Allie & Ivy - Slothrust - The Ramona Flowers - Rips

Allie & Ivy - Money.

Background - Money is the latest indie jam from Sydney electropop singer-songwriter, Aleisha (Allie) Conlay who goes by the musical pseudonym, Allie & Ivy. This three minute pop gem boasts Allie & Ivy’s signature summer vibes, with sunshine-bright melodies, shimmering synths and chant-like vocals.

But what might initially seem to be a shallow money-loving anthem actually has a deeper meaning once you realise it is, in fact, Allie’s tongue-in-cheek way of getting the opposite point across: “Money is a sarcastic commentary on the consumeristic, money-centric society we live in right now, and the idea that we spend well beyond our means when it comes to material possessions,” Allie explains. “Greed is now normal and acceptable in our society. This song is an attempt to ridicule the status quo.”

Allie & Ivy’s fresh sound and penchant for catchy hooks and infectious melodies have gained accolades both in Australia and internationally with success in the International Songwriting Competition (2016 & 2014) and the Unsigned Only Music Competition (2016 & 2015). With new songs scheduled for release throughout 2017 and a debut EP underway the year is already shaping up to be a busy and exciting one for Allie & Ivy. Website here, Facebook here.

I had great pleasure in featuring Allie & Ivy a couple of times last year and the new song 'Money' is just as fabulous as the previous tunes. Top quality pop music with a pertinent message, this really does stand out from the crowd!

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Slothrust - Pigpen.

Background - There is a new video for Slothrust's single "Pigpen", the final track off their 2016 album 'Everyone Else'. When talking about the video, lead singer Leah Wellbaum said, “We wanted to make a music video that stands on its own as a piece of art. Everyone who worked on this had an extreme focus on compelling, surreal imagery and concepts. Our intention was to make a type of music video that we haven’t made before, and don’t see very often.”

Slothrust is Leah Wellbaum (Vocals,Guitars), Kyle Bann (bass), and Will Gorin (drums). The trio first staked out their unique strain of jazz- and blues-afflicted rock as students at Sarah Lawrence College. The band’s 2012 debut Feels Your Pain, and its successor 2014’s Of Course You Do, established the band as a breed apart, serving up deceptively clever epics that veer satisfyingly between incandescent riffing and pop hooks, winsome anxiety and powerful heft.

“People have always had trouble comparing us to other bands, but someone recently described us as Nirvana meets Wynton Marsalis, and I loved that,” says Wellbaum. Even the band’s name inspires a beat of thoughtful consideration as the eyes take in the letters and the brain makes its snap judgement: Slo Thrust? Slot Rust? Slo Trust?  Sloth-Rust.

We all studied jazz and blues, so I often use chords and voicings that aren’t quite as conventional for contemporary rock,” she continues. “Certain harmonic movement can get stale, so I try to incorporate colorful notes to give it more depth. The improvisational spirit of blues music is also something we try to always keep with us, even in more composed playing. I am drawn to musicians a bit further outside of the rock tradition, such as John Fahey, Elizabeth Cotten, D'Angelo, and Portishead. Growing up I listened to a lot of R&B and classical music. And musicals."

Slothrust will tour North America this summer including a performance at Lollapalooza on 8/4, dates can be found on Beehive Candy's tour news page. Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

Last years 'Everyone Else' album remains worthy of a full listen at the very least. So the new video for the excellent song 'Pigpen' gives me another chance to recommend Slothrust, something I do, without any hesitation. The video is a fine creative work, if you like the song, then please checkout the album.


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The Ramona Flowers - If You Remember.

Background in Q&A form - Why The Ramona Flowers. “We named our group after the female lead (Ramona Flowers) played by the American actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the movie 'Scott Pilgrim vs the World’. Ramona Flowers is capable of traveling through sub-space and has 7 evil ex-boyfriends (The League Of Evil Exes), We’re big fans of Canadian cartoonist Brian Lee O’Malley’s work. “Other contenders before we decided on a name were- Winter Wolf, Wolf of Millions. For some reason we had a wolf fetish going on”.

Proud to be from Bristol. “It's just a seriously cool city to live in. It has it's own unique vibe and undercurrent, a soul that gets under your skin. Bristol is a vibrant, multicultural city with a thriving music and arts scene, amazing nightlife. It was voted the best city in Britain to live in. Not to mention, it also won EU's European Green Capital Award.

"If You Remember" (the new single). It's about two lifelong friends and one of them has hit complete rock bottom. The one friend reminds the other of better times to try to help pick him back up emotionally. The main melodic hook of the song was written in the garage. “We were playing around with operatic voices on the computer. Skipping past Pavarotti, we found a less dramatic female lead and the song progressed from there.”

When a song is played live for the first time in front of an audience. “It's exciting to release a new song into the world and to see the reaction, but it can also be a bit terrifying! When you play a song for the first time, we have a lot of stuff going on onstage - you’re trying to remember all the parts, while trying to perform and this is all mixed with adrenaline rushes and a little trepidation. Something can always go wrong.” Website here, Facebook here.

I was seriously considering moving to Bristol about fifteen years ago (for work rather than pleasure) so there's a tenuous link to The Ramona Flowers, if ever there was one. 'If You Remember' is a very catchy indie pop/rock type of song, that clearly demonstrates some of Bristol's vibrant music scene belongs to this band.

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Rips – Delay.

Background - Brooklyn based Rips have quickly built a reputation amongst NYC showgoers, winning them over with their virtuous melodies and sheer ferocity amidst an endless flurry of shows. 

Their songs may channel late ’70s New York City bands like Television and The Feelies, but Rips propels these references into something new. Their self-titled debut, produced by Austin Brown of Parquet Courts, is eleven tracks of buzzing guitar riffs driven by a charged rhythm section, all set under lyrics that are actually worth a damn.

Rips (the record) takes cues from the moonlighting era of rock, while delivering a set of songs distinctly fit for the modern age. Once described as a “hyperreal rock n’ roll group,” the phrase “borne forward ceaselessly into the future” is more what they’re going for here.

So break an old habit. Let your hair down (or up). Rips will take you there. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured Rips just over a month ago, stating at the time that their album was on my want list. 'Delay' is our second opportunity to feature the band, and I am pleased to say, the album is now in my possession and all ten tracks, are as solid and good, as the two we have been able to share.

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Karl Walsh & The Happy Future - FELIN - Silas Hite - Dan Raza

Karl Walsh & The Happy Future - Wonderful.

Background - Karl Walsh & The Happy Future stunning album 'Birds' is set to be released on June 30th. The Happy Future was formed in Manchester in 2015 by Karl Walsh who was originally signed to Factory Records by Tony Wilson. Walsh, also a founder member of acoustic trio To Hell With Burgundy, played all over the world with Bob Geldof, The Pogues, Barclay James Harvest and Graham Parker before relocating to France where he wrote three novels. Returning to the UK in 2012 Walsh formed The Visitors with Mike Crook and Frederick Apps, releasing their debut album ‘Above You’ on Earliest Records.

The Happy Future’s first gigs were played as a trio with Frederick Apps on drums and Philip John on Bass. John, a multi-instrumentalist had previously fronted his own bands and enjoyed the challenge of utilising his vast musical knowledge to add a sophistication to Walsh’s catchy tunes. Frederick Apps cut his teeth playing with bands in venues all over the country. He is also an accomplished photographer and his work can be seen regularly in online magazine ‘Manchester Rocks’.

An open mic night in Didsbury called The Art of Tea led to Karl Walsh meeting Karl Markham, an extremely talented solo guitarist who was blowing audiences away with his renditions of original tapping style acoustic tunes. Having played in several bands in his hometown of Sheffield, Markham came to Manchester (where else?) to finish a music degree and took the role of lead guitarist in The Happy Future. Website here, Facebook here.

The new album 'Birds' comprises of eleven tracks of which 'Wonderful' is a fine example of the (dare I say) wonderful music to be found across the collection. Expect melodic and refined musical arrangements alongside the very pleasing vocals and harmonies, all of which has been produced to a very high standard.


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FELIN - Destruction Therapy.

Background - FELIN is a Swedish audiovisual duo consisting of songwriter/ artist Elin Blom and photographer/ director Fredrik Etoall (the “F” in F E L I N). Having worked with the likes of Icona Pop, Tove Lo, The Rolling Stones and Adam Lambert, FELIN are all about the highest quality of sound as well as image, by making the two inter-dimensional and expansive of one another. 

Being championed by Sony Music on their upcoming releases, as well as JC Jeans Company choosing their record for their national jeans ad, all eyes are on this Scandi duo as they reveal their much-anticipated material to the world.  

The upcoming new single Destruction Therapy begins with a cranked up and distorted drumbeat, which pounces out of the speakers onto the listener’s ears in an instant. Together with Elin’s cool’n’powerful lead vocal, the track rekindles the energy infused vibe of the industrialised alternative version of Gossip, early The Ting Tings and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The song is produced in a Rangleklods-esque manner by Elin herself (yep, a female producer- still not enough of them out there) who has managed to craft this sonic hybrid of power, energy with a twinge of angst-filled apocalypse in the foreground. Website here, Facebook here.

'Destruction Therapy' is a potent mix of delicious drum beats way up in the musical mix, angry synths and the fiery and passionate vocals of Elin Blom.


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Silas Hite - Other Side.

Background - Emmy-winning composer, Silas Hite (Chef's Table, Scooby-Doo) just released a new cover song, "Other Side", originally performed by acclaimed indie-rock group, Metric from their latest album Pagans in Vegas. 

Hite has re-imagined this song as a beautifully aching indie-americana song, all while adding an 80's electronic pop flare. This new version features some of Hollywood's finest session string players including cellist, Timothy Loo, and violinist Nancy Kuo

Silas Hite is an Emmy-winning composer with music in his DNA. He began his career co-scoring blockbuster and independent films such as Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs with his uncle, noted composer Mark Mothersbaugh (DEVO). His music plays in television shows around the world, from kids shows like Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get A Clue!and Disney’s Dance-A- Lot Robot, to adult shows such as Blue Mountain State, Eureka, and Chef's Table. 

He has scored hundreds of commercials for clients such as Apple, McDonalds, and Chevy, earning him an Emmy, Adweek's Campaign of the Decade, and most recently a Titanium Grand Prix from Cannes. He’s contributed memorable music to some of the top selling video games of the past ten years such as The Sims 2, Skate 3 and The Simpsons. His music has played in such venerable institutions as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, the New York Museum of Modern Art, and The Whitney Museum. Website here.

If your going to do a cover version then 'Other Side' is an exceptional example of how to make it work. Taking the song into another genre and totally different arrangement, then adding in superb musicians, pretty much seals the deal, Silas Hite's vocals ensure it.

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Dan Raza - Pay Day.

Background - In the wake of the Iraq war, Neil Young featured a stirring song called ‘Every Little Dog’ on his ‘Living With War’ website. The track was by Indian / British singer-songwriter Dan Raza, a writer who, like Young, creates music that whilst rooted in immediate genres transcends them by being able to touch on universal feelings and concepts. His songs have a strong sense of place and an enigmatic, wistful, restless quality at their heart.

The release of Dan Raza’s critically acclaimed debut album in 2012, alongside dates with Joan Armatrading, Badly Drawn Boy, Cara Dillon, Bellowhead, Mary Gauthier, Slaid Cleaves and more, cemented his place in the UK folk and roots scene and led BBC documentary maker, James Ashley Smith, to create ‘Can’t Go Back’, a short feature film about Raza’s sacrifices and struggles for his musical dreams. 

Now with the release of his second album simply titled ‘Two’, it should be time that Raza is recognized as one of the UK’s most exciting and authentic new homegrown independent singer-songwriters with an outstanding new album of deeply written songs that every real music lover should lend their ears to.

The album features some great legendary talents backing Raza including BJ Cole (Dolly Parton, Bert Jansch), Frank Mead (Albert King, Paul McCartney), and members of Slim Chance, Geraint Watkins (Van Morrison, Nick Lowe), Steve Simpson (Eric Bibb, Ronnie Lane) and Charlie Hart (Ian Dury, Eric Clapton). The result is a finely produced album that is warm and immediate, yet has a depth and textural range that rewards repeat listening. 

Moments like ‘Shadowlands’ have a Tom Waits or Nick Cave feel with dark moody landscapes, classic sounding guitars and haunting folk instrumentation; others, like ‘Where The Rivers Divide’, suggest bittersweet blue atmospheres that ebb and flow with confidence and mastery whilst ‘Pay Day’ is a straight up gutsy folk-rock belter. The tracks are full of stories influenced by and reflecting all aspects of Raza’s travelling and personal life and the production oozes with quality. ‘Two’ is a special collection of songs which have been honed and lovingly created and should be cherished at home on nights alone or with friends. Release date 7th July. Website here, Facebook here.

'Pay Day' is natural and a little rough around the edges, the way a song like this should be. Passionate and forceful folk rock, delivered with class.

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Jason Loewenstein - Dan Wilson

Jason Loewenstein - Machinery.

Background - Jason Loewenstein shares "Machinery" video with 'Spooky Action' out 6/16 on Joyful Noise Recordings.

Jason Loewenstein has been a major force behind lo-fi pioneers Sebadoh ever since their pivotal 1991 record, “III”. Along with fellow partner in crime Lou Barlow, Loewenstein has co-created some of the most influential releases in indie-rock, including the pivotal 90's albums “Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock”, “Bubble & Scrape”, and “Bakesale”.

Way back in 2002 Jason Loewenstein released his first solo album “At Sixes And Sevens” via Sub Pop. Now 15 years later, the follow-up has finally arrived. “Spooky Action” contains 13 new songs of unwavering rock. The self-recorded, self-produced album is as solidly engaging as anything in Loewenstein's formative lineage. Bandcamp here.

Straight down the line rock, that just cuts to the chase, ensures 'Machinery' stands out. Vocals are notable despite being immersed in the mix, and the musicianship relies on skill, rather than reverb and noise.


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Dan Wilson - "Someone Like You" (ft. Kronos Quartet).

Background - On August 4, Dan Wilson will return with Re-Covered, a unique album that finds the Grammy-winning songwriter reinterpreting songs from his storied career that he wrote for and with other artists. 

Since his days in seminal ‘90s rock band Semisonic, Wilson has been an in-demand songwriter, producer and arranger for some of the biggest acts in pop and rock music like Phantogram, Weezer, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Halsey and My Morning Jacket. For his latest 13-track album, Wilson has taken songs he’s co-written with other artists and made them his own - his own arrangements, his voice, his guitar. The result is an eclectic spin on some of the biggest songs in pop music over the last 15 years as well as some gems that never quite made it big. 

“I’m hoping there are some songs on the record that everyone will recognize and think of as part of the landscape,” he says. “But then there are other songs that maybe people haven’t heard at all or they’ve only heard in passing.”

Most of the songs on the album were recorded live and mixed in an intensive week-long session at United Studios in Los Angeles, with longtime collaborators Mike Viola producing and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Pete Thomas on drums. Wilson credits Thomas, best known for his decades of work with Elvis Costello, with being central to the crafting of the arrangements. Website here, Facebook here.

'Someone Like You' is a beautiful song and this version is simply fabulous. The vocals, musicianship and arrangement are top of their class, simple as that!


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Frøkedal - So Below - Alexa Dark

Frøkedal - Stranger.

Background - Acclaimed Oslo, Norway based artist Frøkedal is now sharing her new single ‘Stranger’. Celebrated by the likes of The New Yorker, The Sunday Times, The Independent and Q Magazine; new single ‘Stranger’ is a worthy successor to her Norwegian Grammy-nominated debut LP of 2016, ‘Hold On Dreamer’.

The track explores the promise of new beginnings – both in a lyrical and more literal sense – with ‘Stranger’ signalling the first in a series of standalone singles this year for Norwegian singer/songwriter/producer Anne Lise Frøkedal. 

“I was working with my own dogma on the last album,” Frøkedal explains, “the fact that I wanted everything to sound very simple and ‘less is more’ in terms of instrumentation. This time round, I wanted to work song-by-song for a little while, just to liberate myself I guess. We just followed the track and did what we thought was best for each individual song, and somehow they ended up sounding quite natural and organic – dry vocals, not a lot of effects, but probably more textured and detailed in a way.”

Despite track-by-track production, Frøkedal’s lyrical output took a much more thematic approach: “When I started writing this new material, I was picturing different ages or stages in our lives when our vision gets a little blurred. I wanted the songs (and the characters) to channel these critical moments when decisions are dominated by emotion and not necessarily by logic,” she says.

Though the new tracks are not written, or presented, in clear chronology, ‘Stranger’ does feel like a natural place to start – written from the perspective of a young person, leaving behind their childhood and stepping out into the unknown. “It’s an adventurous song, and looks upon the future positively, but in a sense of leaving behind all you know in hope of what’s around the corner. It looks back on that urge to leave with a certain nostalgia; how being a young dreamer is both a beautiful and naive thing.” Facebook here.

Last years 'Hold On Dreamer' album, was one of my favourites for 2016 and with new song 'Stranger' Frøkedal continues the momentum. It's fresh and understated musical arrangement makes a fine backdrop for her melodic and purposeful vocals. With more singles to follow this year, I hope we can share some of them in due course.

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So Below - Ruin.

Background - Following on from the success of single 'Hard', released late last year, New Zealand born goth-pop artist So Below has returned with a brand new single, 'Ruin'. Co-written with Sombear of Now, Now and Chelsea Jade - with additional production from The Naked and Famous' Aaron Short - the track takes cues from the darker reaches of electronica while readapting the modern dance format for a midnight-hued take on pop music.

Set to a tapestry of pulsing bass and heavy duty kicks, ‘Ruin’ acts as an ode to disappointment, emphasizing the emptiness after placing your trust in those who do not deserve it.  Using the more electronic hints of Trent Reznor’s work in Nine Inch Nails as a reference point, So Below’s vocals glide over the track’s steadily enveloping instrumental, applying pressure and intensity leading into the track’s crescendo, a wash of full bodied synths and emotionally wrought lyricism.

Teaming up in the UK for the first time with London based label Limited Health (S4U/Raveena), ‘Ruin’ is a realization of So Below’s full potential as one of pop music’s most impactful and innovative artists. Bringing together shades of modern electronica’s darker side as well as a maturity of songwriting beyond her years, So Below’s latest single is a masterful take on pop’s tried and true formula - leaving a track that’s as subtle as it is intense, engaging existing fans while surely inspiring a wave of new ones. Facebook here.

This is the forth appearance of So Below on Beehive Candy, this time with the new single 'Ruin'. It's true to say that it's a little less goth, with some fine dance orientated electronica adding a different dimension. Overall So Below remains consistent in delivering some superb hook laden material, so much so, that a fifth appearance seems pretty likely!

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Alexa Dark - Empty Drinks.

Background - Alternative rock songwriter and guitarist, Alexa Dark, announces her debut EP, Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts, due out August 2017. The album was produced by Angelo "Doc" Velasquez (The Weeknd's Trilogy, The Fray, Christina Perri) and mixed by Patrick Kelly. Alexa Dark also debuts her new single and music video, "Empty Drinks.

Raised between Spain, London and Germany, now based in New York City and London, the songs are inspired by Alexa Dark's transient lifestyle. The songs were written in bedrooms, planes, between drinks outside East London clubs during early  morning hours and on the concrete of various metropolitan cities. Conceived in heartbreak, in transit and from boundless nostalgia, these tracks intertwine cultural and personal narratives, influenced by the Spanish singer songwriters played in her childhood kitchen, in addition to female rock legends such as Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and Kim Gordon.

Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts is a collection of songs cultivated in the brief moment when the party is over, when the sobriety comes just before the morning does. "Blur" is one of the first songs Alexa wrote and has evolved to cater to many different relationships and situations throughout her life. "Nothing More" is an "anti-love" song, about loving but in an untraditional sense. Referring to the EP's title, "Empty Drinks" is a party anthem that encapsulates the sober realization and reflection on the emptiness felt at the end of the night. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured 'Blur' just last month and the latest track shared 'Empty Drinks' deserves our attention as well. We stated in our previous article that her "vocals are well suited to alt rock, tuneful with just a little rock'n'roll edge". That seems a fair assessment in light of this fine new song. Alexa Dark is a natural alt rock artist with some quality musicians alongside, adding some alt rock power.


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Singer Soldier - Gilbert Neal - The Hentchmen - Livingmore

Singer Soldier - Bones To Ashes.

Background - Inspired by organic instrumentation, Singer Soldier is an alternative country band from Metro Detroit that is founded by Nick Marko on vocals/guitar and Darrell Bazian mandolin/guitar. 

Influenced by Mazzy Star and Johnny Cash, Singer Soldier takes eclectic instruments like bassoon, cello, violin, synth, glockenspiel, banjo and guitars creating a folk, classical sound. The albums ambient interludes craft an absorbing texture to the songs and fluidity to the records.

Nick Marko tells us "I was produced by Michael Ivins of The Flaming Lips, released two national records under Sony and Greyday and have recently completed the second album, Illusions Of Stability, under my solo project called Singer Soldier. It has elements of alternative rock, alt folk, classical and electronic". Website here, Bandcamp here.

'Bones To Ashes' is the first of six songs on 'Illusions Of Stability'. This is a fabulous collection of songs packed full of variety. The consistent elements are the high quality of musicianship, and the melodic vocals. After that Singer Soldier explore different styles and musical instruments, doing so with attention to detail throughout.


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Gilbert Neal - Drop of You.

Background - Gilbert Neal is to release a new single 'Drop of You' from his latest album 'The Mayor of Estes Park'. Gadabout, raconteur, ne’er-do-well-er. Gregarious and fecund. An artist who has said his dream is to be the American Susan Boyle with an album title (Dirty Red Pagan) suggested by Andy Partridge of XTC. Gilbert Neal is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter with a uniquely imaginative multi-genre style that’s refreshingly difficult to categorize. In addition to his contributions as an indie rock solo artist, his adventurous, exploratory spirit has even found him performing in a Genesis tribute and a country music line-dance band.

Born in Buffalo, NY and currently based in North Carolina, Gilbert Neal has performed in various bands, jazz ensembles and theater productions throughout the years. However, at the heart of it, Gilbert is first and foremost a songwriter, with most of his lyrics being quite personal, telling a specific story or referring to a particular incident. Thematically, Gilbert is inspired by religion, politics, sex, loss and parental love. His sometimes quirky songs can be tongue-in-cheek, theatrical and somewhat socialist, frequently weaving in sexual, and godless messages in the lyrics. Gilbert says he strives to make each album 1) a cohesive piece of work and 2) guaranteed to possibly make a fantastic musical!

Gilbert has been inspired by an eclectic mix of musicians ranging from XTC and Stevie Wonder to Steely Dan, Radiohead and the Les Humphries Singers. His current band features Gilbert on vocals, piano, guitar and bass, Steve Camilleri on drums, Darrelll Nutt on percussion, Marko Marisic on additional guitar, and Pamela Henderson on backing vocals.

His fifth album, 'Mayor of Estes Park' was released in Summer 2016. His previous four albums include 'Drink The Beast With Me' (2006), 'Our Deepest Apathy…' (2008), 'Vultures and Diamonds' (2010) and 'Dirty Red Pagan' (2013). Website here, Facebook here.

Fifteen tracks make up 'The Mayor of Estes Park' from which 'Drop of You' is now a single release. It also makes a very good introduction to last years album, if it passed you by, like it did me. Anyhow having now played catch up, I'm glad I have, Gilbert Neal is one imaginative and creative person, his musical back catalogue will take a little longer to work through!

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The Hentchmen - Worry Converter.

Background - This week Dirty Water Records goes back in time to spotlight our catalogue on notorious Detroit rockers, The Hentchmen. Their origin dates back to October 1992, when founding members John and Tim, bored with commercial radio, set out to play stripped down, primitive Rock 'n' Roll. 

Using the same blunt and essential instruments (organ, guitar and minimal drum kit) as their Sixties Garage Punk heroes, the boys rebirthed a savage "hit and run" sound that would soon prove to drive the young at heart into a feeding frenzy of countless brood to drive 'Detroit Rock City' all over the music map again.

The Hentchmen were one of the most popular live acts in lower Michigan throughout the '90s. Featuring organist/vocalist John Szymanski, Guitarist Tim Purrier, and drummer Chris Handyside. The band played its first proper show at Paycheck’s Lounge more than two decades ago (Feb. 20, 1993, to be precise) They began performing around Ann Arbor and Detroit, gaining a small but rabid fanbase. They released their eponymous debut and produced several indie singles, eventually scoring a contract with Norton Records in New York City.  

"The Hentch" began touring nationally, keeping their home base in Michigan while seeing the rest of the country. They released another album before Handyside was gone, replaced by drummer Mike Audi. With Audi on board they recorded Broad Appeal and Motorvatin', both popular local hits that never quite branched out into larger exposure. 

Still, one didn't need to pity the Hentchmen. They'd been at it for almost a decade, and had toured ten times more than your average garage rock slickers. In other words, those in the know already knew. In 2003, Norton issued the Three Times Infinity LP to critical and local acclaim; a year later, the band debuted on the Times Beach imprint with Form Follows Function. Italy released Hentch.Forth.Five, a collection of early works, in 2007. The band sometimes featured Jack White onstage and on record prior to him forming the White Stripes. 

The Hentch-Forth album and Some Other Guy single released in 1998 on Italy Records are now much sought after by collectors. In 2010, Dirty Water Records released a collection of rare singles as a series (forming a jigsaw puzzle that is the album's cover art) onto a composite LP. You can get your filthy mitts on them right here. Website here.

That's a young looking Jack White above, a part time contributor to The Henchmen. 'Worry Converter' might not be new, it is however a blast of totally natural rock'n'roll, and as Dirty Water Records are in the mood to remind us of them, why should I even consider arguing..


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Livingmore - Cocoon.

Background - Los Angeles duo, Livingmore are ready to emerge from their cocoon with their debut record, Ok To Land. Taking cues from acts like Rilo Kiley, Mitski and Jenny Lewis, and adding their own eccentric and optimistic touch, the indie two-piece have channeled the ultimate feel good album, Ok To Land, just in time for summer.

The band, comprised of songwriters Alex Moore and Spencer Livingston, who met in Los Angeles in 2014, have already begun to generate buzz from the HypeM blogosphere with the release of their self-titled EP in 2015. Drawing inspiration across several genres and from acts such as Garbage and The Kinks to Belle and Sebastian, Moore and Livingston write dreamy, optimistic songs that sound like, in their own words - “a mixture of Blondie and The Everly Brothers.”

From the childlike essence of trying to decide what to do when you grow up in ‘Cocoon,’ to the upbeat and straightforward ‘Never Slow Down,’ to the slow and dreamy ‘Transition,’ Livingmore’s first full length record is a lush collection of indie pop tracks with an underlying theme of optimism.

Their first single from their new record, “Cocoon,” is slow-burning, guitar heavy track, with flourishes of western-tinged riffs layers over Moore’s crooning melodies. On the inspiration behind the track, Moore notes: “You realize growing up isn’t just like, you’re a kid and then you’re an adult. There’s all these things in the middle, and it’s easy to get stuck in a phase in your life where you feel cocooned, in a way.”

The record’s anthemic title track, ‘Really Mean It’ is accompanied by an animated stop motion video created by Moore’s brother, Dillon. “We really just wanted to make a video that was totally organic and back to basics but at the same time unique and fresh. That’s kind of what this band is really about when you get down to it,” he explains.

“We never really plan when we’re going to write, we just wait for it to happen,” Livingston notes, while explaining the band’s songwriting process. Each song has a totally organic approach - sometimes born from Livingston playing a melody and Moore composing accompanying lyrics on the spot; other times with both of them writing songs separately and meeting in the middle.

“We can be reborn in all kinds of different ways, where now we feel like butterflies again. We’ve regained confidence in ourselves and are ready to move to the next chapter, whatever that may be,” Moore explains defiantly. Livingmore are certainly ready to emerge from their own cocoon - look out for Ok To Land, coming this summer. Website here, Facebook here.

'Cocoon' is a bright and breezy indie song, where melodic vocals and subtle harmonies are accompanied by a refined musical arrangement. It's very catchy and at just over two minutes long, is also a tease and a half for the debut record.

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