Carta - Granfalloon - Ben Catley - Port Cities

Carta - Madeira.

Background - Saint Marie Records is honored to release the fourth album from San Francisco Bay Area collective Carta. The evocativetitled The Sand Collector’s Dream is everything music should be in 2017—completely original and soaked in a despair that is both absolute and yet somehow uplifting.

Dreampop/ambient outfit Carta was born in 2002 as a bedroom recording project by Kyle Monday, Jason Perez, and a revolving cast of San Francisco musicians. The Sand Collector's Dream is their fourth record. An album of vast stylistic breadth, the band’s description of their sound as ‘paranoid inner-vacuum micro-dub and ruminative post-space hypno-drone’ still doesn’t convey it.

Just say it’s the missing link between Another Green World and Young Marble Giants. Songs of water & ghosts, what the band so eloquently refers to as 'the eternal internal struggle', they trace a journey from entanglement to solitude, from optimism to defeat.

Carta functions as a collective, trading off instruments, and even trading off vocals. Bassist Sacha Galvagna does most of the heavy lifting, but Kyle Monday and Jon DeRosa take lead on a couple of songs. Yet it’s the vocals of Odessa Chen, blending with the men in a series of duets, that steals the show. Their voices blend together like a Lee Hazlewood with more ‘haze’ and a Nancy Sinatra with more sin. Website here, Facebook here.

With the band describing their music as "paranoid inner-vacuum micro-dub and ruminative post-space hypno-drone" what else is there for me to add. 'Madeira'is the second of ten beautifully imaginative tracks, it's also just a glimpse of the whole piece, on this genre wandering magical album.

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Granfalloon - Down There For Dancing.

Background - Granfalloon is the musical moniker of Manchester based songwriter Richard Lomax. The debut album 'Down There For Dancing' will be released in September 2017 on new label The Dogan.

Granfalloon's use of lo-fi bedroom recording techniques point to a revelry in beautiful imperfection and a desire to create something very special. There is a real commitment to detail which involved patiently distilling the soundscapes until the elements of electronics, delicate acoustic guitar, and the mixture of lo-fi, folk & psych all fell into place.

It lovingly combines samples, synths, and the Omnichord (an electronic autoharp) as well as guitarist Dave Bertram’s liquid silver guitar sound over a mixture of 808 states and broken 8-bit beats. Website here, Facebook here.

'Down There For Dancing' comprises of eight very individual songs. Each one comes across as a labour of love, where attention to detail is very clear. The distinct and pleasing vocals add emotion & feeling, whilst the musical arrangements even when quite lo-fi, are a refined companion. A very impressive debut!

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Ben Catley - Strong Hands.

Background - After playing his heart out all over WA and supporting the likes of Ash Grunwald, Tijuana Cartel, Seth Sentry, Mat McHugh and OKA, Perth's Ben Catley is back with his first release in over 12 months, a most fitting AA side 'Strong Hands/Open Skies'. 

Recorded with Matt Gio (Birds of Tokyo, San Cisco, Illy) as a Jekyll and Hyde pairing of sorts, first single Strong Hands captures the frenetic guitar work and roots stomp that are always one of the highlight's of Ben's intense live shows. Originating as a challenge Ben gave himself of writing purely during shows, the piece naturally evolved across each sweat covered stage. 

Strong Hands is a mostly instrumental journey that hammers hard for two super energised minutes before ending sharply to the surprise of Ben screaming vocals into his acoustic guitar; a part of his performance he has become renowned for. “This is without a doubt my favourite song to play live. It's so much fun and I often end up extending it into a big six minute jam when people start jumping around to it.” 

Strong Hands/Open Skies will be launched beachside at El Grotto in Scarborough on Friday August 25th before Ben is straight off to the UK to play the Lindisfarne Festival (feat. The Fratellis, The View) and other dates around Europe, though will return for his busiest Oz Spring and Summer yet. Strong Hands/Open Skies is out August 23 via all good digital retailers. Website here, Facebook here.

'Strong Hands' has a robust roots beat that blends superbly with the electronica. This is an addictive, play loud piece, where the ending adds a wonderful twist.

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Port Cities - Where Have You Been.

Background - A port city is a place where cultures and histories collide, where goods and ideas are imported and absorbed into the local bloodstream. Not entirely un-coincidentally, Port Cities the band is the musical equivalent; a melting pot of three of Canada’s most creative individual talents, drawn together to make an entity even more outstanding as a group than as its constituent parts.

As with any form of musical collaboration, the magic occurs in the blending of one element with another, but unlike most groups, Port Cities never started out to be a band. Comprised of trio of celebrated Nova Scotian musicians Carleton Stone, Dylan Guthro and Breagh MacKinnon, Port Cities were drawn together through songwriting as independent artists, with every intention of crafting new material, and then going their separate ways. Yet that is not quite how it panned out.

Port Cities’ music is a perfect balance of Nashville (where much of it was recorded) and Nova Scotia (where the band reside); of the rustic and atmospheric, of indie intimacy and the sort of arena-pop anthems that betray Port Cities’ globe-trotting ambitions; 2017 sees the band embark upon their second cross-Canadian and European tours. Such ambition does not prevent moments of delicate musical insight though and new single “Where Have You Been” is seductive with oozing harmonies, intricate slide guitar and acoustic movements and contemplative lyrics. As Stone explains, “One thing we all seem to connect with lyrically is showing a less-than-perfect idea of love, and not being scared to talk about how everything is not great, or call out a lot of what normal, traditional love songs would be about.”

Double A-side “In The Dark” is an instantly engaging track that show’s off a minimal slight 80’s style sound with washes of affected guitar proving that the band can ‘come alive in the dark’ across varied sound palettes whilst retaining their grounding.

The first thing anyone observes when hearing Port Cities is that this band is tight. Seriously tight. Yet it begs the question; How to go about fusing divergent styles and experiences into such a singular rootsy Americana sound? From MacKinnon’s silky jazz-schooled timbre, allied to Gutho’s R&B influenced natural tendencies and Stone’s acoustic troubadour, the space in between the three is delightfully warm and resonant, yet entirely coherent across the course of their self-titled debut album expected early 2018. Website here, Facebook here.

Melodic and very catchy 'Where Have You Been' is another refined and foot stomping song that mixes pop sensibilities with some raw country vibes.

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Ryan Joseph Anderson - Belle Game - The Karpinka Brothers

Ryan Joseph Anderson - City of Vines.

Background - Chicago singer, songwriter and band leader Ryan Joseph Anderson has followed up his acclaimed 2014 debut, The Weaver’s Broom, with the stunning City of Vines, which has just been released on vinyl, CD and for digital download.

Ryan Joseph Anderson’s solo career began in April 2014 with the release of his debut album, The Weaver’s Broom. The album, engineered and co-produced by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hooray for the Riff Raff), was hailed as one of the best Americana records of the year. Songs from The Weaver’s Broom made "best of" lists at Daytrotter and Songpickr and were featured at Paste and Magnet. American Songwriter said that Anderson "evokes the open-tunings of Nick Drake as well as the barroom howl of Tom Waits." 

Before going solo, Anderson was known as the bandleader and songwriter for the beloved Chicago roots outfit Go Long Mule, as a guitar slinger for garage rockers Rambos, and as a producer, sessions man and sideman for numerous artists. His influences range from country blues to psychedelic rock and are on prominent display in his masterful guitar playing and songwriting. Anderson’s sophomore release City of Vines is out now. Website here.

The title track from the album 'City of Vines' is accompanied by a second album track 'Molly the Flood. Combined they give a good flavour & feel for this very fine new release, where Americana tunes both gentle & powerful are delivered to a very high standard.


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Belle Game - Low.

Background - Vancouver's Belle Game returned last Friday with a new single "Low". Belle Game are preparing to release their sophomore album Fear/Nothing on September 8th via Arts & Crafts.

Produced by Dave Hamelin (The Stills) and executive producer Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), the album is led by the powerful and hypnotic vocals of Andrea Lo. A ten-track-collection of lush compositions, 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.

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." Facebook here.

The sixth of ten tracks on the Fear/Nothing album is the new single 'Low'. This is a collection of tracks awash with imaginative ideas that broadly sit in the shoegaze & dream pop genres. Take 'Low' as an indicator and expect a whole lot more, I'm confident you will be happily surprised.


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The Karpinka Brothers - You Make It Look Easy.

Background - The Karpinka Brothers are excited to share the infectious new single, "You Make It Look Easy", from their upcoming full-length, Talk Is Cheap.  The inspiration for the track came from Shawn Karpinka's wife during a time of self-introspection, and "wondering about [his] place in the world." 

The Karpinka Brothers' new LP, Talk Is Cheap, feels like a call to arms. It finds a seemingly impossible balance of sincerity and positivity. When they sing lines like “Where would I be without music in my heart?” You not only believe them, you relate without a trace of irony. The brothers have a longstanding reputation of putting their money where their mouth is, finding a delicate balance between professional musicians and community volunteers. In addition to sharing the stage with influential artists like John K. Samson and Gordon Lightfoot, they’ve played dozens of concerts for residents of a local long-term care residence.

Produced and recorded by Grammy nominee Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Leonard Cohen, Vic Chestnutt) at his legendary Hotel2Tango in Montréal, Talk Is Cheap is the most realized and expansive Karpinka Brothers album to date. Their eloquent blend of timeless folk and 60s pop songs are complimented by an impressive list of contributing musicians including Mathieu Charbonneau (Timber Timbre) on piano and keys, Jamie Thompson (Unicorns/Islands) on drums and percussion, Sophie Trudeau (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) on violin, Joel Kerr (Sara Slean) on bass, and backing vocals by Krista Muir.

Following on from our first feature (last month) for The Karpinka Brothers we can now share 'You Make It Look Easy' which is another feisty folk rocker, where both the vocals and musical arrangement are crisp and refreshing. Having now heard a couple of tracks from 'Talk Is Cheap' it's looking very promising for the album.

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Sc Mira - Common Holly - Satellite Mode

Sc Mira - Mexico.

Background - ‘Mexico’ is the new single from the forthcoming ‘Keep Crawling’ EP. Sc Mira formed in 2013 when singer-songwriter Sadye Cage met lead guitarist Ty Vega and the duo began playing acoustic gigs in their home town of Winnipeg, Canada. However, coffee shops and open mic nights barely scratched their creative itch, and it wasn’t long before they found themselves enlisting additional musicians to play live and in the studio with them; and so their 2015 debut, 'Waiting Room Baby', was born. 

Produced by Vega and mixed by Montréal legend Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Basia Bulat), the critically auded six-song album found its way onto several best of year-end lists in Canada and was a record that,  according to Noisey, “will give you the bad feels in a good way.”

Now, two years after Sc Mira discovered their darkness, the band is back with a new collection of songs, beginning with the aptly titled 'Keep Crawling' EP, from which ‘Mexico’ is the first official single. Bright on the outside but ice cold within, the self-produced record is guided by an unlikely partner in mix engineer Ferro Montanino, a pop producer and composer with a knack for film work and a collaboration with EDM star Skrillex under his belt. Ferro’s knowledge of the electronic and pop world complements Sc Mira’s synth-driven indie rock sound, resulting in a fusion that places it in the modern day Death Pop lineage. Website here, Facebook here.

A deep bass and delicate synths are no match for the beautifully defined vocals as 'Mexico' begins to unfold. The music gradually builds in layers of refined sounds, adding more texture and charm to this fabulous song.

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Common Holly - If After All.

Background - Solitaire Recordings is extremely proud to announce the release of Common Holly’s incredible first single 'If After All' from the forthcoming album entitled Playing House. Born in New York and raised in Montreal, Common Holly (AKA Brigitte Naggar) puts unpredictable compositional elements into a singer-songwriter/folk framework, packaged in textured, eclectic electro-acoustic production. Her forthcoming album, Playing House, contemplates the notion that it is conscious thought and deliberate action that defines and cements maturation from child to adult.

‘If After All’ demonstrates Common Holly’s astonishing ability to structure and compose highly intelligent yet incredibly emotive songs. Beyond the compositional intricacy of each section, the real beauty and genius of the song can be found in how Naggar uses the meaning of the lyrics to mirror the structure of the music. Naggar sings about her difficulty moving forward from broken relationships, of attempting not to slip back into old vices but feeling hopelessly trapped in a cycle of failed recollection. She expresses a strong need to move forward, to progress and grow, a sentiment which is unmistakably mirrored in the way the music evolves within the track.

‘If After All’ consists of three distinct sections: First, a collage of playful and mechanic percussion fills, swirling guitar harmony and deliberate vocals. Each instrument is ostensibly independent of each other; yet, collectively, each part fits together to create an intentional musical illustration. The second section mellows into somewhat of a tempered Angel Olsen singing over a Godspeed You! Black Emperor string arrangement that slowly but brutally climbs towards its peak. It finds its climax in the third section, a Mitski (see: Your Best American Girl) or Radiohead (see: Paranoid Android) almost math rock finish.

At no other moment in the song does the parallel of lyric and structure become more evident than in the final seconds of the track. Despite the erratic sounds around her, Naggar remains calm, attempting to move forward but ultimately relapsing: “I will always forget, any way you spin it”. Website here, Facebook here.

'If After All' came our way by virtue of featuring another artist albeit from a very different genre, the sender making a calculated guess this might also appeal and it does! Perhaps it's because the track has a number of unique attributes, it does not sit in any specific genre and morphs through differing stages. Whatever, I like it a lot as I hope will you.


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Satellite Mode - Wild Excuses EP.

Background - New York City-based, indie pop/rock duo Satellite Mode share their debut EP, Wild Excuses, on all DSPs. Satellite Mode is the project of the classically trained duo  of vocalist, Jess Carvo and producer and instrumentalist Alex Marko. Facing the threat of never being able to sing again, Carvo found her voice after an emergency vocal surgery and delved into writing as a creative outlet. Soon meeting Marko, who had just gone through a breakup, the duo transformed hardship and strife into power and success, using their musical chemistry and formal training as a vehicle for expressive and creation. 

The band independently released single, "Wild Excuses,"  via Noisey, landing a spot on Spotify's coveted Weekly Buzz playlist, gaining over one million streams on Spotify to date. The track holds the namesake and is the opening track for their forthcoming 6- track EP. Satellite Mode has supported a variety of live acts including Great Good Fine Ok, The Night Game and Flor. The duo shared their lead single, "Bad Woman," via BlackBook, who describe the track as "a statement of defiant self-possession set against a potent musical backdrop of contemporary rock & roll cabaret – with its fuzzed out synths and ominous strut of a groove."

Wild Excuses, the first full collection of works released by the duo, includes previously released (and beloved) tracks such as "Fair," "Aphrodite" and "Warm Fire Lightning," and unheard new material. Lead single, "Bad Woman," highlights the duo's expressive dynamic musicality, beginning with Carvo's soft croon, slowly escalating to an explosion of glitchy electronics, shimmering keys, blissed out guitar and anthemic vocals. The duo's second single, a cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game," presents a reinterpretation of the classic rockabilly track with dreamy layers of sound, passionate vocals and constant crescendo to a sonic climax. "Warm Fire Lightning" was mastered by Alex DeTurk (DIIV, TEEN, The Knocks) at Strange Weather in Brooklyn. Wild Excuses was mixed by Damian Press. Website here, Facebook here.

The 'Wild Excuses EP' has already received plenty of listens via Soundcloud excepting 'Bad Woman' & 'Wicked Game'. Now that might not be the case on other digital platforms, however unless you want to volunteer to be an unpaid researcher & check all of that out, I'm happy to let that be my excuse for an additional feature on Beehive Candy.

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Smoke Rings - Majken - Ian Randall Thornton - The Max Tribe

Smoke Rings - Happiness.

Background - Yearning for a slice of 'Happiness' Melbourne five piece Smoke Rings plug-in with a bittersweet new single from their double A side 7" Go To Hell and a string of live dates. 

Strengthening their penchant for writing incredibly well constructed melodies, 'Happiness' sees the band once again pay homage to 90s brit-pop in three minutes and thirty three seconds of clever instrumentation and cavalier lyrics. Recorded with producer extraordinaire Malcolm Besley (City Calm Down, The Creases), the band take a sonic leap forward from their debut self titled offering while retaining their signature melancholy. 

Pricking ears with 2016 single 'Rose Coloured Glasses' from their debut EP, Smoke Rings achieved spins and praise from triple j's Richard Kingsmill and Dom Alessio. With an add to triple j's sister station Double J and love from key community radio stations nationwide, they've been solidifying a strong national profile and will head out on the road later this month. No strangers to sticky stage floors and eager crowds, Smoke Rings have impressed on bills alongside Northeast Party House, Moses Gunn Collective, Green Buzzard, Jarrow and Good Boy. Smoke Rings will surface 'Happiness' on the live stage when the band support Siamese in Adelaide and formidable electric lady Ali Barter in September/October. Website here, Facebook here.

'Happiness' is an expansive indie rocker, that does as mentioned above, have some 90's Brit-pop vibes running through it. What's more the band have their own distinct sound and an ear for some fine, catchy material.

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Majken - Here And Now.

Background - LA-based, Nordic indie pop artist Majken will release her debut album, Dancing Mountains, this month on August 25, 2017. Last week, Majken shared her third single and video, "Here and Now." 

Majken wrote and recorded Dancing Mountains on a journey between gritty Los Angeles, romantic Paris and the simple, laid back feel of the Nordic Fjord, where she spent her childhood. Influenced by experimental rock legends such as The Velvet Underground and the sensibilities of master songwriters like Leonard Cohen, Majken creates experimental pop with accessible themes and song structure. Her collection of dreamy songs contain raw, emotive lyrics, cushioned by indie beach rock and a vintage Europop vibe. She's inspired by wild nature, breakfast in bed, the various cities she's visited and called home and the people in those places.

Dancing Mountains reflects on vivid dreams, fond memories and restless nights. Majken's sultry vocal melodies, intoxicating layers of sound and surf rock guitar come together to create an ideal soundtrack for a summer daydream. Album track "Everything's Wild" encapsulates this feeling, inspired by floating wild in a bizarre dream state - not alive and not awake. "A Little More Time," produced by Cody Crump, is about a hazy heartbreak while "Fainted Love" reflects on a summer fling, through rose colored glasses and introspection. All songs were written by Majken, with the majority produced in collaboration with Jesse Nolan and Maxime Sokolinski. "You And I" was produced by Fingazz. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured Majken back in June & it's a pleasure to be able to share 'Here And Now.' This is a much gentler piece where atmospheric music and vocals hold down a simmering tension that slowly unleashes as the song develops.


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Ian Randall Thornton - See You Through.

Background - “See You Through” is the third and final single from Ian Randall Thornton's gorgeous debut album Lineage, which is coming out August 25th. Thornton wrote the song on a Swiss train a few years back, halfway through an extensive house show tour across Europe. The train went through a mountain, and when it emerged, Thornton was overtaken by one of the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen - vineyards stretching for miles, sloping down to the crystal clear waters of Lake Geneva that stretched out towards the Swiss and Italian Alps in the distance. It was the sort of sight that takes over all of your senses, causing your entire body to vibrate with adrenaline. 

At the time, Thornton was in the middle of writing his debut album Lineage, a brilliant conceptual album about family and heritage, while spending much of his travel time meditating on the concept. Each song on his new album flows from one to the next like movements in a symphony, ideas weaving incandescently throughout. Sparks of world influence and folk traditions light up different tracks, such as the African influences heard in the fretless banjo dancing through “Philadelphia,” and distinctly Appalachian influences mixed with sounds of hope and history in “Dance Upon the Tables.” With “See You Through,” an ode written from a father to his daughter, the album comes to a crescendo of three part harmonies and a unique combination of Asian and Appalachian melodic influences.

Ian Randall Thornton’s sound resides in a delicate balance between Americana, timeless folk, and progressive post-rock. His sound provides a unique tension, the balance of remembering the past and hoping unabashedly for the future. One could see Lineage as a soundtrack to the film of Thornton’s life experiences, carrying secrets of friendship, made from family and for family. Its concept carries a definitive story of the golden threads of family history. In this Thornton finds purpose, writing odes to generations past, with songs such as “See You Through” serving as a guidepost for generations to come. 

The chance to share another track from the imminent album release is something I am more than pleased to do. 'See You Through' is the third & final single from 'Lineage' this time showcasing the Americana side of this very fine album. Highly recommended.

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The Max Tribe - Yellow Pages.

Background - The Max Tribe share their new single "Yellow Pages," the track comes off of the band's forthcoming album Retrofit, to be released on August 18th, 2017. 

The Tribe was born in 2013 when Nashville native Austin Max (Guitar/Vox) united with Northern Virginia Native Conner Kessler (Drums) at music school in Boston. For a year they developed a psych sound playing around New England. Their Debut Single, “Tape Machine” was featured on Sound of Boston as one of the top 5 releases of 2015. 

Max, Kessler linked up with Noah Lubert (Keys/Vox) and Rafael Minerbo (Bass) in 2016. Noah and Rafa contributed to form the intertwined charisma that became the group's signature Psych sound. Over the course of 15 months, the Tribe wrote and Recorded their Debut LP Retrofit at 1867 studios due August 2017. In January of 17, they embarked on a Winter tour covering the North and Southeast. They are currently gearing up for their LP Release and summer tour of the record. 

Together, the Tribe creates a unique blend of psych rock with influences stemming from The White Stripes, The Beatles, The Doors, The Black Keys, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, and Cage The Elephant. The Tribe have kicked off their East Coast tour, dates available on Beehive Candy's tour news page, website here, Facebook here.

A stylish arrangement slowly unfolds alongside some very natural and engaging rock edged vocals. 'Yellow Pages' is a fabulous psych rocker, which occasionally lets the power organically build, suggesting the band might blast some mighty riffs anytime they choose.


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FAERS - Joey Sweeney & The Neon Grease - Prawn - Lunar Hand - Me for Queen - Freedom Baby

FAERS - Last Of Our Kind.

Background - FAERS’ latest single ‘Last Of Our Kind’ is a rousing reflection on the state of modern guitar music, an allegorical love story, and a clear nod to their childhood heroes The Maccabees. Written during a songwriting retreat to the welsh countryside, and recorded in Gothenburg with producer Anders Lagersford, ‘Last Of Our Kind’ is a shimmering example of the bold and brazen songwriting that inspires youngsters to pick up guitars and form bands in the first place. Steven Anderson-Howard’s rich vocals are bolstered by intensely atmospheric and colourful production as the song effortlessly mounts to a heady climax. ‘Last Of Our Kind’ is the sort of song that leaves a lasting impression in the hearts, minds, and ears of listeners long after it’s finished. It’s a clear and powerful indicator that there’s still life left in that old dog we call rock and roll.

FAERS’ singer Steven Anderson-Howard met his future bandmates at his popular weekly indie night Club Yuck in Uxbridge in early 2015. Named after his label, the event showcases groups he’s signed alongside guest DJ slots from established bands. A bond quickly formed between the London five-piece and they released their debut EP ‘Waves’ in October that year. Before long they were selling out shows in London and Brighton and netting support slots with Jaws, Native People and The Cribs. Having sold out Barfly, The Borderline, and single launches at The Water Rats and The Lexington, alongside appearances at the Y Not, Penn and Camden Rocks festivals, FAERS are rapidly growing a loyal fanbase thanks to their intriguing melange of afrobeat and psychedelic indie. 

Staunch radio support has come from John Kennedy at Radio X and Gary Crowley on BBC Introducing. Throughout the coming year FAERS’ fanbase will undoubtedly grow. Their raw, visceral sound and effortless songwriting is channelled through their electrifying chemistry when they perform together. With a host of new material that will showcase new frontiers for the group, FAERS may well prove to be one of the most vital acts in the capital, and by extension, the nation. Facebook here.

FAERS serve up some refined alt rock with the new song 'Last Of Our Kind'. Energised and passionate both musically & vocally, this is a notable song.

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Joey Sweeney & The Neon Grease - Black Ice (feat. Renée LoBue).

Background -  “Black Ice” is the second new single from Joey Sweeney & The Neon Grease’s forthcoming project. Joey Sweeney is a long-established fixture of the Philadelphia songwriting scene dating back to the early 90’s, having previously fronted the influential Philly bands The Trouble With Sweeney and The Barnabys. “Black Ice” follows their rollicking debut lead single “Baptized In Vibe”, and is one of the first songs Sweeney wrote for the new project after taking an extended hiatus from performing and songwriting after the dissolution of his previous projects.

“Black Ice" feels like a narrative or storytelling song about the tropes of the latent menace of the suburbs, and features spooky 12-string guitar, vaguely influenced by goth mystery love songs from the late 1980s — stuff like "Under The Milky Way" by the Church or "All In My Mind" by Love & Rockets. It also features back-up vocals from Renée LoBue, the singer from Elk City, who Joey met when back in his Trouble With Sweeney days.

Sweeney's new songs draw inspiration from sources as disparate as 1970s Philly nightlife folklore and Denis Johnson’s The Incognito Lounge. In their new songs, chiming guitars, classic rock sax solos and rainy bedroom Velvet Underground listening sessions all blend together. In these songs are little stories of triumph over dirty circumstance and grace under pressure, with the friendship of an urban family “street band” woven throughout. His songs and records have received widespread critical acclaim. A jack of all literary trades, he's also the publisher of Philly-centric blog Philebrity, co-curator of the literary fest The 215 Festival, and a creative director at Quaker City Mercantile. Facebook here.

'Black Ice' is a hook filled rocker where the musical arrangement is striking and the vocals flow smoothly above adding to the melodic feel.

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Prawn - North Lynx.

Background - On September 22, Ridgewood, NJ's Prawn will release their new album entitled Run via Topshelf Records. Prawn’s magnetism has always come from the textures they produce. Drawing as much influence from post-rock and punk as the emo world they’re often written in to, the Ridgewood quartet have released two full-length albums, two EPs, and three splits since their 2008 formation - and make their return this year with a new record, Run, which is released this September on Topshelf Records.

Recorded in the space of just two weeks this March at The Barber Shop Studios, a lake-front old stone church in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, but written over the course of two painstaking years, the new album sees the band expand upon those aforementioned influences, carving out a dark but wildly immediate collection of songs that sits as their most formidable work to-date.

“A lot of what came out was the sheer difficulty of truly relating to one another,” Tony Clark says of the records thematic poise. “I felt like everywhere I looked at relationships in my life, there was some feelings of alienation and isolation. I tried to go further than my personal relationships and analyze how I was relating to ideas or communities I partake in.”

A significant release on its own terms, let alone as a building block to wherever this band might take themselves, Run is the sound of a band truly finding comfort in their surroundings and channelling it in to the most focused and exhilarating work of their life. Live Dates are over on Beehive Candy's tour news page, Facebook here.

The gentle intro on 'North Lynx' soon explodes into some fine alt rock music, the vocals have some fine rock'n'roll edge to them and a funky bass line adds a little more muscle to the track.

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Lunar Hand - Smoke and Chandeliers.

Background - SoCal garage psych trio Lunar Hand exhibit a musical maturity that belies their young age, exhibiting the same kind of smart and streamlined chops that pulled other high school bands like Arctic Monkeys from the depths of obscurity to international awareness.

Band spearhead Junior Reed began writing original songs at age 15, an endeavor which synchronistically coincided with his father’s first foray into recording music. “He had just set up some recording gear so it was good timing” Junior asserts, referring to his dad’s Northern San Diego-based studio. “I’d give him material and he was eager to record and experiment with it.” Around the same time Junior and his father began hashing things out in the lab, the young songwriter found kindred musical spirits in bassist Derulo Boulet and drummer Christian Ruth, whom he connected with in his high school jazz band. They quickly formed the rock trio Voltage Control and began playing out, exciting the local scene with their streamlined blend of amped up rock with vintage pop appeal.

After extensively touring the West Coast, the band returned to the studio to officially record their debut. Things had shifted, influences had expanded, and while they remained a tight musical unit with a cohesive vision, Junior felt a new name was in order - one that properly represented the sound they had carved out on the road and reflected the more melodic psych elements they had touched on. Now operating under the banner of Lunar Hand, the trio is gearing up to release their new EP, Magic Hour, is due out September 15th on Desert Coast Records. Website here.

Some potent riffs open up 'Smoke and Chandeliers', a thunderous psych rocker that's packs that extra layer of energy that rock trio's are more capable of offering up.

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Me for Queen - Jessica.

Background - Critically-acclaimed soul-folk artist Me for Queen (aka Mary Erskine) will release her new single ‘Jessica’ on August 19th. This is the first song Mary has written and recorded on the guitar. It is “a vulnerable song about vulnerability” as well as a reflection on the role of art and that of the artist. The intricacy and elegance of Me For Queen’s songwriting and delivery has prompted comparisons to Regina Spektor, Alessi’s Ark and Carole King, with a slight touch of Kate Bush and Laura J Martin.

Mary has already garnered support from prolific songwriter Gretchen Peters, as well as Tom Robinson at BBC Radio 6 Music. The Edinburgh Metro described her as “blessed with a profound skill in the art of songwriting”, and she was also featured in The Guardian in 2014, who highlighted her “beautiful, soaring vocals”. 

Years of classical training together with a Blues guitarist for a father make for an interesting mix of Soul and Folk. While Me For Queen’s piano-based songs inevitably draw obvious comparisons to Regina Spektor and Laura Marling, Mary cites Judee Sill & This is the Kit as a few of her favourites and says Me For Queen is “a sort of sketchpad for whatever’s happening in my head. I just try to write songs that talk to people.”

Her last single, Slow Train, from her EP “Who I Am and What I’m For” (released in February) was included in Tom Robinson’s personal top 5 Fresh Faves on BBC6’s Fresh on the Net and was also single of the week on the Janice Forsyth BBC Scotland Culture show. 

This August will see Mary head out on tour for the 4th time in one year. Having supported Lewis & Leigh and Bryde on their respective UK tours, she is looking forward to her first headline tour, which will also include some co-headline dates with Emily Maguire. Live Dates are over on Beehive Candy's tour news page, website here, Facebook here.

'Jessica' is a beautiful, personal & intimate song, that's wrapped in a delightfully breezy acoustic arrangement. Instantly captivating, no wonder the attention Me for Queen is starting to gain.

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Freedom Baby - Video Daydream.

Background from the duo - Freedom Baby is a boyfriend-girlfriend duo. We met at a local show that we both performed at back in 2013. We fell in love with each other's record collections and then with each other. In 2016 we decided to try making records together. 

It was after a while of experimenting with electronic sounds and orchestral elements we came up with “Video Daydream”. We arranged the song with a Snakes & Ladder game board as our blueprint. Each melody and instrument snakes and climbs from one place to another and each time you play something new is going to reveal itself.  

We recorded “Video Daydream” in the spring of 2017 in Eric’s apartment along with a handful of other songs (which will be released early fall on our debut EP). The combination of Brianna’s voice paired with Eric’s arrangements creates a dreamy and melancholic experience. Facebook here.

'Video Daydream' is a sweet sounding chamber pop song, that is very catchy. The gently building musical layers add further vibrancy to a melodic & very imaginative piece.

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