The Orchids - Andrés Alcover - The Special Pillow

The Orchids - This Boy Is A Mess.

Sometimes it can take several years to realise what you’ve been missing.  Sometimes it can even take decades....  (If you already know all about The Orchids, well, you’re going to like Dreaming Kind a lot.)

The Orchids were making sophisticated pop music right back in the early 1990s when Sarah Records first started.  Their songs were as emotionally pure as anything else on that label, but they were always a step ahead of their peers in terms of song arrangements and musical ambition.  With a casual, unpretentious air they made writing perfect pop songs seem easy, almost accidental, and several great releases followed.  The Orchids gained a passionate following: people knew a good thing when they heard it and they hugged it close.  But now it’s time for the rest of the world to be let in on the secret.

The songs themselves are a beautiful mix of strength and gentleness.   They wrap you in a powerful embrace, making you feel comfortable and secure – and then whisper their insecurities and anxieties into your ear.  They say: ‘it’s OK to admit weakness.   It’s OK to be fragile.  That’s where true strength comes from’.  From Glasgow, and proudly Scottish, the band shares a musical lineage with other great groups from that city, from Aztec Camera to Orange Juice, Lloyd Cole to Teenage Fanclub. All bands that specialise in song-writing that that can tell big stories through small fragments, that can make the ordinary extraordinary.

Producer Ian Carmichael has helped the band create a perfectly-crafted masterpiece. He subtly accentuates the drama of the songs, with a sophisticated choreography and gloss that never overwhelms the tenderness of the music.  In ‘This Boy Is A Mess’ (the first single from the album), the lyric confesses frailty while the music gets stronger and stronger.  It is bittersweet and exhilarating at the same time. ‘I Want You, I Need You’ has harmonies as big as a house – but the yearning message remains intimate and close.  ‘I Don’t Mean To Stare’ is a sophisticated new version of the track that first appeared on the Under The Bridge compilation earlier this year.

Album opener ‘Didn’t We Love You’ daringly opens up empty spaces where the reverb of the drums is the only thing you can hear... and then floods your ears with a harmonised chorus, sweet guitar melodies and sweeping effects.  Even then, the lyrical lament, expressing the desire to live in a better place - a place unspoilt by the greedy phonies who’ve taken over – comes across as clearly as if Hackett were leaning over for a friendly chat in the snug bar of The Orchids’ favourite Glasgow pub.

Rob and Amelia (Skep Wax Records) say: “the first gig we went to after lockdown was the Preston Popfest.  It was an emotional occasion: many bands were playing for the first time in two years.  The Orchids were really special that night.  We were surprised to hear so many new songs, and such great new songs too – really powerful.   That’s the night we decided to ask if we could release their album.”

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Andrés Alcover - Where Did We Go Wrong?

Coming as a glimmering follow-up to his string of 2021 releases — including debut single “Untouchable” — the new track is a daydream-inducing cut of twinkling percussion and gently twanging guitars underpinned by Andrés’ laidback vocal delivery.

A delicate web of vintage-tinged rhythms, textured guitars and cushiony harmonies, “Where Did We Go Wrong?” stirs to life with gentle acoustic guitar plucks before blossoming into a more complex arrangement of mellow instrumentation that glimmers like a long-lost relic found in an abandoned ‘70s LA recording studio.

Written, produced and arranged by Andrés himself, the artist explains of the track’s production: “I wrote the song a couple of years ago, my time split between Spain and the UK, and recorded it at my flat in London. However, the drums were recorded in an old abandoned theatre-turned-studio in Majorca by Spanish drummer and good friend Tomi Solbas. He created the perfect sound to accompany the rest of the instrumentation, and you can really hear the room’s texture.”

Despite its gentle rhythms and dreamy melodies laced with optimism, Andrés’ lyrics grapple with more existential themes. With his earlier releases dealing with estrangement, loss and a sense of an internal search, the songwriter’s knack for melding deeper ideas with drifting instrumentals is showcased clearer than ever on “Where Did We Go Wrong?”.

Andrés Alcover · Where Did We Go Wrong?

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The Special Pillow - Mind Wipe.

The Special Pillow return with a new EP and single "Mind Wipe" which is also the title of the EP. The band have been steadily putting out eccentric weirdo psych/pop/folk over the last few years with yet another release already in the works. Mind Wipe feels a lot like those golden indie-psych years of the late 90's bringing to mind Terrastock Festivals, Elephant 6 artists like Elf Power and Fablefactory, and folks like Beavis Frond.

Mind Wipe is the latest, greatest release from The Special Pillow, a full-spectrum, string-driven sound encompassing concise ’60s-flavored pop gems, dreamy hallucinogenic reveries, and pulse-pounding propulsion redolent of your favorite antipodean indie upstarts of the ’80s. A sitcom-length salvo featuring six synapse-snapping songs that address Greek tragedy, artificial intelligence, and voluntary brain erasure, Mind Wipe will clear your consciousness of everything else.

Since 1995, The Special Pillow have trafficked in catchy and confounding songcraft that has earned them notable fans like Yo La Tengo, who covered the group’s classic “Automatic Doom” in 2015. The Pillow’s 2020 releases, the World’s Finest EP and a cover-version single of The Who’s “1921,” garnered extensive underground attention and accolades, but now Mind Wipe is here to make you forget all about that old news.

Mind Wipe is the group’s first project to be recorded at Brooklyn’s Deep Dive studio with longtime engineer Mitch Rackin. The band consists of bassist and songwriter Dan Cuddy (ex-Hypnolovewheel); Katie Gentile (Run On) on violin and viola; Peter Stuart (Headless Horsemen, Tryfles) on a remarkable selection of guitars; and Eric Marc Cohen (Fly Ashtray, Autobody) on drums and percussion.

The Special Pillow · Mind Wipe

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Fresh - A.N.J.A - Nora Kelly Band - Redgrave Jones

Fresh - Why Do I.

'Raise Hell' - the forthcoming new album from London punk band Fresh - resolves with our protagonist breaking free of a toxic relationship, joyously riding into the sunset singing doo-wops. It’s the first time on the album that the inner conflict settles, and contentment takes precedence. The band have shared the album's closing track 'Why Do I' as a single today, with their new full-length set to hit virtual shelves on 1st July via Specialist Subject.

“Sadness and self-doubt are acknowledged and present on ‘Why Do I’, but they don’t hold power over you anymore. There’s power in starting from scratch” says lead singer and principal songwriter Kathryn Woods. She expands; "Think Nicole Kidman signing divorce papers in 2001-vibes. There’s a real catharsis and joyous presence to this song, upbeat do-woop vocals, guitar riffs with a touch of delay and soaring lead vocals make it a great note to end the record on."

Fresh have been an unwavering fixture within the UK punk scene since their first record in 2017. A joy to behold live, Woods honed her craft not only fronting Fresh but as a member of several heralded indie and punk bands, including cheerbleederz and ME REX alongside Fresh bandmate Myles McCabe.

Their new album radiates with their signature mischievous British charm and flourishes of brilliant pop punk flair – though underestimate Fresh at your peril. ‘Raise Hell’ dares to dive deeper than most, delivering Woods’ darker moments and contemplative thought processes through the sharply focussed lens of upbeat indie punk.

specialistsubject · FRESH - Why Do I

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A.N.J.A - A-Bomb.

Belfast-based Rock/Alternative Artist A.N.J.A. becomes a dynamic burst of energy on her unhinged, anthemic new single "A-Bomb", out June 10 on streaming platforms. A.N.J.A.'s unique sound is laced with grit and dripping with realness, harkening back to retro punk and rock greats while boldly facing a dystopic, uncertain present with a fearless, electrified spirit.

“A-Bomb” is inspired by real life predators and power imbalances. The lyrics are a journey through dirty cityscapes and outskirts of depraved humanity. The song dances around the inevitability of human decay. Crime lingering around every corner.

It’s a criticism of messed up humanity, oppression, and danger within a superficial society where the incapability's of law enforcement and failed justice systems are ubiquitous and grinding.

Saying that, I don’t take myself - and especially my artistry- too seriously. My music is supposed to entertain. It’s supposed to be fun and after all, I’m doing what I love most. With my sound I want to show confidence in mixing fuzzy retro punk, modern electronica and feminine energy.

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Nora Kelly Band - Change My Mind.

When COVID struck Montreal-based artist Nora Kelly was getting ready for her break-out with her grungy post-punk trio DISHPIT’s Steve Albini produced album, only to have the rug pulled out, as did we all. When the tide waters receded this spring, what emerged was the Nora Kelly Band, a nearly fully formed alt-country quartet, and a stunner first single, “Hymn for the Agnostics.” Today, Nora and her cohorts follow with “Change My Mind” in advance of two Toronto performances during Canadian Music Week (tomorrow at The Monarch, 9pm) and NXNE (June 18 at the Dakota Tavern, 11pm).

Discussing “Change My Mind” Nora noted, “The lyrics might sound like a familiar, pinning love song, however, when I wrote it, I was actually trying to write from the perspective of my very close friend who was in a toxic, long term relationship. I was single at the time and filled with horror whenever she would vent about her boyfriend. It seemed like she wanted to leave, but even more than that she didn’t want to be alone. She was always hoping he would do something to ‘change her mind’, to justify her staying.

I filmed the music video on a recent trip to Arizona for my cousin’s wedding. After the festivities, my parents and I rented a car and drove around New Mexico for a few days. I’ve always been in love with the desert, and I shot everything I could. Being from Canada, nothing feels more magical than the desert. Along the way I would get my dad to hold the camera while I lip-synched along, embarrassing us all many times. My mom also makes several cameos in the video with her iPad.”

During the pandemic lockdown Nora looked inward, asking hard questions about her relationships, which led her to rock’s roots. Out poured tunes about love, independence, and checking into the Purgatory Motel. Last summer she and friends played her songs by railroad tracks that run by her Mile End neighborhood, and people flocked to sing along until the cops chased them off. Words spread, propelling The Nora Kelly Band to play rowdy gigs at Ursa and other Montreal venues.

The Nora Kelly Band features Nora on vox/guitar, Ethan Soil (Fleece/DISHPIT) on drums, Michael Feurstack (Bell Orchestre) on pedal steel, Vader Ryderwood (Treasure Eyes) on bass, and Rachel Silverstein on keys. The tracks were mixed by Pietro Amato (The Luyas/Belle Orchestre). Kelly’s lyrics, some soulful, some tongue-in-cheek, echo DISHPIT themes of self-empowerment.



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Redgrave Jones - Two.

We are a little late getting this song here at Beehive Candy however it's still well worth a feature. Two is the opening track of Redgrave Jones’ debut EP, Luckiest Girl In The World.

Brooding, raw and Sexy, It’s a song that spent over a decade in incubation. The basic frame of the song was written when she was just 19 years old!!

She recorded the track with producer Jason Lowrie and the song features Anthony Burulich (The Bravery, Ween, Morrissey) on the drums, Scott Dolgin on bass, Jason Lowrie on guitar and Redgrave on keys.

Although this track was originally released as part of the EP, the pandemic halted the production of the video that Redgrave Jones had an iconic vision for. With that video finally produced she decided to give this track a new lease of life before new material was unleashed.

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Brodie Dawson - The Subtheory - Ina Forsman - Gran Noir

Brodie Dawson - Will I Ever.

Singer-songwriter Brodie Dawson has released her latest single,“Will I Ever,” the fourth off her next album Wholehearted.  “Will I Ever” follows Dawson through her very personal and vulnerable journey of overcoming her separation from her husband. It features country guitar grooves, live instruments, sultry and powerful vocals, and empowering lyrics.

“I wrote this the summer my husband and I separated. My heart was devastated, and I was so lost, but hellbent on finding myself again. A beautiful couple I know on Hornby Island offered me their cabin for the weekend as a little writing retreat. So I packed up my dog, my guitar and my journal and spent the entire weekend at the ocean, thinking, crying, writing and playing,” says Dawson. "For the longest time it was more of a groove song than anything, and it only had one verse. I actually wrote the second verse the night before recording it in the studio in Nashville!”

The track was written and performed by Brodie Dawson, produced by Patrick Davis, engineered by Lee Unfried and Rory Rositas, mixed by Lee Unfried, with additional editing by Nathan Senner at Kinnikinik Studios, and Joanna Finley and Trent Woodman at Omnisound Studios. It was recorded at OmniSound Studios and mastered by Eric Conn at Independent Mastering in Nashville. The track features Tim Lauer as the band leader on keys, Bryan Sutton on acoustic guitar, Fred Eltringham on drums, Tony Lucido on bass, Justin Schipper on steel guitar, Kris Donegan on electric guitar, and Kristen Rogers on background vocals.

 

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The Subtheory - Everyday.

With a long career working with major record labels and two critically acclaimed albums behind him, Hill is exploring the deeper electronic side of his music and influences.

The Subtheory’s sound speaks of Hill’s experience splitting his time between the UK and Los Angeles.The music draws from a darker, grittier version of a neo-retro dystopia: Bladerunner noir meets cyberpunk detective.

Andy Hill has always loved making music starting off with his parents’ mono record collection as he created on-the-fly remixes with pause buttons and the early days of MPC samplers before moving into the fully digital age of software DAWs.

Through the years, Hill has experimented and explored many genres but with a sustained ethos to create music that moves people - whether it be their feet, their hearts or their minds.

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Ina Forsman - Love Me.

All There Is is a pop album at its core, blending modern pop sensibilities with strong R&B and soulful jazz influences from the 60s and 70s. Ina Forsman's music can be compared to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera during the Back to Basics era, Yola, and the Monophonics.

The latest single from the album, "Love Me" captures the feeling of saying, "I love you" for the first time. The track's upbeat rhythm and old-fashioned arrangements will move your feet, but the composition's moody blues will make your heart flutter.

Ina Forsman, a Berlin-based singer influenced by Etta James and Christina Aguilera, presented herself as a promising vocalist on her sophomore album Been Meaning To Tell You (2019) and her eponymous debut album Ina Forsman (2016). Throughout her new album All There Is, she maintains those earlier influences while coming into her own. 

All There Is is rooted in the romantic aura of the 1960s, a sound that makes no secret of her commitment to old school soul and jazz. Ina Forsman was inspired by the era's romantic songs that had a cinematic flair, so she chose to stick with a concept she calls "cinematic soul". Ina's powerful presence on each track gives All There Is a contemporary perspective on the sixties and seventies.

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Gran Noir - At the Sea.

And already Gran Noir deliver the next hit to fill the summer gap with the catchy tune 'At The Sea'. After their radio indie hit «On and On», they also landed with their two latest tracks 'War Ends?' and 'Empty Heart' directly in the Spotify editorial playlists and on playlists of several radio stations from Europe to South America.

Now they are ready with another banger: Inspired by Harald Hauswald's photography 'Only when I dream, I am free', Gran Noir tells in 'At The Sea' about your view to the sea. Of what you were, what you are and what you want to be. About what connects us all - the longing for freedom.

The sublime and smoldering track pushes and rolls like a mighty wave to the California coast - where Beach Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers once circulated their spliffs - yet is clearly a gran noir number.

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Elizabeth M. Drummond - Claude - Berries

Elizabeth M. Drummond - Crisis.

Getting lost in a window into somebody else's own existential crisis shouldn’t feel as joyful as it’s made to sound in Elizabeth M. Drummond’s sensational first steps as a solo artist. In her aptly named debut single out today titled “Crisis”, you’ll find a track that runs on the pure adrenaline that came from her own self-realisations and the honest reactions that followed.  Drummond was formerly a member of the critically acclaimed band Little May, who toured with The National & City and Colour, whilst headlining their own headline shows across the globe.

Speaking about the song Drummond said, “I wrote Crisis when I had moved cities after leaving Little May and a long relationship. I felt like everything I ever identified with had just exploded in front of me. I also realised I had been living on auto-pilot for as long as I could remember, and that I had been ignoring what I actually wanted for my life. At this point, I had started to feel a huge amount of relief and humour in surrendering to the idea that things couldn’t get any worse. In many ways I felt like I had become “no one”, and this started to become liberating. This song marks that time and those feelings for me.”

The song was written between Sydney & Melbourne, however, It was in Melbourne that she took it to her friend James Seymour for his opinion and he then went on to co-produce Crisis.  Drummond said “ We co-produced the rest of the song together at Small Time (a studio in Brunswick, Melbourne). We threw everything at it, and most of it didn’t work. Liam Gough (from The Teskey Brothers) played drums on this one. His playing really informed where everything else was going to sit dynamically. Zac Barter played strings on it, and that really added another layer of depth and weirdness to the song that I loved. As much as I like the song, I’m relieved I never have to produce it again - it was a bit of a pain in the arse.”

Ask Drummond who she is and she’ll describe herself as a self-confessed misfit with an anxious disposition. Her plans of pursuing a career in acting were sidelined by the breakout success of her band Little May, which she had started with her childhood friends. Their first release took off, a record produced by Aaron Dessner of The National followed and this inevitably led to them touring the world… It was fast, furious and it took its toll. Elizabeth M. Drummond pulled the ripcord, not for any selfish ambitions but to seek the time to repair herself, regain a sense of identity and beyond the band environment, to recover from the bruises of a few poisonous relationships.

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Claude - twenty something.

Claude—the Chicago based existential dream pop solo project of Claudia Ferme has announced that her debut full-length album, a lot’s gotta change, will be released on August 12th, 2022 via American Dreams Records.

Produced and engineered with Michael Mac (Tenci, Tasha, Devin Shaffer, Mia Joy), the album includes contributions from fellow Chicago musicians such as Dustin Laurenzi (Twin Talk, Bon Iver), Vivian McConnell (V.V. Lightbody), Maria Jacobson (Fran), among many others, and was mixed and mastered by Andrew Weathers.

“This album is a snapshot of my early-to-mid twenties — formative, sometimes confusing years,” says Claude. “I can pinpoint specific experiences and instances that correlate with each song. Yet, I was frustrated I still didn’t have things figured out like I thought I should and that things weren’t working out the way I’d hoped they would.” Through catchy hooks, wistful production, and deadpan humor, lead single “twenty something” reflects Claude's frustrations of society’s expectations when faced with reality, which is represented visually with an accompanying music video directed by Reilly Drew.

Regarding the video, Claude shared the following: “I wanted to explore the ‘snapshot’ aspect of the album and way of concretizing experiences through the different landscapes and outfits you see throughout. The emptiness and the surreal and dream-like quality of these spaces serve as a representation of my internal environment. I’m alone in each scene, on some strange kind of journey, walking, thinking, looking inward, even when I’m surrounded by people.”

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Berries - Haze.

Berries have unleashed a third cut from their debut album ‘How We Function’. Rhythmic and rambunctious in equal measure, meticulous new track “Haze” seesaws between infectious and ansty in a beat and evokes how unexpected the onset of intrusive thoughts and mental hurdles can be.

Just as biting as earlier tracks “We Are Machines” and “Wall of Noise”, albeit with a more measured edge, the new track showcases the band’s tight musicianship and ability to find optimism and craft an arresting melody in a tough time.

“”Haze” represents the barriers we often put up and how scary but also uplifting it can be when they break down. The “Haze” descends when least expected and is hard to fight through, but it’s important to recognise the strength it takes to open up and fight past the intrusive thoughts and be the best version of yourself.”

Blending gravelly garage rock stylings with uplifting hooks and a hopeful vision for the future, “Haze” arrives as a third glimpse into Berries’ forthcoming debut  ‘How We Function’ — an album ostensibly about mental health struggles and the resounding empowerment of overcoming and learning to live thoroughly with them.

Having sieved the last four years of their lives through tight, crunchy guitar lines and puncturing rhythmic patterns, ‘How We Function’ explores the band’s musical and emotional DNA revealing what it takes to not only overcome personal problems but set yourselves down a path to being truly independent in sound, ambition, heart and mind. “We really couldn’t have put more into it,” adds Holly, “we are so proud of the end result.”


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Lydia Luce - Headshrinkers

Lydia Luce - Matter of Time.

It’s no secret that an artist’s surroundings directly influence their output, but in the case of Lydia Luce’s new single “Matter of Time,” it isn’t so much about the beautiful nature in which the song was written. Moreso, Luce’s ethereal tune focuses on what might become of her Eden with the upward trend of wildfires and climate change.

Written during her time as an artist in residence on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington—only a couple of months after a series of devastating heatwaves in the Pacific Northwest—it was greatly apparent to Luce that her refuge was threatened. “I was on this incredibly beautiful island immersed in nature thinking about the effect of climate change in that area.

In that moment, I was grateful to be able to be there and experience the beauty,” she says, recounting the genesis of “Matter of Time.” “I tried to stay present and really absorb it all because every year we are seeing changes to our world.” “I want to stay in the light, because I know it’s a matter of time,” she sings.

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Headshrinkers - The Sea Has No Friends.

Expertly tapping into and memorialising a certain place and time in history, the latest single from the Black Country-based newcomers is a lofty expanse of a track that merges spoken-word lyrics with velvety vocal harmonies and opulent stretches of instrumentals.

As gentle acoustic guitar strums and skillfully-crafted poetry descend into an exhilarating crescendo of steady and majestic drums, jubilant riffs and increasingly urgent vocals, “The Sea Has No Friends” ingeniously boasts the band’s breadth. Straying slightly from the rip-roaring post-punk of their earlier singles, the new track stays true to the band’s knack for capturing the imagination and evoking the sights and sounds of a specific — and at times long forgotten — moment in time.

Of the story behind the track, vocalist and songwriter Garran Hickman explains: “It was quite the reflective day when I wrote that piece. Words and melody were both written in half an hour. It’s just two entwined memories really: one is of my older relatives sharing stories of their loved ones in the war, and secondly the opening line, ‘the sea has no friends’, are words my dad used to describe the sea.”

Produced and mixed by Gavin Monoghan at Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton and engineered by Liam Radburn, the track comes as an astute follow up to the band’s most recent single “Monocle”. Headshrinkers are Garran Hickman (vocals), James Knott (guitar), Xavier Al-Naqib (bass) and Scarlett Churchill (drums, backing vocals). Having formed in 2019 and bonded over a shared vision of capturing the intricacies of modern life within their music, the Black Country-based foursome have been quick to make a name for themselves on their local music scene and beyond.

Carving out an unmistakable sound characterised by its unflinching poetry set atop searing and confrontational guitar riffs, thunderous basslines and pummelling drums, Headshrinkers were dubbed as Brum Radio’s ‘Band of the Year’ for 2020, and named on This Feeling’s ‘Big in 2021’ list.


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