Dhanya - The Spook School - Refrigerator - The Lost Brothers - System Corporation - A Certain Smile

Dhanya - Lesson.

Background - Born and raised in Venezuela, steeped in the ancient traditions of the East, living in the US, and traveling the world, sharing her powerful message, modern-day troubadour Dhanya is the female voice of the global, conscious music scene we’ve been waiting for.

Dhanya’s father, two-time Latin Grammy-winner Ilan Chester, had her playing piano and singing harmonies to Beatles songs while she was still in diapers. A self-professed music-nerd, her gift for poetry and singing blossomed in early childhood, and gave her a voracious appetite for music of all kinds. Her parents infused her with the teachings of the Bhakti tradition of the East, opening her ears and heart to the devotional sounds of kirtan, qawwali and other devotional musical styles. As a teen, Dhanya gravitated towards the burgeoning Venezuelan underground electronic music scene, expanding her influences into the electronic and experimental genre. Seeking to deepen her spiritual practice, she spent time living in West Bengal, India where she studied literature and the traditional devotional music of Bhakti; kirtan.

Dhanya co-produced her self-titled debut (due out 2/2/18) with acclaimed artists Robin Livingston, Ben Leinbach and Mayapuris, and the album features MC Yogi and renowned lyricist Bali Rico. Her soulful alt-pop aesthetic is counterbalanced with gritty electronic influences and Eastern instrumentation, including the mridanga drum, bansuri flute and esraj. Her sound marries East and West, modern and classical, speaking to her expansive musical range. Complex harmonies and uncommon time signatures are common place and Sanskrit verses intermingle with visceral poetry. “My lungs will sift the soil, filter water through my bones. All my organs like an organ with a hundred sacred tones” she sings over the 7-beat pattern of “Lesson.”

It is deeply exploratory album, as if Bjork collaborated with Ibeye and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan yet amidst the collection of mystical soundscapes, there remains a constant focus on Dhanya’s soaring vocals, which exhibit a personalized and exotic emotional range. “As an instrument, the voice is alchemical,” Dhanya asserts. “It has the potential to transform all feelings and experience into sound.” WEBSITE.

Musically this is tapestry of sounds intricately woven together to provide a fascinating backdrop for Dhanya to sing beautifully above. 'Lesson' is seven minutes of artistic inspiration.

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The Spook School - Body.

Background - The Spook School shares the third single and video from its eagerly anticipated third album Could It Be Different?, due Jan. 26, 2018 on Slumberland Records and Alcopop! in the UK.

If a debut LP is an artist’s introduction to the world and their sophomore release is their now-or-never moment, their third is their most cathartic: they’ve made it out, they’re here. Glasgow, Scotland’s indiepop optimists The Spook School, despite personal and political obstacle, made it out, and their latest full-length Could It Be Different? is here. It’s been a journey of self- discovery and feel-good realism; modern, dance-friendly indiepop fueling the fun. They made a name for themselves for their exultant and empowering pop, and now, they’ve shown real growth in nuance.

The Spook School are Nye Todd (guitar/vocals), Anna Cory (bass/vocals), Adam Todd (guitar/vocals) and Niall McCamley (drums). Could It Be Different? is a human release—a record full of the insecurities and anxiety that
arrive after self-awareness, in learning something new and potentially frightening about yourself. But at it’s heart is joy—there’s no desolation on the LP, because The Spook School manage to find light in moments of darkness. All things glum must pass—even if hope comes only in the form of acceptance.

“We try to take sad songs and not shy away from them, but come out thinking ‘things will change.’ Otherwise everything would be dreadful and I feel bad enough as it is,” Niall laughs. “We need a bit of light in our lives.” Adam agrees, “We started this for fun. We want our shows to be fun. We want the people who come to our shows to feel welcomed, and to have fun. There’s a bit of party in our songs, no matter what the subject matter is.” Why cry when you can dance? BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

The Spook School are upbeat, energised and very addictive with 'Body' a fast paced indie pop meets rock type of song that oozes charm.


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Refrigerator - Cardboard Death Elevator.

Background - Refrigerator will release its eleventh full-length album, High Desert Lows, on February 9th via Shrimper/Revolver. Produced by Omaha-based songwriter Simon Joyner, who also plays and sings on much of the record, it features all of the group's original members (which include Shrimper Records founder Dennis Callaci and vocalist/author Allen Callaci.)

Album track "Cardboard Death Elevator" is minimal and melancholic, with Callaci's vocals front and center above a delicate mix of guitar, drums, and a haunting layer of strings and piano flourishes.

Refrigerator will celebrate the release of their new album with a performance at Pomona's dA Center for the Arts on March 3rd, to coincide with an installation of 100 hand-drawn "imagined" cassette releases on Shrimper. PRE-ORDER.

'Cardboard Death Elevator' calmly arrives with a stripped back musical sound, that nonetheless has a level of emotional feel to support the personal and melodic vocals.

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The Lost Brothers - Halfway Towards A Healing.

Background - The incredible earthy and organic new album ‘Halfway Towards A Healing’ from The Lost Brothers is stirring up a storm as it fast approaches release date, the 26th Jan. To accompany this suspense, The Lost Brothers are about to embark on their UK & International tour, kicking things off in London at the end of the month.

There is something special about two musicians in unison. Solo artists bear the brunt of pretty much everything – be it success or failure, joy or misery, it is all on their shoulders. Groups, meanwhile, are mostly perceived as ideal examples of democracy, when the reality is that they are governed by a benign dictator (if lucky) or a cruel despot (if not). Duos, on the other hand, are clearly in tune (and harmony) with themselves and each other.

As if proof were needed, take Oisin Leech and Mark McCausland as the perfect example. Having had previous lives in major label rock acts (respectively, The 747s and The Basement), the two Irish songwriters and musicians first met in 2007 after their bands had slowly slipped off the radar. “We both found ourselves at house parties in Liverpool,” recalls Oisin, “and discovered that we had the same musical tastes. We started writing songs together for fun – no strategies, no game plan.”

The musicians’ instinctive gravitational pull presented them with the ‘Lost Brothers’ tag, but the name quickly stuck. Indeed, as the songs began to develop, the name started to make even more sense: the music was knocking on doors looking for a home, while the delivery of the songs was hushed to the point where you had to listen very carefully for the beauty of (and melancholy in) them. WEBSITE. 

Halfway Towards A Healing Tour 2018:

January 30th – London – The Lexington
February 1st  - Sheffield – Picture House Social
February 2nd – Liverpool – The Leaf
February 8th -  Dublin – SOLD OUT
February 9th – Wexford – Wexford Arts Centre
February 10th – Waterford – St Patrick’s Gateway
February 14th – Belfast – The Black Box
February 15th – Carrick – Dock Theatre
February 16th – Virginia – The Ramor Theatre
February 17th – Ballybofey – Balor Arts Theatre
February 23rd – Limerick – Dolans
February 24th – Cork – Live At St Luke’s
March 11th – New York – Irish Arts Centre
March 12th – New York – Paul Muldoon’s Picnic
March 13th – 18th – Austin - SXSW

A rhythmic blues feel introduces ‘Halfway Towards A Healing’ as it slowly moves along. The vocals are centre point and inviting, the atmosphere is everywhere, this is one big invite to come and get the album!


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System Corporation - Apathy Is Easy.

Background - New Zealand rock outfit System Corporation have announced their new maxi-single ‘Apathy is Easy’, following up their widely acclaimed debut single 'Dismal Universal Hiss'. Here they give us a second taste of what is to come on their anticipated debut album ‘Fiction Dept.’, expected in late 2018. System Corporation are Scott Newth, Kent Newth, Ben Cole, Phil Somervell and Andrew Newth

System Corporation began in 2011, based on a conversation between Phil Somervell (The Datsuns) and their long standing engineer Scott Newth about swapping demos. The two were sharing a flat in Stockholm while The Datsuns were working on their fifth album ‘Death Rattle Boogie’. The two were eventually joined by Datsuns’ bandmate Ben Cole (also in The Joint Chiefs) on drums, and Andrew and Kent Newth (Rumpus Room).

The new single was inspired by poor voter turnouts at elections around the globe. "This touches on how political leaders try to sway you one way or another.  But the idea that Apathy Is Easy stems from the growing number of people who don't vote, as they don't feel they can make a difference, or none of the leaders speak to them or for them, or they just don't understand politics and so do not participate," says Scott Newth. 

"The chorus "Apathy is easy, Our numbers are growing, All we have to do is sit and wait" sums up the futility of the situation.  That the apathetic have the numbers to make a change, but just don't due to their own apathy. It's a catch 22." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The vocals almost plead for your attention on 'Apathy Is Easy' whilst the indie rock swirls around with intensity and builds into a landscape of potent rock & roll.

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A Certain Smile - Mexican Coke.

Background - Thomas Andrew is one of those humans who is pretty humble about his shenanigans but it’s fair to say that, in addition to bringing the indie-pop fans of Portland, Oregon, closer together by taking over the turntables every week at the Toffee Club Sunday brunch and doing a radio show on Freeform Radio, he has put together a band that is keeping the fuzzy, jangly indie-pop flame circa 1991 (think Slumberland and Sarah Records) alive in 2017.

It is not wrong to say that Andrew is the bandleader of A Certain Smile, which has existed in a way since 2002, when he and his best friend Tom Fleischer were in a shoegaze band called Ports of Call. Some of the songs on Fits & Starts, the brand-new debut album from A Certain Smile, date back to their college years (2002). Andrew and Fleischer spent some post-college time in Philly where many of these songs originated, and Andrew moved to Portland three years ago when his then-wife took a job there.

“It’s called Fits & Starts because that’s how it came together,” says Andrew. “I wrote most of the songs or the initial parts. A lot of songs on there have been bouncing around for a long while.” The record features songs that had plenty of time to percolate, and that’s a good and rare thing these days. Fleischer is no longer in the band, but he co-wrote such tracks as “Smile,” “Summer Blonde,” and “We Want the World.”

Andrew has been playing in bands since he was 16. He may be the primary songwriter, but on A Certain Smile’s Bandcamp page, he credits at least nine people with helping him write the nine tracks on the debut. Even though A Certain Smile had existed in some form since 2002, it didn’t become a real band until 2015, when he recruited Zach Selley, Dustin White and Andy Disney. WEBSITE.

Loud and straight to the point 'Mexican Coke' blast along with vibrant guitars and an urgent beat, whilst the vocals are a little more measured as they soar above.

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Fine China - Torgeir Waldemar - Haley Heynderickx - Josh Rouse - Blushing - Oh Geronimo - Freevolt

Fine China - Not Thrilled.

Background - Fine China was formed in Phoenix in 1997. Soon after, they released their rst 2 EP's and a 7" on So Cal indie label Velvet Blue Music. The band went on to tour extensively and to release 3 additional full length records on various labels until 2005. The most recent release, The Jaws of Life, received wide critical nods, and TV show placements.

In December of 2016 Jaws was re-issued on 12" vinyl with a newly recorded bonus track (to coincide with a 10 year reunion show). Fine China has always been a guitar-driven, pop band at heart, and the new track did not disappoint. It was met with lots of applause and the vinyl quickly sold out.

Now twelve years after their last album, Fine China is back home with a full length recording for Velvet Blue Music, exactly twenty years after their rst recordings for the same label ! This new batch of songs was recorded in songwriter Rob Withem's studio over the past year, and were mixed by Bob Hoag, the band's longtime producer and engineer, at Flying Blanket Recording in Mesa, AZ. The new full length, entitled Not Thrilled, is set for release on 2/23/18 and will contain 10 new new tracks, preceded by a 7" single, You Are Not The Future, out January 19th with an additional 2 bonus tracks. LABEL.

A refreshing fast flowing and refined rocker where the music and vocals both drive the melody and feeling. 'Not Thrilled' is a high quality piece that bodes very well for next months album.

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Torgeir Waldemar - Streets (Electric).

Background - Torgeir Waldemar announces new album "Jamais Vu", featuring re-worked versions of his own compositions, released March 9th on Jansen Records.

"Old songs played again" someone said, and that’s what Torgeir Waldemar is doing on Jamais Vu, where he pulls apart tracks from his previous two albums and breathes new life into them. songs. Both his self-titled 2014 debut album and the sequel, No Offending Borders, were praised by national and international press, and the songs soon started to live their own life. Especially for Torgeir Waldemar himself, who continuously played different versions of the songs live, in his rehearsal space and finally in the studio.

‘Jamais vu’ is a lesser known notion than ‘déjà vu’, and its meaning is quite simply the opposite. Where ‘déjà vu’ is a new experience that feels well-known, ‘jamais vu' means that a well-known situation or experience feels unknown or new. "Songs never stand still, at least not for me. They want to go on. After some years of playing them live, many have moved far away from where their starting point was. That’s why I often experience Jamais Vu and that’s how this release was born." says Waldemar.

On Jamais Vu you’ll hear Sylvia (Southern People), Among The Low and Summer In Toulouse from Torgeir’s latest album, No Offending Borders, in acoustic versions, and Streets and Take Me Home from his self-titled 2014 debut album in electric versions with larger arrangements. You’ve heard the songs before, but you have never heard them like this, WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured Torgeir a couple of times just over a year ago and spoke favourably of his varied music on both occasions. 'Streets' is an expansive and natural rock song with something of a timeless feel to it, the emotion and passion is felt both musically and through his classic rock vocals.


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Haley Heynderickx - Untitled God Song.

Background - Haley Heynderickx’s debut album has been long awaited in her home of Portland. Since the release of the first single, “Oom Sha La La", in 2017 she has been making waves and garnering best of and most anticipated lists from Uproxx, BIRP, NBHAP, Clunk Magazine, Various Small Flames and The Bluegrass Situation while also receiving a coveted spot on NPR’s ‘Slingshot’ program. In their best tracks of 2017 OPB Music called “Oom Sha La La” “easily one of the year’s most striking songs” while Uproxx predicted that “though this may not be a name that rings a bell at the end of 2017, it’s going to be one of those ones that you’ll hear everywhere in 2018.”

Heynderickx’s second single, “Untitled God Song”, is an entrancing rumination on spirituality, focusing on the idea that perhaps there is no separation between the mundane and the cosmic, or the divine. As Heynderickx says "Growing up with a religious background, I always grappled with the idea of what God looked like. I mean this in a humorous sense. The older I get, the more convinced I am that God is just a busy mother trying to balance all the chaos around her, and I have no idea why but I do love this imagery. Maybe it's an allusion to my own mother, but please don't tell her that, she'll probably feel shy about these lyrics."

Heynderickx uses her songwriting as therapy, a sort of mandorla to bridge the gap between -- whether it be between her mixed Filipino and American roots, or the dichotomy of her soft spoken nature and her vocal power. I Need to Start a Garden is full of pure bursts of humanity, in all their beauty and all their rawness, documenting anxiety, pain and conversely healing, community and creation. I Need to Start a Garden, will be released March 2nd, 2018 via Mama Bird Recording Co.
FACEBOOK.

'Untitled God Song' opens with a simple guitar arrangement that is soon joined by Haley Heynderickx’s breathe taking vocals. The music ups a level along the way whilst her vocals continue to impress as the hooks gently dig right in.

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Josh Rouse - Businessman.

Background - Singer-songwriter Josh Rouse will release his new album Love in the Modern Age on April 13, 2018 via Yep Roc Records.

Similar to his work on his album 1972 where he captured the aesthetics of a specific moment in time, Josh’s new album Love In The Modern Age takes inspiration from the sound and production of early 1980's releases by The Blue Nile, The Style Council and Prefab Sprout. 

Also serving as inspiration were Roxy Music’s Avalon, Leonard Cohen's Various Positions and I'm Your Man. Non-ironic touches like sax, handclaps, reverbed guitar, backing vocals and keyboards give the moody but infectious songs a New Romantic flair.

Josh Rouse has solidified his status as one of his generation's most acclaimed songwriters in both the US and Europe, where he's lived on and off since 2004. Spending the better part of a year touring behind his critically acclaimed eleventh album, The Embers of Time, Rouse was ready for a change. "Coming off such a heavy record, I wanted to try something different," he explains. "I wanted to explore new sounds and write with a fresh backdrop." Trading in his trusty acoustic guitar for a synthesizer, Love in the Modern Age still bears Rouse's distinct fingerprints even as it pushes his limits and forges a bold new chapter more than twenty years into his celebrated career. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Josh Rouse will kick off his tour in the UK in April, followed by North America in May.

UK Tour Dates:
APR 24 The Lantern, Bristol, United Kingdom
APR 25 The Garage, London, United Kingdom
APR 26 Deaf Institute, Manchester, United Kingdom
APR 27 Whelan's, Dublin, Ireland
APR 28 Leaf, Liverpool, United Kingdom
APR 29 The Mash House, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
APR 30 The Plug, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Some much welcome new material from Josh Rouse and the song 'Businessman' ahead of April's album release 'Love In The Modern Age'. Influences there may be, however if they help generate a fabulous sounding song like this, so what.


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Blushing - Hidden Places.

Background - The sophomore EP "Weak" by Austin TX based dream pop / shoegaze quartet will be released next Friday January 26th. The album will be available digitally and cassette via the band's Bandcamp page.

Blushing is comprised of two husband and wife pairs that originated in the summer of 2015 when Michelle shared a few songs with long time friend Christina that she had been writing on guitar. A friendship quickly became a musical partnership as Christina, a classically trained vocalist, picked up a bass and together they evolved those rough songs into fully formed compositions. They then enlisted the talents of their spouses, Jake on drums, Noe on lead guitar and shortly after self-released their debut EP "Tether" in January of 2017.

Energized by positive reception, a growing fan base and a grip of new songs they headed back into the studio as soon as possible. They recorded their follow-up EP “Weak” at Bad Wolf Recordings in Austin, TX. The album encompasses influences from all of the bands they collectively share a deep affection for such as Lush, Cocteau Twins, The Sundays, etc. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

We featured the song 'Weak' back in November and are more than happy to share another track from the new 'Weak' EP called 'Hidden Places'. Shoegaze of sorts with just a little dream pop feeling through the enticing vocals, the song is powerful however the arrangement is subtle allowing each element to have clarity and distinction.

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Oh Geronimo - Mountains.

Background from Oh Geronimo - We just dropped another single/video from our forthcoming new album The Sled. “Mountains”.

“Mountains” is a song about wholeheartedly pursuing your passions, while straddling the fragile line between ambition and humility. Everybody wants to be successful, and sometimes we go to great lengths to achieve the success that we so desperately desire. However, it’s important to remember to keep our egos in check. We must be kind to each other and to ourselves. It’s easy to let your goals and aspirations consume you to the point where it brings you and everyone else around you down. “Mountains” is about never giving up, whilst withstanding the pressure to compromise who we are in order to be successful.

The Sled will be released in just a little over one month, and we can’t wait for you to hear it. We recorded it during the spring at Chalet – a wonderful, cottage-like studio, just outside of Uxbridge, ON. The release of this record will mark one year since half of our band put down their torches – a year that demanded patience, persistence, and resilience. The universe often taunts us to throw in the towel, but we’re fighters. We will never extinguish the fire, and The Sled solidifies that resolution. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Second time around for Oh Geronimo this time we have 'Mountains', and once again it's an impressive indie rock song, where the vocals are a focal point for the track, until the band finally break through and impress with some superbly tight and gorgeous musicianship.


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Freevolt -  Always Feel So Good.

Background - Freevolt is a tropical rock act that fuses the genres of roots, reggae, jam, funk, americana, and pop to create a dynamic and high energy performance that is extremely engaging.  Based out of the North Shore of MA, the band takes their live show up and down the east coast of the USA.

The band is recognized for their high energy performance, dynamic changes, tight grooves, positive messages, and passionate vocals. Their seamless genre fusing style and prominent words of triumph and freedom are captivating audiences. 
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The band is currently on tour and taking to the stage at night clubs, concert halls, and festivals in the USA with the majority of their showcases in MA, NH, ME, RI, VT, CT, NY, PA, MD, and SC.  

Freevolt released their third full length album, titled Open Up Your Door, in January 2018, as a follow up to their largely successful 2016 release, Once You Say . Various tracks from the new album have since been featured on radio and television worldwide. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

If you need some upbeat feel good music that is delivered both vocally and from a band that at times are musically on fire then 'Always Feel So Good' is a taster for all of that and more. Party time!

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The Golden Age of TV - Juanita Stein - L.A.D - The Dazies

The Golden Age of TV - Beast.

Background - Leeds’ art-rock 5-piece The Golden Age of TV make their first move of 2018, unveiling the smart and addictive Beast, a rhythmic stomper, destined for the luminous dancefloors of indie-discos of the future.

Whip-smart drums lock in with gloriously fuzzed out glam bass, disconcertingly swirling guitars bounce around your ears whilst vocalist Bea Fletcher sweetly delivers her personal tale of childhood anxiety:

 "It’s telling a story from my childhood, during that cross-over period when I had to be more independent. It was little things; facing my fear of the dark or going to the toilet on my own without my mum standing outside the door. The change and stress manifested into dreaming and imagining a monster coming after me. I'd see it everywhere I went. It sounds a bit trippy. But I guess growing up is?"

The quintet have had a busy start to their career since forming just over a year ago. With only two tracks released, Dust and Between Each Brick, they grabbed the ear of BBC Radio 1 new music doyen Huw Stephens, as well as airplay from 6 Music and Amazing Radio.

The live side too has seen exciting opportunities for the group. Last summer, they sub-headlined the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds festivals, as well as also taking in exciting support slots with Fickle Friends, Toothless and Alex Cameron. They were also able to strut their stuff with coveted slots at some of the UK’s premiere new music festivals, Live at Leeds and Liverpool Sound City. FACEBOOK.

'Beast' opens with a rhythmic synth driven beat and gradually moves into a more flowing song where the vocals are melodic and pleasing. The layers of sound intensify and the power really does build on this very engaging song.

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Juanita Stein - I'll Cry (Acoustic).

Background - Juanita Stein will release the America Acoustic EP on 16th February 2018. The Howling Bells frontwoman turned solo artist, who released her America album (Nude Records) last July, recorded the EP at home in Brighton in between recent tour dates with The Killers and her own solo shows.

Says Stein: “I had been asked to record some acoustic tracks for a radio station in the US and it occurred to me whilst doing so just how intimate and special these recordings could be. Ultimately, that’s how all my songs are born: just my self and a guitar usually in my bedroom. So it feels like a deeply honest representation of the music, without any outside interference at all. I wanted them to remain sparse, just a few harmonies and layering. It’s an exercise in itself, leaving the songs bare as bones. A lot of my favourite music tends to be all encompassing or artfully restrained. I wanted this to be just so.”

Made up of the acoustic versions of songs from her acclaimed debut solo album, along with Stein’s cover of Johnny Cash’s A Thing Called Love, a song she often performs at her live shows.

Juanita Stein will rejoin The Killers for a string of European dates this February and March, before joining Bryan Ferry for his extensive spring tour, which starts in Cardiff on 9th April and concludes with shows at London’s Palladium (1 May) and Eventim Apollo (3 May).  She has also just been announced for her festival show this year as part of the bill for Black Deer, joining artists including Iron & Wine, Passenger and Jason Isbell at this celebration of Americana and Country music in its debut year, as well as appearing at SxSW in Austin, Texas in March. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Full dates are:
19th Feb Helsinki, FIN, Hartwell Arena (with The Killers)
23rd Feb Oslo, NOR, Telenor Arena (with The Killers)
24th Feb Stockholm, SWE, Globen (with The Killers)
25th Feb Copenhagen, DEN, Royal Arena (with The Killers)
27th Feb Berlin, GER, Mercedes-Benz Arena (with The Killers)         
28th Feb  Amsterdam, NEL, Ziggo Dome (with The Killers)
1st March Esch Alzette, LUX, Rockhal (with The Killers)
3rd March Paris, FRA, Le Zenith (with The Killers)
5th March Cologne, GER, Lanxess Arena (with The Killers)
6th March Antwerp, BEL, Sportpaleis (with The Killers)
14-17 March Austin, TX, USA - SxSW Festival

9th  April Cardiff, St David’s Hall (with Bryan Ferry)
11th April Liverpool, Philharmonic (with Bryan Ferry)
13th April Manchester, Apollo (with Bryan Ferry)
15th April Newcastle, City Hall (with Bryan Ferry)
17th April Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall (with Bryan Ferry)
19th April Edinburgh, Usher Hall (with Bryan Ferry)
21st April Dublin, Olympia (with Bryan Ferry)
23rd April Belfast. Waterfront (with Bryan Ferry)
25th April Bristol, Colton Hall (with Bryan Ferry)
27th April Oxford, New Theatre (with Bryan Ferry)
29th April Birmingham, Symphony Hall (with Bryan Ferry)
1st May London, Palladium (with Bryan Ferry)
3rd May London, Eventim Apollo (with Bryan Ferry)

22-24 June Black Deer Festival, Tunbridge Wells

We featured Juanita Stein a couple of times last summer including the original version of 'I'll Cry'. The acoustic version gives the song a more personal and intimate feel, it also allows Juanita's gorgeous vocals to really stand out.

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L.A.D - One More Night.

Background - L.A.D are a synth funk trio from Reading, England with a shared love of 80s nostalgia. Multi instrumentalists Jack and Luke, having spent years accumulating vintage synths, guitars and drum machines, have teamed up with ginger bombshell Natalie to update the music they love. After spending the last six months making all kinds of noises in the studio, the debut album is on its way.

They make truly epic Top Of The Pops style classics reminiscent of Madonna at her very pinnacle circa ‘Holiday / Get Into The Groove’ when she had Nile Rodgers bringing that Chic style heat to the mixing desk and consequentially tearing off the roof at every club the world over, however there is still a freshness that UK RnB artists like Kelela and Ray BLK are bringing to the clubs owing much to this sound that is present here too.

Their second single ‘One More Night’ which follows the acclaimed ‘Dance Floor’ which garnered love from the likes of Earmilk, Amazing Radio and Fame Magazine, strikes a slightly different chord. Think of a lonely hearts column in dystopian 80's future. A future where Synth wave rules and the classic power ballad never left our radios. A very emotive subject matter. What apparently didn't matter on the "Dance floor" does in the bed room. FACEBOOK.

Retro in some respects ‘One More Night’ benefits by modern production techniques, that add a deeper arrangement and superior sound quality, compared to the golden days of 80's synth pop music. More to the point, it's also a very catchy song!

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The Dazies - Misery.

Background - After hitting the road in support of the "Seen a Ghost" split at the close of 2017, The Dazies have entered 2018 with a few more shows under their belt and on their schedule before they rest their weary DIY heads and start the creative process all over again. Before that the group brings you their video single for the track "Misery" - featured on the "Seen a Ghost" split. The "Misery" video was directed by: Richard TK Hawke, Michael Elliott Dennis, and M. Holland.

Recorded at Love Magnet in Roxbury, Ma and The Dazies home studio Cat Castle in Somerville. The ‘Seen A Ghost’ split is a true labor of love. Holland wrote/recorded the songs in a particularly reflective state of mind. The weight of wainig friendships and the disastrous political climate lead to songs like ‘Suffocate in the U.S.A’ and his hometown nod to Lawrence, Ma ‘Pawn Shop Guitars’. ‘Seen A Ghost’ was originally conceived as a solo release but the chemistry and friendship between Holland and Schneider had really blossomed in the last few years and Holland wanted to continue their recording streak. After six months of mixing/re-recording at their studio.

The Dazies finished what Holland thinks is his most well crafted songs along with his favorite lyrics that once again come across as diary-esq. The Dazies plan to tour well into the new year and couldn’t be more excited about finally having vinyl with their name on it. ‘Seen a Ghost’ comes from two real rock ‘n’ roll loving vinyl junkies. They’re hoping folks catch on! BANDCAMP.

Not to be confused with the wonderful Madness song of the same name, The Dazies 'Misery' is musically, a vibrant rocker with chunky riffs, accompanied by vocals that are passionate and pleasing. The video adds to the track in it's own off the wall manner, The Dazies meanwhile breathe some new life into rock & roll.


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Savoy - Gyasi - Pink Tea

Savoy - January Thaw.

Background - Frode Unneland, Lauren Savoy and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy (the main songwriter and guitarist in A-ha) debuted as Savoy in 1996 with the album ‘Mary Is Coming’, and followed it with ‘Lackluster Me’ (1997), ‘Mountains Of Time’ (1999), ‘Reasons To Stay Indoors’ (2001), ’Savoy’ (2004), plus the 2007 compilation album ’Savoy Songbook Vol 1’. They have won two Norwegian Grammy Awards along the way, while their best known song, ‘Velvet’, was covered by A-ha on their 2000 album ‘Minor Earth, Major Sky’. 

The group are finally preparing to release their long-awaited sixth studio album, their first in 13 years.’See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown’ has been described by Pål as “one of the least demanding albums to make as the songs found their shape much faster than before.” Some of the recording sessions took place in Clubhouse Studios in Rhinebeck, New York (close to Woodstock), where the drums and various overdubs were laid down.

Unlike A-ha, Savoy historically has had a down to earth indie rock approach to its music, although the new album does contain more programming than ever before. All of the group’s songs are composed by Pål and his wife Lauren, who is a film maker by profession, while Frode Unneland is recognised as one of the best drummers on the Bergen, Norway scene. He has also played with Sondre Lerche.

The group have achieved great critical success in their home territory and have actually been nominated for 3 Norwegian Grammy Awards. Aside from ‘Velvet’, other well known songs by the band include ‘Rain’, ’Star’, ‘Grind You Down’, ‘If You Won’t Come To The Party’ and ‘Whalebone’ (from the soundtrack of the acclaimed Norwegian film ‘Hawaii Oslo’). The last of these cleverly recycles lyrics from A-ha’s 1993 song ‘Locust’.

When asked if he had to choose between A-ha and Savoy, Pål replies : “You’re trying to get me into trouble here! I really just look upon it as different paths to release music that I’m passionate about. I feel the same about the album I made with [US singer] Zoe Gnecco last year. It’s funny - once you start thinking about an album, no matter what the band is, that’s when the songs start to appear."  FACEBOOK.

Savoy might be a well established act, entering into their third decade and on the cusp of releasing their sixth album, but they are new to me (holds head down in shame and awaits ridicule). So my feeble excuse is that it was thirteen years ago the bands last original album appeared, and lets move swiftly on to say that 'January Thaw' is one pretty addictive indie rocker, where the dual vocals are seductive and the hooks are many!


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Gyasi - All Messed Up.

Background - "'All Messed Up' was musically a return to the very first song I ever wrote when I was 6 years old. Same two chords. The lyrics were about some of characters I had met while on the road with another band...At one of the cities on the tour, I think it was Atlanta, we spent the night with this group of rock n rollers that had this beautiful rebellion about them. I found it very inspiring. There was a sexual freedom and gender fluidity about them that felt truly empowering to me. These were outsiders and free thinkers who were incredibly powerful in their individuality. We had several wild nights staying up and challenging each other’s boundaries, talking about philosophy, poetry, life." - GYASI on "All Messed Up"

 ​In the wild woods of West Virginia, in an isolated hollow, a young boy thought he was a peacock. When he realized, much to his dismay, that he was not a peacock, he picked up a guitar. From then on the sounds of him loudly playing along to the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix could be heard echoing through the hollow. ​

Placed between roaming peacocks, a family of Russian intellectual revolutionaries, and two parents dedicated to living off the land, Gyasi was brought up in an environment that could only be described as unique. It was an isolated world, where life felt more like the 60s than the 90s​.​ Between his father’s early blues 78 collection and the Velvet Underground and T. Rex records of the Russian family next door, his musical education was rich. The world is sorely lacking in rock stars. GYASI is a rock star. FACEBOOK.

It is just over a month that Gyasi first entered Beehive Candy's world & we commented then of the music " it's a kaleidoscope of charismatic vocals and a feisty alt rock soundtrack." The new song 'All Messed Up' is another feast of energised Glam Rock and by Glam Rock I think it fair to say in the timeless form of the genre.

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Pink Tea - smoko.

Background - Pink Tea is a project from local Brisbane bloke Tom Murphy. In his mid 20’s with a lot of stories of past experiences to tell in the form of rock music, he uses a blend of ambient acoustic guitar mixed with sharp distorted electric, to tell tales of heartache and mental strains. After the debut single ‘Send Me A Letter’ (released in 2016) picked up plenty of positive feedback from local radio stations around Australia (4ZZZ, Radio Port Douglas), Pink Tea has been working harder than ever for the follow up - honing in on a new skill set through live performances, musical production and arrangements in song writing.

The self titled Pink Tea EP is a powerful insight into growing up and reaching the final stages of maturing as a man and realising just how little you know. Each song has a common theme, terrible mistakes mixed with the revelations and positivity that comes with losing and finding close relationships. It is made especially clear in the the lead single smoko and Social Graces & Melted Faces that mental health and healthy relationships are an extremely important focal point. smoko is a fast paced indie rock song with strong acoustic and electric rhythm guitars that bounce along to a 70’s inspired bass line. Of the EP as a whole - all together each song has a deeply embedded meaning of self-realisation and growth.

It’s been a revealing, tough road to get to where Pink Tea is now. Beginning song writing back in 2014 in a basic as can be home ‘studio’ with no real goal or true understanding of music and how to use it, the ultimate potential of Pink Tea is only now starting to reveal itself.

The self titled Pink Tea EP was recorded entirely at Pink Tea’s home studio in Brisbane and has taken almost 6 months to bring together the perfect mix of songs. The EP showcases hard hitting rhythm guitars blended with soothing bass tones, dreamy synths mixed in with high flying lead guitar licks and powerful lyrics with a message. FACEBOOK.

The featured song 'smoko' suggests the new self titled EP from Pink Tea is more than worth a cursory listen. The track is described as Indie on Soundcloud, I would say it's engaging, musically sophisticated and Tom Murphy's vocals are infectious.

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Duran Duran - Hobbyist - Ryan Tennis

Duran Duran - Girls on Film - feat. Andy Wickett (Demo Version).

Background - Cleopatra Records has released Duran Duran 'Girls on Film 1979 Demo' EP featuring Andy Wickett on vocals. These are rare debut recordings, which include the original version of the smash hit 'Girls on Film' and 'See Me Repeat Me', which would later be transformed into 'Rio', as well as other songs that the group shopped around to various labels before eventually signing with EMI. Recorded in 1979, these historic previously-unreleased demo recordings by ‘80s new wave icons Duran Duran feature the group’s early frontman Andy Wickett (a.k.a. Fane), alongside Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor. They were recorded at Bob Lamb's studio (home of the band UB40) in Moseley, Birmingham.

Originally formed in Birmingham by Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy in 1978 as an art school band, Duffy left Duran Duran in early 1979. After TV Eye vocalist Andy Wickett left that band, Stephen Duffy took his place. Soon afterwards, Andy was enlisted by Nick Rhodes and John Taylor to front Duran Duran. According to Andy Taylor's autobiography, Andy Wickett had a major part in the writing of 'Girls on Film' during his tenure with the band. Wicket explains that, unlike the sexy imagery depicted in the video for this song, the lyrics were actually inspired by the lives of the stars of old black and white movies.

"It is important for people to understand the true origins of the song 'Girls on Film' and to hear the edgy sound that Duran Duran had in the beginning," says Andy Wickett. "This song was inspired by the dark side of the glitz and glamour, where these perfect idols suffered tragedy and addiction. The film 'Sunset Boulevard' was also a big influence with its tale of a fading movie star."

Andy Taylor confirms that Wickett co-wrote an early version of the song that eventually came to be known as 'Rio'. Indeed, 'See Me Repeat Me' was taken from 'Stevie's Radio Station', a song written by TV Eye when Wickett was their vocalist. A favourite of Nick and John, it was incorporated into Duran Duran live sets during Wickett's tenure. Duran Duran eventually released 'Girls on Film' in July 1981 and it became a Top 10 breakthrough in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at Number 5 that month. The song 'Rio' was released worldwide in October 1982 and became a Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #9 in December 1982.

Since these early days in his career, Andy Wickett has come to be known as one of the finest performers and songwriters in the Midlands, having gone on to also front The Xpertz and World Service. Apart from playing arenas and venues around the world, Andy has also produced videos for and co-written albums with world renowned artists such as Nusrat Ali Fateh Khan, Malkit Singh, Stereo Nation, Taz and DCS. Over the years, he's supported The Clash, U2, Culture Club, Burning Spear, Orange Juice, in addition to opening on UK tours with Duran Duran and Gregory Isaacs.

Andy Wickett & World Service have also just released a full-length album 'Creatures of Love' digitally via Cleopatra Records, which will be officially released on CD on March 9, 2017 on that same label. The 'Girls on Film 1979 Demo' EP is available digitally and on CD, as well as on stunning red and clear colored vinyl. Duran Duran WEBSITE, Andy Wickett WEBSITE.

Well Beehive Candy cut their teeth sharing rarities similar to this, albeit unreleased and unofficial versions. The background above is longer than we usually publish, I just felt the full story is worth repeating without any editing. Anyhow the demo version of 'Girls On Film' along with the other material including the intriguing 'See Me Repeat Me' later morphing into 'Rio' makes for a fascinating listen and raises a few what if questions along the way. For Duran Duran fans this is most likely a collectors item in the making, and for Andy Wickett it's some well deserved publicity for his 'Creatures Of Love' album.

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Hobbyist - Teeth Of The Shark.

Background - Hobbyist is Holly Prindle, who sings, and Marc Mozga, who plays guitar, drum machines, drone machines, bass and melodica. The band was formed in 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The release of their self-titled debut album came that same year, along with the EP Hobbyist in Dub, featuring reggae bass master Dennis Bovell.

After playing numerous rock shows in their hometown of Chicago, Holly went to live and sing in Goleniow, Poland with the experimental theatre group Teatr Brama, who specialize in community art and ancient pagan folk singing. Concurrently, Marc embedded himself for three years with a suburban Chicago family to film them raise their autistic son. The result was Getting To First Grade, an observational documentary produced, shot and edited by Marc, which was completed in 2015.

The duo went on a short tour of the Northwest USA and Vancouver in late 2015. On a rainy night in Vancouver Marc proposed marriage to Holly and she accepted. The trip also led to a fruitful live to tape recording of the song “2244” at Dub Narcotic Studio in Olympia, Washington by Pual Krogh. In 2016 the song was released as a lathe cut 7” picture disc with all proceeds benefiting the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network. Early that same year Holly and Marc were wed in the lookout tower of a bridge house along the Chicago River.

In the month of January 2017 Hobbyist took up residence in Barcelona, Spain to work on material for a new album. The gothic Catalonian city in the off season proved a surreal vantage point for Hobbyist to take in news from back home: A germaphobe ex- reality TV star was now president! These experiences inform their new album Sonic Cramps recorded at Pallet Sound, Chicago and due eleased last Friday. WEBSITE, BANDCAMP.

'Teeth Of The Shark' opens with a funky bass line that is joined by some fabulous and emotional vocals. Gradually the layers of sound develop, however there is a minimalist feel across the song, that said, by the end of the song those teeth have sunk right in.


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Ryan Tennis - Two Days on the Fence (EP).

Background - Two Days on the Fence sees Tennis and his virtuosic band ― Joseph Keim (drums), Shaun Hennessey (percussion), Brahm Genzlinger (bass), Maxfield Gast (sax), Nate Graham (keyboards), and Christopher Farrell (guitar) ― locking in with telepathic precision on five luminous new cuts that draw heavily on sounds and rhythms Tennis absorbed during his extensive travels throughout South America and his performances with legendary South African musicians Bakithi Kumalo and Morris Goldberg, both of whom performed on Paul Simon’s historic Graceland album.

“I wanted to explore more powerful rhythms than you get with the usual acoustic singer-songwriter thing,” Tennis explains. “My band can play a lot of incredible grooves, so I know I can throw anything at them and they’ll turn it into genius stuff that makes people move. I’m flat-out amazed at what they did on the new EP.”

Over the years, Tennis has been compared to artists such as Paul Simon, Ben Harper and Bill Withers. The songs on Two Days on the Fence range from soul-enriching ballads to exuberant, body-moving groovers, and they see the inveterately creative singer-songwriter spreading the waters of his influences (“a lot of folk, soul and Afro-Caribbean sounds”) while micro-targeting his lyrics to soothe today’s information-overloaded society.

“I wrote these songs with the intention of giving people hope and positivity in their lives,” Tennis says. “In general, we’re inundated with negativity – from the news to Facebook, it’s so easy to get bogged down. I’m not one to write protest songs, but in a way I did that by writing songs to make people feel good. There’s a lot of power in that message, the audacity it takes to feel joyful in tough times.” WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Two Days on the Fence' is a collection of five tracks that are rich with musical quality and Ryan Tennis's engaging and vibrant vocals. Funky and soulful tunes rub shoulders with more gentle acoustic moments, the musical arrangements are superb and the diversity of ideas remarkable.


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