Gasoline Lollipops - Peter Kernel

Gasoline Lollipops - Montreal.

Background - Gasoline Lollipops is a Colorado band that combines the sincerity of dirt-floor folk with the energy and rebelliousness of punk. It's an all-new incarnation of alt-country that’s both high-energy and heartfelt, like the American highway's soundtrack. This year marked the release of the GasPops' debut full-length album, Resurrection, and the band’s first-ever vinyl release Soul Mine.

Colorado Daily readers voted Gasoline Lollipops "Best Local Musician/Group" for 2017, and in 2016, Denver Westword named Gasoline Lollipops Color ado's Best Country Artist. 2014 and 2015 brought multiple awards and accolades to the Gasoline Lollipops. 

These included being selected to play six showcases in Austin during SXSW 2014; getting voted "Best Local Musician/Group" in the Colorado Daily's 2014 and 2015 polls; being selected as one of only six bands across Colorado for the highly coveted SpokesBUZZ Emerging Artists Incubator program; and winning the Oskar Blues Battle of the Bands in 2015. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Having featured Gasoline Lollipops twice towards the end of last year, the recently released single 'Montreal' seems to be a good way to round off matters, in connection with their recent Soul Mine album. The ten song album is a virtual melting pot of Americana styles from alt rock to outlaw country, and with 'Montreal' we have a slower and more gentle folk vibe, all with the natural and very individual Gasoline Lollipops sound.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peter Kernel - There's Nothing Like you.

Background - Peter Kernel is a Swiss Canadian post punk band formed in 2006 by graphic designer Aris Bassetti (Swiss) and filmmaker Barbara Lehnhoff (Canadian). The two met in visual communications school in Switzerland and quickly launched the band and their own label On The Camper Records. Throughout the years they have been well noted for their clever and witty humour in communication and DIY approach.

In 2008 they were invited by Spencer Krug from the Canadian band Wolf Parade to open their UK and European tour. With the release of their 2nd album 'White Death & Black Heart' in collaboration with French label Africantape the band received a particularly warm welcome in France, launching Peter Kernel straight into the heart of the European musical scene.

In the past years Peter Kernel have played over 600 concerts across Europe and Canada, in a variety of different venues and festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival, the fashion week in Milan, Paleo Festival, The HMV Forum in London, Les Rockomotives Festival in France, The Great Escape in the UK, and in 2018 will be on stage at Eurosonic in NL.

In 2016 they were nominated for the Swiss Music Grand Prix. The same year they scored the music for the film 'Il Nido', by the Swiss Peruvian film director Klaudia Reynicke. The film was world premiered at Locarno International Film Festival 2016. In 2017 they were nominated as Best Live Act at the Swiss Live Talents. The same year they started an orchestral version of the band called Peter Kernel & Their Wicked Orchestra, rearranging their songs for piano, harp, cello, harmonium and viola. On March 7th 2018 they will release their 4th Album entitled 'The Size Of The Night'. BANDCAMP, WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The first single from the forthcoming album is 'There's Nothing Like you' and it's a gorgeous blast of post punk imagination. Vocals and music compete for attention with both elements having their moments in this addictive track.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Port Cities - Black Mamba

Port Cities - On the Nights You Stay Home.

Background - 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; 2018 sees the band embark upon their second cross European tour, including a timely stint here in the UK, where their following is building up nicely off the back of 2017's visit, and the hugely successful #PostcardsFromPortCities series of videos.

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.

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 Guthro’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, due for imminent release in 2018. FACEBOOK.

UK tour dates:
25th March: Manchester Castle – tickets here.
26th March: Glasgow King Tuts – tickets here.
27th March: London Slaughtered Lamb – tickets here. 
29th March: Bath Chapel Arts Centre – tickets here.

We featured Port Cities last August and a number of forthcoming UK tour dates seems as good excuse as any to share another song from the band, such as 'On The Nights You Stay At Home'. Filmed on the Brighton waterfront while at The Great Escape last year, it's another refined indie pop song with good old hints of Americana and a fine level of buoyant energy.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black Mamba - Loop.

Background - Black Mamba is a female fronted Rock trio from Viterbo (Centre of Italy). Coming from different musical backgrounds, the band has developed on stage an high-voltage, extremely technical and eye-catchy show. 

Black Mamba has over one hundred and fifty performances under her belt and has shared the stage with some international acts, for example, Blaze Bayley (Ex. Iron Maiden Singer), John Macaluso, Carl Palmer, Braido and more. The band: Irma Mirtilla (Guitar and Vocals), Cecilia Nappo (Bass), Federico Maragoni (Drums) is endorsed by Vater Drumsticks, Mezzabarba/Masotti Guitar Heads, ATS Bass Heads, IQS Bass/Guitar strings.

Heritage the new album is ten characters, ten songs flowing through the river of experience. All of us are carrying something like an indelible heritage. Sometimes these experiences are bad, and the only solution is to scream and throw them out like a swarm of butterflies coming out from the stomach. We can represent instrumentally the album and how the Black Mamba conceive their concept of the band, as two large gears formed by bass and drums that rotate and run tirelessly with syncopated rhythmic joints that put the listener's feet well glued down to the ground while the world around is collapsing.

The guitar arrangements will stick you in the real world while a tornado is disheveling the landscape in the distance. The vocal parts are like a mermaid singing while all these things happen and the concept of this album is burned into listener's skin. Bass, guitar, and drums solos color this painting and enrich the tension and resolution music effect of the entire album of the Italian female-fronted trio. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Loop' is taken from the bands 'Heritage' album released a couple of weeks back. It's a fair representation of the album where full on rock is the norm and even on the odd occasion when the band reduce the pace, the levels of energy and dynamic presence is retained. Uncompromising rock & roll delivered with the potent power, rock trio's are renowned for.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Libertino Records - ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1 (Compilation Album)

Libertino Records - ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1.

Background from Wale's Libertino Records - ‘Into Space and Never Back’ Libertino MIX 1. This is a celebration of the first eight months of Libertino's releases. What a gloriously, head-spinning roller coaster journey it has been so far; and this is only the beginning. 

Holding steadfastly to our ethos of inclusiveness and community grass roots support for emerging artists, our releases have demonstrated a bravely eclectic streak from indie death disco to psychedelic folk and post punk feminist anthems.  

This compilation also includes taster songs from artists with whom the label will be working in 2018. ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1 is our way of saying thanks for all the support that Libertino's artists have received this year. All songs are free downloads. Turn up loud and lose yourself in the colours and sounds of our world.

Until 2018, thank you and diolch. Love from Libertino x

‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1Dyma ddathliad o ganeuon a ryddhawyd yn ystod wyth mis cyntaf Libertino.  Mae eleni wedi bod yn siwrnai llawn antur i'r label; a dim ond megis dechrau ydy hyn. Gan ddal yn dynn yn ein ethos gynhwysol a chymorth cymunedol gwerin gwlad ar gyfer artistiaid sy'n ymgodi, mae'n cynnyrch yn arddangos croesdoriad eclectig o indie death disco i ganu gwerin seicedelig ac anthemau ffeministaidd ol pync. Mae'r casgliad hefyd yn cynnwys caneuon blasu gan artistiad y bydd y label yn gweithio gyda hwy yn 2018. Ffordd Libertino o ddweud diolch i bawb a gefnogodd artistiad y label eleni yw ryddhau ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1. Gellir lawr lwytho'r caneuon yn rhad ac am ddim. Trowch y sain i fyny ac ymgollwch yn lliwiau a seiniau'n byd ni. Tan flwyddyn nesaf, diolch mawr. Cariad o Libertino x WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

1.     Adwaith - Lipstick Coch
2.     Los Blancos - Datgysylltu
3.     Names -  Limb by Limb
4.     Flöat - Vapitidty
5.     Hotel Del Salto - Yellow Rose
6.     ARGRPH - Llosgi Me
7.     Phalcons - Idle Ways
8.     Jaffro - Rhyfin Di-Dda
9.     Papur Wal - Anghofio Dy Hun (ar Fora Dydd Llun)
10.   La Forme - Birds In An Avery
11.   The Tates - Water
12.   ilu - Mewn Fydd

‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1' or if like me, your grasp of the Welsh language is somewhat lacking '‘Into Space and Never Back’ Libertino MIX 1' is a compilation album from independent record label Libertino who launched in 2017. Adwaith, ARGRPH and The Tates have already been featured on Beehive Candy and are joined now by another nine fine & promising bands / artists, some of which will hopefully make further appearances here in the year to come. In the meantime dip into and enjoy this exciting and varied collection of songs.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrew Reed - Stephen Michael Murphy

Andrew Reed - If All the World Were Right.

Background - Auspiciously due on 1.1.2018, with "If All the World Were Right" there is a shot of positivity in the world. There is nothing really being sold here except an atmosphere to "believe in yourself" and "embrace your own greatness" with heavy doses of humility thrown in thanks to our struggles through dense matter. This concept album is of a journey...a journey of a Prodigal, who has to return home after being defeated by life and the world... Humility fills the album.

The new album, Andrew says, is "about my journey, but I don't think it is unique to me at all. Most of us go through really tough patches during our lives. So much of it has to do with our thinking and the emotions that result from our thinking. We are constantly thinking about how to interpret or reconcile our lives... but we have a choice in how we experience the world! And all it takes to improve things is to change your thinking or perception of things. Once I got ahold of that idea many years ago, Bam! My life changed! We tend to become what we think about...and it is about that simple. So I started to think positively, about all the options there are...and how I could see others in a more loving way...without judgment or without the need to call them "right or wrong"...but just accept everyone as they are...and trust in Life."

Andrew Reed's music is for seekers. He is a reclusive artist and creative figure whose reflective ideas expressed in music, film and spoken/written word platforms. He cannot be bought or sold. Never afraid of challenging popular opinion, detesting celebrity culture and non-value-adding commercialism that preys on the masses, he always seeks to “make better.” He is an outspoken voice for art and ideas.

Andrew is a recording artist and Executive Producer/CEO of Artists International Media and Financial Companies (AI) and Multi-View Incorporated (MVI). He is a creative known for different things to different people. As a songwriter, his works have been recorded by artists in the United States and abroad. He is a principal of these artistic/entertainment and healthcare-related entities by virtue of a twist of fate in the music business.

The most fitting genre description for Andrew’s music is “Introspective Rock/Acoustic” where the rich inner world of experience is explored. As cited in the liner notes of Search for Significance. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The title track from the album 'If All the World Were Right' is one of thirteen songs, well make that twelve the final piece is a beautiful poem accompanied by some refined music. The featured song provides a fine impression of this gorgeous collection of material, that conveys a positive vibe throughout, even with the occasionally more sensitive song. What a grand release to greet the new year with!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stephen Michael Murphy - Root Down Low.

Background - "Root Down Low", the title track from the RDL CD featuring Curtis Clark on lead vocals.  The actual recording of the 15 Root Down Low original tunes was accomplished on a worldwide level in a unique manner. 

Hundreds of tracks were played and recorded by gifted musicians from across the globe. Truly, a project without borders. The music did the communicating.

"We were heading for the hills of Ecuador when I got that familiar call from mission control to create something new". Many moons later the 15 song album entitled “Root Down Low” came to be.

I received enthusiastic aid on this project from a number of fine young musicians starting with Curtis Clark who laid down an inspired lead vocal here on the title cut. Ezzy Mourao from Lisbon, Portugal did the way cool art work on CD cover and this lyric video. WEBSITE.

'Root Down Low' is a fabulous mixture of soulful vocals and a rich musical landscape with hints of reggae, blues and more all arranged with refinement. A fantastic teaser for the new album...


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DateMonthYear - Dirty Fences

DateMonthYear - March.

Background -  New Zealand outfit DateMonthYear has announced their forthcoming single 'March' on the trail of their well received single 'Numbers', released earlier in 2017. On both of these releases, the band tastefully combines pop melody and rock dynamics with a cinematic atmosphere, calling to mind such artists as Low, Cat Power, and Sharon Van Etten.

Based in Hamilton, DateMonthYear is a five-piece comprised of Trevor Faville, Emma Koretz, Brooke Baker, Hayely Schwass and Tyler Leet. 'March' eludes to the process of grief and loss, delivering a strong message with hard-hitting lyrics, music and video. The band worked with local production team Bad George in Hamilton to produce and film their new music video.

Bad George production team were award nominees at the HP 48 Hour Film Festival, with production crew member and also band member Brooke Baker nominated as best director and best female director, and Jay Baker nominated as best scriptwriter. Although March is Bad George’s first foray into making music videos, the video has received accolades at local and national film competitions.

"The lyrics in 'March' reflect the the transition from grief to hope when you lose someone suddenly. The shock when someone passes, and the questioning of your own identity and purpose, and then the point when you start to look forward again - whether it be in the sense of a traditional faith, or just about reconciliation with how life is. I think its quite a positive song, ending on an uplifting note," says Trevor Faville. “The song itself is quite different to our last one, musically. It’s a lot more dramatic and has dynamic changes involved. It’s something more of a big rock song. It is a completely different topic lyrically but probably just as intense.”

This release follows up their most recent single 'Numbers', which reflects on today’s society and how people’s lives revolve around numbers – those of your mortgage or rent, income, supermarket shopping and simply hoping that you have enough to pay for groceries and bills each week.

Shunning traditional band formats, DateMonthYear’s structure means that “commitment is defined by contribution”, allowing for new ideas and influences. The fluidity of the line-up ensures a smorgasbord of musical flavours. The band is already working towards their debut album release, focusing on songs addressing issues that need to be spoken about, rather than being a distraction from what is actually going on in the world. FACEBOOK, WEBSITE.

An expansive rock music landscape ebbs and flows with power and restraint on 'March.' The song has some beautiful duel vocals adding feeling and melody to this formidable and compelling track.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dirty Fences - One More Step (ft. Christina Halladay).

Background - NYC's Dirty Fences rolls out US tour in support of "Goodbye Love". Grab a thirty rack of Pabst, a liter of cheap whisky, and call up the boys because “New York City's favorite hard-workin' rock n' roll band” Dirty Fences is back on the road in the USA and ready to party down in your town in 2018!

The band will kick off a thirty-two city long haul tour in support of "Goodbye Love" via NYC’s own Greenway Records, the band’s third studio album and comes as a follow-up to 2013's Too High To Kross (Volcom) and 2015's  epic Full Tramp (Slovenly). The album is available on limited-edition splatter vinyl, cassette, CD and digitally.

Dirty Fences is a quintessential New York band: the kind the city is known for producing; the band you’d want to hear blasting out the PA at some dive bar that is beyond capacity before they even take stage. They often refer to themselves as a gang, and that mentality is evident in every meaty riff and perfectly-executed harmony on Goodbye Love. It’s a perfect slice of wax that evokes early American rock and punk acts such as Redd Kross, The MC5, and Johnny Thunders — whilst showing an obsession with early KISS and Motley Crüe through the lens of The Dictators and Ramones —yet the band still manages to maintain an identity all its own this new record. WEBSITE.

'One More Step' is a swaggering rocker with gorgeously gutsy and commanding duel vocals. Primal and natural rock & roll, I would imagine based on this song alone that those going to any of their tour gigs will be for a feast of raw rock music.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------