2010FM - February Magazine Three

Here in the UK synth-laden electro rockers Viva City have been gaining some well earned attention and will be bringing their razor-sharp mix of catchy and gritty electro rock across the pond to the States with a number of US dates, culminating with an appearance at SXSW.

Viva City, whose signature sound is most reminiscent of a swirling mix of Depeche Mode and Prodigy, have shared the stage with the likes of Friendly Fires, Ladyhawk, Maximo Park and have collaborated with dance-house phenom Don Diablo on the banger “Audio Endlessly”. Their music has been applauded by UK critics and has garnered them extensive airplay on BBC and XFM Radio in the UK. The BBC's Radio 6 Music proclaims the songs are “a slice of classic electropop and sheer genius;” and Time Out Magazine declares their sound as “souped-up synth stabbing electro rock.”

Listen:
'Lasers'



Website: MySpace
Purchase: (MP3's) Viva City

There second single “Have You Ever Felt So Messed Up?” will be released in the US on March 22nd, 2010. This is seriously good electro rock, so if that's your bag, ensure you check them out.
________________________________________

Formed in 2000 as a four track recording project, Alaskan shoegazy basement rockers The Wagner Logic, also known as James Glaves and Jeremy Wagner, are releasing their self-titled second album and follow-up to their 2007 debut release Easiest to Grab.

This is melodic with, psychedelic, and inventive lo-fi guitars blended with whispery, multi-layered vocals and pop-sensible melodies that make a sound uniquely their own, and truly hard to describe.

Self-produced in the dark basement of a small cabin in a town best known for salmon fishing and dog sledding, the songs offer dark and dysfunctional tales of heartache, regret, and loss.

Compared to Pavement and Pixies, the guys are currently working on booking a summer tour in the USA in support of the new record.

Listen:
'Waiting For Snow'



Website: MySpace.

There's more to hear from the band's new album on MySpace & follow the links there to purchase tracks.
________________________________________

New York City’s Happy Ending are soon to release their debut album, “Turn It On,” (scheduled to release on March 5th 2010).

Carl Bishop and Michael Goodenow are the masterminds behind the indie-pop-rock group that (according to their recent press release) 'draw their inspiration from the pop savvy of Snow Patrol and Coldplay with the lyrical depth of Leonard Cohen and Steven Merritt'.

Forget the name dropping this is really good music that stands on it's own merit. I like Happy Endings (both the band and real actual happy endings) and have no problem recommending them. Indie pop & rock fans should most definitely give this band some time.

Listen:
'It Barely Makes A Sound'



Website: MySpace.
Buy: (MP3's) Happy Ending Songs

“catchy, melodic indie rock with words that show a world-wise experience with hope at the end of the tunnel…” - Amazon

“These guys have taken the best of their influences and created something that feels truly original…”- iTunes
________________________________________

Finally we have an EP and partial taster of what may be to come from Cuckoo Chaos, and as there is a story behind this band I am gonna just copy and paste the bio for your pleasure.

'Planting was never an option for Scott Wheeler. He's been nomadic for the past decade, hopping from town to town, experiencing different scenes that piqued his interest.. But, sometimes a community just pulls you in, inspires you, and makes you want to call it home. Such was the case for Wheeler when he returned to San Diego in 2007 after stints in various places around the U.S. He immersed himself in a community of artists that embraced his artistic nature, his fluid lifestyle, and his desire to better himself as a musician. And, out of this community formed Cuckoo Chaos, a band that captures the sound of California coastlines, Liverpool alleyways, and Brooklyn bedroom echoes.

Wheeler's Cuckoo Chaos is rounded out by members of San Diego perennials The Powerchords and The Vision of a Dying World. It's clear that their fathers gave them The Byrds and The Beatles talk, but the sound of contemporaries Devendra Banhart and Luke Temple can be heard throughout each acoustic gem and jam. Acoustic guitar melodies float in the wind like the white sands of secret beaches. Wheeler's piano lines skip like smooth rocks across the surfaces of calm waters. Cuckoo Chaos' harmonies can cause the sun to rise and ignite dawn, while Wheeler's solo voice can gently put the sun to rest. The debut album from Cuckoo Chaos is the result of many late nights spinning old records and talks about journeys with no destination in mind. It is as much a collection of nostalgic beauty as it is a foray into the simple textures of eclectic songwriting'.

The debut EP 'We Are From Deerplants' is now available digitally everywhere and physically through the link below. They are currently prepping their debut full length to be released later this year. We are also told not to be thrown off by this acoustic fuzz release, the upbeat full length is most definitely a full band at work.

Listen:
'Slowly Counting Down To Nothing'



Website: MySpace
Buy: Lefse Records.

Fleetwood Mac - Tour Rehearsal 1979

This is part of a series of tour rehearsals undertaken by Fleetwood Mac over three days on a sound stage in Los Angeles.

The rehearsals took place from the 18th to 20th October 1979, and there was an audience in attendance for the 'warm up' performance made up of friends and family.

The rehearsals were filmed using a single camera video shot except on the 19th October where multi camera material exists. DVD boots of the rehearsals are in circulation, the sound quality on some is not to good and picture quality even worse. This is audio only from one of the sessions and is a whole lot better quality.

Source: Soundboard.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Rock, pop rock, blues rock.

Set: Part of Rehearsal Set.

Set List:

1-Oh Well.
2-Dreams.
3-Not That Funny.
4-Rhiannon.
5-Over & Over.
6-Never Gonna Make It.
7-You Making Loving Fun.
8-I'm Afraid.
9-World Turning.

Band Line Up:

Lindsey Buckingham - guitar, vocals
Stevie Nicks - vocals
Christine McVie - keyboard, vocals
John McVie - bass
Mick Fleetwood - drums

Links: Official Site.

Comments:

These rehearsals were in preparation for the bands tour in support of the album Tusk.

Tusk remains one of Fleetwood Mac's most ambitious albums to date, although selling only four million copies worldwide. This, in comparison to the huge sales of Rumours, inclined the label to deem the project a failure, laying the blame squarely with Linsey Buckingham himself. Mick Fleetwood, however, blames the album's relative failure on a major U.S. radio station's playing all 20 tracks in their entirety prior to release, thus allowing mass home taping. In addition, Tusk was a double album, which increased its retail price in stores compared with that of a single album.

The band embarked on a huge 18-month tour to support and promote Tusk. They travelled extensively across the world, including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In Germany they shared the bill with reggae superstar Bob Marley. It was on this world tour that the band recorded music for the Fleetwood Mac Live album, which was released at the end of 1980.

Download link in comments or click on the picture.

2010FM - February Magazine Two

We start our second new music round up with SAADI whose promotional biography tell us & I quote 'As precious stone is extracted from its natural environment to be cut and polished, revealing its infinite multi-colored reflections, SAADI derives elements of musical influence and transforms them into pop gems rich in melody and reflecting an almost schizophrenic obsession with music.

SAADI, the musical pseudonym of the radiant Boshra al Saadi, is an eclectic and transcendental artist with a unique ability to create harmonious tunes tiled from fragmentation's of both empathetic influence and detached curiosity. Drawing early influence from sources as diverse as Bob Dylan, classic 80's synth pop, traditional Arabic music, punk rock, Nigerian music and Brian Eno, SAADI assembles her musical creation to form what is fundamentally her own. This collision of pop-smarts, exotic influences and fearless eclecticism spawns music which sounds both sophisticated and delightfully accessible'.

Now I have to say the above is no small work of art in its own right as writing goes, the good news is she sounds really good, and is going to one more artist to keep on the radar this year.

Listen:
'Bad City'



Website: MySpace
Buy: Serious Business Records.

Songwriter Boshra AlSaadi was born in a tiny village in Damascus, Syria before relocating and growing up in a rainy suburb of Pittsburgh. At the tender age of 17 she moved to NYC's East Village where she has resided and created music ever since. Having developed her New York roots with Serious Business band, Looker, SAADI has come into her own with the upcoming 12"/EP titled "Bad City". Due for release on 9th March 2010. Prepare to dance.

Austin's Dana Falconberry, praised by the Austin Chronicle as one of the city's "most arresting female vocalists" and "most promising singer-songwriters" is back with her newest record Halletts, released a few weeks ago on January 14th of this year.

The album revisits some of her previous works as well as including a few new ones, this time with the help of a full band. Influenced by and compared to the likes of Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams (if your gonna do comparisons that grab my attention these two artists do the trick !), the foursome plans to hit the road this spring in support of the new record with stops in the South, Midwest, and East Coast of the USA.

A few words from Dana on the recording of Halletts: "I woke first after dreaming of parachuting from the clouds and wandered out the screen door. Tall tall grass, a small red barn. I gathered dried leaves and returned to the house, the others had woken. We set up our instruments and stood in a circle in the living room, surrounded by old couches and microphones. On the east wall a painting of a horse. Golden hair, soft green grass. We sang to her and to the cicadas, and to each other."

This is a really good song, that will no doubt appeal to a good number of Beehive Candy visitors.

Listen:
'Singing Lullabies'



Website: Official. MySpace.

Ok if we are being a little gentle with this round up then lets crank things up with 'noise rock' band Gangcharger.

Formed in January, 2009, the Denver outfit Gangcharger has ascended rapidly through the ranks of their local scene, quickly earning themselves slots on large summer festivals like The Westword Music Showcase and The Denver Post UMS, as well as sharing the stage with such like-minded bands as Autolux, The Sian Alice Group and Mika Miko.

There promo says - 'Seamlessly blending classic rock song structures with updated guitar sounds and broken radio static assaults, their brand of noise has prompted comparisons to early Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and A Place to Bury Strangers, and drawn praise from local critics such as Tom Murphy, who stated "if you're a fan of noise rock of any stripe, or you like your music almost aggressively raw, this act is the embodiment of both."

Beehive Candy say play it loud, but be in a play it loud mood !

Listen:
'Apparition'



Website: MySpace.

Gangcharger’s debut EP, Metal Sun, was released on December 19th, 2009, at a massive warehouse bash described by Westword as a “party you think belongs in places like New York.” The record is quickly garnering critical approval from writers like Billy Thieme: “Gangcharger fills a sorely under-represented hole in the Denver scene. Raw, forced chords and heavy bass drill into the inner ear and drag you and your surroundings inside with them, leaving you in an aural vertigo, leaning heavily on sheer volume to remain upright - live and on record, the sound is huge.” Aiming to harness the momentum, founding member Ethan Ward and newest addition Paige Peterson are now at work recording the first full length release for a group that local press has already labeled “one of Denver’s best bands.”

XTC - Live In Belgium 1982.

This is a show from the final XTC tour (this concert was broadcast on FM radio), from a gig at L'Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium, back on the 7th March 1982.

The last major hit of XTC's touring phase was "Senses Working Overtime," the first single from their double album English Settlement and a top 10 hit in 1982.

At the peak of their popularity, the band embarked on a major tour, but Andy Partridge suffered a mental breakdown on stage during one of the first concerts of the tour in Paris on March 18th, 1982. The European and British dates were cancelled and after completing only one show in San Diego the whole US leg was also abandoned.

Source: FM Broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.

Genre: New Wave, alternative rock, psychedelic Rock.

Set: Full Set.

Set List:

1.Runaways.
2.Jason And The Argonauts.
3.Snowman.
4.Ball And Chain.
5.Senses Working Overtime.
6.All Along The Watchtower.
7.Towers Of London.
8.Making Plans For Nigel.
9.Living Through Another Cuba / Generals And Majors.
10.Real By Reel.

Links: Official Site.

Comments:

From Wikipedia: XTC's Andy Partridge's breakdown, which manifested itself as uncontrollable stage fright, was reportedly precipitated by his wife throwing away his supply of Valium. According to the band's biography, Andy had become dependent upon the drug after it was prescribed to him as a teenager during his parents' divorce. He reportedly was never withdrawn from the drug and became dependent on it. Concerned about her husband's dependence on the drug, Partridge's wife threw his tablets away — without seeking medical advice — just before the Paris concert.

Andy Partridge particularly needed the medication to cope with the grinding monotony of concert touring, which he had always hated, but had endured for the good of the band. As a result, when deprived of the medication Partridge suffered anxiety attacks of such severity whilst touring that he was soon forced to withdraw permanently. Since then, XTC have been exclusively a studio band, although they have given occasional live-to-air performances from radio stations, and have made a handful of TV appearances as well. (XTC ceased in 2005, however expanded CD reissues are planned for this year).

Reloaded August 2015 see comments.

Bad Company - Electric Ladyland 1992

In 1986 Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke decided to re team for a new project. Their label, Atlantic Records , however, insisted they resume the Bad Company name. But Paul Rodgers was already engaged with a new super group called The Firm.

So the remaining two members hired ex-Ted Nugent vocalist Brian Howe as the new lead singer, Steven Price as the new bass player and Greg Dechert (ex-Uriah Heep) on keyboards. Brian Howe's vocal style brought more of a pop-rock sound to the band, as opposed to Paul Rodgers' more bluesy style.

Over a six -year span from 1986 to 1992, this version of the band released four albums including Fame and Fortune, Dangerous Age, the platinum selling Holy Water and Here Comes Trouble.

The final studio album of the Brian Howe era, 1992's Here Comes Trouble, featured the Top 40 hit 'How About That', and 'This Could Be The One' (number 87). The album went Gold but the formula was growing stale. Before touring in support of Here Comes Trouble, the band added ex-Foreigner, Roxy Music and Small Faces bassist Rick Wills and Dave Colwell, a protégé of Ralphs, was now a full-time member.

This recording is from a performance at the Electric Ladyland studios in 1992 with a small audience, enjoying a show that was undertaken for FM broadcast and promotional purposes.

Source: FM Broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Classic and Blues Rock.

Set: Full Set.

Set List:

1. How About That
2. Holy Water
3. Rock & Roll Fantasy
4. Ready For Love
5. If You Needed Somebody
6. Here Comes Trouble
7. Shooting Star
8. Bad Company
9. This Could Be The Night
10. Good Lovin' Gone Bad
11. Can't Get Enough
12. Take This Town
13. Movin' On
14. Feel Like Makin' Love

Links: Official Site.

Comments:

The actual date of this show seems to have been lost over time however the middle of December 1992 seems quite likely. This recording has had band promos and any other material edited out and leaves just the actual live performance from Bad Company.

Having seen Bad Company perform one of their first ever gigs in Guildford, England back in 1973 or early 1974 (OK the memory ain't perfect), this recording sounds very different, from what was a blues driven band that still drew parallels with Free. Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke performed together again during the summer of 2009, playing ten shows throughout the United States. During November 2009, it was announced that the original remaining line-up will play eight exclusive UK dates in April 2010.

Reloaded 2015 - see comments.