Sunday Four: Canary - David Nyro - The Attics - The By Gods

Canary - Burning Man.

Background promo - Melbourne's Canary have just released their second studio album I Am Lion, to be followed by a three-date album tour.

I Am Lion, self-produced by bassist Isaac Barter & the band as a whole, is "emotionally and thematically heavy". The release was born out of a particularly intense breakup that frontman & songwriter Matthew Kenneally struggled through. Each song is the embodiment of an emotional state that Kenneally lived & breathed at some point during the aftermath of this poignant life event. The breadth of humanity's capability to be bitter & ugly is openly on display, dichotomously captured in deceptively peaceful, refined ways in tracks such as 'Smile' or 'Last Resort'.

In many ways, Kenneally acknowledges that I Am Lion is somewhat of an extension of the themes he previously explored in debut album Dear Universe. And how could it not be? Canary's first LP explored the bass notes of that which makes us human: self-loathing, heartache, frustration. But I Am Lion is underpinned by a more solid musical vision, aided by the ever-present choir lending chops to the record. The vitality that drives even the most dulcet of tracks on I Am Lion forward is a result of the three days Canary spent holed up in Greg Walkers' (Machine Translations) home studio in Gippsland, recording every track live.

'Fickle Heart', the current single from I Am Lion, quickly gathered accolades from sources online including Rolling Stone Australia and cutting edge US blog Indie Shuffle. Also showered with praise from the airwaves, triple j gave 'Fickle Heart' its official radio premiere, Double J called it a "perfect balance of big and brash, and subtle and tuneful moments" and adding it to rotation alongside taste-making Sydney station FBi radio. They've supported acts such as Saskwatch, LANKS, Ainslie Wills & Hein Cooper and are set to embark on their I Am Lion tour with dates in Victoria and New South Wales.
 
Tour Dates:
Fri Aug 12 - World Bar, Sydney, NSW w/ special guests
Fri Aug 26 - The Workers Club, Geelong, VIC w/ special guests
Sat Sept 03 - The Toff In Town, Melbourne, VIC w/ special guests.

'I Am Lion' is a really good album that sees Canary mix their musical styles with the featured song 'Burning Man' demonstrating the softer side of the band. Musically the band are totally capable of exploring and delivering ideas and vocally everything just combines in a beautiful manner. This is an album and band that really do deserve to be heard.

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David Nyro - Happiness.

Background - With the release of “Writer of Wrongs, Singer of Songs,” modern pop’s poignant poet, the soulful singer/songwriter David Nyro, shares six immaculately produced folk pop confections.  A prolific writer whose retro pop has earned him comparisons to Jackson Browne and Don Henley, Nyro (pronounced “nee-ro”) has connected with audiences through his stories of discovery, love, and loss. Nyro’s EP was recorded at legendary Robert Lang Studios (Nirvana, Death Cab for Cutie) and mastered by Grammy winner Tom Coyne (Adele, Beyonce).

With many of today’s music listeners investing in vinyl records after having rediscovered the magical charm and simplicity of 1960s and ’70s pop and rock, the time is now right for David Nyro. Much like the prominent songwriters of decades past, Nyro has recruited some of today’s most talented and reputable singers and musicians to collaborate on his project. Collaborators on Nyro’s newest songs include vocalist Mycle Wastman (The Voice), violinist Andrew Joslyn (Macklemore), drummer Ben Smith (Heart), bassist Garey Shelton (BB King, James Brown), and drummer Jeff Kathan (Paul Rodgers).

'Happiness' is one of six quite delicious songs on 'Writer of Wrongs, Singer of Songs'. David Nyro pens incredibly beautiful music, and collaborates with some very talented individuals, to ensure the final product does justice to the material.

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The Attics - Bluffing.

Background - The Attics release their new single “Bluffing” - a bright yet hazy picture of adventure in their most addictive release to date.

In 2016, a whimsical return to the band’s beginnings sees The Attics once again embracing electronic elements that bring to mind future pop and 80s synth-driven ballads. Guitars jangle over infectious bass hooks while soft programmed electronica sounds and hip-hop style beats are blended into pop music that’s informed by the past, yet forward thinking. This is pop songwriting buried in swirling reverberations begging to be played under flickering disco lights.

Based in the country town of Colac in South-West Victoria, The Attics formed in 2011 dropping a dark and moody indie rock EP based around the minimal electronic music Cameron Wade had been producing on his computer. Since then, the band has tumbled endlessly through change. If one thing has remained a constant, it’s the importance of the melody around which their songs are formed.

Returning to the studio The Attics have once again teamed up with Isaac Barter (Canary, Life Is Better Blonde) to record, mix and master their latest effort. With an EP on the not-too-distant horizon, “Bluffing” points to the future for the band. Swaggering vocal delivery and warm production lend a sense of comfort to the track, that’s otherwise sitting somewhere other-worldly. Sonically a step forward, but surely only the first of many more to come. A string of headline dates will be announced in support of The Attics dreamy new single, “Bluffing”. The live show will hit a bunch of regional centres through Victoria as well as Melbourne and Sydney stop-offs.

Second time around on Beehive Candy for The Attics, who continue to impress in a very big way. This is a musically upbeat song, with vocals and harmonies ensuring the bands distinctive sound. There is also a confidence in the bands performance that suggests they are comfortable with what they are doing, even when that includes testing out alternative ideas.

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The By Gods - Where Do You Come From.

Background - If it feels like Nashville’s The By Gods are trying to drill through your skull to plant their hook-laden songs in your grey matter, that’s precisely the point. Squalls of feedback interrupting repetitive chords signaling the return to a chorus, it’s what we’ve come to recognize as the formula; a recipe for loud/quiet/loud. On their latest outing, Phone Calls, The By Gods have bucked such formulae by purposely pushing the repetition.

The By Gods, composed of Tye Hammonds and husband and wife duo, Natalie and George Pauley, sound at times to meld into a single organism. This is certainly the result of their skills being honed by a steady touring regimen. Tightening the screws an extra turn on an already tight unit seems to have allowed the band to loosen up; favoring mid-tempo chugging to a frantic burnout.

Despite the vibrance of the music there’s a vein of anger masked behind the songs’ hooks, like a polite smile to accompany a middle finger. The chorus of the title track “Phone Calls” - “Please pick up my phone calls… Please pick up my phone calls.” invokes the image of a phone ringing in another room, like an itch you can’t scratch, as the song gradually builds into a fury. The song “Good Lie” wraps a bitter pill in a sweet melody as it serves up an admonishment of the age-old annoyance of the “humble brag”, a phenomena that has only worsened with the advent of the ability to curate, via social media, how others see your life.

Phone Calls is the third release in as many years from the Nashville-based band and the second as a trio. The EP manages to capture the urgency of their live show as expertly recorded by Mike Purcell (Lees Of Memory, Tom Pappas Collection, Hurts To Laugh) at County Q in Nashville.

'Where Do You Come From' is the first of four songs on the 'Phone Calls' EP. The trio pound out the guitar and vocal hooks, with bass and drums powering the message home. It's good old raw, no nonsense rock music, delivered with passion and feeling.

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Helen Henderson - London (Album)

Helen Henderson - Windows Of Gold.

Background promo - Kiwi born L.A. based singer/songwriter Helen Henderson is pleased to announce the release of London – a collection of beautifully crafted, honest folk/rock offerings penned and recorded in London in the 70’s, capturing the special time and energy of a bygone era.

 Arriving in London as a young woman with just fifty pounds in her pocket and relying on the kindness of ex-pat NZ friends, Henderson was introduced to Nigel Grainge who signed her to Ensign Records – home to The Boomtown Rats, The Water Boys and Sinead O’Connor.

With the help of some of London’s top session musicians, Henderson recorded a selection of songs at Advision Studios, the home of many a hit record. These tracks captured the attention of Geffen Records in Los Angeles. The only artist signed to Geffen’s new label at that time was John Lennon. Henderson flew to LA in November 1980 to meet with Geffen, only to be stalled and deeply shocked by the death of John Lennon on December 8th.

Henderson recalls, “Rock and roll suffered a huge blow. Nothing would ever be the same. My world turned upside down. As the dust settled I put down roots in LA.” Henderson rewrote ‘River’ and ‘Chameleon Woman’ in LA and rerecorded them plus ‘Anyone’s Baby’ at Phantom Vox Studios in Hollywood with such esteemed LA musicians as friend and guitarist Doug Pettibone. “It was challenging but gratifying to revisit the songs here in LA and breathe new life into them”, says Henderson. The songs on London have a pure, uncontrived quality and conjure the likes of Sandy Denny, Sharon O’Neill and Chrissie Hynde.

London is now available for purchase on CD Baby and all good digital outlets. Physical copies are available from Bandcamp.

'Windows Of Gold' is the second of ten songs on the London album. This is a fine collection of songs, with plenty of emphasis on rock. There are three gentler folk ballads, whilst the majority of songs certainly test rock music's borders from blues orientated rock'n'roll, through to country rock. Helen Henderson delivers the vocals with real quality, above a very high class soundtrack. Despite originally being written in the 1970's there is a consistent freshness and quite timeless feel across the collection.

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Weekend Wonders: Vorsen - Transviolet - Maddy O'Neal - Basement Revolver

Vorsen - Take Your Mark.

Background - From elegantly smooth acoustic tones to powerful blues-soaked choruses, its no surprise Vorsen is turning heads across the country with their diverse yet distinguished sound. The Perth four-piece combine warm smokey vocals with organic intimate melodies to create heart-on-your-sleeve tracks to the likening of acts such as Matt Corby, Of Monsters and Men and John Butler. Despite being tucked between a variety of genres, Vorsen’s characteristic blend of blues/rock tied in with their energetic and devoted live performances have given them a bold name in the local music scene.

Vorsen’s debut self-titled EP was a stunning insight into the sheer range of the bands sound. Their single “Hurricane” from the album was featured in the Top 5 on the triple j Unearthed roots chart for weeks and was well received both online and by radio across the country.

Following the release of their debut self-titled EP comes the lively follow-up track ‘Take Your Mark”. The single has been captured and produced beautifully by engineer Andy Lawson (Eskimo Joe, Gyroscope) at Debaser Studio, and mastered by legend William Bowden (Gotye, Paul Dempsey). “Take Your Mark” represents a perfect fusion of their multi-genre tastes, a lively blend of twangy acoustic guitars, thunderous kick drums, dreamy vocal harmonies and even a horns section. “Take Your Mark” is a beautifully crafted piece that is both polished yet natural with soaring vocal hooks and driving guitar lines, an exceptional follow-up release. Catch their single launch at the Odd Fellow in Fremantle (August 6th) or Eastern States tour mid September.

We featured Vorsen a while back and the new song 'Take Your Mark' definitely deserves a feature. The song has a natural folk rock feel to it, with the vocals and harmonies driving the melody, above the lively and spirited music.

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Transviolet - LA Love.

Background - The band will be playing the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK this summer, along with Taste of Chicago tonight. They will play their first headlining hometown show at Neon Gold's Popshop in Los Angeles, as well, and will be joining dreampop three-piece LANY on tour this fall.

Transviolet was formed in New York and is now based in Los Angeles. McTaggart explains their choice of name, noting, "We were sitting around the living room with books on mythology and poetry one day, determined to pick a band name (as this had been no easy task for us). Judah came across this poem by Charles Bukowski called 'When The Violets Roar At The Sun.' It goes, 'They've got us in a cage, ruined of grace and senses, and the heart roars like a lion at what they've done to us...' It spoke to me so plainly about how we (the band) felt about the world, how our own apathy has led us to this haphazard way of existing - devoid of reason or purpose, just fumbling around the streets with our heads in our phones, passively falling into the future without any real stake in it. We want to be active in designing our future. We believe that our generation can learn to live mindfully, and peacefully and evolve, thus 'trans' as in short for 'transcendence'. To sum it up, Transviolet is transcendence into a new, violet awareness. We loved that idea, so it stuck."

The band released a self-titled EP last fall and closed out 2015 with one million Spotify listeners, who played a staggering 20 years' worth of the band's songs. Three songs from the EP - "New Bohemia," "Girls Your Age" and "Bloodstream" - have all ranked in Hype Machine's Top 5 and climbed into the Top 15 (or higher) on Spotify's Global Viral charts.

'LA Love' is a refreshing and beautiful pop come rock song. With hooks and vibes like this, it's hardly surprising that the band are already the centre of so much attention.

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Maddy O'Neal - Just A Glimpse.

Background - Maddy O'Neal saw her debut solo effort "No Master Plan" resonate with fans and industry peers alike. Available today is the second single off her forthcoming 'Introspect' LP in "Just A Glimpse". Boasting a visual aesthetic that's directly linked to her music, Maddy O'Neal brings listeners on a visceral, emotive auditory experience. One that showcases the inspirations behind 'Introspect' one release at a time.

'Just A Glimpse' oscillates between a brooding, hypnotic bassline and rhythmic harmonies that introduce piano key strokes, horns and more. The eclectic production is a testament to her classically trained background and multi-faceted skill set.

Maddy is determined to become a female leader in a male dominated live electronic genre. Maddy’s rock n’ roll family roots and growing appetite for old-school hip-hop, give her a versatility that sets her apart from other artists in the scene.

It’s this versatility, paired with her meticulous ear and effortless mixing style that allows Maddy to connect with her audience. By incorporating influences from across the genre board, Maddy’s production are full of melodic overtones, driven basslines, and jazzy hip-hop. Laying her heart and soul out every time she hits the stage, her undeniable passion gives her a massive appeal that any music junkie can relate to. 

' Just A Glimpse' is a vibrant electronic piece, that really does showcase the talent of Maddy O'Neal. With a dominant beat at it's core, other sounds and instruments circle around, creating as much intrigue as it does involuntary foot movement. 

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Basement Revolver - Lake, Steel, Oil.

Background - "These songs were all written at a point in my life where I was experiencing a change in identity. Lyrically, there was a lot of looking back and processing the life and experiences I had been through. As a band we chose these songs in particular because they are some of our favourites from that time and they all share a similar mentality and tone. These are the songs that helped to shape and make us." - Chrisy Hurn

Hamilton, Ontario’s Basement Revolver plays introspective and emotional indie rock music, reminiscent of The Pixies and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The drone of the city haunts front woman Chrisy Hurn: stories woven with factory skylines and gritty streets are sung in a voice pure as water, flowing down high escarpment walls. The heavy lines of bass/synth player Nimal Agalawatte and drummer Brandon Munro are bedrock for Hurn's ethereal and immediate guitar work. Developed song craft and infectious rhythms will have you following Basement Revolver into feelings you never knew you had.

Basement Revolver has shared the stage with We Are The City, HIGHS, Dave Monks and Evening Hymns, among others. They are set to release their debut EP in July of 2016.

Basement Revolver are fast becoming Beehive Candy's "house band" with the song 'Lake, Steel, Oil' becoming the band's third feature from us this year! Well we have said a whole lot of wonderful things about their music already, so this time round I will just gently urge you to check them out.

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Genre Wander: SixTwoSeven - LOVEYOU - The Inconsistent Jukebox Feat Ang Kerfoot

SixTwoSeven - Wreckless Soul.

Background promo - Seattle staples, SixTwoSeven are headed out on a West Coast tour this Summer in support of their new record, Some Other's Day, due out August 5th Produced by the infamous Jack Endino (Nirvana), the group impress both on the record and on stage, as they head through cities such as Los Angeles an Portland for the upcoming dates. Currently the band is also sharing their new single, "Wreckless Soul," which sets the tone for the album and tour.

The record shares alternative elements with an indie twist. The group create a stunning debut that is a whirlwind of guitars and vocal perfection.Writing songs has long been the way that frontman Greg Bilderback has expressed himself. Though he’s performed in various band over the years, and has had the sense since he was little that he was a born entertainer, his path to rock ’n’ roll frontman had been circuitous.

Tour Dates:
August 9 -  Le Voyeur - Olympia, WA
August 11 - Johnny V’s Bar - San Jose, CA
August 13 -  The Mint LA -  Los Angeles, CA
August 14 -  Art Share LA - Los Angeles, CA
August 18 - The Analog Theater and Café - Portland, OR.

'Wreckless Soul' has that classic indie rock feel to it. Guitars are tight and precise as is the blistering rhythm section, whilst the vocals are expressive and deliver a sub three minute rock'n'roller.

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LOVEYOU - Outed The Time.

Background promo - Andrew Stogel took some time away from the outside world after a personal and painful time, and drifted into a dream-pop realm of his own creation. He’s emerged with the band, LOVEYOU.

On the group’s debut, Sparkle & Crush, tucked beneath darkly majestic hooks and hazy shoegaze atmospherics is shrouded enlightenment. These anthems for the introspective helped him through a transformative time. Pull back the mystical layers of sound and meaning of the group’s debut, and there is the raw-nerve emotionality of LOVEYOU’s enigmatic principal songwriter. Stogel recounts, “At the time of recording this album, EP, I felt that my music and how I could affect myself and others with it was a defining force that reanimated me in the face of some personal tragedies. I’m hoping it might have a positive impact on someone.”

His steady ally is drummer and multi-instrumentalist DK, who appears consistently on many tracks and is a charter member of the group’s five-piece live lineup. Sparkle & Crush is a majestic 8-song debut that beneath oblique wordplay offers intimate personal revelation. “Art is healing, for me the intrinsic value of making music comes first. Despite the cluttered feelings and ideas I have about my songs, I would come to realize that they were the right responses to how I was feeling when I wrote them,” he says.

The album bursts open with the jangly Beatles-esque “I Want To (Make You Feel Happiness)” which captures the essence of Stogel’s melancholy pop. The hooks are huge, but there is a sweet longing beneath the sugar high. The sleepy psychedelic confessional “Awake At Last” is a blissed out journey into self-realization that’s both tragic and triumphant. “Outed The Time” is a coming of age song about harsh realities forcing you to go within, look at your life, and make brave changes.  Other standouts include the shoegaze pop of “Your Love Is,” and heavy-lidded closing track, “Fuzzy Logic” For Stogel, his journey in music is inseparable from his growth as a person. Filled with epiphanies and new hope from Sparkle & Crush, he’s already preparing another entry of mind-altering pop.

One of eight very strong songs, 'Outed The Time' from the debut 'Sparkle & Crush' needs a couple of plays to grasp the vocals and absorb the superb musicianship. The band can and do vary the styles and pace of songs, whilst maintaining an overall consistent sound. In all fairness the above overview of the album from the promo we received, is a very fair summary, of a very fine collection of songs.

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The Inconsistent Jukebox Feat Ang Kerfoot - Bold Ego Fledgling.

Background promo - The Inconsistent Jukebox has announced the forthcoming release of a new single ‘Bold Ego Fledgling’, which features vocals by Las Vegas-based Ang Kerfoot, via UK indie label Supersonic Media.

The Inconsistent Jukebox is the solo project of Barry Snaith. This is the Pandora’s Box giving rise to his work with incredible artists from all over the world and engaged in various creative genres - music, paint, surrealist human art, motion graphics, dance and video. As a guitarist, Snaith has toured, gigged and recorded with the likes of The Ramones, Chrissie Hynde, Johnny Thunders, and David Johannsen. As a solo artist, he writes and produces soundscapes that have been used in fashion shows, the UK’s first ever digital fiction installation and much more.

His most recent collaboration, released in June via German boutique label Emerald & Doreen Recordings, is the ‘Radio Boom’ single with Jonathan L, internationally known for decades as a radio show presenter and 2015 Euro DJ Personality of the Year award. Almost impossible to slot into a neat little ‘genre’ box, it’s fair to say that ‘Bold Ego Fledgling’ dishes up a stunning slab of gritty idiosyncratic electro rock, combining distorted glitchy guitars with Kerfoot’s deadpan spoken word turned vocals.

'Bold Ego Fledgling' is musical art. It's a wall of hypnotic sounds, that are wonderfully layered together. In the right mood, with the volume belting the song out, it's a total aural delight.

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Midweek Double: Cling - Saints Patience

Cling - The Maze.

Background - Cling are an Essex based duo who formed in 2006 and consist of Susi Lavender (Vocals) and Gerald Patient on Programming and Production. Cling came to recognition from their music making appearances in the cult favourite "Welcome To The Scene". Cling pushed harder, and in 2007, started playing live at some of the top music venues in Europe!

Cling released their music video "Beyond Your Dreams" which gathered 47K hits on YouTube in under 2 weeks and the duo then proceeded to have their music used in adverts for ASICS Europe (JD Sports trainer advert)  and North Face Clothing. Cling's latest release was produced at Cling studio, Essex and is a Drum and Bass Influenced track entitled "The Maze" which is available as a free download via Soundcloud. Cling is a band that has accomplished many feats in their career; some milestones major, others personal.

Whilst Drum & Bass may not feature heavily on Beehive Candy 'The Maze' just grabbed my attention. On this specific song Susi Lavender's vocals remind me in part of Debbie Harry in her heyday, and the juxtaposition of her vocals and the superbly produced soundtrack make for something very special. The good news is it's a great song and nobody need witness me trying to dance to it!

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Saints Patience - Break of Dawn.

Background words - About ‘Break Of Dawn’ Appropriately for a song of such positive intent – the championing of taking risks, living life to the full and immersing yourself in the present – ‘Break Of Dawn’ revolves around a supremely uplifting chorus that will inspire many a communal singalong. This addictive classic-rock anthem kicks off with a choppy guitar riff straight out of a Keith Richards masterclass, to which strident drums, rolling bass and potent synths are expertly attached. Singer Mudibu’s lung-busting, heart-lifting soul vocal implores us to “dance until the sun will rise” as ‘Break Of Dawn’ erupts into an arms-aloft, arena-sized behemoth given a contemporary electro-funk edge by swathes of overdriven synthesizer.

About Saints Patience “We’ve created something epic, something exciting and captivating.” Essentially the project of two London-based musicians, multi-instrumentalist Spencer and vocalist Mudibu, Saints Patience place melody and groove front and centre in a thrilling audio format that mixes the classic and the contemporary by following the lead of such timeless artists as Queen, Otis Redding, Led Zeppelin and The Wailers. Their songs are cohesive amalgamations of Spencer’s prolific guitar jams and improv sessions in his home studio, which Mudibu, formerly of Mantilla, Lostchild and The Jezebel Sextet, enhances via his rich and powerful voice. This intuitive pair – “You know it’s good when you just look at each other and smile” – have now collected the best of their writings into a vibrant full-length album (to be released later in 2016), recorded using minimal gear at Spencer’s studio and thus exuding a fresh and dynamic analogue vibe. All this as Saints Patience are recruiting additional band members to perform the artisanal instrumental parts in a live setting and take this charismatic show on the road. As Mudibu says of the process, “When everything comes together, I know it and feel it running through me." Rest assured that everything is definitely coming together for Saints Patience, and it is coming together apace. Consider ‘Break Of Dawn’ your introduction.

'Break of Dawn' has all the hallmarks of a two man rock outfit, with an intense and powerful sound, great clarity between the instruments and a considerable amount of energy. This is a potent song, the vocals are just so right for this type of music, and for me, this is a real barnstormer.

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