The Warp/The Weft - Ummagma - Amadou & Mariam - Belle Game - Ritual Talk

The Warp/The Weft - Briars.

Background - “Briars” is powered by amazing spine-tingling, expressive high-register vocals by Shane Murphy. This song is a dark, haunted ballad that begins solidly in the folk rock tradition but gradually builds into a crescendo assault of rock grit and psychedelia. “Briars” is by The Warp/The Weft and is released on Admirable Traits Records, based in Buffalo, NY, USA. “Briars” is a single from the forthcoming album, “Mapping an Absence,” which will be released at the end of July.

The Warp/The Weft, active since 2012 in and beyond New York's Hudson River Valley, has earned praise for its uniqueness and song-crafting from casual and devoted listeners alike. Blending traditional and avant-garde styles, the warmth of a good wool sweater and the sometimes-bleak cold of an upstate winter, the progressive folk and psychedelia that the band brings to bear (compared to Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull) is propelled by poetic lyrics and a "spirit-conjuring," lilting tenor that "puts Murphy alongside Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg as one of the most captivating high-register voices in rock today" (Ron Hart, Chronogram). 2017's Mapping an Absence (July 29, 2017, Admirable Traits Records) introduces bassist Trevor Larcheveque, whose vocal harmonies help to anchor the band firmly in the chamber category. Website here.

I try not to overly use the "timeless" expression, however 'Briars' positively begs for it. This could be a folk rock song from the beginning of said genre. Even better, the audio quality benefits from modern recording techniques, however at the core of this, is a fabulous song where music and vocals are delivered with passion and quality.

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Ummagma - Lama (Robin Guthrie Mix).

Background - Robin Guthrie Remix Announces New Ummagma 'LCD' EP as the Cocteau Twins lynchpin Robin Guthrie re-envisions Ummagma 'Lama'. Who says that you shouldn’t meet your heroes? Ummagma did and the result is a stunning remix that also acts as the lead single for their forthcoming ‘LCD’ EP.  After Robin Guthrie heard their track ‘Lama’, which originally appeared on the band’s debut album ‘Antigravity’, mutual friends put the band and the Cocteau Twins multi-instrumentalist in touch. The result is this wonderful new version of the song, which sees him not only re-arrange and re-mix the song but also add his own guitar parts into the mix.

Ummagma are a band whose unlikely back story matches and perfectly explains their mercurial music. Shauna McLarnon, a vocalist from the Yukon wilderness and Alexander Kretov, a multi-instrumentalist from small town Ukraine, met in the suburban sprawl of Moscow after pursuing many solo adventures and exploring unusual pathways. Bonding over their shared musical interests and fascinated by each other's divergent musical backgrounds, Ummagma began as an affair with love and sound, their relationship soon developing into both a musical and factual marriage. In 2013, Ummagma won the Alternative Eurovision on Amazing Radio, representing Ukraine among 23 countries.

‘Lama’ exists in an alternate dimension of ambient drifts and sonic textures that wash over you in gentle waves and then recede back into a sonorous, twilight world of fading vapour trails of sound and vocals, seemingly found between reality and possibility. This is a sound that Guthrie and his fellow Cocteau Twins helped to pioneer and evolve throughout the 80’s – a sound that still informs much of his work, though here, his trademark feedback drenched guitar sound is used more to shimmer rather than shatter, to chime rather than slash.

As a calling card for the four-track EP to follow, ‘Lama’ is a perfect sonic snapshot, capturing the bands core sound, their ambient heart, and the often smoke-like musical sculptures they create. Dream pop, it would seem, is deliciously back on the menu. Ummagma ‘LCD’ will be released on September 22 via Label Obscura (cassette) and Somewherecold Records (CD), and is already available for pre-order on the duo’s own Bandcamp here. Bands website here, Facebook here.

Of the 'LCD' EP, the featured 'Lama (Robin Guthrie Mix)' is my favourite track. Don't let that suggest the other three songs are lesser, they are not, it's just that The Cocteau Twins (as regulars to Beehive Candy might have noticed) have been such an influential part of my musical journey. That this song contains some of that flavour, makes it only natural for me to be carried that way.

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Amadou & Mariam - Filaou Bessame.

Background - 'La Confusion', the highly anticipated ninth full-length album from Malian musical duo and Grammy-award nominees Amadou & Mariam, is due on 22 September on Because Music. In celebration of the release the band has shared the lyric video for the track “Filaou Bessame”.

Alongside 'Filaou Bessame', the album also includes the single 'Bofou Safou'. Amadou & Mariam recently released the Bofou Safou EP via Because Music. The EP includes the first two La Confusion singles, “Bofou Safou” and “Filaou Bessame,” alongside remixes of the EP’s title track by Fatima Yamaha, Africaine 808, Henrik Schwarz and more. The term “bofou safou” is a Bambara (the Malian national language) nickname given to nonchalant young men who would rather dance than work. Of the new EP, the group notes, “We really like the remixes that were made for the EP. You get to hear our music in a different form, which is great. All five remixes manage to catch the essence of our song while really pushing those enticing afro pop and electronic vibes further.”

Amadou & Mariam met in 1975 while attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako (where they continue to play an annual benefit concert). Influenced by the records of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd as well as traditional African music, the couple began working as a duo in 1983. Their transition from world music stages to rock festival headliners came with 2005’s Manu Chao-produced ‘Dimanche à Bamako,’ one of the best-selling African albums of all time.

In recent years, Amadou and Mariam have toured with Coldplay and U2 and jammed with musical heroes David Gilmour and Johnny Marr. They’ve performed at a Nobel Peace Prize concert in honour of Barack Obama and played at the opening ceremonies of the last two FIFA world cups. Manu Chao and Damon Albarn have lent their production skills to their records and they have worked with some of the most innovative names in contemporary rock music via Albarn’s ‘Africa Express’ and other cross-cultural projects, such as ‘L’Afrik C’est Chic’. Website here, Facebook here.

I have stated this a few times & with no desire to bore you, I will write it again, 'Filaou Bessame' lyrics could be a rendition of the local train timetable, however this is another great example of where music can transcend languages, not only that it can lift the spirit and give some feel good vibes as well.


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Belle Game - Spirit.

Background - Known for their unique ability to weave ethereal soundscapes into blown-out, crush-pop confections, Vancouver’s Belle Game announce their sophomore album 'Fear/Nothing' slated for release on 28th September on Arts & Crafts. Produced by Dave Hamelin (The Stills) and executive producer Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), the 10-track collection is filled with lush compositions, led by the powerful and hypnotic vocals of Andrea Lo. Today, the band shares the dynamic first single 'Spirit' – available today with all digital retailers.

About the track, Lo comments, “'Spirit' was created through the relinquishing of logic, allowing the music to take form through feeling with no end goal as opposed to structural forms. It’s the result of letting ourselves be playful, youthful and in joy, having no consequence or imposed judgment for what we created in that moment.”

'Fear/Nothing' combines the sweeping synth-driven dream pop of the Cocteau Twins with confident vocal-driven melodies of genre-defying artists like Empress Of and Jessy Lanza. From hushed anthems to distorted instrumentals, Belle Game teeters between two worlds. Whatever the mood, it’s always a celebration of the hard times and a refusal of fear.

Upon the release of their debut album 'Ritual Tradition Habit', the band earned critical praise from the likes of Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, while their emotional live performances prompted Paste Magazine to name them one of the “10 Great New Bands of CMJ”. After performing at number of US festivals this summer, Belle Game will hit the road for a full North American tour as lead support for Broken Social Scene in September, with UK and European dates to be announced soon. Website here, Facebook here.

'Spirit' soars with emotional charm and when the deep rhythm kicks in, upgrades to a majestic piece. It's another mention for the Cocteau Twins today, as this song has some of their musical herbs and spices flowing through it, alongside the bands notable creativity.


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Ritual Talk - Help, I've Been Dreaming.

Background - Brooklyn-based, psychedelic indie rock band, Ritual Talk, announce their debut EP, Rippled Glass, due out in September 2017. The EP was recorded in several places - 4 out of 5 of the drum tracks were produced in Philly, vibraphone and cello were recorded at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music with Jack Hallenbeck (Scott James, OSHUN) and nearly everything else was produced and recorded in the band's apartment in NYC. The EP was mixed by Chris Shaw (Modest Mouse, Wilco) and mastered by Chris Gehringer (Yeasayer, Chairlift). 

The band's lead single and video, "Help, I've Been Dreaming, is a woozy encapsulation of the hesitant feeling of being alone after ending a long-term relationship. Major chords and polyrhythmic structure display the emotional aloofness show through the lyrical narrative. Opening track, "Sense," is a slow burner that tells the personal story of needing to cultivate one's own path from a singular perspective. The track features pulsating synths, heavy vocal harmonies and fuzzy guitar. (It's the stoner-rock track of the EP, of sorts). 

Primary songwriter, Alex DeSimine (vox, guitar, keys), began writing music in his adolescence as a means of sorting out a jumbled mind. The band came to fruition when DeSimine moved in with bassist, Alex Tremitere and drummer, Tom Criblez, and elicited the help of Dylan Gleit (guitar, vox), who previously performed with Criblez and Tremitere, and TJ Alcala (keys, vox). The band's distinct vocal layers, with all five members signing live, added a new level of excitement to their live set. Facebook here.

There's some good psychedelic orientated or influenced music around currently and 'Help, I've Been Dreaming' leans in that direction. This song adds in some beautiful harmonies and a more sensitive musical arrangement, making it standout, and easily likable.


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Garbage - The Blow - MOON - Annie Hart - Emily Rockarts - Frankie Rose

Garbage - No Horses.

Background - Garbage yesterday released their new single "No Horses". All of the band's profits from sales and streaming of the single will be donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross through the end of 2018.

"'No Horses' is basically a dream fueled anxiety attack. A dark imagining of the future in which a presiding regime values only profit and success leaving no room for tiny beautiful things, small gestures and great beasts," shared Garbage singer Shirley Manson on the song. 

Earlier this month, Garbage released their autobiographical coffee table book, This Is The Noise That Keeps Me Awake via Akashic Books. The book includes never before seen photographs of the band as well as pieces written by each of the four band members. Throughout their upcoming tour, Garbage will be visiting a select number of indie record stores and bookstores across the country to sign copies of the book. A complete list of upcoming signings can be found below. 

Upcoming Garbage Book Signing Dates:
July 16 - Twist & Shout Records, Denver, CO
July 20 - Magers & Quinn Booksellers, Minneapolis, MN
July 23 - The Book Cellar, Chicago, IL
July 27 - Type Books, Toronto, ON
August 6 - Criminal Records, Atlanta, GA

Garbage kicked off their co-headline "Rage & Rapture Tour" with Blondie on July 5th in Saratoga, CA and will be touring the U.S. for the duration of the summer. Both bands along with an opening slot from Sky Ferreira played to a crowd of 17,000 fans this month, selling out LA's Hollywood Bowl. Support for additional Rage & Rapture tour dates will be provided by John Doe & Exene Cervenka followed by Deap Vally. A complete list of upcoming live dates can be found on Beehive Candy's tour news page. Band website here.

I have always been a bit of a Garbage music fan and the new single 'No Horses' both supports a worthy cause, and is one typically fine Garbage song, simple as that really.


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The Blow - Get Up.

Background - The Blow announces its new album, Brand New Abyss, with a Pledge Music campaign along with the album's amped up first single "Get Up". The album's out Sept. 22 and the band will also tour this Fall on a co-headlining run with kindred spirit EMA. The Pledge Music campaign has some pretty unique premiums, such as a Blow beach towel set, a Gold Lamé Crystal Stereo Pair and a "vibe chain" worn by Melissa during the making of the album (see a full list of premiums, including turquoise vinyl, here).

The Blow’s new album, Brand New Abyss, is a lightning rod. A wild assembly of frequencies produced out of a thrust of electroacoustic punk energy, the album is a search for a new sound of rebellion in an environment where the aesthetic of punk has been commodified into submission along with most everything else. Brand New Abyss was written and produced by The Blow (Melissa Dyne and Khaela Maricich) using a production rig that the duo painstakingly developed over the past four years; a mothership of patched-together modular synthesizers, ancient samplers and audio production gear.

Like wizards in a craggy laboratory, they worked in seclusion, teaching themselves to control the raw material of sound using basic elements of electronic synthesis. Their aim was to be able to channel frequency into new shapes that would be useful to them, like tools to break through the algorithmic limits they were growing bored of. Says Dyne, “After having worked heavily with a samples in the past we got to a place where we wanted to treat electronic sound more acoustically, like something more alive. We wanted to make waves that we could ride and play around in- newer waves.” Website here, Facebook here.

 'Get Up' is an adventurous taster for the September album release. The Blow mix intriguing and original musical sounds with some fabulous vocals, and arrive with something that just demands attention.


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MOON - Hang On.

Background - MOON is a Los Angeles based alt-rock band fronted by Chelsea Davis (vocals/drums), and Dan Silver (guitar/synth). Embracing genres from shoegaze, desert rock, folk and soul, they maintain a healthy electronic presence in their sound. With dreamy guitars, picturesque synth work, and a solid rock backbone, MOON wraps up a concoction of gritty beats with moody and symphonic arrangements.

Their first single “I Got A Fever”, mixed by Mark Needham at Ballroom Studio (Los Angeles), recently appeared on iTunes “Hot Tracks” charts, and synced to the complete TV show intro for USA’s new hit show ‘Colony’. MOON’s current single “We’re So Close” is currently trending at the on KROQ’s Locals Only, hosted by Kat Corbett, and several other stations. Recently MOON was awarded with BalconyTV Editor’s Choice Best Video of 2016 for their live performance of “I Got A Fever” on the rooftop of the W Hollywood.

Originally from the midwest, Dan aka Silver Sessions, produces rock & pop albums and remixes for independent and major artists. He is also a composer with numerous credits on tv, films, ads, trailers and more. He met band-mate, Chelsea, from Utah, during a collaborative studio writing session for a film. A formally trained percussionist/composer and touring instrumentalist, Chelsea brings a flavor of vocals that are reminiscent of Annie Lennox, Cat Power, and Bjork.

The moon is universal. It has an exceptional gravitational pull that we are all attracted to. The music of MOON provides a message to all humans, “we are the human race”. Website here, Facebook here.

Rhythmic and powerful 'Hang On' builds into a splendid song, with bursts of melodic beauty, alongside a slightly darker musical theme.

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Annie Hart - I Don't Want Your Love.

Background - Annie Hart of Au Revoir Simone shares new single "I Don't Want Your Love," debut solo album due July 28. Annie Hart is best known as one-third of Au Revoir Simone, the beloved all-female synth trio that counts David Lynch as a superfan (& also recently appeared on Twin Peaks). But with the eight tracks on her solo debut, Impossible Accomplice (Uninhabitable Mansions, July 28), Annie will emerge as an electrifying artist and producer in her own right. 

During the band's hiatus, she has been crafting pop songs on classic synthesizers, with a less-is-more approach, writing and engineering the record on her own in the basement of her Brooklyn home, sneaking sessions in while her children were sleeping.  Greatly influenced by the spare synthesizer sounds of Laurie Spiegel and the post-punk sensibility of artists like Tubeway Army, Annie has embraced her love of meticulously crafting the perfect tone to match the emotion of a song. "Be it melancholy, longing, happiness or simple desire, there is no better way to explain my innermost world than by going past words and into the intuitive and visceral feeling that a particular sound can evoke.”

In songs such as the first single, "Hard To Be Still" (featured on an upcoming episode of Netflix series, Gypsy, starring Naomi Watts), Annie cuts back the layers to reveal a rawer version of the dreamy synth pop her band was famous for forging. Solo, Annie has opened for artists such as M. Ward and Neko Case, and will be playing a handful of shows this summer in support of the new record. Website here, Facebook here.

A gently understated musical soundtrack with delicate synths that ebb & flow alongside the dreamy swirling vocals on 'I Don't Want Your Love'. It's one of those tracks that gently crept up on me, and by the end of the piece, I was totally engrossed.

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Emily Rockarts - Inventor.

Background - Toronto singer songwriter Emily Rockarts is set to release a music video for her new single “Inventor” that features beautiful and captivating stop motion animation created by fellow musician Matthew Bailey.  Rockarts drew inspiration from the great Leonardo Da Vinci. “He was an incredible artist, but also a brilliant scientist, who seemed to balance being a dreamer with being a realist.”

Rockarts can relate to the struggle of creating that balance. “This idea relates to my feelings about creating and innovation in art as well as any field: technology, medicine, engineering. All of our great art, inventions and buildings didn’t exist, until they did. Unless you take a chance and try to create something from nothing, you’ll never have the opportunity to see what is possible.”

On her upcoming 26 date Canadian tour, Rockarts and her band featuring Dan Rougeau (guitar), Soren Nissen (bass), and Ian Wright (drums) will continue to push boundaries with their live performances to make each performance a unique experience.  “I feel so lucky to have such accomplished musicians playing with me,” says Rockarts. “No two shows are the same, because of their uninhibited ability to reinterpret the music on a nightly basis. We're constantly reacting to each other.” Tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page, website here.

Beautiful vocals and a gentle piano background ensure 'Inventor' gets off to a notable start. Slowly building from there, the song grows in character and is just so full of charm.


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Frankie Rose - Trouble.

Background - After spending years as a major presence in Brooklyn’s thriving music scene, Frankie Rose relocated to her familial home of Los Angeles for 18 months with the intention of establishing yet another moment in her storied indie rock métier. Gradually, she found herself short on sleep, funds and optimism. "I moved to LA, drama ensued and I ended up on a catering truck. I was like, how can this be my life after being a touring musician and living off of music. I had really lost my way and I thought I was totally done."

Towards the end of her time spent in Los Angeles, Frankie reached out to Jorge Elbrecht (Tamaryn, Gang Gang Dance, Violens) and began sketching what became the basic outline of what felt like a new album. Then, rather fortuitously, Frankie ended up back in Brooklyn with the realization that "in the end, I’m on my own. I have to do these things on my own."

The months that ensued meant basically working with no budget and finding ways to record in-between days. This time enabled Frankie to experiment musically with a variety of people that ultimately changed the way she worked. "I got a lot of input from people like Dave Harrington (Darkside), who was helpful reconstructing the songs, adding dynamics and changing up the rhythms."

The result of this existential odyssey is Cage Tropical, Frankie’s 4th album. It is awash with vintage synths, painterly effects pedals, upside down atmosphere and reverberating vocals. It evokes a new wave paranormality of sorts that drifts beyond the songs themselves. "My references aren’t just music," says Frankie, "I love old sci-fi. They Live is one of my favorite movies ever, same with Suspiria. 80’s sci-fi movies with a John Carpenter soundtrack, with silly synths – that makes it into my file, to the point that I’ll write lyrics incorporating that kind of stuff. It’s in there."

"I feel like I am finally free from worrying about an outcome. I don’t care. I already lost everything. I already had the worst-case scenario. When that happens, you do become free. In the end, it’s about me rescuing myself via having this record." Website here, Facebook here.

'Trouble' is one of ten tracks on the forthcoming Cage Tropical album. It's typical of the quality of the new song collection, where creative ideas take the music in a variety of directions, and result in fresh and often vibrant hook laden tracks. Well worth checking out.


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Earth Girl Helen Brown - The Stevens - People Like You

Earth Girl Helen Brown - Flower Of Darkness.

Background - "Flower Of Darkness" is the new single from Earth Girl Helen Brown. The track will be featured on her forthcoming EP entitled 'Mars' out July 21st on Empty Cellar Records. 'Mars' follows EGHB's recently released EP 'Mercury'.

Empty Cellar Records and the Earth Girl Helen Brown Center for Planetary Intelligence Band are pleased to announce the summer instalment of the E.G.H.B.C.P.F.I.B. 2017 seasonal series, MARS. 

Featuring Heidi Alexander, Tahlia Harbour, Sonny Smith, James Finch Jr., Jamin Barton, Tim Presley, John Dwyer, Jack Name, Dave Siteck, Ty Segall, Dylan Hadley and Mikal Cronin. MARS marks a change in style and content and is concerned with the persistent topic of war. 

Available from Empty Cellar Records on limited edition 100% post-consumer recycled cassette tape 7/21, all proceeds benefit organisations committed to the cessation of violent conflict, the promotion of peace, and the dissolution of the military industrial complex. Website here.

'Flower Of Darkness' is a likable and perhaps, tiny bit quirky pop song. Whatever the description this has hooks that dig deep, making a few more plays irresistible.

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The Stevens - (Two Tracks) Chancer + Pulling All The Facts Together.

Background - Australian indie-pop group The Stevens (feat. members of Twerps) are back with their sophomore album 'Good' out July 14 via Chapter Music. ood picks up where their 2014 debut A History Of Hygiene left off - 18 short songs, alternately frenetic or laconic, packed with twists and hooks that merge lo-fi outsider songcraft with 70s prog wizardry and classic rock swagger.

The Stevens formed in 2011 around guitarists Alex Macfarlane (Twerps, Tyrannamen) and New Zealand-born Travis MacDonald, and were soon joined by bassist Gus Lord (Twerps, Boomgates, Tyrannamen) and drummer Matt Harkin. In 2012, Chapter Music re-issued the band’s self-released debut EP, six insanely catchy guitar pop songs in 13 minutes. Then in late 2014 Chapter released A History Of Hygiene. The album was written up by the likes of Pitchfork and The Guardian, reviewed by Austin Brown of Parquet Courts for Talkhouse, and played on BBC6.

The Stevens toured the US in 2015, playing Memphis’ legendary Gonerfest on the back of killer single "Thirsty Eye" (included as the final track on Good) and getting to support their hero R Stevie Moore. In Australia they have played with Wire, Parquet Courts, Real Estate and more.

The Stevens recorded Good in their own Melbourne bedrooms/jam rooms throughout 2016, and once again employed the services of New Zealand mastering engineer Tex Houston, veteran of a thousand Flying Nun releases, to give it a fuzzy polish. The tasteful sleeve is painted by the band’s own Travis MacDonald.

Alex and Gus from The Stevens have spent the last couple of years as the newest members of Twerps, with Alex drumming on their 2015 album Range Anxiety, and Gus joining on bass a short time later. Bandcamp here.

Two songs to share from today's album release from The Stevens, and we have 'Chancer' and 'Pulling All The Facts Together'. Putting together the two tracks helps show the diversity of sounds and styles on the new album, where indie pop and other shades of rock can be found.


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People Like You - Thumbnail.

Background - People Like You are set to release their sophomore album entitled Verse on July 28 via Topshelf Records. "'Thumbnail' is about being in a long-distance relationship," explains guitarist/vocalist Chris Lee-Rodriguez. "I used to say to my partner at the time that if you look far back enough you could measure the distance between each other with your thumbnail. No matter how hard it got, that  would always help me get through it."​

The five-piece Boston-based band, People Like You, formed in 2014 from the short-lived emo/math punk band, I Kill Giants, which included guitarist/vocalist Chris Lee-Rodriguez and drummer Sander Bryce. After the release of their first record, This is what you learned. on Broken World Media, People Like You expanded to include longtime collaborator and trumpet player Matt Hull, as well as vocalist/pianist Michi Tassey, and Animal Flag’s Sai Boddupalli on bass.

After several years of making a name for themselves in the small DIY house show circuit in the Northeast, the indie jazz outfit will release their sophomore album, Verse on Topshelf Records. Incorporating improvisation, classical guitar, breakbeats, a punk ethos, literary references, and beautiful pop melodies, People Like You has developed a sound that they can truly call their own. Verse will be released on July 28th, 2017. Facebook here.

One of my favourites so far this month is 'Thumbnail' a stylish, and impressive song, where the musicianship is high calibre and the vocals beautifully matched. Add in the catchy nature of this track and it's timeless feel, and for me People Like You are on for a real winner.

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Joseph Childress - Julia P.

Joseph Childress - Virginia Bound.

Background - "Virginia Bound" is the new single from the Self-Titled sophomore album by Joseph Childress. Joseph has shared intimate bills with many of folks top acts including Joanna Newsom, Kevin Morby, Little Wings, Devendra Banhart, Vetiver, Richard Buckner and Mount Eerie. His new LP will be out on October 6th of this year on Empty Cellar Records.

Presenting Joseph Childress’ second LP release, following his 2013 collection of home recorded demos, The Rebirths. The tracks on this self-titled album are borne from Joseph's adventures throughout the West: working on a cattle ranch in Wyoming, riding trains and living out of his car. His poignant lyrics about loneliness and the western landscape are right at home with a stronger country sound that defines itself on the record's opening track "My Land."

Singer-songwriter Joseph Childress started writing and playing music in the mountains of Teller County, Colorado when he was 14 years old. Five years later – inspired by Woody Guthrie’s autobiography Bound For Glory – he strapped his guitar to his back and hopped a freight train. Dubbed a “perennial vagabond” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Joseph traveled and toured for two years, hopping trains and living in a van. 

His wanderings were punctuated only so he could play music, work ranch on the plains of Niobrara County, Wyoming, and rest his head in San Francisco, where he eventually settled down. All the while, his self-released CDr, known to fans as “the Rebirths”, was inspiring devoted listeners around the country. Those recordings were re-mastered and released in 2013 on Empty Cellar Records. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'Virginia Bound' is a beautiful and timeless folk song, where Joseph Childress gorgeous vocals are accompanied by an equally refined musical arrangement, where each instrument seemingly has it's moment and does so with accomplished style..

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Julia P. - Waves On The Rock.

Background - Waves On The Rock is a merry jingle jangle sixties popsong that makes you long for the American West Coast. It is the second single from the Summer EP which was recently released. First single Big Beach did very well and was featured in the Apple US Hot Tracks, got picked up by radiostations from the US to New Zealand and landed on various Spotify Playlists. 

Julia P. Hersheimer first got noticed in 1991 with her Twin Peaks Forever cassette. Thereafter many albums, EP's and projects followed. She shared the stage with Paul Weller, toured with dEUS and Daryll-Ann amongst other bands, was featured on the internationally acclaimed Eurosonic Noorderslag showcase festival, famous Dutch festivals Crossing Border and Lowlands, and on Dutch national TV.

Accompanied by backing band The Hengles, her international sound reminisces artists like Sharon van Etten and Courtney Barnett. Waves On The Rock is released on 14 July 2017. Website here.

It's summer for some and a song like 'Waves On The Rock' is just right to capture some of the more uplifting moods we might associate with this season. Fab vocals and a musical arrangement that grows into something quite special, makes for a fine summer soundtrack.

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Lomelda - Keep Shelly in Athens - Beaches - Jess and the Bandits

Lomelda - Interstate Vision.

Background - Lomelda, who toured the UK earlier this year as support to Pinegrove, has released "Interstate Vision," the lead single from her upcoming album, Thx. Hannah Read, who performs under the moniker Lomelda, makes music that is textural and spacious. 

Her words are suggestive snapshots of loosely knitted observations, depicting quiet moments between friends and lovers and half-remembered celestial occurrences. In her songs, the memory of the past and glimpses of future stretch out on either side of you, and the present is unsteady and always shifting. 

f you were to ask Hannah Read what Lomelda means, you'd probably end up with some kind of non-answer and a new topic. It is a guarded secret reserved for those who really pry. It is a high school attempt at describing something vast and powerful yet uniquely quiet and complex. And it is ever-changing. Lomelda is about memory, intimacy, and the tragedies of distance. 

As a band, it has appeared in several forms over the years, but always, to Hannah, Lomelda has been about discovering friendship and connection. Close collaborators have become closer friends. And when you see Lomelda, when you hear it, it is apparent that Hannah cares deeply about the connection made with the people on stage, the connection with you. Facebook here.

The vocals are gentle, a little vulnerable perhaps and beautifully melodic, supported by some fresh, intricate and understated music. 'Interstate Vision' gives us a teaser for the forthcoming album, a remarkably good tease at that.


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Keep Shelly in Athens - Seattle.

Background - Keep Shelly In Athens shares new single, "Seattle". The ethereal and swirling sounds of the ambient-influenced pop of Greece's Keep Shelly in Athens captures the transient feelings of city life and the inevitable passing of time. With lush melodic beats and dreamy vocals Keep Shelly's production is an accessible and lighthearted entry into the world of down-tempo electronica.

With previous releases on labels including Forest Family Records, Transparent Records, Planet Mu, Cascine and Friends of Friends, the duo have already transported their whimsical arrangements and soothing productions across the globe, including performances at Coachella Festival, Parklife Festival, Brighton's The Great Escape Festival and Austin's Fun Fun Fun.

In addition to their own releases they have also done official remixes for Tycho (Ghostly International), Blood Diamonds (4AD), Steve Mason (Domino) and many more...

Their third LP, Philokalia, is coming out on September 29 2017 via their own record label Athenian Aura Recordings with the Aussie award-winning novelist/poet Jessica Bell as their new singer. Website here, Facebook here.

Just a month after the band shared 'Pioneer' ahead of the keenly awaited September album release, we now have another fine song entitled 'Seattle'. Rhythmic Lo-Fi electronica and beautiful melodic vocals again come together and create a very pleasing track.


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Beaches - Void.

Background - Iconic Australian psych rock quintet Beaches return with epic double LP Second Of Spring – Chapter Music’s first ever double album by a single artist. 

Beaches’ much-loved second album She Beats brought the band international acclaim in 2013. Featuring guest guitar by German motorik hero Michael Rother (Neu, Harmonia), the album earned raves from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Gorilla Vs Bear, Spin and elsewhere.

Now Second Of Spring takes Beaches even further out, to where the pyramid meets the eye – a vast, enveloping sonic landscape, filled with extended instrumentals, overdriven psych-outs and propulsive pop nuggets.

The double album was recorded in Melbourne with engineer/producer John Lee (Totally Mild, Lost Animal) and mastered by David Walker. Artwork is by the band‘s own Ali McCann, with design by renowned artist Darren Sylvester.

Beaches’ self-titled 2008 debut was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, and included in glossy coffee table book 100 Best Australian Albums. The band released a standalone 12” on New York label Mexican Summer in 2010. They have toured the US twice, playing SXSW and Austin Psych Fest, and shared stages with Roky Erickson, Deerhunter, The Cult, Thee Oh Sees, Lightning Bolt, Mogwai, Best Coast and more.

Already revered as sprawling, swirling psych overlords, Second Of Spring is Beaches’ undeniable magnum opus. Facebook here.

A keen blast of uptempo psych rock is delivered in the shape of 'Void'. Vocals and harmonies drift around deep in the mix and powerful guitars and a feisty rythmn drive the song forward with intensity and atmospheric vibes.

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Jess and the Bandits - Kings Of Summer.

Background - The new Jess and the Bandits album, Smoke & Mirrors is out September 15 2017. Jess & The Bandits proved with their critically acclaimed debut album, Here We Go Again, that they were a musical force to be reckoned with. Boasting a rock country sound delivered with raw and real grit and an infectious pop punch, the band have enjoyed the loyal support of BBC Radio and TV.

With lead vocalist Jess the happiest she has ever been, the writing process for upcoming album Smoke & Mirrors saw her in a very different frame of mind to those for the band’s debut. Having been swept off her feet by her Prince Charming, photographer Chris Peavey, Jess is radiating happiness following her engagement earlier this year. 

Jess & The Bandits have a busy summer of festivals ahead, and will also be heading out on a headline tour in September to coincide with the release of Smoke & Mirrors, which boasts the rock country edge of their debut while channelling a raw, real Gospel attitude.

Of Smoke & Mirrors, Jess says; “I am so excited about this album. I wanted to make sure that the sound grew and developed, Experimenting a little even. Gospel music is so close to my heart that I knew I needed to bring those elements into this new record. Smoke & Mirrors is a labour of love. A collection of songs that will take the listener on a journey.” Facebook here. Live dates on Beehive Candy's tour news page.   

'Kings Of Summer' is a bright country rocker, with Jess and The Bandits sounding as good as ever. The video contrasts with the pace, adding a dreamy retro feel, taking a stomping good song even further.


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