Tusks - Joana Serrat - Sauropod - Brass Phantoms - Thee Conductor (Feat: Bonnie Prince Billy) - Lisa Anderson

Tusks - Last.

Background - With her debut album Dissolve released 13th October, Tusks (aka Emily Underhill) builds on her towering musical vision. Created alongside longtime co-producer Brett Cox, her rich visual imagination with its cinematic enormity and resplendent detail is the work of a young artist mastering the nuances of her craft, a journey which began in her early teens.

On new single ‘Last’, Tusks ups the ante; “it’s the feistiest track on the album. It was a bit of a f you to a person at the time who I'd invested loads of energy and time into who'd messed me around."

It’s a track that demonstrates the breath of emotion on the record, that within ‘Dissolve’s’ immersive cinematic artistry and beautiful soundscapes sentiments of a vigorous, vitriolic nature also burn bright.

From a young age, her voracious appetite for music has taken in artists as disparate as Bonobo, Explosions in the Sky, and Foals, and the result is a sound that resists pigeon-holing. It’s the assemblage of all her experiences as an artist and as a person that get distilled in her powerful, glacial sound, which has been praised across the spectrum by tastemakers including Wonderland, MixMag, The Line Of Best Fit, Annie Mac, MistaJam and Lauren Laverne and nabbed her a spring tour with the impressive Icelandic singer songwriter Asgeir. 

Debut album Dissolve is heady and ambitious, not so much the sum of its influences as an outward projection of its creator. It’s the purest distillation of Emily as a person, and it strikes a uniquely human chord through its melodies, which are at once comfortingly familiar and refreshing. Website here, Facebook here. 

'Last' mixes distant & dreamy vocals with a musical soundtrack where the more understated moments are delicately arranged & when the power kicks in the attention to details is still notable.

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Joana Serrat - Come Closer.

Background - ‘Come Closer’, Joana Serrat’s new song taken from her forthcoming album ‘Dripping Springs’, features members of Israel Nash/Midlake. For her fourth album in five years, Joana Serrat travelled from her home in Vic, Barcelona to the Texas Hill Country outside Austin. There she teamed up with Israel Nash at his Plum Creek Sound studio near the town of Dripping Springs. For the recording sessions Nash & Serrat corralled a stellar crew of musicians: Joey & Aaron McClellan, (Midlake, BNQT, John Grant, Israel Nash), Eric Swanson & Josh Fleischmann (Israel Nash), Dave Simonett and Dennis Love, as well as Nash himself providing additional guitar and backing vocals. Israel Nash produced the album, with Ted Young  Grammy award winner for The Rolling Stones) on engineering and mixing duties. 

It was no mean feat to gather all these creative talents and get them working together as a team, but as Israel Nash commented, “it was very easy to work with Joana because she knows where she wants to go and she leads us all there. Joana’s lyrics are brilliant. She uses images and colours to describe her songs and luckily that's the way we are used to working.” Joey McClellan adds, “her voice was our guide”. The resulting album - which Joana named after the local town - is unsurprisingly Joana Serrat’s most Americana album to date. Mojo described her last album Cross The Verge as “Mazzy Star guesting on an early Neil Young demo”, but with Dripping Springs she has produced a far more rounded and polished piece of work. Serrat explains, “it’s an album that deals with farewells but is filled with an optimistic melancholy that doesn’t isolate nor enclose the spirit and determination to realise our own dreams”. It was a bold move by the young Catalan to cross the Atlantic to work with a bunch of American musicians that she had admired from afar but had never met.

What she came away with is, however nothing short of magnificent and should see Serrat building on her existing achievements which have included a BBC 6Music Recommends Track Of The Week selected by Gideon Coe and Lauren Laverne, the latter commenting “she’s an amazing artist, an astonishing talent and I love her songwriting”. The lead single from Joana’s upcoming album has once again received plays from Gideon Coe, and also Another Country With Ricky Ross. Within the last year Joana has toured with The Jayhawks, The Handsome Family & Courtney Marie Andrews, and played the main stage at Primavera Sound Festival showcased at SXSW. Joana has just returned from performing in Nashville at AmericanaFest 2017. Facebook here.

Whilst Joana Serrat continues to provide music this good to feature, it will be featured. 'Come Closer' continues in a similar vein from the previous song we shared, with beautiful Americana vibes and a superb musical arrangement to match her beautiful vocals.

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Sauropod - Never On Time.

Background - Norwegian trio Sauropod, made up of – Jonas Røyeng (guitar, vocals), Kamillia Waal Larsen (bass, vocals) and Jørgen Natland Apeness (drums) just released their second single ‘Never On Time’ via Propeller Recordings. The latest signing to Propeller Recordings (Sløtface, Highasakite, Frøkedal etc) — new single ’Never On Time’ is an exhilarating burst of high-octane grunge-tinged punk rock. 

An ode to living in the moment, Sauropod’s endearing carefree approach shines particularly brightly on this latest single. "I’m never on time / being so precise is putting me down” - sings Jonas, atop of the track's erratic rhythm section, before conceding he’d..."rather stumble around like a clown / cause all I see, surrounding me, is people who try very hard to believe that freedom’s for free”.

Perfectly capturing the sweet–sour synergy of frontman Jonas and bassist/vocalist Kamilla, ‘Never On Time’ showcases exactly what sets the band apart from their peers; a natural gift for simultaneously delivering energetic, punk-leaning songwriting with irresistibly catchy hooks.

Quickly becoming a force to be reckoned on the live stage, the band’s recent live credits include Øya Festival (NO), Trondheim Calling (NO), Eurosonic (NL) and Visions Festival (DE) - and their next steps will see them supporting label mates Sløtface at their upcoming London headline show in October.

The band are currently preparing for an extensive touring schedule kick-starting in the new year, as well as writing for the release of their first album on Propeller Recordings. Website here, Facebook here.

Indie rock with punk energy makes 'Never On Time' a feisty and potent affair. Catchy and urgent, at just over two & a half minutes it's a blast of refreshing rock.

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Brass Phantoms - Indigo.

Background - Irish fourpiece Brass Phantoms have announced the follow-up to recent single City Of Wolves with new single Indigo released on 22nd September.

Indigo is a passionate track opening with a powerful and unique vocal that builds into a melodic indie-pop chorus backed by euphoric guitars. The video, produced by Alan McCarthy, shows a dancer performing a routine in a hall alongside a live performance by the band, which builds in intensity with the song. 13-year-old Alicia Premkumar stars as the dancer in the video. The band say;

“Indigo at times paints the picture of a war scene. We wanted to paint a bleaker image over music that has the appearance of joy or euphoria.”

“Alicia Premkumar was amazing. Her performance is extremely emotive and it gives another layer to the track. While the song is partially about a battle, her performance shows another conflict, a mental conflict to go with our physical.”

Having played headline shows in their home city along with performing at festivals such as Other Voices and Indiependence, Brass Phantoms will be embarking on their debut UK headline tour next month. Tour dates are on Beehive Candy's tour news page, Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

The vocals shine from the word go and it's not long before the band up the stakes even further on 'Indigo' a hook laden and passionate song.



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Thee Conductor - Face Crinkle (Featuring Bonnie Prince Billy).

Background - The video for "Face Crinkle," is the first single off the upcoming Thee Conductor album, Cotton Tornado, which is out on October 20 via Sixgunlover Records.

Jason Butler, the creative force behind Thee Conductor, has teamed up with an impressive selection of musicians for a structured and intentional, yet open and collaborative, art project resulting in a curated collection of songs titled Cotton Tornado. 

This first single, which features Bonnie "Prince" Billy on main vocals, is the perfect intro to the project and oozes with depth, sincerity, and warm delivery. Pre-order here, Facebook here.

The first of ten tracks on the forthcoming album is 'Face Crinkle' featuring Bonnie Prince Billy, whose natural vocals are so at home with this song. Putting a guest artist of this calibre on the first track, suggests that Thee Conductor are confident in the quality of the remaining material. Rightly they can be, this is a selection of very individual and unique songs, there is an overall feel to the album, however the music takes on many forms and does so with quality and beauty.


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Lisa Anderson - Your Silence Says It All.

Background - Lisa Anderson is a singer-songwriter from Calgary, Alberta who traveled and lived around the world before finding herself back home reeling from heartbreak. 

It was here, a place she once felt like an outsider, where she delighted to discover the freedom to be herself, the determination to plunge into her music, and the chance for real love.

A Hundred Lives reflects the struggles and the joys of embracing all life has to offer – the dark, the joyous, and the grey in between. 

The album journeys through the grief of her goodbyes, the ability to forgive a betrayal, the exhilaration of new romance, and the celebration of everyday absurdities. Her realistic optimism and quirky humour weave through her lyrics to form moments of kinship with her listeners.

Lisa Anderson will be supporting the release of A Hundred Lives with a Canadian tour in 2017-18. Release Date: Sept 26th, 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

'Your Silence Says It All' is one of eleven songs on the new 'A Hundred Lives' album. The featured track and music video gives a good idea of what to expect. Sometimes it's a little more sensitive, other times the lyrics are very personal, however add to that the musical quality and melodic vocals, and for me, we have a creative and very likable album.


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Sittin' Pretty - The Loft Club feat. Lisa Loeb - Michael Jablonka - Peter Matthew Bauer - Sarah Hiltz

Sittin' Pretty - Then You Break.

Background - The North West’s very own Sittin Pretty come confidently striding out on to the streets to deliver you their thumping slab of defiance ‘ Then You Break’, the new single to be released on Gas Music 24th November. 

This band capture a sound, an attitude, that can only be delivered by an authentic group of musicians embracing their youth and love of life in this modern age of rock, blending classic rock, blues and touches of psychedelia.

Front man Conor Wilde explains ‘When Lewis and I first started playing together it was in a bedroom smaller than the average boiler closet in Lewis’s Mother’s 2 up 2 down in Breightmet. I was a pretty angry kid who’d always used lyrics and songs to express myself, and Lewis played some pretty heavy riffs so it immediately worked very well, we didn’t give a fuck about where it was going. It was just for us and just for the absolute love of playing.’

The band is working now on their debut album due for release next year and have been earning a reputation with shows across the UK sharing stages with Primal Scream, Black Grape, Reverend and The Makers and Foals, plus a tour supporting Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople fame.

Conor Wilde from the band explains how ‘Then You Break’ was born: ‘we started messing around with the riff and melodies for this single, ‘Then You Break’. Lyrically for me the song is about struggling to understand all the shit I see every day and the feelings that come along with it, and the bulk of this song is about being confused and trapped which ironically is what makes everything seem normal for a twenty something year old these days. It has taken us months to get this track off the ground but we had some good advice from Ian Hunter, who invited us out with him last year and he told me that ; “You should always strive to write about something that means a lot to you”.  So I did’, website here, Facebook here.

There is plenty of rock'n'roll swagger to 'Then You Break' a powerful no nonsense mixture of blues rock & potently pleasing vocals that add a level of psychedelic feeling to this wonderful rocker.


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The Loft Club - Flicker feat. Lisa Loeb.

Background - British indie band The Loft Club release their new single “Flicker”, featuring Grammy-nominated recording artist Lisa Loeb. “Flicker,” available now via Lightyear/Caroline/Universal Music, is a double A-side single, which comes bundled with an original version of the track.

A melodic and ardent ballad. "Flicker," showcases lead singer Daniel Schamroth and Lisa Loeb's vocal talents, perfectly blended in a seamless and fluid manner; heartfelt with soaring melodies, alongside harmonious arrangements of guitar, bass and drums. The Exeter-based, Sixties-tinged band, consisting of Daniel Schamroth, Jamie Whyte, Kieran Chalmers, Amy O’Loughlin and Dan Wright, drafted in US singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb to collaborate on the official single edit of "Flicker", a brand new version of the track that was originally released on the band’s debut EP 'Heart's Desire', last fall.

Lisa Loeb started her career with the platinum-selling hit single “Stay (I Missed You)”, it spent 3 weeks at Number 1 on the US Billboard charts in 1994. The song was also a Top-10 hit in the UK, where it spent 15 weeks in the UK Singles chart. Loeb is the first and only artist in history, to top the American charts before signing to a label. Ironically, “Flicker” is released (August 25), exactly 23 years to the day, that “Stay (I Missed You)” was spending it's 3rd week at Number 1.

The Loft Club are playing festivals throughout the summer, such as Beautiful Days and Smoked & Uncut. The band have achieved over 250,000 streams since their debut release last fall. They have been featured on Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist since February, amassing over 70,000 monthly listeners in March, drawing listeners from all over the world, including countries like Lithuania where they charted on Spotify’s Viral-50 chart. “Flicker”, produced by Jolyon Holroyd, was mixed and mastered at Magic Garden Studios by Gavin Monaghan, whose credits include Editors, Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, and Paolo Nutini. “Flicker” by The Loft Club featuring Lisa Loeb, is available now at all digital retailers. Facebook here.

'Flicker' is a bright indie rock song where the interchange of vocals are fabulous and the band provide a rich tapestry of sounds that gives this superb song some real edge.


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Michael Jablonka - Peacefully.

Background - Michael Jablonka is a musician so prolific that you may think he devotes every waking hour to his art and, if the fantastical nature of many of his songs are anything to go by, several hours of his dreams as well. In addition to performing as Michael Kiwanuka’s chosen guitarist – a role that has found him touring arenas and festivals worldwide this summer – Jablonka has been fine-tuning his own powerful 21st-century take on bluesy alt-funk and soulful indie-rock. Proof that there’s still nothing to tingle the spine like soul-soused mastery of raw electric six-string, Jablonka’s gifted, intricate guitar skills bely the no-frills anthemic intent of his rootsy songcraft – sonic elevation designed to liberate the listener from the confines of their reality.

Born and bred in the capital, 27-year-old Jablonka has been gigging since the tender age of 14 as an in-demand guitarist for hire. Those to have enjoyed his dextrous services include Charlie Brown, Stooshe, Shakka and Delta Maid before fellow North Londoner and Brit-soul sensation Michael Kiwanuka came calling. Around the same time, Jablonka decided it was time to blaze his own trail as a bandleader and songwriter, collating a set of crack musicians and intense yet universal alt-rock’n’soul tunes that scream for wider appreciation. ‘Peacefully’ is the first of a dynamite double-A to be released by Lost In The Manor Records and is sure to bring on the kind of praise and popularity now enjoyed by Michael’s namesake and regular bandmate.  

True to its rousing sense of urgency, ‘Peacefully’ erupts with a crunching overdriven riff coming on like Jack White here, Matt Bellamy there and the ghost of Hendrix himself throughout. Michael Jablonka melds his enthralling guitar runs to a whip-crack rhythm and deep layers of double-tracked melody, while projecting his magisterial vocal across a stone-walled anthem of a chorus. Three minutes later, this steamy electric-soul belter is spent, leaving the listener to wonder just exactly what hit them as they reach for the repeat button.

“‘Peacefully’ is about separating yourself from a rough situation,” says Jablonka of the track produced by Ben ‘BJ’ Jackson at NXNE Studios in London. “Everyone is constantly in need of escapism.” Lucky then, that you’d be hard pressed to find a more immediate means of escape than this incendiary single. Facebook here.

The vocals and guitar lead music compete with each other for attention on 'Peacefully'. Both are powerful, high quality & passionately delivered, in what could be, a masterclass for modern day classic rock that's relevant.

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Peter Matthew Bauer - Khidr.

Background - The new LP from Peter Matthew Bauer has been confirmed. It is entitled 'Mount Qaf (Divine Love)' and it will be out 11/10 on Fortune Tellers/Kobalt Music. Along with the announcement the site also shared the first single "Khidr (American Drifter Music)". 'Mount Qaf (Divine Love)' is the follow-up to Peter's 2014 release 'Liberation!'.

Peter Matthew Bauer is an American singer and recording artist born in 1978 in Washington DC.  He has had a strange, storied and original career. A founder of seminal New York art rock band the Walkmen, he released 6 full length albums with the band before his first solo LP Liberation! in 2014. Concurrently, Peter moved to Los Angeles and founded two organizations: the artist management/production label Fortune Tellers Music and the Laurel Canyon Center For Consciousness Studies, focusing on his esoteric work as a writer and astrologer and drawing influence from different schools of eastern philosophy along with the work of Carl Jung, Alejandro Jodorowsky and the western phenomenologist and Islamic scholar Henry Corbin.

Mount Qaf (Divine Love) an album of esoteric love songs. It is a singular cycle of music and a strangely primitive and direct rock & roll performance that goes beyond genre into something more contemporary and strange. Working with co-producer Nick Stumpf,  Peter Matthew Bauer envisioned Mount Qaf as made up of 10 love songs, each filled with a desperate, skeptical and highly personal form of mysticism. Driven both by his own synchronistic outlook on life, as well as the discovery of a worn out copy of a Henry Corbin book on the Sufi master Ib’n Arabi, the songs arise from a central idea of human love and poetic insight seen as a literal shift from concrete objective reality into a further dimension, a transitory realm of light and imagination that supersedes all forms of fundamentalism and rationality. It is less the sound of a musical craftsman and more the sound of an artist trying to make sense of the world as it rises and falls all around him.​ On November 10, 2017, Peter Matthew Bauer will release Mount Qaf (Divine Love) and tour alongside it in America & Europe. He resides in Los Angeles. Website here, Facebook here.

'Khidr' opens with Matthew Bauer's vocals centre stage. They are gradually accompanied by a sweeping musical arrangement and the song continues to epic-ally build & after a short refrain the whole song majestically develops again.


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Sarah Hiltz - Without You.

Background - Beauty in the Blue is a compilation of songs and stories culled from Sarah’s multiple journeys across Canada as a travelling musician on cross-country Via Rail passenger train, “The Canadian”.

Hot off a UK tour supporting Canadian darlings Running Red Lights, Beauty in the Blue is Sarah’s first studio project featuring long-term stage collaborators, drummer Jordan Michaelis and multi-instrumentalist David Puzak. The album is out November 7th.

Sarah's thoughts on first single: Without You is a song that talks about the effects of depression on a relationship or partnership. It’s my idea that, for better or worse, when one person in a relationship is suffering, it can bring them both down, whether they want it to or not; and that when you commit to living life side by side, it means living through all the peaks and valleys you both go through- together. Website here, Facebook here.

Gently melodic vocals that oozes sensitivity ensures 'Without You' opens in a refined manner. The music slowly develops into a top quality arrangement, and Sarah Hiltz demonstrates she also has power within her voice when required. Fabulous!

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White Room - Ysgol Sul - Death Of Guitar Pop - Trevor Hall - Wild Meadows - ALASKALASKA

White Room - The Blue / Tomorrow Always Knew.

Background - Brighton indie rockers White Room have announced their debut headline UK tour featuring new double EP Eight in its entirety (released on 1st December).

Recent signees to the legendary Liverpool label, White Room’s nod to 60s psychedelic rock alongside more contemporary influences (Pond, Temples, Cage The Elephant) is evident throughout their new record Eight, a collection of songs that interlock conceptually, comprising similar themes such as forward thinking, hope, positivity and escape.

Inspired by the current social and political climate of the world and the uncertainty we all live with, the synergy between the lyrics and themes signified by 8 – the number of infinity – hints at the real depth within Eight, touching on aspects of joy, strength, balance and power in unity.

Discussing the release, the quintet stated: “In Eight we are offering a way to lose yourself; find an escape, and to embrace the intrinsic ability music has to take you away from the harsh realities of life”. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour news page.

We have two tracks, 'The Blue' and 'Tomorrow Always Knew' and both vie for attention. The sixties psychedelic influences shine through, the second song has more than a little of The Beatles flavour to it. That said the creativity of White Room deserves full recognition, as does the fresh production, and melodic delivery.


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Ysgol Sul - Elsewhere.

Background - West Wales three piece Ysgol Sul will be self-releasing their first collection of English language songs –“Eventide”- on 30/09/17.

Brought together by a mutual love of the 90s underground, Iolo Jones (singer, guitarist), Llew Davies (drummer), Cian Owen (bass guitar), formed Ysgol Sul in 2014. Having released several singles and an EP called “Huno”, the band has managed to earn a cult following within the Welsh language scene.    

“Eventide” is a stark departure from the slacker and languor of their debut EP, and introduces a touch of darkness to the bands dreamy sound. The EP opens with “Silhouette” – a song with a sense of yearning yet one of the band’s jangliest songs to date. 

“Promise Me” sees a return to the trio’s early surfy sound, drenched in reverb. “Elsewhere” is an unholy union of haunting distant sounds and a fierce unrelenting beat. Introverted lyrics coupled with sweet harmonies are brought to the EP by “Dwell”. Krautrock locomotive, “Solitude”, closes the collection. Facebook here.

The Welsh music scene has given us some fine new music this year and Ysgol Sul continue the momentum with 'Elsewhere' a dreamy and expansive rocker. There is plenty to say for singing in the "language of your heart" the switch to English however has not dampened the natural passion & hopefully makes the band more immediately assessable to a larger audience.

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Death Of Guitar Pop - Suburban Ska Club Feat. Neville Staple.

Background - Essex-based Death Of Guitar Pop have announced details of their debut album ’69 Candy Street’ (out November 10th), a new single ‘Suburban Ska Club’ (which features Neville Staple of The Specials), and their debut live show as a 9-piece ska band (taking place at Oslo, Hackney on Friday 1st December). 

Death Of Guitar Pop have been sparking huge interest from over recent months, with The Orginal Rudeboy Neville Staple (The Specials) collaborating on their new single, the Bad Manners horn section (aka The Mafia) throwing their hat into the ring to play on the album (and will play as part of the Death Of Guitar Pop live band playing at Oslo on December 1st), and with the likes of Pauline Black (The Selecter) and Dave Wakeling (The Beat) give the lads big props on social media.

“Suburban Ska Club” is lyrically inspired by the characters that frequent the bands free Ska night “Ska Club Essex", a “no thrills - just tunes” monthly affair at the spit and sawdust boozer The Traitors Gate, deep in the heart of Grays Essex. Facebook here.

OK so I am a sucker for anything Ska and Death Of Guitar Pop's collaboration with Neville Staple on the new song 'Suburban Ska Club' is an absolute delight. The dancing on the video has some classic Two-Tone era moves, what more can I ask for?


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Trevor Hall - What I Know.

Background - Raised on an island in South Carolina, singer/songwriter Trevor Hall realized at a young age that music was more than just a passion - it was, rather, his life’s art. At sixteen, he recorded his first album, soon after which he left South Carolina for Idyllwild Arts Academy in California where he studied classical guitar and was introduced to the practices of yoga and meditation, which would greatly influence his life and his music.

Hall’s music, a blend of roots and folk music, is imbued with a deep love of Eastern Mysticism. This powerful symbiosis fostered a deep connectivity with his growing fan base and Trevor quickly matured into a leader of the burgeoning conscious musical community. Along with numerous pilgrimages to India, he has also completed a series of sold-out tours and collaborations with artists such as Steel Pulse, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Matisyahu, Michael Franti, Xavier Rudd and Nahko & Medicine for the People.

His previous full-length album releases, Chapter of the Forest (2014) and KALA (2015), debuted at #3 and #2 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart respectively and were supported by extensive tours around the US and Australia. Beyond his intention to spread love and healing through music, Hall also collects donations to support children’s education in India and has continuously donated to charities and relief funds.

The Fruitful Darkness is Trevor’s first independent release — supported by his fans know as The Villagers — has become the #1 Music campaign of its kind in 2017. “There have been many hurdles and triumphs along the way” Hall reflects, after a decade plus recording for established labels such as Geffen and Vanguard. “This album conveys the deep vulnerability of journeying through the unknown, as opposed to playing it safe.” Besides the change in infrastructure, the album itself explores completely new sonic terrain and is being released unconventionally, in three song installments on specific lunar dates, with the intention to buck the trend of fly-by-night releases and hold the conversation for a whole year. Website here, Facebook here.

When Trevor Hall's vocals kicked in, I just wanted to hear more. 'What I Know' is a fabulously constructed song, the music moves from being understated to a richer, fuller sound, but never loses it's clarity. The harmonies manage to add even more passion and feeling.

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Wild Meadows - Feel The Noise.

Background - Wild Meadows present ‘Feel the Noise’, the lead single from their forthcoming debut self-titled LP. A blend of pulsating noise-pop, psych-rock and shoegaze, the track is the first offering from Wild Meadows with this new lineup, with singer Jessica Lawrence, guitarist Dylan Bird and drummer Simon Gemmill joining original members James Ross (guitar/vocals) and Donovan Pill (bass). 

Hailing from different corners of Australia and the world, the band’s current members came together in mid-2016 and immediately set about writing material for this new album – a follow-up to the band’s 2015 EP.

Recorded, mixed and produced by Paul ‘Woody’ Annison (Black Cab, Rocket Science) and mastered by William Bowden (The Church, Gotye), Wild Meadows’ self-titled LP is set for release in early 2018. Facebook here.

A powerful yet well defined wall of sound ensures the Shoegaze vibe is there right from the start on 'Feel The Noise'. The vocals add some delicacy and additional atmosphere, and as the song develops the track suggests the band are not stuck in any particular rock genre.

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ALASKALASKA - Patience

Background - ALASKALASKA are a London based art-pop 6 piece. Since 2016 they have been busy cultivating a beautiful groove-laden sound, seamlessly blending jazz, disco, funk and R&B into something totally new and unique. Bandleader and vocalist, Lucinda John-Duarte’s ethereal and otherworldly voice twists brooding and introspective lyrics into hypnotic melodies, which play out alongside rich and intricate arrangements - synthetic beats and live drums, shimmering guitars, pulsing bass, with swirling synths and saxophones rounding it all off.

Their brilliant self-titled debut EP is the perfect introduction to their brand of unique off-kilter pop. The four songs - Bitter Winter, Familiar Ways, Patience, This - mark the arrival of a formidable group, reminiscent of Arthur Russell, Talk Talk, Dirty Projectors and Warpaint. They’ve built a cult following and reputation as extraordinary performers through a handful of shows in London and most recently on tour throughout the UK and Europe supporting Alvvays.

'Patience' is inspired by classic 90s film Sliding Doors, and naturally, a love of watermelons, it was filmed around the band’s South East London locale. The song was inspired by the more pop-leaning side of the Tsonga (or Shangaan) disco movement. Its climatic intertwining sax driven finale has become a highlight of their live performances and serves as another taste of their brilliant self-titled debut EP.

ALASKALASKA (EP) is out on 29th September via Marathon Artists’ imprint House Anxiety (the label that introduced the world to King Krule and Courtney Barnett). There is a release party at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club on September 28th, their biggest headline show to date, with support from Sorry and Boniface. Limited ticket and 12” EP bundles are available exclusively from Dice now. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured ALASKALASKA back in May and the latest song 'Patience' is more than welcome. The band have a distinct and pleasing sound, where different musical styles and arrangements emerge within just one song.


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The She's - The County Liners - Valerie Ghent - Ponytails - The Sound of Ghosts - Winter

The She's - Heartache.

Background - With their respective tongues in their respective cheeks, Sami, Hannah, Eva, and Sinclair of The She’s proudly present to you their second LP - "all female rock and roll quartet". This time The She’s are behind the wheel, self-producing this release with counsel and encouragement from tUne-Yards’ Merrill Garbus.

Lyrically, The She’s deliver a more mature, grounded, and self-aware album than ever before. Their storytelling is cathartic and relatable. Across twelve tracks, The She’s examine themes of guilt, heartbreak, disappointment, frustration, yearning, and acceptance. The She’s effortlessly balance lyrical sophistication and bluntness, like in “Death Dreams” when Sami plainly asserts, “hate how you treat the air like you’ll find your breath in it somewhere.”

Tonally, "all female rock and roll quartet" strays a bit from earlier releases. Drawing inspiration from Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Sleater-Kinney, and tUne-Yards, The She’s have officially leveled up in terms of sonic experimentation and eccentricity. From the blown-out wall of blistering guitars in “Ashes”, to the trance-inducing ebb and flow of the rhythm section in “Sorry”, to the spacious, angelic build up of vocal, guitars, and percussion in “Holly”, The She’s second LP offers up a plentiful spread of compelling tones and arrangements for listeners to lose themselves in.

"all female rock and roll quartet" is not what long time fans of The She’s might expect. Some time has passed since their last release, and it seems as though they’ve been through some stuff since then. Sonically raw, this album is a vulnerable and honest depiction of who The She’s are now. "all female rock and roll quartet" boasts a new level of confidence and creativity in their songwriting, storytelling, and musicianship; willingly letting moments go unresolved and letting loose ends hang with intention and certainty. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'Heartache' is a beautiful swaggering alt rock song, that has a natural live feel to it. Full of hooks and free of any pretentious moments, it's one fine rocker.

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The County Liners - Love Letter.

Background - The County Liners, Mary Jane Dunphe & Chris McDonnell in the County Liners, release date: Friday, November 17th 2017

The County Liners started in Mary Jane Dunphe and Chris McDonnell's country home in Olympia, WA in the winter of 2016. Longtime friends and collaborators, Chris and Mary Jane began writing 80's/90's inspired country tunes when Mary Jane found herself bedridden with a debilitating ankle injury. 

Adding to the starkly naked approach of the record, the group reinvisioned lyrics from McDonnell's mother, Virginia Maurer, for the single “Love Letter.” Riley Kendig, also living with Dunphe and McDonnell, Mirce Popovic joined the band to help arrange and perform the deeply personal songs for this five song EP. Recorded and mixed by Captain Tripps Ballsington, The County Liners debut is nothing short of heartbreaking. Bandcamp here.

My first impressions were, 'Love Letters' sounds like a late seventies new wave song (maybe Television) performed with more modern Americana vibes. I reckon there are enough complements within that assessment, to leave it just there!

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Valerie Ghent - New York City Streets.

Background - NYC recording artist Valerie Ghent celebrates her newest video, New York City Streets, with a worldwide release on youtube.com/valerieghent and a call for response videos made by anyone who loves New York City. 

A love letter to her native city, the New York City Streets video was shot in all five boroughs of The Big Apple, in dozens of locations, many of personal significance to the enthusiastic and rockin’ NY singer/musician/composer. “New York is a beloved and iconic city for people around the globe”, Valerie says, “Whenever I travel people tell me how much they love NYC! So I’m inviting anyone who loves New York City to make your own video with the song, showcase your favorite parts of New York, and post it on YouTube. Show us your “New York City Streets!” 

Voted #2 Best Song of 2016 by West Coast Music Radio, New York City Streets features rock solid performances by veteran New York musicians who have played on countless hits by world-class artists including Ashford & Simpson, Luther Vandross, Chic, Roberta Flack, Lou Reed, Bruce Springsteen, David Byrne and many more. A free mp3 of the song is available from Valerie’s website, for anyone who wants to make their own version of a New York City Streets video. Website here, Facebook here.

'New York City Streets' took me straight back to The Crusaders & Street Life. It's not a clone of said song, it just has that wonderful vibe and a timeless feel. The video is equally wonderful.


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Ponytails - Ponytails EP.

Background - Ponytails came to fruition in March 2016, spawned from best friends Harvey Merrit (vocals, bass) and Travis Goeres (lead guitar) love of pizza and the theme music of Sylvester Stallone movies. Liam Ness (bass, rhythm guitar, vocals) and Simon Furminger (drums, vocals) joined in late March and in September 2016 started working on their self-titled EP. 

Recorded at Little Red Sounds with Felix Fung And recorded over the course of three long days really pushed the band and producer to their fullest. The band released their first single "Pieces" on October 1st, 2016 followed by a full release of the EP on November 1st. 

The anticipation of their EP was strengthened by word of mouth from their electric live performances and off stage antics that has garnered attention from the Fox Cabaret, the Biltmore, Roundhouse radio and headlining Beatroute's Rifflandia stage (last minute) at the Copper Owl. 

They have shared the stage with the likes of, Wishkicker, Leisure club, Peach Pit and Dopey's Robe. They returned to the studio this summer to start work on their first full-length LP. Bandcamp here.

With an album on the way the original 'Ponytails EP' is getting a fresh share & is most definitely worth a feature. A collection of fresh indie sounding rock songs, the EP may well be the first step for a good few people to check out what's to follow.

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The Sound of Ghosts - Train To Nowhere.

Background - The Sound of Ghosts are an Americana roots musical collective hailing from Los Angeles, California. The five-piece collective of accomplished musicians have crafted a musical experience unlike any other with their unique arrangements and vast variety of influences. A culmination of traditional front porch Americana, folk-laden melodies and vintage rock’n’roll, The Sound of Ghosts have succeeded in bringing their own edge to this timeless genre of music. 

The Sound of Ghosts are James Orbison (vocals, bass), Anna Orbison (vocals, ukulele), Ernesto Rivas (lead guitar), Phoebe Silva (fiddle) and Jon Sarna (drums). United they have pushed the boundaries of typical Americana and created an ever-evolving sound demonstrating the diversity of each of their own different musical backgrounds. Included in this are elements of classic rock, musical theatre, country and everything in between, Rivas explains “everyone's different perspective is an essential part to the diverse sound we create”. 

The Sound of Ghosts formed in memory of the band’s friend Dave Lamb, who passed away too soon from Leukaemia. Lamb headed an acclaimed band ‘Brown Bird’ with his wife that was named NPR’s folk group of the year. James Orbison was touched and inspired by the impact Lamb had made on not only him, but the community around him. James Orbison fell back into music as a mechanism to cope with his grief, where he consequently rediscovered his passion for writing and playing again. They decided to name their band ‘The Sound of Ghosts’ which was the title of Brown Bird’s first album, as a way to honor Lamb and to be constant reminder of his love for music. 

Their upcoming release entitled Delivery and Departure is filled with diverse soundscapes and a multitude of sonic textures. The new music is set to be an immersive listening experience. Anna Orbison explains, “I hope it inspires people to look at the world in a little different way. Notice the things around you… that’s what we write songs about”. 

Lead single ‘Train to Nowhere’ is an upbeat folky song with driving guitars, catchy hooks and story-telling lyricism. Showcasing the band’s signature sound of fiddle fueled melodies and soaring harmonies, accompanied by a powerful trumpet solo, it is assured to get listeners up and dancing. "This song is a perfect mix of what we do best”, reveals Anna Orbison. Originally inspired after watching two acclaimed Netflix documentaries entitled ‘Big Easy Express’ and ‘Festival Express', the narrative was built around the ideology of escapism and the importance of adventure. The song symbolizes the journey of self discovery and introspection. Website here, Facebook here.

If Americana in any of it's diverse forms is your thing then 'Train To Nowhere' may well ensure another band become firmly stuck on your musical radar. With a tune this good, that would probably apply to lovers of music way beyond just this classic arrangement.

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Winter - Jaded.

Background - LA-based (by way of Brazil) dream-pop band Winter just wrapped up a tour opening for another female-fronted LA act, Cherry Glazerr. The band has added additional fall dates and will be playing the Desert Daze Festival in Joshua Tree in Oct. The new video for their stand-alone single "Jaded" has been released.

Winter is a dreamy indie rock band whose sound was conceived in Boston. The current tour finds Samira Winter backed by Justine Brown, Chelsea Brown, and Anders LaSource of fellow LA band Summer Twins.

The quartet released their first full-length album, Supreme Blue Dream, via Lolipop Records in 2015. The aptly titled album floats on with a youthful sense of nostalgia and romanticized segues into adulthood. Influences include most of the 90s holy grail of grunge/alternative music (Dinosaur Jr., Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Pixies, etc.). Winter aspires to connect others with their inner child by making blissful, beautiful and ethereal pop music. New live dates are listed on Beehive Candy's tour news page, Facebook here.

Dream pop with attitude 'Jaded' is more of a powerful slide towards fresh punk. No wonder considering the bands influences, this is a feisty piece by any measurement.


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