Andi - 68creep - Jessica Lynn - Autobahn - A Valley Son

Andi - Half Home.

Background from Andi - I’m really excited to be releasing my new single “Half Home”. It’s my first song since I released my debut EP Sketches last year and landed top 4 in the national CBC Searchlight competition. 

This song is about being young and in a transitionary stage of life. When I wrote the track I was alone on the road, floating from recording sessions to rehearsals, and crashing in my car between gigs. Writing this song helped me embrace living in a state of change.

I’m proud to be involved in all aspects of my music  - from the concept to creation to production. It allows me to express my singular vision without compromise. My music is inspired by a combination of influences ranging from pop to noise rock to R&B, all of which combine to form a sound that is truly representative of me. Website here, Facebook here.

'Half Home' is a vibrant, melodic indie pop song with just a little hint of indie rock along the way. Add in the reflective lyrics and this really is a notable track.

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68creep - Black Cat.

Background - It says a lot about an artist when those trying to catch their essence in a witty sound bite move from being concise and descriptive into the realm of high literary art. Any band that can be metaphorically described as sounding like “murder at midnight” and “beautiful melodies telling me terrible things” makes for a tantalising proposition. NYC’s 68creep are indeed that.

‘Black Cat’ is inspired by lack of love and the persistence of hope and humor, ringing through in lyrics like “I wanna make you mine. You lovely waste of time”.

The spirit of filmmaker and musician David Lynch seems to hover above everything the band does like a mercurial patron and spiritual advisor. “What would David do?” has even become the band mantra for swerving creative blocks, ensuring that the music brims with the same essence as one of his films.

68creep’s backstory even starts with a very Lynchian starting point, with John McRandle and Patrick Casey meeting at a New York City advertising agency, where they were marketing drugs designed to combat schizophrenia. The Kiss/Kill/Repeat label gave the band the backing and impetus they needed and very soon they were pushing their heavy, surreal, carny, creepcore to like-minded music fans.

Adding to 68creep’s intense sound is Colyn Hunt on bass and Kimberly Seewald on vocals. “Kim’s pretty soft-spoken; well, except when she laughs,” says Patrick Casey. “But once she opens her mouth to sing, she can pin you up against a wall.” She’s more than pure power though. “Kim’s got versatile skills. Our softer, more melodic, melancholy songs really show that off.” Website here, Facebook here.

Dark & moody music with dramatic rock vibes course through 'Black Cat' a song where the vocals and music are seemingly at odds with each other and yet still blend perfectly. Having heard a few more of their songs, they have plenty more imaginative material to share.

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Jessica Lynn - Look At Me That Way.

Background - New country-pop sensation Jessica Lynn is planning to come back to the UK soon after successful dates here this summer and she’s just unveiled the title track from her latest EP, ‘Look At Me That Way’.

In the last two years, the New York singer/songwriter has completed three highly successful nationwide tours of the United States and has seen her first two full length concert television specials, “This Much Fun – Live from the Winery at St. George,” and "Jessica Lynn - Takin' Over - Live from The Paramount " be met with rave reviews and seen by millions of viewers nationwide across America.

She has sung her country’s National Anthem twice in New York’s famed Madison Square Garden by special invite, signed a major publishing deal with publishing giant Round Hill Music that had her in Nashville writing with today’s top hit writers, and wrapped up three national summer tours sharing stages with Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Hank Williams Jr., The Band Perry, Thompson Square, Jake Owen, Sammy Kershaw, Clint Black, Montgomery Gentry, Phil Vassar and others. Website here, Facebook here.

'Look At Me That Way' is another beautiful country pop song. It's our second feature for Jessica Lynn and once again the musicianship is high calibre and her vocals melodic and refreshing.

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Autobahn - The Moral Crossing.

Background - Leeds post-punk quintet Autobahn return this week with the frenetic first single and title track of their upcoming second album, “The Moral Crossing”. The album will be released by Tough Love Records on a selection of physical formats – including CD, a red vinyl pressing for indie stores, 100 red vinyl pressing with a poster available exclusively through Bandcamp / Tough Love Records and, finally, a 100 grey vinyl pressing only available for their hometown through Leeds record stores. 

Following considerable attention around their debut album from the likes of The Guardian, Uncut, NME, Louder Than War and more, Autobahn’s second has seen lead singer and principal songwriter Craig Johnson, guitarists Michael Pedel and Gavin Cobb, bassist Daniel Sleight and drummer Liam Hilton deciding to giving up their practice room that doubled as a hardcore/punk venue (which influenced their original sound, as did a love of The Birthday Party) and build their own studio space – on their own terms, all on their own.

"The first album hinted at emotion and feeling, but this record encapsulates that from the offset. The melancholic aspect of our music is often offset by an aggressive dissonance, but to me there's also a romantic side to what we do, which isn't always clear because of the 100mph drive of the band. That's what we are exploring with this new album." - Craig Johnson

They found a former double-glazing firm, under a disused bridge, in Holbeck (Leeds’ red light district), and despite having no experience of such a job, they undertook this feat. It took a year from ripping out the existing contents to finishing the album – which was then mixed in New York by Ben Greenberg, known for his work with the Sacred Bones label.

On top, Johnson taught himself how to make a record after the studio was built. “I was down there nearly every night,” Johnson recalls. “It was pretty horrible at times, but worth the pain to have control over everything. We’ve had the chance to create the sound we want, at times it’s more melancholic, and romantic.” Autobahn will follow the release of their album with a full UK tour, dates are listed on Beehive candy's tour news page. Facebook here.

Energised post punk where the drums drive the tracks momentum, whilst the other musicians slowly build up to the pace. 'The Moral Crossing' has gritty and moody vocals that are superbly matched, this is one fine rocker.


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A Valley Son - Mad God 20/20.

Background - A Valley Son’s newest single “Mad God 20/20”, is the latest offering from their debut album But The World Moves, which is coming out on September 7th. 

But The World Moves is the follow-up to the bands' critically-acclaimed debut Sunset Park EP that came out in January. With three of the four members growing up in the South and eventually migrating to New York City, the songs are heavily influenced by the experiences gained after their arrival. The record attempts to reconcile the world of one's youth with the one we call home as adults, all while dealing with what it means for the people we become. The core question being, does anyone ever really get away?

These are not a collection of somber acoustic ruminations, but raucous songs that pull heavily from the Southern soul, rock and gospel tradition that each of the members grew up on. Just like with their captivating live performances, the band sets a tone from the first track that tries to transport the listener back and forth between the past and the present seamlessly, in the hopes that the line between memory and reality are blurred. Facebook here.

Alt rock with a little swagger 'Mad God 20/20' is our sixth song feature for A Valley Son, a band that just keeps on producing fabulous and timeless genre spanning music!

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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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