This is Linda Ronstadt perfoming for 'Don Kirshner's Rock Concert' at the Long Beach Auditorium Long Beach, California, USA back in 1974 (for TV broadcast).
In 1973 Don Kirshner began to produce his own syndicated weekly rock program, “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.” Unlike “American Bandstand” and other TV rock shows, where performers lip-synched in a studio, “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert” featured full performances in a live concert setting. Over the show’s run from 1973 to 1981, “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert” included legendary acts such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones and many others that were as diverse as Abba to Weather Report.
Linda Ronstadt began her fourth solo album, Don't Cry Now, in 1973, with Boylan (who had negotiated her contract with Asylum Records) and John David "J.D." Souther producing most of the album's tracks. But needing someone willing to work with her as an equal, Ronstadt asked Peter Asher, who came highly recommended to her by James Taylor's sister Kate Taylor, to help her produce two of them: "Sail Away" and "I Believe in You." The album featured Linda's first Country hit, "Silver Threads and Golden Needles", which she had first recorded on Hand Sown ... Home Grown; this time hitting the Country Top 20. With the release of Don't Cry Now, Ronstadt took on her biggest gig to date as the opening act on Neil Young's Time Fades Away tour, playing for larger crowds than ever before. Backstage at a concert in Texas, Chris Hillman introduced her to Emmylou Harris, telling them, "You two could be good friends", which soon occurred, resulting in frequent collaborations over the following years. Meanwhile, the album became Ronstadt's most successful up to this time, selling 300,000 copies by the end of 1974.
Having been a cult favorite on the music scene for several years, 1975 was "remembered in the music biz as the year when 29-year-old Linda Ronstadt belatedly happened." With the release of Heart Like A Wheel, Ronstadt reached No. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart (it was also the first of four No. 1 Country Albums for Ronstadt) and the disc was certified Double-Platinum (over 2 million copies sold in the United States).
Source: TV Broadcast soundtrack.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@230kbps.
Genre: Rock, rock and roll, folk, country rock.
Set: TV live.
Set List:
1. Intro 2. It Doesn't Matter Anymore 3. When Will I Be Loved 4. Heart Like A Wheel 5. You're No Good 6. You Can Close Your Eyes 7. Silver Threads And Golden Needles
Background: Pop's best-kept secret, Danielle Aument, is an ascending singer-songwriter set to release her brand new single "Already Over You." The lead single off her yet-to-be-titled EP, due out later this year, is available for purchase on iTunes.
Originally from Downers Grove, IL, Danielle got her start in music as a performer in local musical theater productions near her hometown. She then moved on to professional productions in Chicago performing in popular musicals such as the renowned Evita. Drawn to the intimate styles of singer-songwriters, she left her theatrical experience behind and made her career as a music artist a reality. The 18 year-old singer is already making a name for herself; not only was she invited to attend the music industry showcase NAMM in Nashville, but she was recently named iHeartRadio's Artist to Watch.
Danielle Aument is an enthusiastic artist and a passionate songwriter with a dedication to her craft and a commitment to her art. Her modern musical vision is illuminated with her music. From catchy hooks, and joyful pop tunes that put you in a good mood, Danielle aims to enlighten and entertain.
2012Candy Say's: Put simply this is upbeat pop, just right for the summer, if your gonna do pop Danielle sets the standards.
Listen: What You Mean To Me, (player only). Web: Official HERE.
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Background: Portland, Oregon-based pianist/singer-songwriter Sara Jackson-Holman will release her sophomore full-length, Cardiology (Expunged Records), on July 24, 2012.
Where the songs on Jackson-Holman's debut, When You Dream (Expunged Records) were intended to be universal and interpreted by the listener, her latest release Cardiology expresses a very personal journey, specific to the study of her own heart this past year. “This album centers around themes of love and loss and my experiences with each over the course of this last year. Some songs, like “Do I Make It Look Easy” and “For Albert” are about moving on from situations - realizing and accepting that you can't change people, which is challenging, but at the same time empowering, because that understanding ultimately provides you with a sense of peace. I also wrote songs to sort through what it means to lose someone you love, and what you do with that feeling of loss.”
Co-produced by Jackson-Holman, Keith Schreiner (Auditory Sculpture, Dahlia), one of Portland’s best known composers and performers who programmed synths and beats, and Skyler Norwood (producer of Blind Pilot, Horse Feathers, and Jackson-Holman's When You Dream) at Miracle Lake Studios, where tracking of organic elements and mixing took place, Jackson-Holman delivers a stunning follow-up with Cardiology. Featuring contributions by Skyler Norwood (Point Juncture, WA) on drums and bass, Jack Norwood on bass, Jessie Dettwiler (Alameda) on cello, and Basho Parks (Jenn Rawling & Basho Parks) on violin, Jackson-Holman's songs are fleshed out by a cast of strong supporters.
For her sophomore album, Jackson-Holman took a much different approach to her songwriting and production process. “Recording my first album was about learning the process; it was extremely informative. I had never been in a studio, so to see the inner-workings of production firsthand changed my entire perspective. For Cardiology, I actually produced full, 30-track demo versions at home for several of the songs on Garageband before bringing the tracks to the studio for final beats, synth sounds, and additional production. I wrote the songs in varied ways - some originated from sitting at the piano, others from humming a melody, and still more from writing a beat first then crafting the rest of the song around it. From my first day in the studio to my last, the recording process spanned seven months."
2012Candy Say's: This is a fine song from a fascinating album that takes the listener in different directions and moods. Songs that tell stories and capture your imagination. Listen: Cartography, (player only). Web: Official HERE. ========================================================================
Background: Jezzy & The Belles, the salacious Brooklyn based dream-pop folktronica band announces the release of their debut full-length album “Compasses & Maps” on June 26. This aptly titled record guides listeners on a transcendent pilgrimage along the border of hauntingly ethereal indie pop and seductive, undulating folktronica. This rhythmic journey is lead by the hypnotic vocals of front woman, Jezzy (Jessica Eisenberg), who fearlessly routes your way through 9 rousing songs which will make you subconsciously fall victim to her melodic rapture. Fans of Nouvelle Vague, Air, Massive Attack and PJ Harvey beware: “Compasses & Maps” by Jezzy & The Belles will claim another piece of your heart.
Jezzy is candid about her music providing a creative and emotional safe haven after she endured a series of traumatic events. “It was a way for me to heal wounds and make room for a trust and a sense of calm in life,” says Jezzy, “Even if I didn’t feel entirely hopeful and exuberant at the time I wrote these songs, I pushed forward and tried to document the music and words I needed to feel at that point.” The strength, power and perseverance that Jezzy demonstrated during this time is felt whole heartedly on each track of “Compasses & Maps” and translates into a soul-stirring escapade for its listeners.
“Compasses & Maps” follows the February 2012 release of Jezzy & The Belles’ self-titled EP which included the title track from their forthcoming full-length album and lead to a worldwide music video premiere for “Compasses & Maps” on AOL Spinner.
Jezzy & The Belles debut album “Compasses & Maps” will be released digitally on June 26.
2012Candy Say's: This has a fairly unique feel despite the comparisons Nouvelle Vague, Air, Massive Attack and PJ Harvey. Intricate and pleasing. Listen: Confess Child (mp3). Web: Facebook HERE. ======================================================================== Background: Virginian sisters Rachel and Torey Russell’s ethereal voices conjure up the laid back sweetness of Norah Jones and Lisa Hannigan as they gently meander over the warm acoustic backdrops provided by the band’s creative spearhead, Kent Heckaman. Sonnet Cottage is a new project for Kent Heckaman who was waiting for just the right vocalists to collaborate with. The simple arrangements fit like a glove with the angelic vocals of the two sisters. The wait was well worth it.
Like Peter, Paul and Mary before them, this trio comes bearing a similar message of nature, deeper human conditions and winds of change. Their first single, the pastoral charmer “Most Unlikely”, transports the listener through its mysterious and whimsical atmosphere. “New life will soon begin, much wiser than before, no more vanity” they sing on the groovy Latin tinged “Trail of the Wind”, a perfect precession to the enchantingly nuanced ballad “Little Did I Know”. Other tracks, like the opener “Letting It All Go”, feel akin to the organic nature of Sufjan Stevens’ esteemed album Greetings from Michigan, embodying the magical feeling of being in a vaguely familiar, yet completely unique sonic landscape. Step into Sonnet Cottage’s world and be whisked away to Another Time, out July 24, 2012.
2012Candy Say's: This is a beautiful song, I could go on, however I reckon that sums the song and Sonnet Cottage just fine.
Listen: Most Unlikely (player only). Web: Official HERE.
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Background: Maren Parusel is a name you need to know, now! Out of the ashes of a terrible incident in which all of Maren’s instruments were stolen in New York City last year, shines a bright light out of the Midtown Tunnel and into an intense musical journey that you will not soon forget. What came of her sound is a revamped style of guitar-driven tones, synths, and the ability to take on the world. Not to shabby if you ask us.
Parusel is gearing up to release her sophomore full-length, Tightrope Walker (Requiemme Records/ BMG Chrysalis), on June 19th to eager ears. Today the band debuts the first single and title track from the album called, “Tightrope Walker,” the perfect song to kick off your Summer.
Filled with dreamy synths, beautiful and transcendent guitars, and Maren’s blend of poppy and gorgeous vocals, this song will provide you with everything you have ever wanted in a song. With a voice reminiscent of Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino, with a dose of pop flare thrown in, Parusel brings every piece to life to provide what can be described a polished and danceable collection of dreamy tracks. With bandmates in tow, including Eric Brozgold (drums), Josh Cass (guitarist), and Chris Hoffee (bass), the group has already been getting attention from the likes of indie Godfather, Mike Mills from R.E.M. (“I loved her set”), renowned photographer BP Fallon, and even Kim Fowley (Manager of Runaways).
Maren Parusel is ready to elevate you to new heights with Tightrope Walker. Just close your eyes, put one foot in front of the other and take it all in.
2012Candy Say's: Power pop with a little splash of indie rock thrown in for effect this is one catchy song, be warned it can get inside your head!
Listen: Tightrope Walker (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
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Background:Originally conceived to create the fictional home recordings of a nonexistent South Dakotan teenager, The Dust Engineers are in reality a new Brooklyn/Queens-based band. "Ask Bobby Zimmerman about inventing a persona," laughs Zachary Meyer, singer and guitarist. "Sometimes romanticization is better than the real thing." After performing at a Bowery Poetry Club multimedia exhibition, Meyer decided to make The Dust Engineers more than a fantasy, and enlisted Ryan Egan (bass), Sara Maeder (vocals, tambourine), Erik Rosenberg (guitar, vocals), and Jared Harel (drums) to form the band in 2011. Employing coed harmonies and twangy bottleneck slides with reckless abandon, their new EP Bail proves tough to classify. "One foot on a skateboard and the other in stirrups," replies Meyer when asked about The Dust Engineers' singular sound.
Listen to the debut single “Snot Nosed Dweeb,” from the upcoming EP Bail, due out July 17, and you will find yourself immediately drawn into their 90's meets 2012 sound with a twist of pop sensibility and irreverent lyrics that will ring true for anyone who's ever dreamt of quitting their job.
The Dust Engineers recorded this, and all tracks, live in the studio rather than multi-tracking piece by piece, creating a warm and stage-ready sound for your stereo. Recorded by Andrew Lappin and mixed by Yale Yng-Wong (Here We Go Magic, Country Mice, Fort Lean, Tiny Victories), The Dust Engineers have created an impressive EP of 5 unforgettable tracks. The album is released under the label and creative collective, No Horse Town, which is made up of musicians, poets, visual artists, and writers around the country. "We strive for this natural, collaborative writing process, and we let the original vision guide us. We've got an imagined desert muse,” says Meyer.
2012Candy Say's: OK the band name and song title more or less got this song featured, the bonus is that it's a great piece of music with good rock and roll harmonies. Listen: Snot Nosed Dweeb (mp3). Web: Bandcamp HERE. ========================================================================
Background: Beehive Candy recently received an introductory email direct from Pharaohs from the Grave. Having given their music a listen we are mighty glad they got in touch!
Pharaohs from the Grave are a four-piece alternative punk rock band from the U.K. Resident party band in the London indie Rock scene. Described as a mix between Blondie, Grace Jones, No doubt, Garbage, the yeah yeah yeahs and Queens of the stone age.
The band have been described as a visual act as well not just a generic rock n roll act.
2012Candy Say's: Straight to the point, no nonsense music, OK we cannot do the visual element any justice, but if you like your rock tight and tough, this does it! Listen: Success (mp3). Web: Official HERE. ========================================================================
Background: UK-based band Alt-J are proud to announce the US release of their debut album An Awesome Wave on September 18 via Canvasback Music. For full track listing and album art, please see below.
An Awesome Wave was released in the UK on May 28 to both critical and commercial success. In their rave review, NME said "On the surface, this is smart alt-pop, but Alt-J have messed with the formula just enough to make this a brilliantly disquieting debut." BBC called the album "a stunning and encompassing affair of both innovative and electrifying musicianship and exemplary song writing," while The Guardian proclaimed "the music is rich and quirky enough to match the imagistic literacy of the lyrics, from the majestic, cinematic sweep of 'Intro' onwards."
In its first week at iTunes, the album has held the number 1 position on the UK Alternative chart. The track "Fitzpleasure" is already receiving airplay at tastemaking radio stations KCRW Los Angeles, KEXP Seattle, KCMP Minneapolis, and WFUV New York.
2012Candy Say's: This is just so good, proving that daring to be different can be so worth while. Alt-J just get on with it and avoid the trap of being self indulgent. Listen: Fitzpleasure (mp3). Web: Official HERE. ========================================================================
Background:Inspired by wildness, fueled by instinct, Jenee Halstead’s sophomore LP, Raised by Wolves is as much a departure in form for Halstead as it is a return to the energetic, carefree days of her wandering youth. Halstead and her producer Evan Brubaker create a unique dark pop/Americana on Wolves by combining old instruments with new techniques - rendering a dobro unrecognizable with a wah pedal, distorting banjos and adding electronic beats to acoustic tunes.
The songs on the album are charged with life and passion, surely a result of Halstead changing both the perspective and instrument she used when writing. “These songs were much more challenging physically and emotionally than my first two albums, and it pretty much stretched me in every way as a writer and singer,” says Halstead, who wrote the songs on Raised by Wolves using ukulele and piano. “I sang in area of my range that I hadn’t really sung in since college and really wanted to explore more of the high soprano timbre of my voice that hadn’t been used on my first two albums.” Raised by Wolves is due out August,13th.
With creative abandon, Raised By Wolves slams an old beat box into surf guitars, banjo, and ukulele; mixing a chorus of tenor guitars, handclaps, and synth bass. Drawing on influences like PJ Harvey and Kate Bush, multi-instrumentalist/producer Brubaker (Rachel Harrington & The Knockouts, Edie Carey) empties the musical space, giving all the attention to Halstead's extraordinary voice. The twisted banjo of Danny Barnes, sly drumming of Joel Litwin, and distorted Dobro of Colby Sander help Raised By Wolves create a re-invigorated Dark Pop/Americana that surrounds Halstead's vocals with a variety of surprises.
2012Candy Say's: Another artist to watch out for in the coming months, this is a sensitive atmospheric song that has ensured I want to hear more. Listen: Raised By Wolves(mp3). Web: Official HERE. ========================================================================
Background:Art Decade’s guitarist/vocalist/arranger Ben Talmi “grew up on a strict diet of the finest classical music there is,” and it shows. The group’s Western Sunrise album is filled with some of the most breathtaking string arrangements you’ll ever hear on a popular music album. The band’s other half is Binod Singh, its lone Canadian and more of a Motown and soul guy, on bass. The outfit describes its music as neo indie classical, symphonic post-pop and rock, but it actually fits all these categorizations and more. You don’t have to listen long, for instance, to pick up on a progressive electric guitar part here, and a club dance beat there. Were you to limit it mentally to only, say, the classical/symphonic label, however, you may well miss out on also recognizing the group’s more aggressive rock instincts, which are very much on overt display. Talmi studied at Berklee School of Music, which is one of most respected musical education institutions, if not the greatest school of musical higher learning. However, Talmi came out of this advanced school with his head on straight and his love for music still intact.
“A strong musical education can do many things to a musician, oftentimes people become jaded with their acquired musical knowledge, becoming frustrated with the state of popular music and its general lack of musical depth,” explains Talmi. “Others are unable to escape the education and end up producing very indulgent and selfish music. I truly hope to take what I have learned and apply it in a very mature way.” Indeed, Art Decade’s music is as entertaining, as it its thought-provoking. Art Decade also sets its goals extremely high. Talmi says he hopes to “make albums that perfectly represent our artistic vision without any compromise.” In a world were compromise is sometimes the name of the game, it takes a strong-willed individual like Talmi to turn his lofty dreams into reality.
However, this man that grew up on the classics – and by classics, we don’t mean Led Zeppelin; instead, we mean Mozart, Beethoven and Bach -- wants his music to remembered the same special way as his classical heroes. “I want to make modern music that is played in halls hundreds of years later, like classical music is today.” Therefore, Art Decade has no intentions of merely remaining a remnant of our current decade. Rather, this group is shooting to be remembered for decades and decades to come.
2012Candy Say's: The rock music meets classical music arena can be a dangerous place to enter. Thoughts of over indulgent prog rockers of old spring to mind. This however is refreshingly and surprisingly good music that really stands out in the crowd. Listen: Breeze (mp3). Web: Official HERE. ========================================================================
Background:Singer/keyboardist Erika Forster (Au Revoir Simone) has released the first single 'Hidden' off her forthcoming self-titled debut EP, coming out on pop label Cascine on July 10th. Backed by Jorge Elbrecht of Violens on percussion (who she released a 7"split with last year), Erika fills out her sound. Under Elbrecht's guidance as producer, she experimented with effects and instrumentation, recording a handful of tracks at his Greenpoint home studio in 2011.
Spring began writing music as part of a multimedia project in her schooldays. After performing with local outfit, Dirty On Purpose, she discovered her affinity for keyboards, collecting an assortment and putting them to use composing original material. Before long she was collaborating on songs after work with a couple of similarly synth-minded girlfriends, eventually forming officially as the band, Au Revoir Simone. Over the next seven years Au Revoir Simone would see success, writing and recording three albums and touring extensively. In 2010 the group was put on hold so that members could focus on continuing education and starting a family. Erika took the opportunity to explore some personal musical territory.
Setting out on her own, she has taken elements of her band's sound and spun them into her own brand of bittersweet, sun-bleached pop. Breathing vocals over mesmerizing keyboard phrases, Erika produces an effect that approaches the supernatural, with tough, spring-loaded beats lending gravity to the otherwise hazy, delirious songs. The music conjures scenes of blustery romance amidst the dunes, of love as a mirage, of softly raising the dead.
2012Candy Say's: This is a great song to finish this round up with. A multi layered song with superb vocals that match the music and draw you in. Listen: Hidden (mp3). Web: Facebook HERE. ======================================================================== Listen:
This is the Ike & Tina Turner Revue recorded live in concert at Portland University (University of Maine, Portland Campus Gym, Oregon), back on 27th March 1974.
Ike and Tina Turner were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 1991 and describing the band concisely the Hall of Fame states - The Ike and Tina Turner Revue was one of the highest energy ensembles on the soul circuit in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.
Between 1969 and 1975, Ike and Tina Turner mixed in duo recordings with solo offerings. Ike Turner released a few solo albums including A Black Man's Soul, while Tina Turner's first solo offering, Tina Turns the Country On, was released in 1974. Tina's solo debut led to Tina being nominated again for the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy. That same year, Ike & Tina reached back to their gospel roots releasing, The Gospel According to Ike & Tina, later winning them several nominations in Grammy's gospel categories. Their next secular release was Rhode Island Red, which featured one of their final charted hits, "Sexy Ida (Part 1)", which helped them nab a second appearance on Soul Train the following year. Rhode Island Red and The Gospel According to Ike & Tina, as it turned out, would be the final albums recorded in the duo's lifetime together. In 1975, Tina released her second solo album, Acid Queen, in response to her success in her film role as The Acid Queen in the rock musical, Tommy.
Source: Soundboard.
Sound Quality: Good stereo mp3@128kbps.
Genre: Rock'n'roll, soul, blues rock, funk rock.
Set: Full Set.
Set List:
01. Intro Also Sprach Zarathustra - Space Race
02. El Burrito
03. I Feel Alright
04. Theme from 'Shaft'
05. Sweet Soul Music
06. With A Little Help From My Friends
07. Get Back
08. A Love Like Yours
09. Come Together
10. Nutbush City Limits
11. Proud Mary
12. I've Been Loving You Too Long
13. I Wanna Take You Higher
14. Audience-encore
15. A Little Respect
Background:Noah And The MegaFauna's Anthem For A Stateless Nation is a raucous, whiskey-drenched, horn-laden soundtrack to the apocalypse with gypsy jazz for a right hook and big band swing. It's a modern day allegory of Noah's Arc exploring the displacement, wandering, panic, and ultimate redemption of the end times - that you can dance to.
The brainchild of former Oliver Future frontman Noah Lit, Anthems For A Stateless Nation features a 10-piece, carnival-esque acoustic gypsy-jazz ensemble and is produced by Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Yo La Tengo) with additional production by Joe Rogers (Kelli Scarr, The Shivers), features world-renowned gypsy guitarist Gonzalo Bergara,drummer Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, George Harrison), andguest vocalists Kat Edmonson, Marianne Dissard, Emily St. Amand-Poliakoff and Mindy Gaspar.
The band recently released the song On And On as a free download. The track - which owes its haunting hook to the "Erhu" a traditional Chinese violin with two strings and a snakeskin resonator - is the midpoint of the apocalyptic narrative... Some time has passed and the earth has begun to heal itself with massive floods, as water rises and food becomes scarce the survivors have to make decisions about what to do with loved ones that have been infected by an (unnamed) virus... Can they eat the dead? How long should they wait?
"It's a song about living with awful decisions and being choked by regret," explains Lit. "I've always been really into apocalyptic literature," he continues. "While writing Anthems I was reading Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake, and Year of the Flood, Max Brooks' World War Z, and Moby Dick - which is the ultimate story of the end of the world, as both Wall Street and the polar ice caps were melting down."
The result is Anthems For A Stateless Nation, a winding musical caravan that takes the listener through moments of torrential downpours and the near-breakdown of humanity ending in a blissful calm. The record finds its influence in Lit's record collection - an eclectic mix of rock bands like The Kinks, Radiohead and The Beatles, jazz artists like Django Reinhardt, Charles Mingus, Louis Armstrong and genre benders like Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Jacques Brel and Leonard Cohen.
2012Candy Says Listen Up! The featured song drifts along effortlessly, the instruments seemingly fade in and out both challenging and complementing each other. Highly skilled craftsmanship made to seem so easy with vocals that just top the whole thing off.
Listen: On and On. (mp3) Web: Official HERE.
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Background: PLM released the new Eliot Lipp album, Shark Wolf Rabbit Snake, recently on May 22, 2012. This release has Lipp breaking new ground with his ever-evolving production style. He has developed a unique sound that is completely its own yet sticks with the PLM axiom of genre bending originality. The album incorporates everything that has recently been in Lipp's sonic world, including hip-hop, drum & bass, funk, techno, jazz, and more, while still remaining a cohesive whole. The album is heavy on analogue synthesis and very tasteful sample collaging. These two elements make it sound as though it is simultaneously ahead of its time, and from the past.
"Eliot has been an inspiration and a friend over the years. We have played more than several shows together and whether there's 5 or 5000 people in the crowd, Eliot knows how to rock the party. The new style on Shark Wolf Rabbit Snake made it obvious that it was time for the two of us to team through PLM. He manages to stick with the style he has developed while leaning more towards classy good feeling electro hip-hop, and that, after all, is what I'm all about"
- Derek Vincent Smith (founder of PLM and producer behind Pretty Lights)
2012Candy Says Listen Up! A little bit like The Avalanches meet Kraftwerk at times within this number! There is enough originality and ideas to carry the whole thing off and it is easy to play again soon enough.
Listen: The Sunset (mp3)Web: Official HERE.
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Background: From Paper Garden Records... Ever since October of 2011 we have been blasting I Can Chase Dragons! at high volumes in the PGR office. Our fascination started with the release of the single “Diving For Sunken Treasures” and it snowballed from there. Maybe it was the catchy whistling in this debut track that put our ears on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting each new release. So it is our pleasure to bring to you yet another amazing new track “Republique.”
ICCD! is the solo project of Julio Gudiño, lead singer of Mexico City’s biggest indie band, The Plastics Revolution. We stumbled upon these guys in the middle of a sidewalk jam session at Barton Springs as SXSW 2011 came to an end. Julio led the band for hours but the crowd would not let them stop, even to the point of them having to play some songs twice. He is no stranger to being the frontman of a band and is now pushing his musical limits to the electronic dream pop side of the spectrum. Drawing influences from Panda Bear and El Guincho as he loops electric textures combining organic and synthesized sounds with lyrics in English and Spanish.
He is currently going to school in Boston and polishing up his live set to include a drummer, bassist and visuals that will blow your mind so be on the lookout for East Coast tour dates in the very near future. He also started a Mexican indie label, Dos Pelícanos, and their first act of awesomeness was to release the I Can Chase Dragons! debut album “Expansión” in January. You can purchase it for just $7.92 on iTunes or name your price on Bandcamp.
2012Candy Says Listen Up! Paper Garden Records really come up with some gems to share, ICCD being the current example. The vocals/chorus are uplifting and the whole arrangement makes wonderful listening. We have avoided the cliche "one to watch out for" as much as possible this year, but maybe, just maybe...
Listen: Republique (mp3)Web: Bandcamp HERE.
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Background:LUNIC may not be a household name yet, but things are certainly about to change. The all-female electro-pop band which hails from New York City, are about take center stage with their upcoming record, Future Sex Drama, due out September 2012. Just unleashing the first single from the album, “Far Away,” the infectious trio is about to take you on a musical journey like you have never experienced before. Recommended if you like Phantogram, Lykke Li, Metric, Ladytron or The xx, LUNIC is about to join the lineup of must-hear bands of the year. The sultry “Far Away,” will entice you with haunting vocals, smooth beats, gorgeous harmonies and an echoing violin, making you fall head over heels.
Consisting of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page, electric midi violinist Megan Berson, and live drummer Masha Mayer, the band has been playing countless shows not only in New York, but around the world. LUNIC has a truly unique style when it comes to writing and arranging songs as they use a combination of keyboards, violins, guitars, effects, loops, and midi controllers to skillfully and carefully construct each track from the ground up. Creating a truly beautiful piece of art. Their electrifying creations are the perfect blend of synthpop and electro-indie which makes for an incredible and catchy combination.
The group released their first album, Lovethief, in 2009, which was funded by LUNIC fans around the world. Since then, LUNIC have shared the stage with artists such as Moby, Mindless Self Indulgence, Meiko, Company of Thieves, Dredg and many more.
2012Candy Says Listen Up! This was a nice surprise to say the least, the 'big up' in the promo above set standards high and the song really does deliver. The vocals work well, with some classy electro crafted music giving real dimension to the song.
Listen: Far Away. (mp3) Web: Official HERE.
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Background:Blind Benny will sweet-talk its way to your heart, rip it out of your chest, pull it on stage, and walk away leaving you reeling with bittersweet agony and wondering why you hadn’t discovered them sooner. This ethereal rock band emits provocative melodies lacquered with cutting lyrics that manage to have that infectious pop appeal while still effectively managing to capture the soul. With the release of their debut EP on September 4, 2012, please prepare to fall victim to Blind Benny’s threatening musical seduction.
Blind Benny’s Jade<3 was born and raised in New York City and is a graduate of the renowned La Guardia School of Performing Arts. Ironically enough, this ferocious singer / songwriter and vicious performer is the daughter of a pastor. “I’m obsessed with human behavior, I live vicariously through everyone,” says Jade<3. Her fervent intrigue went hand in hand with the intuitive observations that Jade<3was able to make while growing up in the cultural melting pot of New York City. And on Blind Benny’s debut EP, Jade<3’s artistic and emotional journeys are put on display.
Jonathan Carmelli, guitarist and producer, is also a New York City native. Carmelli was accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston, yet made the adamant decision to stay in New York City to pursue his musical career with Blind Benny. “We met in a funk band. Jade<3 pulled me aside and asked me if I wanted to play and create something different.” All musicians want to create something different, and Jonathan knew he was about to embark on something exceptional.
Before dubbing themselves Blind Benny, the duo performed as Jade<3. In 2010 they decided to revamp Jade<3’s solo image and began representing their collective artistry as a band, and Blind Benny was born. Blind Benny’s debut EP evokes the influence of the same passion and vision that helped Jade<3 create her first critically lauded solo EP “It’s My Heart, Cookie.” With throbbing percussion and riveting electric guitar riffs that unexpectedly drop into a dreamy folktronica interlude, the songs on “It’s My Heart, Cookie” hit with palpable magnitude. The compilation of gut-wrenching rock ‘n’ roll and sparkling pop tracks on Blind Benny’s EP take you on a stimulating sensatory experience that will leave you breathless.
2012Candy Says Listen Up! Ethereal rock whatever that might be works for Beehive Candy. I know we often refer to songs 'that build' I guess this is a fine example, it also 'chills out' along the way and plays even better late at night with the lights down low!
Listen: No Honor. (mp3)Web: Official HERE.
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Background: “Since the very beginning we've found a lot of support in the local food movement. Now that we are ready a cut an album we want to support the community that got us here.” These were the words of Andrew Brown, guitarist and front-man of The Appleseed Collective, speaking of the soon to be released album Baby to Beast in early 2012. A powerhouse of everything the band has come to symbolize, Beast encapsulates the Ann Arbor band’s first year of trials, tribulations, and growth, assuming the voices of a century’s worth of music with fresh perspective. “The blends of swing, bluegrass, Dixieland ditties and alluring gypsy-folk whirls – is something close to a transcendent listen…you’re there, on some dirtroad, being led on by these songs,” says reviewer Jeff Milo of iSpy magazine. The crowd-funded album has come with a green-thumb pledge of support from the band–they are donating half the profits from the first run of CDs to local non-profit Selma Cafe.
“Selma does wonderful work with local farmers,” said Brandon Smith–violinist, mandolinist and vocalist. “Their work over the last 3 years has resulted in the creation of over 20,000 square feet of year-round growing space.” The hoop-house spreading 501(c)3 is intricately tied to the band–they got their start playing Friday morning gigs for tips in the crowded Ann Arbor home where the Cafe part of the organization lives.
Formed in November of 2010 by the coincidental meeting of Andrew and Brandon, The Appleseed Collective got a jump on the scene through endless networking and connections with the underground current of house-shows, DIY Fests, and localist enthusiasts. Sophie Tulip added sweet lows and highs with double bass and vocals, and Vince Russo livened the group with his clackering washboard and raw vocal passion.
By the end of December, the band was already headlining at The Blind Pig, and have since shared stages with Steppin In It, The Ragbirds, Cuddle Magic, and Frontier Ruckus. May of 2011 saw the band embark on their debut tour–a ragged edge east coast gypsy caravan of a month which was amazingly successful through the force of sheer moxy. The band proved their DIY ethic could float by spending a week in each city of their tour playing on the street and making connections for the coming weekend’s show.
As summer drew to a close, The Appleseed Collective began making waves on the Michigan scene with appearances at Hollerfest and Earthwork’s Harvest Gathering. And in August of 2011 the band welcomed Katie Lee to the stage to complete the current lineup with warm vocals and cutting banjo.
2012Candy Says Listen Up! I am seriously liking this song from The Appleseed Collective! Excellent vocals over funky country music, that you can dance around the room too plain cold sober. Much More Please.
Listen: Mani (mp3) Web: Official HERE.
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This is Toyah Willcox live in London back in 1981. Toyah performed at the Rainbow Theatre on the 21st February 1981 and was filmed by BBC Television the show later being released by them on VHS video under licence.
The Theatre Royal, Drury lane concert which provides the bulk of this recording was later in the year (24th December 1981). As far as I can ascertain the final two songs are from the Rainbow gig and tracks three and four are open to debate.
In the UK, 1981 saw Toyah's strengthened presence in the charts with hits such as Four from Toyah EP (Number 4, February 1981, including "It's a Mystery"), the second album Anthem that went up to Number 2 in May 1981 to be later certified platinum, "I Want To Be Free" (Number 8, June 1981), "Thunder In The Mountains" (Number 4, October 1981) and Four More From Toyah EP (November 1981, Number 14).
She became one of the first acts to score regularly in the UK Singles Chart with EPs, which were also successful on an international level. In the end of the year Toyah won the Smash Hits Reader's Poll 1981 in two categories: "Best female singer" and "Most Fanciable Female" (beating Kim Wilde to the second place). In 1981 she alone, according to Safari, sold in the UK more units than the whole of the Warner Bros. put together. However by 1980 she had severed all ties with punk aesthetics. "I don't use punk whatsoever because my philosophies are so different, my morals are so straight. I'm not a punk, I'm a modern woman", Toyah said in a 1980 TV interview.
Source: FM Radio.
Sound Quality: Good stereo mp3@128kbps.
Genre: Punk rock, rock music, new wave.
Set: Edited set.
Set List:
1. Good Morning Universe
2. We Are
3. War Boys
4. Victim Of Riddle
5. Furious Features
6. In Fairground
7. It's A Mystery
8. Untitled
9. Masai Boy
10. Danced
11. Thunder In The Mountains
12. Ieya
13. Neon Womb
14. Insects
This is the Dave Matthews Band, live on Austin City Limits, Austin, Texas, USA, back on August 10th, 2009 and subsequently broadcast on November 3rd, 2009.
For those unfamiliar with the band Wikipedia tells the following - Dave Matthews Band, abbreviated DMB, are an American rock band that was formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was added to the band as a violinist soon after the band was formed. Moore died suddenly in August 2008 due to complications from an ATV accident. Grammy Award-winner Jeff Coffin, of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, has since filled Moore's spot as the band's saxophonist. Rashawn Ross and Tim Reynolds have also become full-time touring members of the band. As of 2010, Dave Matthews Band has approximate sales between 30 and 40 million copies worldwide.
The band is known for their annual summer-long tours of the US and Europe, featuring lengthy improvisational renditions of their songs, accompanied by an elaborate video and lighting show. This portion of the tour has become a stamp of DMB and has grown with the band since Fenton Williams began in the early 1990s. After twenty consecutive years of touring the band announced that it is going to take the summer of 2011 off. The band's most recent album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (the first since Moore's death) debuted at number one on Billboard 200, giving the band their fifth consecutive number one debut, making them the second band behind Metallica to do so.
The band has won one Grammy Award, and was awarded the NAACP Chairman's Award. According to Julian Bond, "they sell out the largest arenas on Earth, but frequently give their music away."
Source: PBS-HD Pre-broadcast.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.
Genre: Rock, bluegrass, world music, funk rock.
Set: Full set.
Set List:
01 Intro
02 Funny The Way It Is
03 Spaceman
04 Squirm
05 Lying in the Hands of God
06 Seven
07 Gravedigger
08 Shake Me Like A Monkey
09 Sister
10 You and Me
11 Why I Am
12 Dave Speaks Big Whiskey
This is The Yardbirds in concert on the 30th March 1968 at the Anderson Theatre, New York, NY, USA and was a soundboard recording.
The notes that accompanied this mp3 version sum up the reason this recording surfaced concisely - This show comes from a rather infamous LP. With the success of Led Zeppelin, Epic decided to cash in on Jimmy Page and so released this LP. The hardcore are familiar with the story - the drums were recorded with a single mic, crowd noise was added with the sound of clinking glasses, etc. The result? Jimmy immediately had the Lp pulled off shelves, but not before some got out. This set is taken directly from the original Epic vinyl. The set includes an early version of Dazed & Confused (here called "I'm Confused"), which includes Keith Relfs original lyrics.
A CD version appeared in Italy in 1990 on a label called Golden Stars and distributed by Red Line, Srl via Trentacoste in Milan, this was probably taken from one of the vinyl recordings.
By 1968 Keith Relf and Jim McCarty wished to pursue a style influenced by folk and classical music while Jimmy Page, at a time when the psychedelic blues-rock of Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience was enormously popular, wanted to continue with the kind of "heavy" music for which Led Zeppelin would become famous. Chris Dreja was developing an interest in photography. By March, Relf and McCarty had decided to leave, though the other two managed to persuade them to stay at least for one more American tour. The Yardbirds' final single, recorded in January and released two months later, reflected these divergences. The A-side, "Goodnight Sweet Josephine", was in the same vein as their Mickie Most-produced singles of the previous year, while its B-side, "Think About It" (later covered by Aerosmith on their Night in the Ruts album), featured a proto-Zeppelin Page riff and snippets of the "Dazed" guitar solo. This last single did not even crack the Hot 100.
Wikipedia confirms the issue with Epic Records as follows - A concert and some album tracks were recorded in New York City in March (including the currently unreleased song "Knowing That I'm Losing You", an early version of a track that would be re-recorded by Led Zeppelin as "Tangerine"). All were shelved at the band's request, although once Led Zeppelin were successful Epic tried to release the concert material as Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page. The album was quickly withdrawn after Page's lawyers filed an injunction.
On 7th July 1968, the Yardbirds played their final gig at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire, England.
Source: Epic LP.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.
Genre: Blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues.
Set: Full set.
Set List:
01. The Train Kept A Rollin'
02. You're a Better Man Than I
03. Heartful of Soul
04. I'm Confused
05. My Baby
06. Over Under Sideways Down
07. Drinking Muddy Water
08. Shapes of Things
09. White Summer
10. I'm A Man
Background: Portland, Oregon-based artist Leigh Marble celebrated the national release of Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows recently. The album is a ten-track follow-up to Red Tornado, which Portland alternative weekly Willamette Week proclaimed "a burning, angst folk-rock masterpiece." Further extending beyond the pop-rock and folk of Red Tornado, Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows delves deeper into an indie-fied spectrum of soundscapes and experimentation, without losing the lyrical depth or sonic power of Marble's previous work. Willamette Week said of the album, "...the folk-tinged troubadour bends his signal genre well away from the self-styled punk Americana of his early efforts to embrace big-chorused indie pop and swaggering guitar rock, all of which meshes surprisingly well with his more introspective musings."
The album features guest appearances by longtime friend Erin McKeown, and local Portland musicians Jesse Emerson (Amelia, The Decemberists), Matt Harmon & Kali Giaritta (of The Ascetic Junkies), and Rachel Taylor-Brown.
Even with the help of friends, though, Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows wasn't an easy record to make, by any stretch of the imagination. It was both physically and emotionally draining to write and record, because, as many know, life will sneak up on you. Battling his now-wife's cancer with her, and the subsequent depression that followed, it took Marble all he had to make it through each day, let alone finish the record.
Once out of the darkness, and his wife in remission, Marble was able to finish Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows, pouring his heart out, just as he did on Peep, his debut, and Red Tornado.
"This record was mostly written after my wife (then my girlfriend) was diagnosed with breast cancer, and went through months of treatment and surgery for that. Those were sad and dark times for us, with long-lasting effects," comments Marble on the history of the album. "I descended into a depression that lasted over a year. So you'll hear themes of anger, frustration, and fear all over this record."
It may have taken Marble a lot to travel to the point of finishing Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows since 2007's Red Tornando, adapting to life's unexpected turns, and struggling with depression and the subsequent recovery period. Using writing as a last, desperate resort to creatively overcome these obstacles, Marble, not exactly known as a sunny songwriter before, goes from drizzle to downpour on Knives.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Having read the background to this album by Leigh Marble, I was half expecting something quite depressing, whereas although the mood is sombre at times these are fine stirring songs that are more thought provoking than sad.
Listen: Walk. (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Girl/girl DJ/Electronic duo Moneypenny was formed in the Spring of 2008 by long-time friends and well known Chicago nightlife personalities Chess Hubbard (DJ Mother Hubbard) and Jessica Gonyea (DJ A-Cup). With both ladies having experienced a great deal of success and high public visibility on their own – DJ Mother Hubbard has graced the pages of every major Chicago print publication (usually in a "sexy singles" issue) and is a founding member of Life During Wartime, one of Chicago's longest-running dance parties, while Gonyea has been featured in Spin, Rolling Stone, NME, Teen Vogue, and appeared on MTV and E! with her former band, OFFICE – Moneypenny hit the ground running.
The duo's first show ever was a direct support slot for international pop star Robyn at the Park West in Chicago and was followed by a Playboy "Rock The Rabbit" event the very next night. It didn't stop there either. The group has performed at some of the coolest parties in the US, from the official 2008 Lollapalooza after party @ the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago to the FADER Magazine party at CMJ just a few months later, and have shared the stage with the likes of Phantom Planet, The Heavy, The Bravery, Villains and Chromeo. With all that noise, people were sure to notice and that's exactly what they did, as Moneypenny quickly racked up favorable press from The Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Venus and URB Magazine.
2012Candy's Wise Words: I really think I should have heard of Moneypenny prior to receiving this song, thank goodness I have now, great electro music and vocals, delightful.
Listen: Sides. (mp3).
Background: M. William Helfrich, better known as the Portland, Oregon-based mbilly, a folk-pop songwriter with a knack for crafting time-proven melodies with aged wisdom, will celebrate the release of his sophomore full-length, Malheur (self-released), nationally on June 5, 2012.
A collection of eleven songs recorded over ten days in the summer at Type Foundry with engineer/producer Adam Selzer, Malheur was written in the months following the death of one of his best friends growing up. The album takes its name--French for misfortune--from the county in Eastern Oregon where he grew up.
"He and I were in a band together in high school and every aspect of my musical life began with him," mbilly says of his friend that passed. "We began playing shows together, writing songs, and recording; all of it was done for the first time with him." In a fitting coincidence, the album's June 5th release date would have been his friend's 32nd birthday.
He continues, "We weren't close at the time of his death, but it brought out a lot of feelings and questions that I hadn't anticipated and couldn't easily articulate. I have a similar ambivalence towards Eastern Oregon, where I grew up. It's very much part of who I am and I am anchored by it in an unidentifiable way, but I also felt very disconnected from it and at odds with it."
Attempting to address the parallels between his friend and his hometown, the songs mbilly wrote became an album of open-ended questions. "I didn't attempt to answer them," he says. "In past songs I've written I've tried to resolve them with an answer of some kind. The nature of the questions asked in these songs is such that there are no simple answers, nothing neat in the way things are wrapped up."
Another thing new for mbilly, who recorded his debut full-length, Mister Nobody Baby, at four different studios over the course of three years, is the structure in which this record was made. Spending plenty of time on pre-production with Selzer, mbilly knew exactly what he wanted to do with the songs when he went into the studio.
"I knew from the beginning that I wanted all the percussion on the album to come from old analog rhythm machines, so I started using them as I was writing the songs. I love the way they sound rigid and stiff, but at the same time organic and rich." His thought behind the drum machines, one of the many decisions they made ahead of going into the studio, was that they would create a nice, static foundation for the songs in contrast to the fairly loose instruments on the record.
The result is an album that shines with its late-night starkness and airy, less-is-more instrumentation choices; however, that is not to say the instrumentation feels short, because the full-sounding compositions compliment the space beautifully.
The Portland Mercury has written that, "… he has a voice that flexes and ripples like Jack LaLanne's pectorals - classic and classy, despite the nakedness," while The Oregonian wrote, "… a sly sense of humour and a potent darkness," about his previous album. The same rings true with Malheur, as does Willamette Week's quote that, "…songs that contain both a plainspoken charm and a knack for communicating some deeper truth," a style that will instantly have you recognising mbilly.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Excellently mixed music where each instrument contrasts beautifully, and the vocals and harmonies just add to the quality of this song.
Listen: Malheur.(mp3).Web: Official HERE.
Background: Singer/songwriter Mitski has released the brand new single "Liquid Smooth" from her debut album Lush, available on iTunes and CD Baby. The eclectic singer personifies an oxymoron as she sports a nightgown and a sweet face in a dreamy effect on her album cover, but later sings beautiful poignant lyrics with an unfiltered honesty.
A worldly musician in her own right, Mitski holds many talents including expertise in the piano and the Japanese Taiko drums. She has lived and learned the customs of various cultures while residing in Malaysia, Japan, The Czech Republic, Taiwan, China, Turkey, The Democratic Republic of Congo and the U.S. Being such a self-proclaimed nomad, music was the one constant thing that she could rely on to keep her peace-of-mind. Writing and making music with a true meaning and purpose was something Mitski became passionate about after realizing that songs on the radio weren't saying what she wanted to express. Only when someone told Mitski that her voice was a gift did she start developing her music more and sang in school choirs and talent shows. Currently living in the Big Apple and attending a music conservatory, Mitski has performed at local venues such as Vaudeville Park, Freddy's Bar and Backroom and Gallery 51.
Defying the persona of typical pop artists, Mitski stays true to her own experiences and emotions and relays them in somewhat somber yet romantic lyrics. With a unique approach and distinctive sound, the "Liquid Smooth" singer wrote, arranged, produced and performed all songs on the album with a little help from some friends. All nine songs on Lush are endowed with resilient character peeling back layers of Mitski to reveal a soft-hearted, unwavering individual. Subject matters on the album include "the little things in life that break your heart, sex, and how some things you just can't do anything about," Mitski said.
The lead single "Liquid Smooth" is self-explanatory expressing sexuality and the desire to be loved. The alternative singer injects red hot femininity into poetic lyrics and pulsating piano chords. Her soothing voice adds a velvety texture that only compliments her inky instrumentation. Mitski displays her subtle rock-star quality, too on the album. With the electric guitar-ridden, "Brand New City", she sings distorted melodies about moving away from a relationship gone wrong. The album is essentially an unconventional journey through Mitski's diary that critics will either love or hate.
Steadily spreading her music to the masses, Mitski is currently planning to leverage her fan base starting with an East Coast tour this summer.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Liquid Smooth may be sensual however there is so much more to Mitski's music and this really is only touching the surface of her many talents and directions.
Listen: Liquid Smooth(player only). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Detroit-based quartet FAWN have teamed up with Quite Scientific Records (Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Chris Bathgate) for the release of its debut album Coastlines, due out on June 12th. In anticipation of the LP, FAWN has released its first single "Pixels" alongside two remixes by fellow Detroit natives Arranged Marriage, and Coyote Clean Up. FAWN consists of members from Kiddo, Child Bite, the Nice Device, the Von Bondies, Javelins, Thunderbirds are Now!, and Those Transatlantics.
The members of FAWN are not only experienced musicians, but a font of visual creativity -- designing their own record covers, photography, posters, websites, and video treatments. They have managed to assemble an excitingly well-versed group to showcase the sound of New Detroit through the prisms of such 90's touchstones as Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pixies, Sleater-Kinney, The Breeders, and Juliana Hatfield, alongside modern influences like Yuck or The New Pornographers. It is indie pop with a definitive rock tinge that tips a hat ever so slightly to Detroit's past in the rear view mirror, but propels you along by offering up the hyper-realism of what ultimately can be.
2012Candy's Wise Words: I was expecting bulk standard indie rock with the opening chords, only to be knocked out by the vocal harmonies and depth of this song, I am now in eager anticipation of the album, that'll teach me to presume !
Listen: Pixels. (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Detroit songstress Mozella is thrilled to announce the release of her new album The Brian Holland Sessions. Set for a July 24th release, this exciting new album was co-written by Motown legend Brian Holland - songwriter of over 25 Number 1 Motown songs - and co-produced by Holland along with Dave Wilder (Macy Gray & Ghostface Killah).
Mozella - who seamlessly blends her charismatic vocals and charming personality with carefully crafted pop, soul, and jazz - was a perfect compliment to Holland's songwriting, synonymous with what is arguably considered the greatest period of American songwriting history. Holland is responsible for classic songs such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" for Martha and the Vandellas, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" for Marvin Gaye, "Baby I Need Your Loving" for the Four Tops and hit songs by The Supremes like "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," and "You Keep Me Hangin' On."
Within a few weeks of writing together, Mozella and Holland put together a 10-song album of sophisticated R&B and memorable pop melodies using Motown's signature foundation of rhythmic bass and drums.
With songs such as the driving "Another You," the romantic "Exception" and the sweeping "You Don't Love Anyone But Yourself," The Brian Holland Sessions is an undeniable album of catchy symphonic doo-wop and soul, sung by an accomplished artist and co-written by an unparalleled legend.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Mozella has the right voice to work with such a Motown legend and this song puts a modern twist on Motown one moment and has me transported back to the 1960's the next!
Listen: Another You.(mp3). Web: Official HERE.
Background: On June 5th, 2012, Santa Barbara/Los Angeles, California-based Roxanne and Caroline Teti, sisters of the shoegaze-rock/psych-pop band Skyline Pigeons, will be celebrating the release of their debut full-length album, House of Mysteries.
House of Mysteries is an 11-track collection inspired by the traumatic and liberating experience of loss and rebirth, following the Santa Barbara wide fires that claimed their home - and all of their possessions.
You've seen it on the news. Devastation over wild fires. Displaced families, priceless family heirlooms gone, and everything people once had now ashes. We watch this from the comfort of our homes on the news, feeling bad for the faceless people we see on our TV screens, but that feeling soon dissipates as the next horrific 5 o'clock news story comes on. However, what if it wasn't just a news broadcast? What if it was your life? Your reality? And you lost everything?
Each song on House of Mysteries takes the listener inside the emotional journey of such a reality, the way one travels from room to room of a home. Skyline Pigeons are able to use each individual song to explore, uncover, and confront the hopes, scars, and fears that become buried in the human subconscious. While each song maintains independence, their essence is familiar yet fresh, the way a chapter of a book flows freely yet is bound by story—a story with songs intriguing and soul biting.
Rounding out the band with Andrew Harrison, Ben Potter, and Orly Gal, the outfit blends influences as far and wide as folk-roots, post-punk, and psychedelic-rock to create their dark, yet warming pop concoction. Much of their musical style is influenced by the era of the 50s, the garage rock era of the 60s, and the country rock era of 70s. Throughout the record the musician sisters detail loss, sorrow, and heartbreak—relating to the fire—but also recalling other emotionally taxing or exciting times, such as a break-up with a loved one or the energized spark of new love, loneliness and isolation or the epiphany of sense of self and experiencing the rawness of fun.
The album’s eclectic layout carries a consistent but diverse sound through each of the songs and their various use of instrumentation. From the upbeat rock anthem of “Get Up” to the haunting and intriguing psychedelic trip into an apocalyptic scenario that is "Fire She Blows," the record is as suspenseful as it is melodic. Expect to hear the haunting beauty of piano ballads such as “Lucid” and “Take Me Back," as well as sexy, bluesy, garage rock songs like “The Cycle” and “Tennessee," which emanate the carefree soul of California. In a mix of intense emotive tunes, hidden treasures of philosophical dreamscapes like “High," "Stardust Collector," and “Alright” allow one to forget about reality for a while. "Unrequited” and “Together” invites one to experience or revisit romantic despair, and the sad yet freeing reality of breakup.
Sisters Roxanne and Caroline’s alto and soprano ranges come together to form a beautiful vocal instrument full of sultry splendor that captivates one with a relaxed seduction. Instrumentally the record showcases a diverse mixture of poignant piano composition, soulful organ, Wurlitzer keyboard, vintage analog synths, the relaxed yet tight percussive elements of tambourine and multiple bass drums, electric guitar solos, acoustic finger picking, dreamy 12 string strumming, and garage rock rhythm distortion.
The conclusion after one listens to House of Mysteries is that The Skyline Pigeons Sound is a unique entry to the music scene. They pour their hearts and souls into every note and give the listener every bit of emotion they have, both lyrically and musically. Now the sisters want to share the songs that have meant so much to them throughout these life - and mind - altering experiences to others. They'll do that by hitting the road and performing in front of audiences whenever and wherever they can. For Skyline Pigeons, 2012 is the year of the House of Mysteries.
2012Candy's Wise Words: This album is a must for shoegaze come psych-pop fans and anyone with a desire to hear a band putting their own unique mark on the music scene.
Listen: Lucid(mp3). Web: Reverb Nation HERE.
Background: The South Florida teenage native Sonali, is popping onto the scene with the release of her debut EP, Speechless. Sonali is a talented emerging artist on the edge of ascension. Speechless is currently available for download on iTunes.
A multi-instrumentalist who plays keyboard, drums, and bass, Sonali is a scorching lead guitarist who wields an impressive arsenal of instruments. Dedicated to education, Sonali's studies include jazz guitar at the Players School of Music, Berklee College of Music's Five Week Summer Performance Program for Voice, the School of Rock program and a music business course at New York University, where she will be attending full time in the Fall of 2012 as part of the Clive Davis Recorded Music Program at Tisch.
The new EP features rousing songs, energetic performances, and exposes layers of emotional truths within the songs. Speechless, showcases a performer, guitarist, songwriter, and a voice that is truly unique. This upbeat album is full of poppy songs and catchy melodies showcased on songs such as "Just Wanna Love You' and "Road To Nowhere." With a full production helmed by Zach Ziskin, Speechless features Sonali's voice in tandem with a studio's worth of instruments. Sonali is equally capable of delivering these songs acoustically, allowing her honest authenticity to shine through.
As an educated multi-talented artist, Sonali doesn't stop there. Her dedication to community service is an essential element to her life. She works with a variety of worthy organizations, for example all of Sonali's iTunes sales of Speechless are donated to SmileTrain, an international charity that provides free cleft surgery to thousands of poor children in developing countries.
2012Candy's Wise Words: As debut EP's go this one really does set the standards high, Sonali may be an educated multi talented artist, she also knows how to deliver a powerful debut.
Listen: Road To Nowhere. (player only). Web: Official HERE.
Background: Berlin-based songwriter Masha Qrella has announced the release of her long-awaited Analogies album, out on June 5th with Morr Music. This is her first original studio material since 2005. A founding member of Berlin-based bands Mina and Contriva, Qrella first stepped out as a singer/songwriter in her own right with the release of her first solo album Luck. After two more full-lengths, Unsolved Remained and Speak Low, a collection of beautifully-rendered Kurt Weill and Frederick Loewe cover songs released in 2009, the latest Analogies LP truly marks a high point in her career.
Analogies is essentially her take on pop music, sitting perfectly between folk, indie rock, and all the huge radio anthems from decades past. The confidence, the virtuosity of composition at work in these songs, their post-rock leanings, shimmering folk layers and hymnal pop gestures, are the result of actual experience, years and years dedicated to actually playing and breathing music. The LP was recorded in a tiny studio in Berlin-Pankow, and echoes Qrella's musical forebears and soulmates scattered all over the history of pop: Starting with her own past and a certain proximity to Stereolab's experimental library music, one can easily move on to The Cure's mainstream melancholy or even to the all-embracing sonic albatross wings of a band like Fleetwood Mac. Imagine Stevie Nicks, Robert Smith and Laetitia Sadier randomly meeting on a walk, somewhere in beautifully quiet Berlin-Pankow or hanging out on a bench in Bürgerpark. Qrella's music invokes a sort of timeless beauty that's difficult to pinpoint, but inspires such images. Ever since the Berlin party heydays of the early nineties, Qrella has been part of the city's musical avant-garde; yet at the same time she has kept an eye on that one thing which has always been the very core and heart of pop music: the song itself, and Analogies has become the perfect canvas to bring it to life.
2012Candy's Wise Words: This song flows along, gently building with Masha's vocals mixing in perfectly, it's all over so quickly and well worth a second play!
Listen: Crooked Dreams.(mp3). Web: Bandcamp HERE.
Background: Shake the Baron’s sophomore release, Ghost Hits, is a true rock album that simultaneously bursts with rambunctious energy and shimmering precision. Lyrically, it’s an honest LP brooding on lost love, false friendships, and the confusion of mid-20’s existence. Musically, the songs are joyous, with ambitious guitar-driven arrangements and propulsive rhythms reminiscent of bands like Broken Social Scene and The Strokes. Lead singer Andrew Oedel's vocal hooks are smooth yet melancholy, punctuated by waves of thick harmony and percussive slap-back. Fuzzy guitars and spooky synth lines build along head-bobbing drums in lush compositions, creating a deep sense of atmosphere within the band’s pop sensibility. The songs feel familiar yet refreshing. After forming four years ago at Connecticut College in New London, CT, Shake The Baron relocated to NewYork. They’ve found a welcome home in Brooklyn, where they’ve begun a new and promising chapter.
Ghost Hits is a collaborative effort that was self-recorded and self-produced, with help from the band’s studio-savvy friends. The album was recorded in several locations in New York, from the band’s own basement studio, to the Gallery Recording Studio in Brooklyn, to DNA Downtown in Manhattan. The album was mixed by Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend, Weezer, Ra Ra Riot), who lent his notably bold production style to the band’s sound. Shake the Baron will proudly release Ghost Hits with NYC-based super duper records on June 12, 2012.
2012Candy's Wise Words: Shake The Baron rock with natural energy and passion, sometimes slowing down long enough to deliver a song like Big Sur so we can catch our breath, and take it all in.
Listen: Big Sur. (mp3). Web: Official HERE.
