Thursday, 6 April 2017

Down On Maddy - GRMLN - Second Still

Down On Maddy - Wake Yourself.

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

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

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


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


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GRMLN - Red.

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

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

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

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

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Second Still - Strangers.

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

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

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

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

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

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Wednesday, 5 April 2017

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

Dig Deeper - Stars Tonight (Have You Seen).

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

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

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

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

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

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Mermaidens - Lizard.

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

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

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

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

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

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Mira Aasma - Snow White Wedding.

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

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

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

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

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

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The Megaphonic Thrift - Interlopers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Stolen Jars - Long New York.

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

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

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

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

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


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Tuesday, 4 April 2017

Sunshine & the Rain - Sam Rochford - Gitta de Ridder - The Velveteins - Woods - Katie Laffan

Sunshine & the Rain - I'm Not Your Girl.

Background - New York's Sunshine & the Rain new album is set for release on May 12th. Recorded in Sonic Youth’s Echo Canyon West studio with the legendary Jon Spencer, 'In The Darkness Of My Night' is full of pop gems with sugary hooks and dirty Ramones grit.

Sunshine & the Rain is a duo consisting of husband and wife Ashley Morey (vocals, bass) and Justin Morey (guitar), both formerly of critically acclaimed psych rockers The Black Hollies. Formed around the same time as the 2014 dissolution of their former band, Sunshine & the Rain kicked things off with the Jesus & Mary Chain vibes of their debut 7? 'Can’t Stop Thinking About You b/w Pale Blue Skies' in late 2015.

Early 2016 saw them heading into Sonic Youth’s Echo Canyon West studio with the legendary Jon Spencer to begin work on their debut LP. Eschewing some of the more lengthy psych leanings of their earliest days, Spencer coaxed the band towards a more immediate sound, cutting down track lengths and leaving nothing but pointed pop gems with sugary hooks and a dirty Ramones grit cutting throughout.

Alongside direction from Spencer, and engineering from Grammy Award-winning Engineer Ted Young, Sunshine & The Rain spent the majority of 2016 fine tuning the songs that ended up on 'In The Darkness Of My Night'. From the instant gratification of singles like 'Let’s Go' and 'I’m Not Your Girl' to aggressive earworms 'Take Me Out Again' and an unexpected cover of Fugazi’s 'Merchandise', this debut record is a statement that never strays from its point. Facebook here.

'I'm Not Your Girl' is a good indicator of of the power and passion to be found right across 'In The Darkness Of My Night'. Mixing full on punk attitude with some pop sensibilities makes for a roller-coaster ride, the duo hardly ever drop the rock energy, however the hooks are there song after song, making this one very decent rock'n'roll album.

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Sam Rochford - So Easy.

Background - Americana newcomer, Sam Rochford celebrated the release of her debut single, "So Easy," on March 26, 2017. With a mellowing, acoustic introduction, Sam Rochford showcases her beautiful voice, revealing a vulnerable side that will allow every listener to imagine a love, that even though it isn't perfect, it is real. If you have ever fallen in love, or even thought you were, you know there will be hurdles ahead. The only thing you can do be willing to face them together, and together you can conquer all. That's what this single is all about. Sure, there are times when the others imperfections may be too much for some to handle, but for you, it's those imperfections that make them so perfect.

While preparing for this release, Sam Rochford created a video that is accompanying the release of "So Easy." The video is an artistic look into someone's heart, showing Sam with a handmade scrapbook, revealing the lyrics in time to the song. "You're always sorry for who you are, but you don't have to apologize" is just a small phrase of lyrics that makes "So Easy" incredible. With the rolling acoustic guitar, mixed with a little dobro, Sam's earthy voice blends perfectly and this love story comes to life.

After interviewing countless country music stars as part of the WSM Radio Nashville team, singer-songwriter Sam Rochford steps into the spotlight with her debut single and video release, "So Easy." Website here, Facebook here.

Totally natural Americana, where the vocals add some emotion, and the music gives a roots flavour, pretty much ensures 'So Easy' arrives as a very engaging and delightful song.


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Gitta de Ridder - Till the Day That I Die.

Background - Following the release of album Feathers in late 2016, Gitta De Ridder has announced new single ‘Till The Day That I Die plus a string of UK and Europe tour dates.

Originally growing up in the Netherlands, Gitta taught herself to write and play songs on the guitar from a young age, and cites modern folk artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Anais Mitchell as her inspiration. Gitta's folk-pop songs, with beautifully poetic but also conversational lyrics, go straight to the heart and are performed on a bed of warm fingerpicked guitar.

'Till the Day That I Die is a song about allowing space within ourselves and our relationships. About allowing life to take it's course realising we are not always in control and that for every conscious decision we make we have made a hundred subconscious ones that lead the way. And that underneath it all, love, regardless of outcome, will always stay. Website here, Facebook here, tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

Having featured Gitta a couple of times towards the end of 2016 it was a pleasant surprise to receive the new single & music video for 'Till the Day That I Die'. The video may be a little minimalist, however that's just fine as the music is gorgeous and worth full attention. Live dates on our tour page.


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The Velveteins - Midnight Surf.

Background - The Velveteins have shared their newest track “Midnight Surf” for you. It comes off of their upcoming debut full length "Slow Wave" which will be released this May 12th.

Describing the new song the band commented "Midnight Surf” was thematically inspired by slow wave sleep - the deepest stage of sleep you can reach in the evening. The song came to us while we were discussing deep sleep and disconnecting from reality. An ode to sleeping, “Midnight Surf” has a sort of glazed feel with a lot of experimentation in the recording process".

The Velveteins will also be heading on a US/Canada tour around album release - full list of dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. Website here, Facebook here.

There is a dreamy surf rock meets indie pop feeling that for me makes 'Midnight Surf' pretty special as a starting point. On top of that the emotion in the vocals builds to a rousing point, where everything else has to stop. As a teaser for the debut album, I think this band have cracked the code.

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Woods - Love Is Love.

Background - "We walked down streets and crammed onto trains, our faces masks of fear. Unsure how to react, we, collectively, did not react. We grieved for a country and an ideal we never thought would die. We grieved for a loss of certainty.

We argued about what we thought would happen. We preached understanding. We advocated for anger. Some people said that we’d at least get some incredible art, other people said that was a small view of a world we were quickly realizing we’d misunderstood. Everyone was right. Everyone was wrong. Art made in precarious times matters as much as we let it matter.

But what are we looking for from the art we enjoy? Escapism? A reckoning with harsh reality? A temporary shared hallucination? Music can heal because it presents the pain of being human as universal.

Love is Love was written and recorded in the two months immediately following the election, but it’s not a record borne entirely of angry, knee-jerk reaction to what America is becoming. Instead, it’s a meditation on love, and on what life means now. Taking cues from last year’s City Sun Eater in the River of Light, it feels very much like a record made from living, shoulder to shoulder, in a major city: weaving psychedelic swirls of guitar between languid horns reminiscent of the best Ethiopian jazz—Love is Love is a distinctly New York record. It is a document of protest in uncertain times and an open-hearted rejection of cynicism in favor of emotional honesty. It is bright, and then, unexpectedly, a little dark sometimes too. Website here, Facebook here.

'Love Is Love' is both a fine song and the title track for this equally fine six song collection. As a non American, I have struggled with what on occasion appears to have been something along the lines of "at last we have something to protest about again" occasion. I may well be wrong. That said the motivation and reasoning behind this song collection really does appeal, as does the music, which is superbly produced.

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Katie Laffan - Tastemaker.

Background - Katie Laffan has never been an artist to stand still. From a debut EP of lo-fi bedroom funk pop to last year's subtle, affecting 'Trophy', the Dubliner delights in taking influence from a wealth of genres. Along the way, she and her band played a series of prestigious shows across Ireland - including Cork Jazz, Electric Picnic, K Fest, Canalaphonic, Body & Soul and Townlands Carnival, before finishing the year with two gigs at Other Voices, the acclaimed music gathering that takes place in Kerry every December.

New single 'Tastemaker' sees her take another left turn, this time into the world of disco and pop. Produced by Liam Caffery of Music for 18 Machines and mastered by John Flynn, who worked with Björk on her 2015 album Vulnicura, the song is her most polished release to date - while never losing her uncanny skill for a sharp lyric and a memorable melody.

Having been invited by Other Voices producer Aoife Woodlock to play Dublin's National Concert Hall in Dublin as part of the St Patrick's Festival Young Blood event (alongside Hare Squead, Rusangano Family, Kojey Radical and a number of Ireland's most acclaimed spoken word artists), Katie has recorded recent sessions for RTE 2FM and Today FM ahead of the 'Tastemaker' release. The track will also see her first ever video, directed by Sean Clancy and starring her 82 year old grandfather.

Katie is getting all the right attention in Ireland with national press, radio and festival appearances and is now venturing over to the UK. Facebook here.

'Tastemaker' is a massively catchy pop tune with just enough retro disco feel to make it appeal to young and not so young alike. Catchy, melodic and escapist, it's a delight to share.


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Monday, 3 April 2017

Sound Of The Sirens - Coast Modern - Planets - The Company Stores

Sound Of The Sirens - Smokescreen.

Background - There’s a certain transcendent magic that happens when two contrasting voices coalesce in perfect harmony – think The Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel or George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Imperceptibly, they can raise you from the temporal to the spiritual in the breath of a song, and set you floating among the firmament infused with a sense of wonder – just like Sound of the Sirens.

Exeter-based duo Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood dovetail beautifully on their debut album, For All Our Sins, a beguiling acoustic pop collection replete with lyrical sensibility on tracks like the first single, Smokescreen (“Living beyond the darkness others create for us, and growing into something positive”), The Circus (“When everyone wants something from you, who can you trust?”) and Mr Wilson (“The chemistry of a new relationship, unsure of where it is going, but knowing that you want more from it”).

Already championed by Chris Evans – who declared himself “blown away” when he heard Sound of the Sirens for the first time, and subsequently invited them to perform alongside U2 and Take That on TFI Friday last year – they’re certain to broaden a burgeoning fan base on the back of For All Our Sins.

It’s a fan base built up not just over several sublime EP releases –  but also through their live shows, which combine a natural facility for connecting with their audiences and unforgettable performances predicated on energy, warmth, humour and, above all, real conviction. This is true whether Sound of the Sirens are playing the intimate environs of Exeter Cathedral, before tens of thousands at the Isle of Wight Festival or supporting Rick Astley on his UK arena tour. Website here, Facebook here.

From the South West of England, Sound Of The Sirens have been receiving some well deserved attention and the new music video for 'Smokescreen' more or less explains why. The duo deliver high class music to accompany their dynamic and beautifully matched vocals, delivering vibrant and addictive songs such as the one we share today.


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Coast Modern - Pockets Full Of No.

Background - Coast Modern debut breezy new track, "Pockets Full of No". Sometimes the only way to get ahead is to stop following the leader, and start running your own race. Coast Modern flies out of the pack with a refreshingly uninhibited sound for disenchanted dreamers everywhere. Building on an admiration for the spirit of misfit alternative bands and the fearless ethos of modern hip hop, the duo creates alternative pop with a wink that aims to push the genre into the future. 

The LA duo - comprised of Coleman Trapp and Luke Atlas - today release their new song, "Pockets Full of No"- a kicked back and mellowed out track that seeks to have you looking on the lighter side of life.  Speaking of the track, the duo noted; 'Pockets' is a song about having fun with no money. When you got pockets full of no u can still have a life full of YESSSS. 

The song comes from the bands debut record, which is set for release later this year via 300 Entertainment / +1 Records.  Like a trip to Disneyland; with each song like a stop in another world, Coast Modern's debut album is a rollercoaster ride through a musical spectrum that spans from introspective acoustic streams of consciousness to psychedelic jams to relaxed dancehall vibes.  Coast Modern are capable of covering a large swath of musical territory, yet a strong, self-aware voice and a sense of groove tie them all together. The band will be playing the Alt Nation Advanced Placement Tour this Spring with Missio, 888 and Sundara Karma, which kicks off this week in New Orleans, tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page, Facebook here.

If you like your music catchy and "sing along" then 'Pockets Full Of No' is all of that and more. Coast Modern create a feast of sounds and their playful vocals morph with the music, in this case leaving me feeling all the better after my out of tune singalong!

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Planets - Reflections.

Background - Planets is the indie-pop brainchild of Matthew Morgan, Christian Haberkern and Tim Morgan. ​Originally an instrumental album, the trio quickly found Missouri-based vocalist (and coincidentally, Facebook follower of theirs) Rae Anna Beauford through YouTube. ​

Over the course of the next few months, Morgan, Christian and Rae sent files and ideas back and forth, crafting the first single off their forthcoming Colors Alive EP, "Reflections."

The sleek, sentimental track addresses the painful reality of discovering one's personal shortcomings, and the difficulty in processing those discoveries before finding something to fill the void.

More details can be found at Matthew Morgan's website (here) and his Facebook page here.

'Reflections' is absolutely gorgeous. Melodic indie pop, with vocals and music in total harmony, and hooks that go straight for your heart.

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The Company Stores - Love Me Again.

Background - The Company Stores share their second single "Love Me Again", from the upcoming sophomore LP, Little Lights (April 7th).  Featuring brooding chorus vocals, and darker guitar tones, this new single expresses feelings of loss and confusion.  "Love Me Again" channels classic blues cadences and blends them with a modern alt-rock ethos reminiscent of Grace Potter and Gary Clark Jr.    

The Company Stores link Appalachian folk influences with a progressive, electronic sound that isn't afraid to break boundaries and genre lines; even delving into hip-hop and funk territory.  For their newest effort, the band recorded with Grammy-winning producer Julian Dwyer at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC.

They are currently in the middle of a mini-tour through the Southeast, hitting Georgia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Tennessee. The tour culminates with their Record Release Show for Little Lights. Little Lights will be available Friday, April 7th via independent release. Website here, Facebook here.

'Love Me Again' is an atmospheric song that goes from roots type vibe into full on rock, and doesn't stop there. A band that mix up the genres (and do it so well), make the album due out this week even more of a must hear.

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Rachael Sage & The Sequins - Amber Hotel - Clover County - Dead Chic

Photo - Anna Azarov Rachael Sage & The Sequins - Kill The Clock (New Video). Beloved folk-pop singer-songwriter Rachael Sage and her ...