time on pre-production with Selzer, mbilly knew exactly what he wanted to do with the songs when he went into the studio.
"I knew from the beginning that I wanted all the percussion on the album to come from old analog rhythm machines, so I started using them as I was writing the songs. I love the way they sound rigid and stiff, but at the same time organic and rich." His thought behind the drum machines, one of the many decisions they made ahead of going into the studio, was that they would create a nice, static foundation for the songs in contrast to the fairly loose instruments on the record.
The result is an album that shines with its late-night starkness and airy, less-is-more instrumentation choices; however, that is not to say the instrumentation feels short, because the full-sounding compositions compliment the space beautifully.
The Portland Mercury has written that, "… he has a voice that flexes and ripples like Jack LaLanne's pectorals - classic and classy, despite the nakedness," while The Oregonian wrote, "… a sly sense of humour and a potent darkness," about his previous album. The same rings true with Malheur, as does Willamette Week's quote that, "…songs that contain both a plainspoken charm and a knack for communicating some deeper truth," a style that will instantly have you recognising mbilly.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Excellently mixed music where each instrument contrasts beautifully, and the vocals and harmonies just add to the quality of this song.
Listen: Malheur.(mp3).Web: Official HERE.
Background: Singer/songwriter Mitski has released the brand new single "Liquid Smooth" from her debut album Lush, available on iTunes and CD Baby. The eclectic singer personifies an oxymoron as she sports a nightgown and a sweet face in a dreamy effect on her album cover, but later sings beautiful poignant lyrics with an unfiltered honesty.
A worldly musician in her own right, Mitski holds many talents including expertise in the piano and the Japanese Taiko drums. She has lived and learned the customs of various cultures while residing in Malaysia, Japan, The Czech Republic, Taiwan, China, Turkey, The Democratic Republic of Congo and the U.S. Being such a self-proclaimed nomad, music was the one constant thing that she could rely on to keep her peace-of-mind. Writing and making music with a true meaning and purpose was something Mitski became passionate about after realizing that songs on the radio weren't saying what she wanted to express. Only when someone told Mitski that her voice was a gift did she start developing her music more and sang in school choirs and talent shows. Currently living in the Big Apple and attending a music conservatory, Mitski has performed at local venues such as Vaudeville Park, Freddy's Bar and Backroom and Gallery 51.
Defying the persona of typical pop artists, Mitski stays true to her own experiences and emotions and relays them in somewhat somber yet romantic lyrics. With a unique approach and distinctive sound, the "Liquid Smooth" singer wrote, arranged, produced and performed all songs on the album with a little help from some friends. All nine songs on Lush are endowed with resilient character peeling back layers of Mitski to reveal a soft-hearted, unwavering individual. Subject matters on the album include "the little things in life that break your heart, sex, and how some things you just can't do anything about," Mitski said.
The lead single "Liquid Smooth" is self-explanatory expressing sexuality and the desire to be loved. The alternative singer injects red hot femininity into poetic lyrics and pulsating piano chords. Her soothing voice adds a velvety texture that only compliments her inky instrumentation. Mitski displays her subtle rock-star quality, too on the album. With the electric guitar-ridden, "Brand New City", she sings distorted melodies about moving away from a relationship gone wrong. The album is essentially an unconventional journey through Mitski's diary that critics will either love or hate.
Steadily spreading her music to the masses, Mitski is currently planning to leverage her fan base starting with an East Coast tour this summer.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Liquid Smooth may be sensual however there is so much more to Mitski's music and this really is only touching the surface of her many talents and directions.
Listen: Liquid Smooth(player only). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Detroit-based quartet FAWN have teamed up with Quite Scientific Records (Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Chris Bathgate) for the release of its debut album Coastlines, due out on June 12th. In anticipation of the LP, FAWN has released its first single "Pixels" alongside two remixes by fellow Detroit natives Arranged Marriage, and Coyote Clean Up. FAWN consists of members from Kiddo, Child Bite, the Nice Device, the Von Bondies, Javelins, Thunderbirds are Now!, and Those Transatlantics.
The members of FAWN are not only experienced musicians, but a font of visual creativity -- designing their own record covers, photography, posters, websites, and video treatments. They have managed to assemble an excitingly well-versed group to showcase the sound of New Detroit through the prisms of such 90's touchstones as Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pixies, Sleater-Kinney, The Breeders, and Juliana Hatfield, alongside modern influences like Yuck or The New Pornographers. It is indie pop with a definitive rock tinge that tips a hat ever so slightly to Detroit's past in the rear view mirror, but propels you along by offering up the hyper-realism of what ultimately can be.
2012Candy's Wise Words: I was expecting bulk standard indie rock with the opening chords, only to be knocked out by the vocal harmonies and depth of this song, I am now in eager anticipation of the album, that'll teach me to presume !
Listen: Pixels. (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Detroit songstress Mozella is thrilled to announce the release of her new album The Brian Holland Sessions. Set for a July 24th release, this exciting new album was co-written by Motown legend Brian Holland - songwriter of over 25 Number 1 Motown songs - and co-produced by Holland along with Dave Wilder (Macy Gray & Ghostface Killah).
Mozella - who seamlessly blends her charismatic vocals and charming personality with carefully crafted pop, soul, and jazz - was a perfect compliment to Holland's songwriting, synonymous with what is arguably considered the greatest period of American songwriting history. Holland is responsible for classic songs such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" for Martha and the Vandellas, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" for Marvin Gaye, "Baby I Need Your Loving" for the Four Tops and hit songs by The Supremes like "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," and "You Keep Me Hangin' On."
Within a few weeks of writing together, Mozella and Holland put together a 10-song album of sophisticated R&B and memorable pop melodies using Motown's signature foundation of rhythmic bass and drums.
With songs such as the driving "Another You," the romantic "Exception" and the sweeping "You Don't Love Anyone But Yourself," The Brian Holland Sessions is an undeniable album of catchy symphonic doo-wop and soul, sung by an accomplished artist and co-written by an unparalleled legend.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Mozella has the right voice to work with such a Motown legend and this song puts a modern twist on Motown one moment and has me transported back to the 1960's the next!
Listen: Another You.(mp3). Web: Official HERE.
Background: On June 5th, 2012, Santa Barbara/Los Angeles, California-based Roxanne and Caroline Teti, sisters of the shoegaze-rock/psych-pop band Skyline Pigeons, will be celebrating the release of their debut full-length album, House of Mysteries.
House of Mysteries is an 11-track collection inspired by the traumatic and liberating experience of loss and rebirth, following the Santa Barbara wide fires that claimed their home - and all of their possessions.
You've seen it on the news. Devastation over wild fires. Displaced families, priceless family heirlooms gone, and everything people once had now ashes. We watch this from the comfort of our homes on the news, feeling bad for the faceless people we see on our TV screens, but that feeling soon dissipates as the next horrific 5 o'clock news story comes on. However, what if it wasn't just a news broadcast? What if it was your life? Your reality? And you lost everything?
Each song on House of Mysteries takes the listener inside the emotional journey of such a reality, the way one travels from room to room of a home. Skyline Pigeons are able to use each individual song to explore, uncover, and confront the hopes, scars, and fears that become buried in the human subconscious. While each song maintains independence, their essence is familiar yet fresh, the way a chapter of a book flows freely yet is bound by story—a story with songs intriguing and soul biting.
Rounding out the band with Andrew Harrison, Ben Potter, and Orly Gal, the outfit blends influences as far and wide as folk-roots, post-punk, and psychedelic-rock to create their dark, yet warming pop concoction. Much of their musical style is influenced by the era of the 50s, the garage rock era of the 60s, and the country rock era of 70s. Throughout the record the musician sisters detail loss, sorrow, and heartbreak—relating to the fire—but also recalling other emotionally taxing or exciting times, such as a break-up with a loved one or the energized spark of new love, loneliness and isolation or the epiphany of sense of self and experiencing the rawness of fun.
The album’s eclectic layout carries a consistent but diverse sound through each of the songs and their various use of instrumentation. From the upbeat rock anthem of “Get Up” to the haunting and intriguing psychedelic trip into an apocalyptic scenario that is "Fire She Blows," the record is as suspenseful as it is melodic. Expect to hear the haunting beauty of piano ballads such as “Lucid” and “Take Me Back," as well as sexy, bluesy, garage rock songs like “The Cycle” and “Tennessee," which emanate the carefree soul of California. In a mix of intense emotive tunes, hidden treasures of philosophical dreamscapes like “High," "Stardust Collector," and “Alright” allow one to forget about reality for a while. "Unrequited” and “Together” invites one to experience or revisit romantic despair, and the sad yet freeing reality of breakup.
Sisters Roxanne and Caroline’s alto and soprano ranges come together to form a beautiful vocal instrument full of sultry splendor that captivates one with a relaxed seduction. Instrumentally the record showcases a diverse mixture of poignant piano composition, soulful organ, Wurlitzer keyboard, vintage analog synths, the relaxed yet tight percussive elements of tambourine and multiple bass drums, electric guitar solos, acoustic finger picking, dreamy 12 string strumming, and garage rock rhythm distortion.
The conclusion after one listens to House of Mysteries is that The Skyline Pigeons Sound is a unique entry to the music scene. They pour their hearts and souls into every note and give the listener every bit of emotion they have, both lyrically and musically. Now the sisters want to share the songs that have meant so much to them throughout these life - and mind - altering experiences to others. They'll do that by hitting the road and performing in front of audiences whenever and wherever they can. For Skyline Pigeons, 2012 is the year of the House of Mysteries.
2012Candy's Wise Words: This album is a must for shoegaze come psych-pop fans and anyone with a desire to hear a band putting their own unique mark on the music scene.
Listen: Lucid(mp3). Web: Reverb Nation HERE.
Background: The South Florida teenage native Sonali, is popping onto the scene with the release of her debut EP, Speechless. Sonali is a talented emerging artist on the edge of ascension. Speechless is currently available for download on iTunes.
A multi-instrumentalist who plays keyboard, drums, and bass, Sonali is a scorching lead guitarist who wields an impressive arsenal of instruments. Dedicated to education, Sonali's studies include jazz guitar at the Players School of Music, Berklee College of Music's Five Week Summer Performance Program for Voice, the School of Rock program and a music business course at New York University, where she will be attending full time in the Fall of 2012 as part of the Clive Davis Recorded Music Program at Tisch.
The new EP features rousing songs, energetic performances, and exposes layers of emotional truths within the songs. Speechless, showcases a performer, guitarist, songwriter, and a voice that is truly unique. This upbeat album is full of poppy songs and catchy melodies showcased on songs such as "Just Wanna Love You' and "Road To Nowhere." With a full production helmed by Zach Ziskin, Speechless features Sonali's voice in tandem with a studio's worth of instruments. Sonali is equally capable of delivering these songs acoustically, allowing her honest authenticity to shine through.
As an educated multi-talented artist, Sonali doesn't stop there. Her dedication to community service is an essential element to her life. She works with a variety of worthy organizations, for example all of Sonali's iTunes sales of Speechless are donated to SmileTrain, an international charity that provides free cleft surgery to thousands of poor children in developing countries.
2012Candy's Wise Words: As debut EP's go this one really does set the standards high, Sonali may be an educated multi talented artist, she also knows how to deliver a powerful debut.
Listen: Road To Nowhere. (player only). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Berlin-based songwriter Masha Qrella has announced the release of her long-awaited Analogies album, out on June 5th with Morr Music. This is her first original studio material since 2005. A founding member of Berlin-based bands Mina and Contriva, Qrella first stepped out as a singer/songwriter in her own right with the release of her first solo album Luck. After two more full-lengths, Unsolved Remained and Speak Low, a collection of beautifully-rendered Kurt Weill and Frederick Loewe cover songs released in 2009, the latest Analogies LP truly marks a high point in her career.
Analogies is essentially her take on pop music, sitting perfectly between folk, indie rock, and all the huge radio anthems from decades past. The confidence, the virtuosity of composition at work in these songs, their post-rock leanings, shimmering folk layers and hymnal pop gestures, are the result of actual experience, years and years dedicated to actually playing and breathing music. The LP was recorded in a tiny studio in Berlin-Pankow, and echoes Qrella's musical forebears and soulmates scattered all over the history of pop: Starting with her own past and a certain proximity to Stereolab's experimental library music, one can easily move on to The Cure's mainstream melancholy or even to the all-embracing sonic albatross wings of a band like Fleetwood Mac. Imagine Stevie Nicks, Robert Smith and Laetitia Sadier randomly meeting on a walk, somewhere in beautifully quiet Berlin-Pankow or hanging out on a bench in Bürgerpark. Qrella's music invokes a sort of timeless beauty that's difficult to pinpoint, but inspires such images. Ever since the Berlin party heydays of the early nineties, Qrella has been part of the city's musical avant-garde; yet at the same time she has kept an eye on that one thing which has always been the very core and heart of pop music: the song itself, and Analogies has become the perfect canvas to bring it to life.
2012Candy's Wise Words: This song flows along, gently building with Masha's vocals mixing in perfectly, it's all over so quickly and well worth a second play!
Listen: Crooked Dreams.(mp3). Web: Bandcamp HERE.
Background: Shake the Baron’s sophomore release, Ghost Hits, is a true rock album that simultaneously bursts with rambunctious energy and shimmering precision. Lyrically, it’s an honest LP brooding on lost love, false friendships, and the confusion of mid-20’s existence. Musically, the songs are joyous, with ambitious guitar-driven arrangements and propulsive rhythms reminiscent of bands like Broken Social Scene and The Strokes. Lead singer Andrew Oedel's vocal hooks are smooth yet melancholy, punctuated by waves of thick harmony and percussive slap-back. Fuzzy guitars and spooky synth lines build along head-bobbing drums in lush compositions, creating a deep sense of atmosphere within the band’s pop sensibility. The songs feel familiar yet refreshing. After forming four years ago at Connecticut College in New London, CT, Shake The Baron relocated to NewYork. They’ve found a welcome home in Brooklyn, where they’ve begun a new and promising chapter.
Ghost Hits is a collaborative effort that was self-recorded and self-produced, with help from the band’s studio-savvy friends. The album was recorded in several locations in New York, from the band’s own basement studio, to the Gallery Recording Studio in Brooklyn, to DNA Downtown in Manhattan. The album was mixed by Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend, Weezer, Ra Ra Riot), who lent his notably bold production style to the band’s sound. Shake the Baron will proudly release Ghost Hits with NYC-based super duper records on June 12, 2012.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Shake The Baron rock with natural energy and passion, sometimes slowing down long enough to deliver a song like Big Sur so we can catch our breath, and take it all in.
Listen: Big Sur. (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
This is short set from Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show recorded at Shel Silverstein’s Houseboat, Sausalito, San Francisco, CA and broadcast on Danish Television in 1972.
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, shortened their name in 1975 to Dr. Hook, They formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1967 as The Chocolate Papers. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit More" and "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman". In addition to their own material, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show performed songs written by the poet Shel Silverstein.
The band had eight years of regular chart hits, in both the U.S. and the UK, and greatest success with their later gentler material, as Dr. Hook.
Their 1971 debut album Doctor Hook featured lead vocals, guitar, bass and harmonica by Locorriere, guitarist Cummings, singer Sawyer, drummer David, singer/guitarist, and keyboard player Billy Francis. The album included their first hit, "Sylvia's Mother."
Silverstein wrote the songs for many of Dr. Hook's early albums (including their entire second album), such as "Freakin' at the Freaker's Ball", "Sylvia's Mother", "Everybody's Makin' It Big But Me", "Penicillin Penny", "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan", "Carry Me Carrie", "The Wonderful Soup Stone" and more, some of which were co-written with Locorriere and/or Sawyer.
In 1972, the band added a full-time bassist, Jance Garfat, and another guitarist, Rik Elswit. The band's second single, "The Cover of Rolling Stone" from Sloppy Seconds attracted the attention of those who would appreciate their irreverent attitude and stage show. It also got the band on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine — albeit in caricature rather than photograph. The song poked fun at the idea that a musician had "made it" if they had been pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
Source: Danish TV.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.
Genre: Rock, country.
Set: TV set.
Set List:
01. Intro by Shel Silverstein
02. Sylvia’s Mother
03. Marie Lavaux
04. Carry Me Carrie
05. More from Shel Silverstein
06. High Flying Eagle
Background: ‘Se fosse per me’, is the new single by Italian ambient electronica artist Elisa Luu, taken from her forthcoming second album Un giorno sospeso (out 1st June).
Blossoming into life like a field of neon flowers, ‘Se fosse per me’ is all eyes-wide and life-affirming. It imbues its wistful tones with light through buoyant beats and skittering horns, leading into a reflective textured coda. Elisa Luu’s trademark blend of digital manipulation with analogue warmth, chiming tones with immersive drones, is on virtuoso display, whetting the appetite for her upcoming second album Un Giorno Sospeso.
Though digitally crafted, Elisa Luu’s music is warm, inviting and uniquely human, betraying a vulnerability and sensitivity that is rarely found in the male-dominated sphere of electronica. With its sighing, lilting qualities, Elisa Luu’s music reawakens a sense of childlike wonder and adventure with every sprawling and sparkling track. This alchemical touch is in full bloom on long-awaited second album Un Giorno Sospeso, which takes the glorious blueprint of debut Chromatic Sigh and accentuates the highlights and shadows, making for a deliciously disorientating trip.
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: Warm flowing music, slowly building into a journey which twists and turns, ambient at it's best.
Web: MySpace. Listen: ‘Se fosse per me’. (mp3).
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Background: Proving herself a musical gem once again, singer/songwriter Sunday Lane released her new full-length album 'From Where You Are' on April 10th. After the success of her first EP, Bring Me Sunshine, Sunday is creating a nation-wide buzz and a huge following across an eclectic audience and is ready to wow her fans for a second time.
The doll-faced singer is a breath of fresh air from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Classically trained on the piano, Sunday injects a fountain of soul and depth to her music that most pop artists her age aren't capable of. At only 22, Sunday writes lyrics that are heavy with wisdom and is able to connect with an audience of all ages and life stories. Sunday's easy-going charisma paired with her soothing vocals landed her a gig at the famed Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2011, a spot on Music Connection's Hot 100 Unsigned Artists List and two featured songs on the season premiere of the CW Network show "One Tree Hill." Sunday also released an intimate music video for her song "Reckless One" which was not only featured on the CW show, but is the EP's single.
Along with Zach Annett, Sunday Lane produced her second release, From Where You Are. Annett also did the mixing for this album, as well as producing and drumming on 2010's Bring Me Sunshine. The multi-talented singer needs no musical decorations or distractions on this record; her lyrics speak volumes touching on central subjects such as social issues, love and growing up. The lead single from the album, "A Little Too Young," gives insight to Sunday's own recognition of her emotional maturity, singing "I'm afraid of what I see when I look at me." She uses melodious guitar chords and heartfelt piano harmonies to give a feel-good vibe to the song. She also teamed up with fellow songwriter, Hannah Crockett for two tracks on the album, "Waltzing with Fire" and "Let Me Go."
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: Second time we have featured Sunday on Beehive Candy and in our opinion deservedly so, her latest album is full of really strong songs, well worth checking out!
Web: Official. Listen: Waltzing With Fire. (player below).
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Background:A Genuine Freakshow are a 7 piece band from the UK, often compared to bands like Mew, Jonsi, and The National. Oftentimes is their debut album, and has already gained the band a lot of attention in their native UK.
A Genuine Freakshow are seven individuals brought together in the Reading, Berkshire, England area from a desire to blend their love of the experimental with the melody and traditional songwriting prowess of the likes of band favorites Elbow, Mew and The National. The seven-piece have found their sweet spot, creating music that is intricate but unafraid of big melodies, as witnessed throughout the album Oftentimes and in particular on lead track, I Can Feel His Heartbeats and forthcoming single Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness. The journey there was not easy however, eighteen months ago the band scrapped version one of the album unhappy with the finished product and started it again, enlisting band collaborator and unofficial eighth member Jordan Fish as producer and re-recording at his studio in Newbury, Berkshire.
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: Indie pop or rock with a little more to it, the opening to the featured track has a touch of Radiohead to it in our mind, good song.
Web: OK! Good Label. Listen: I Can Feel His Heartbeats. (player below).
================================================== Background: The reggae music on the Nazarenes new album, Meditation , was born in the African-derived culture of Jamaica's downtown black communities. The producer, Laurent 'Tippy I' Alfred is from the nearby island of St Croix in the US Virgin Islands where social consciousness - in the form of Rastafarian spiritual belief - is still a guiding factor in music making. The artists, born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to a family that worked for Emperor Haile Selassie - he who Rastas believe is a divine figure - offer an almost miraculous confirmation to reggae fans of the special bond between Africa and the diaspora.
The Nazarenes, made up of brothers Noah and Medhane Tewolde, now live in Sweden and their new record,Meditation, set to drop April 24th, not only reflects the journey of reggae - from Jamaica, to the Caribbean, to the world - but also invokes organic, contemporary connections between Jamaica, Africa and people everywhere. Meditation is not simply a reggae album, nor is it a tribute to a Caribbean sense of spirituality. Meditation is a testament to the distinct and enduring capacity of reggae as a building block for communication in a multi-cultural world.
Meditation crosses cultural, musical and national borders so successfully because its creators do too. Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to parents of Eritrean descent who later settled in Sweden, the Tewolde brothers originally followed separate musical paths. Noah had signed with Virgin Records in the 1990s while Medhane was touring Europe with Culture Knox and other reggae acts. In 1996, and based on a mutual respect for pop melodies as well as careful and considered songwriting in the traditional roots reggae style, Noah and Medhane formed the Nazarenes. The group first established themselves independently on their self-produced debut album, Orit (2001), and later broke out with their Heartbeat/Rounder release, Songs Of Life (2004) before teaming up with I Grade Records for the first time on the single "Everlasting" which was included on the acclaimed compilation album, Joyful Noise (2009). On Meditation, their first full-length album since Rock Firm (2008), the Nazarenes return to their world music roots in the making of an album that truly confirms roots reggae as a vehicle for collective understanding and an artistic work that ultimately speaks to cultural unity rather than conflict.
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: Fans of Roots Reggae and well thought out melodies will love Nazarenes, this is high quality and a joy to listen too.
Web:Official. Listen: Politrickcians. (player below).
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Background:Lexie Roth is the daughter of guitarist Arlen Roth and his late wife, Deborah. She has been playing music since she was about 8 years old, and has become quite an accomplished guitarist, even though she started out on bass guitar. She played in several bands in her developing years on both bass and guitar, and was always the featured vocalist. She has appeared on her father’s album Toolin’ Around Woodstock with Levon Helm on drums, and sings Vaya Con Dios on the upcoming release of the Les Paul Tribute Album alongside of Keith Richards, Jose Feliciano, Steve Miller, Slash and many other greats. Lexie's song, "Call You My Hon", from her most recent album, is also featured in the new Karen Black film, "Maria, my Love."
“Lexie doesn’t hammer you over the head with blues mama excesses; she sucks you in with restraint and understatement.”
Dan Forte, Vintage Guitar Magazine
“Ultimately, its finest asset is Ms. Roth's voice, a rich, melodic force that promises a bright future for this emerging artist."
Julian Wise, Martha’s Vineyard Times
"In 2005, Lexie, then 18, recorded her first solo album, One Long Blink, co-produced with her father, featuring her haunting voice and his transcendent guitar playing."
Carey Baker, Conqueroo
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: I just love this song, the vocals and guitar complement each other perfectly and yes she does indeed naturally draw you into the song.
Web: Bandcamp. Listen: Stay Or Go. (mp3).
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Background:Pale Man Made take touches of the best 80s and 90s music, add a caustic commentary on working life, relationship problems, animals, politics and snooker players and engulf the whole thing in a melodic whirlwind of boy-girl fuzz. Think the best Scottish pop (The Pastels, The Shop Assistants, Orange Juice) blended with the angst and ferocity of The Wedding Present, all clouded by a gentler take on the heady fuzz of My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
‘Oh, My Treasured Things’ Pale Man Made’s debut album was described by NME as 'a thing to treasure', was voted Album of the Week by Huw Stephens and received excellent reviews and international airplay.
‘In Your Bed’ is the second UK taster from the forthcoming album Red Box Secrets which will be released on 14th May. The first taster ‘B-Line’, received excellent airplay including numerous plays from 6 music and BBC London.
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: OK we need at least one song that oozes a little raw energy, as this does, the vocals and harmonies standout above the musical energy and we are hooked!
Web: Odd Box Records. Listen: In Your Bed. (mp3).
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Background: New Orleans based, indie band Youth Sounds is set to record their new single off their 3rd EP, Favors. The new single "Burn Out" will be released in both English and Spanish ('Sin Ti') and both versions are available on iTunes. In order to finish the remainder of the album, the group needs the help of their dedicated fans. The band has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds for their new album, Favors and is asking their fans to be a part of it.
The first single off the album, "Burn Out" was recorded at Festival Recording Studios (Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Michelle Williams) just outside of New Orleans. Rick Naiser engineered and produced the single, along with Youth Sounds' Federico Mejia as co-producer. The band made the decision to record a Spanish version of the song, "Sin Ti" to show their heritage.
Youth Sounds is a five-piece band made up of the Mejia siblings (Federico- bass, Erika- vocals, and Nicolas- drums), Federico's wife (Taryn Mejia- keyboard) and a close friend (Adrian Frye- guitar). The ambient, dream pop, indie sound comes from an innovative group that understands who they are and what they have to offer. Youth Sounds has been featured as an iHeartRadio "Artist to Watch" as well as been listed by Music Connection Magazine, as one of the "Hot 100 Unsigned Bands."
With the success of their August 2010 release of The Bit Parts and the February 2011 release of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Youth Sounds has been welcomed into the indie community with overwhelmingly positive reviews. Check out their newest single "Burn Out"/"Sin Ti" and be part of making the new album by pledging to their Kickstarter campaign.
2012Candy Ponders Wisely: This was a nice surprise, some really fine dream pop, both musicians and the classy vocals give this song an edge.
Web: Facebook. Listen: Burn Out. (mp3).
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This is The Yardbirds in concert on the 30th March 1968 at the Anderson Theatre, New York, NY, USA and was a soundboard recording.
