We are advised that - Scenic Voidis a music project based out of Chicago, IL intent on releasing its debut EP in May of 2015. Fronted by eclectic and multi-talented musician, Patrick Jennings, he is presenting a thrilling sound with subtle intricacy; a meticulously crafted, emotionally driven dream rock EP. The Scenic Void EP was made available May 5th via Dancing Berries Music and will be playing shows around the Chicago area in support of the new release.
We say - It's a goody! Nice vibe, fine songs and some excellent guitar work.
Dark and dreamy duo Ultra Violent Rays will digitally release their next single, "Wish," on May 26. The duo of Cooper Gillespie (vocals and bass) and Greg Gordon (drums and sequences) create a fresh and layered sound that does have a strong hint of 'Siouxsie Sioux' in her more ethereal vocal renditions (our words - getting a bit creative here). Others have also mentioned Joy Division and Portishead as references, however we reckon Ultra Violent Rays have enough of their own talent going and are definitely worth your ears.
First the pedigree - Atlanta born and Brooklyn fancy singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sarah Kervin is internationally recognised as a soloist, guest artist, composer, and band leader by Downbeat Student Music Awards, the Jazz Education Network Composition Award, and research grants in vocal pedagogy from the Magellan Program. She has performed with great artists such as Jon Hendricks, the Manhattan Transfer, Ben Folds, the Fort Worth Symphony, and Afro Blue.
We can add that Sarah is excited to begin a new partnership with the Joyful Heart Foundation to advocate for domestic violence awareness. More about 'JHF' HERE. The new album 'Into the City' is out in June 2015 with proceeds to benefit the foundation, and we at Beehive Candy think it will do very well as the whole album is just so good! Available from CD Baby HERE, and itunes.
From Australia we are told artist - KITis a mixture of Adele and Aretha Franklin in a soul infused fire of honest pop. Originally from Bega from country New South Wales, she displays great strength and confidence on stage whilst showcasing her passionate, vibrant personality. Having played well over 600 live shows, she is ready to release her debut single. KIT’s featured single Goodbye showcases her ability to demonstrate a strong soul vocal performance when accompanied by contemporary instrumentation.
We say pay attention world, another fine talent that stands out from the massive musical crowd!
“Goodbye” by KIT will be released 12th June 2015.
Reloaded 24/May/2015 By popular request and a firm favourite for Rolling Stones rarities collectors, however we would like to point out that CD1 and 2 are within the official King Biscuit archives and will be deleted from this site once we have given a little time for the Stones completest fans who have requested this famous bootleg. Full artwork of the original packaging is included. This is a four CD box set bootleg of The Rolling Stones that was circulated originally on The Swingin' Pig label (TSP-CD-200) and in 1998 on the Dandelion label as part of their 'The Classic Rolling Stones Collection' (DL030 - DL033). The first two CD's include the entire Forth Worth show (which is also in the King Biscuit archives). CD's 3 and 4 have pretty much every song broadcast from the 1978 tour plus a few soundboard recordings that never made it to air. This version is sourced from the 'Dandelion' label boxed set and the audio quality is so good, it is of little surprise that mainstream bootleggers cashed in on the material (we of course do not!).
The Rolling Stones' US Tour 1978 took place during June and July 1978, immediately following the release of the group's 1978 album Some Girls (hence the bootlegs 'Handsome Girls' title). Like the 1972 and 1975 U.S.A. tours, Bill Graham was the tour promoter. One opening act was Peter Tosh, who was sometimes joined by Jagger for their duet "Don't Look Back". The tour used a stripped back, minimal stage show compared to the previous Tour of the Americas '75 and Tour of Europe '76, possibly due to the emergence of the punk rock scene and its emphasis solely on music and attitude rather than presenting a grandiose stage extravaganza.
From Wikipedia - The tour is widely believed among fans to be one of the band's greatest, largely because it was in many ways back to basics both in musical and visual terms. It meant a return to a mixture of classic Stones numbers ("Tumbling Dice," "Star Star," "Happy," "Street Fighting Man", etc.) mixed with blues numbers and Chuck Berry covers, as well as including a large number of songs from then newly released Some Girls LP. It was the first tour featuring songs written with Ron Wood as an official member of the Rolling Stones, and his contributions from this period are considered by many Stones fans as some of his greatest with the band. While no live album was released from this tour, a fair amount of bootleg releases showcases its musical qualities, most notably the multi-show King Biscuit Flower Hour FM recording mostly known as "Handsome Girls."
Guest artists that played with the Stones during individual shows included Linda Ronstadt, Sugar Blue, Doug Kershaw, Bobby Keys and Nicky Hopkins. Other opening Acts included Van Halen, Journey, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and the Doobie Brothers.
Source: Pre FM Soundboard.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.
Genre: Rock, blues, blues rock, rhythm and blues, rock and roll.
Set: Full set Fort Worth TX, plus many extras.
Set List:
CD 1 - Fort Worth, Texas - 18th July 1978.
1. Let It Rock
2. All Down The Line
3. Honky Tonk Women
4. Starf---er
5. When The Whip Comes Down
6. Beast Of Burden
7. Miss You
8. Just My Imagination
9. Shattered
10. Respectable
11. Far Away Eyes
12. Love In Vain
13. Tumbling Dice
14. Happy CD 2 - Fort Worth, 18th July 1978.
1. Sweet Little Sixteen
2. Brown Sugar
3. Jumping Jack Flash
Alternate Versions:
4. All Down The Line
5. Honky Tonk Women
6. Starf-cker
7. When The Whip Comes Down
8. Beast Of Burden
9. Shattered
10. Far Away Eyes
11. Jumping Jack Flash
CD 3.
1. Let It Rock (Detroit, MI - 7/6/78)
2. All Down The Line (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
3. Honky Tonk Women (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
4. Star Star (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
5. When The Whip Comes Down (Detroit, MI - 7/6/78)
6. Lies (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
7. Miss You (Detroit, MI - 7/6/78)
8. Beast Of Burden (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
9. Shattered (Memphis, TN - 6/28/78)
10. Respectable (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
11. Just My Imagination (Detroit, MI - 7/6/78)
12. Far Away Eyes (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
13. Tumbling Dice (Detroit, MI - 7/6/78)
14. Happy (Detroit, MI - 7/6/78)
CD 4.
1. Hound Dog (Memphis, TN - 6/28/78)
2. Sweet Little Sixteen (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
3. Brown Sugar (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
4. Jumpin' Jack Flash (Houston, TX - 7/19/78)
5. Miss You (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
6. Lies (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
7. Beast Of Burden (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
8. Shattered (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
9. Just My Imagination (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
10. Respectable (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
11. Sweet Little Sixteen (Lexington, KY - 6/29/78)
Reloaded 23/May/2015 - Beehive Candy may at times feel, less a labour of love and more a chore, when it comes to replacing our many lost files. However when we are reminded of fantastic performances such as this one and the musical diversity it adds to this site, it does make the whole replacement thing, seem a far more worthwhile project.
A fine and funky concert complete with the full power house of rhythm is captured here on this recording of Tower Of Power and fit for 'Bumpsters' everywhere!
Recorded with an appreciative audience at Ultrasonic Studios Hempstead, NY, USA back on May 14th, 1974 this is a superb example of the band who continue to impress and perform today.
Some background from Wikipedia here that covers up to the time of this concert - The roots of the band go back to the summer of 1968, when tenor saxophonist/vocalist Emilio Castillo met Stephen "Doc" Kupka, who played baritone sax. Castillo had played in several bands, but it was Castillo's father, who told his son to "hire that guy" after a home audition. Together, they would become the backbone of Tower of Power. Within months, the group, known as the Motowns at the time, would begin playing various "gigs" around Oakland and Berkeley, their soul sound relating to both minority and rebellious listeners. By 1970, the now renamed Tower of Power (including trumpet/arranger Greg Adams, first trumpet Mic Gillette, first saxophone Skip Mesquite, Francis "Rocco" Prestia on bass, Willie Fulton on guitar, and drummer David Garibaldi) signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and released their first album, East Bay Grease. Rufus Miller performed most of the lead vocals on this debut album which included the single Sparkling In The Sand, which received airplay on famed Bay Area soul station KDIA.
Augmented by percussionist/conga/bongo player Brent Byars, guitarist Bruce Conte and keyboardist Chester Thompson, Tower of Power moved to Warner Bros. Records. With Rick Stevens now singing lead, 1972's Bump City would give the band its first national exposure. This album included "You're Still a Young Man", which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. Emilio Castillo, who co-wrote and sang lead on "You're Still a Young Man," told Songfacts that the song was based on a true story concerning a former girlfriend who was six years older than him. Though not released as a single, "Down to the Nightclub" received heavy airplay on West Coast FM stations and several AM stations. Both songs still get substantial airplay on oldies radio and remain fan favorites.
Tower of Power, released in the spring of 1973, the third album for the band, now featured Lenny Williams on lead vocals and Lenny Pickett on first saxophone. This was the group's most successful album. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and was RIAA certified as a gold record (for sales in excess of 500,000 copies). The album also spawned their most-successful single "So Very Hard To Go". Although the single peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, it landed in the Top 10 on the surveys of many West Coast Top 40 radio stations, hitting number 1 on many of them. The album also charted two other singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "This Time It's Real" and "What Is Hip?" The latter is possibly their most enduring song.
1974's Back to Oakland spawned another hit, "Don't Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)", that reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, plus "Time Will Tell", which charted at number 69.
Source: Soundboard (Pre-FM master recording).
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.
Genre: Soul, funk, R&B, jazz.
Set: Full Set.
Set List:
CD One.
1. Intro
2. Oakland Stroke
3. Squib Cakes
4. This Time It's Real
5. Soul Vaccination
6. You're Still A Young Man
7. Clean Slate
8. So Very Hard To Go
9. Get Your Feet Back On The Ground
CD Two.
1. Time Will Tell
2. Man From The Past
3. Down To The Nightclub
4. Just When We Start Makin' It
5. Knock Yourself Out
6. What Is Hip?
7. Outro
What a way to start this round up of some fine music that has come our way in the last few days. Have you ever listened to a song and half way through your already wanting to listen to it again? Tamara Williamson had that very effect on me this week. I was also puzzled by the fact I had never heard any of her material before, simply because it is just so good! Much as some in the music industry berated the emergence of file sharing and downloading, the reality is artist's like Tamara can be discovered anywhere around the world with just a little exposure. Well Beehive Candy are happy to assist when music this good comes our way.
Tamara had this to say regarding her latest album, 'Sister, Mother, Daughter, Wife' - The importance of this album is paramount for me as it helped me work through some of the tougher ideas I've faced and helped me start living outside of the bubble I had created for myself. Every song on the album explores a different women's story that I felt needed to be heard. The album was first conceptualised when I discovered the story of Victoria while listening to CBC Radio. I'm thankful for the help of Mitchell Girio for producing and Richard G. Benoit for Mastering this collection of songs. Also, Morgan Doctor, Mitchell Girio, Kevin Hearn and Garen Graves for playing on the album. Hope these stories connect with you as they did with me.
Far In The Maples are gearing up for the release on July 14, 2015, of the album Skywork. This was produced by Steve Greenwell (Joss Stone) at Lakehouse Studios in Asbury Park, to 'showcase song-oriented music that’s both honest and contemporary with a classic timelessness, from an infectious new band driven by songbird Regina Conroy and multi-instrumentalist Reshy P'.
We are reliably informed of the following - Turning the celebrated, swingin’ sound of the Jersey Shore inside out, Far In The Maples is poised to cast a new seaside musical legacy built upon the nuances of internal emotion with unexpected soundscapes, unforgettable melodies and the sweetly understated vocals of its alluring lead songstress through its debut album, Skywork (Refrost Records/AWAL).
They could have just said this is a really bright, uplifting, collection of songs, but I guess you have to get noticed anyway you can these days, quoting some more - Regina’s love for great American singer-songwriters like Natalie Merchant, Shawn Colvin, Avril Lavigne, and Michelle Branch, with Reshy’s wide-ranging leanings from punk to electronica, inspired by Billy Talent, Millencolin, Sum 41, Owl City, Paramore, and beyond. It's a very strong debut, so if you love the 'celebrated swingin' sound of Jersey Shore', you will love this! Website HERE.
Now if your a regular visitor to this place you will know that I'm often tempted by the suggestion of well mixed up genres. So tell me that Old House Playground 'is a three piece contemporary blues/alt-rock band with roots in the song writing culture of traditional Greek folk music' and I will be intrigued, particularly as I know nothing much about traditional Greek folk music.
So the story goes - In 2009, Tryfon Lazos (vocals, guitars) and Andreas Venetantes (drums, percussion) together with bass player Conor Loughran moved from Athens to Manchester to experiment with new musical paths and forms of expression. Inspired by the likes of Tom Waits, Django Reinhardt, Nick Cave and Greek artists Psarantonis, and Marcos Vamvakaris together with analog sounds and street musicianship, Old House Playground met producer/musician Chris Evans, with whom they would record their first album God Damn That Gold. A couple of months before the recordings took place, Conor left the band, with Tryfon and Andreas continuing as a duo. The album was released in June 2012 by the independent label Evening Economies/Fat Bob Records and accompanied by an extended UK tour. From working men’s clubs and mainstream pubs to the Dalston hipster playground, the response was overwhelming.
I would struggle to put it better than the following so lets just repeat it - “They've got the deep, gravelly lo-fi blues with a bit of old-time swing and rockabilly on the side - imagine a pared down Bedlam Six fronted by a young hybrid of Jack White and Nick Cave. His lyrics are dark, twisted stories with a certain literary flair” - Cath Aubergine, Manchester Music.
Website HERE. Great song below and more on their web place.
Next up Survival Guide. Taking the short cut to what Survival Guide are all about here's someone elses words - Survival Guide is the compelling artistic endeavor featuring California vocalist and keyboardist Emily Whitehurst. Her music falls somewhere between indie rock and electronic, always with descriptive, storytelling lyrics, strong vocals and a sprinkle of pop. After supporting Joan Jett, performing at First City Festival 2014 (Beck, The National, Phantogram) and recording a freshman full-length album, Survival Guide was named one of the Top 12 Bay Area Bands of 2014 by San Francisco's premier rock radio station, Live 105. The upcoming album (now actually released), entitled "Way to Go", conjures feelings of a dark modern fairytale and showcases Whitehurst's vocal range and talent, following two previously released 7" vinyl singles, "Hot Lather Machine" and "Wildcat", released on San Francisco's Side With Us Records.
A really fine album that matches the expectation aroused by the comments above You can find out more HERE on their website.
========================================================================
Slightly Stoopid recently began streaming “One Bright Day” from their upcoming album, Meanwhile… Back at the Lab (to be released June 30th through the band’s label, Stoopid Records). This perfect summer jam features band friend and Grammy Award winner Angela Hunte (best known for co-writing “Empire State of Mind,” with Alicia Keys and Jay Z). Slightly Stoopid is McDonald, Miles Doughty (guitar, bass, vocals), Ryan “Rymo” Moran (drums), Oguer “OG” Ocon (percussion), Daniel “Dela” Delacruz (saxophone), Paul Wolstencroft (keyboards), Andy Geib (trumpet, trombone) with special guest and “unofficial 8th member” Karl Denson (The Rolling Stones/Greyboy Allstars) on saxophone.
They asked us if we like to share the song, we listened, we liked, we very nearly danced until my frightening sense of rhythm pinned me back in the chair. Upbeat and so shared as requested.
I am going to shamelessly copy and paste the words of another writer (again) to get across the background to the exceptional Ella Squirrell.
'Ella Squirrell grew up surrounded by creativity in the beautiful town of Bridport in Dorset. She has always felt at one with the natural world, returning to nature as a comfort in her song-writing. She has recently spent six months living and working in London, after discovering it to be a great base for music, and has returned to Dorset with a wealth of experience.
Ella picked up her first instrument aged 10. She copied folk songs on an Irish penny whistle, before moving on to the guitar when she was 11. Her dad is a professional musician, playing mandolin in a trio folk band, and he fully encouraged Ella’s musical growth. He taught Ella the basics before she started teaching herself by taking inspiration from other songs. Ella recalls writing her first successful song aged 15. She started with just 3 lines and the stepped away from it for a while. When she came back to it, the words began to flow, with a little help from her poet mom. She taught Ella to be brave with words, combining senses and placing the listener in the atmosphere and experience of the writer. This gave Ella the confidence to write her own songs. Song-writing is a cathartic process for Ella. She sees it as the best outlet for strong emotions, whether she is feeling down or feeling really happy. Allowing herself to be honest in her song-writing is the key to her creativity. Ella has followed in her dad’s folk footsteps, but with a modern pop twist. She is always learning from other musicians, and believes collective song-writing and collaboration is key for musical growth. She meets musicians at open mic nights and is constantly inspired by their work and attitude. It is no surprise Ella loves collaboration as she grew up partaking in spontaneous jam sessions with family and friends in the creative bubble of Bridport. She gained most of her skills in this way, having never studied music. She doesn’t read or write music; her melodies exist in her head, inspired by what she hears around her, and she teases them out into reality'.
OK edited highlights and I know the town of Bridport in Dorset very well and would concur it does seem to have something in the water that gets the best out of people musically. Also well done whoever wrote the press release for not mentioning a certain Polly Jean Harvey who also of course hails from Bridport, that must have been quite tempting, so there I have. I would add as an aside West Dorset is a beautiful part of England however as this is not a travel guide what about the music? Excellent, absorbing, just listen and enjoy it. Website HERE.
A couple of live dates:
27th May2015
The Jam House, Birmingham
The Launch Pad - a regular showcase of some of artists that the Jam House considers "ones to watch".
4th July 2015
Big Mix Music Festival, Lyme Regis
The Big Mix is Lyme’s own youth music festival by the sea,
