On Our Horizon: Shakedown At The Majestic - Across Silent Hearts

Shakedown At The Majestic - In Control (from the forthcoming EP).

Background - Shakedown At The Majestic was formed in New York City by guitarist Chris Vermillion and drummer Taylor Nimtz. They have become well known in the power pop underground and for bringing fun, energetic, superbly played performances to the music scene. Jonathan Vermillion (Chris’s brother) also plays guitar in the band, and after they moved out to Seattle, they added Rob Moura on bass. 
Their debut, self-titled EP was produced by legendary recording innovator and Stranger genius Steve Fisk (Nirvana,The Posies, Screaming Trees) for release Friday, November 6, 2015.

Shakedown At The Majestic’s name evokes the bamalama and bomp of British Invasion bands, as well as fuelled-up garage groups from a few years out and beyond. The signature style of singles like “Run For Your Life” and “In Control” feature tightly woven harmonies and interweaving vocal melodies, drawing from rock and pop's early years but delivering something altogether unique. 
At once nostalgic and freshly energetic, in their short time as a band SATM has played shows in some of the best venues in NYC and Seattle, developing a fervent fan-base of followers. They played the finals of the NYC Emergenza Music Festival at Webster Hall and were a mainstay of the monthly "Hipster Demolition Night" held at Public Assembly in Williamsburg, a showcase for NYC's best up-and-coming power pop bands. They also headlined Liahonaroo, a music festival in Nashville, Tennessee in 2012. 

More recently, since moving to the West Coast, SATM has headlined at the Lo-Fi and rocked the legendary Sunset as well as played the International Pop Overthrow here in Seattle; performed at the Vancouver International Pop Overthrow on Labor Day weekend; and The Viper Room in West Hollywood.

A modern twist on sixties guitar pop? Well listen to the whole EP and you realise it's a whole lot more than that. The featured track does however have a little sixties feel to it, no criticism, it's a great song from an EP, to look forward to, in November.

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Across Silent Hearts - Like A Brother (from the album 'Anyway').

Background - 'Across Silent Hearts' formed in 2012 is a rock band from Minsk, Belarus. Starting out a Metalcore band, they transcended to their new college rock style by 2015.

The band was formed by drummer Igor Kononchuk and guitarist Anton Chernik. With the addition of Pavel Smolin, “ASH” recorded and released their first full length recording "On your side" 2013. It was a good opportunity to gain experience in the Studio, as well expand into some serious musical and artistic territories. The first track of the album "Above the sky" shows how rock guitar solos can actually sound. 
The band continued to grow in 2014, performing at concerts in Minsk and other cities in Belarus. In 2015 the new album is about to show what the band really sounds like.

Current band members: 
Pavel Smolin - vocals 
Anton Chernik - guitar 
Vitovt Kashkurevich - bass 
Nikita Gatovko - samples 
Igor Kononchuk - drums

I have only heard a couple of tracks from the album, both impressed me, they are far more original than their earlier 'metal' numbers, and for me, much more likeable.

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Musical Influences: Saint Cole - Electric Parlor - Moana

Saint Cole - Within This Skin.

About Saint Cole - Nic (vocals/producer/DJ) and Curt (guitar/keys) are from a small town called Dewsbury in West Yorkshire just two miles from Morley, home of the legendary nineties techno night The Orbit. Heavily influenced by this scene and the now legendary stories surrounding the club, Nic started producing and mixing hard dance/techno. 

Saint Cole represents Nic's passion for dance music fused with his love of indie/rock. He cites influences as diverse as The Beatles, The Stone Roses, The La's, Chemical Brothers, Massive Attack and Leftfield. Saint Cole was born when he started working with his life long friend Curt. The duo were soon joined by third band member Martin Kolcak who is based in Slovakia and contributes artwork, visuals and animation. Neither Nic nor Curt have met Martin yet, though this is set to change when Saint Cole embark on a tour in summer 2016, complete with live visuals.

Their debut E.P to be released Friday the 13th of November 2015.

The first thing that came to mind with the eclectic range of influences cited above was, 'that's a pretty impressive line up, I hope you are not overstating your abilities'. Well in fairness they are only influences, not comparisons, however I have to say this is a pretty impressive debut EP. Plenty of energy and diversity and yes on the featured track, I did think of The Stone Roses at one point, that said, I think it fair to say they really do have enough of their own talent shining through. Well worth checking them out.


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Electric Parlor - Reckless.

Background - Los Angeles quartet Electric Parlor deal in a pure form of visceral, groove-based rock n’ roll; integrating the blues and soul of yesteryear but with a modern feel.

Members Josh Fell, Kris Far and Zachary Huling all moved to LA around the same time and found LA native Monique Alvarez to round out the group in 2012. Following their passion for music, they all came in search of each other with a goal of ending up in a one of a kind rock ‘n’ roll band. By 2013 the dream was realised and Electric Parlor found itself trail-blazing through the underground music scene in Los Angeles.

“We feel like one of Electric Parlor’s missions is to re-open people’s eyes to the blues, the way bands did in the 60’s and 70’s” guitarist Kris Far explains. “And not in a subjective way... we’re a working class band and have taken a lot of risks to make this a reality. We believe that this reckless abandon - to fight for what we feel is ours - translates into our music”.

 In 2013 the band worked up enough capital to record their self-titled debut in true ‘analogue to tape’ fashion at Big Scary Tree Studios in Sunland, CA. The resulting LP captures the bands unique live energy and spotlights lead vocalist Monique Alvarez’s compelling howl; a combo referred to by the band as the lovechild of Black Sabbath and Janis Joplin. “We want to be part of the ongoing evolution of rock n’ roll” reflects drummer Zachary Huling. “Being a part of this lineage is what drives us forward”.

The featured track is pretty representative of Electric Parlor's album. It's a solid unpretentious piece of work, with genuine passion and flare. In my opinion the Black Sabbath and Janis Joplin references are reasonable to a point, but not really that necessary as the band 'cut it', in their own right. Vinyl lovers may want to check out a limited offer (here).

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Moana - Elephant Bones.

What Their Promo Says - There’s something wonderfully ominous brewing in the bowels of an unlikely place. At home between the likes of St Vincent and The Church on Xpress Magazine’s Reviewers Picks for Top 10 Albums of 2014 and Tone Deaf’s 15 Incredible Unsigned Aussie Bands You Need To Hear Right Now, Perth band Moana are delivering us a psychedelic acid-art, jungle rock single ‘Elephant Bones’. 

Not undeserving of the plethora of critical acclaim and audience adoration coming their way, Moana are masterfully testing the boundaries where multiple art forms collide. In an attempt to break the arduous release cycles often expected from emerging bands, Moana Lutton devised splitting their second EP into three parts, with three separate release dates throughout 2015. Each release would comprise of two new tracks recorded at Debaser Studios with Andrew Lawson, a piece of collaborative visual art and music video. 

The freshest slice of this three-part release features a music video for ‘Elephant Bones’ directed by the magical, long-time collaborator Via Luna Pictures, along with a cross- collaborative artwork by Kuba Kujawa of Denmark. Likened to an “iteration of the dark, arty and angry female voice” (Xpress) made famous the likes of PJ Harvey and Kate Bush, Moana Lutton describes ‘Elephant Bones’ as “a song of fear and ecstasy collided; the exhilaration of chaos and transformation in a wild and dark world; celebrating the madness and absurdity of it all." 

After screening ‘Elephant Bones’ to a sold out crowd at The Bird, Perth on August 1st, the final installment and full EP The Trilogy of the Black Monsoon will be launched at The Odd Fellow, Fremantle on the 31st of October. An Australia- wide tour is set to be announced shortly after.

'Elephant Bones' reminds me a little of Jefferson Airplane, however let me qualify that and say 'at their best'. Being a Krautrock fan for those of you with long enough memories, there is also in my opinion, a touch of Amon Duul II. More importantly there is plenty of Moana and they have something going here that spans generations, one for my weekend playlist.

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'Young Hearts Run Free' - Kirsten Izer - Jennifer Budd

Kirsten Izer - Wave.

Background, promo and plaudits from others - 19 year old indie alternative-pop singer, Kirsten Izer, announces the release of her debut EP, What If This Is It?, which is set to drop on September 25, 2015. Every track on the EP is written, performed and produced by the singer/songwriter, whose “style is wild and free while adding a distinctive note of extravaganza to a familiar pop formula” (Nothing But Hope and Passion).

After graduating high school, the NJ-based singer/songwriter decided to hold off on college so she could continue writing songs and begin a career in music. However, giving into to the pressure of society, she held off on making her own music and began working for other musicians full-time at the young age of 18 years old. After a stressful year of pretending to be an adult, Izer decided to finally quit her job, start being a teenager, and more importantly, start making music for herself. The EP features Izer’s single, “Wave,” with “fuzzed-out guitars [that] mesh impeccably with effervescent melodies” and “a wonderful chorus that you can’t get out of your head” (PopMatters). She recently went wide with her first single, “Burning Out,” which was praised by The Revue, who said she has an “innate ability to channel her deepest emotions and fears not only through her words but the power of her guitar.” The track topped charts on music platforms such as Tradiio and Veromuse as well. 

“It is rare to hear a voice with character that instantly engages you” and Izer’s lo-fi recordings “feel a bit like demos but the raw nature only enhance the listening experience” (American Pancake). Her debut EP, What If This Is It?, is set to be released on September 25, 2015 and she will be touring in support next fall.

So lets just add that Beehive Candy reckons 'Wave' to be full of wonderfully raw, simplistic and indie rock/pop meets 80's new wave beauty. The EP is a must have.

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Jennifer Budd - Don't Even.

Bio and words from Jennifer - Growing up in Ontario, Canada, I fell in love with music early on. My mother, was a church singer who raised me on musicals and folk legends. I went to countless theatre camps mostly at the world-known Shakespeare Festival Theatre. At age fourteen, I began song writing. Today I release my first single/video called "Don't Even".

The video represents a disconnect within a relationship, an unfolding and refolding of events. The tension is piercing as the couple acts out their frustration. Pieces brake and get put back together just to fall apart again.

My time spent in University, in Nashville and with my new producer Michael Keire made this project possible. It reinforced my groundings in folk music while expanding my interest in neo-soul & R&B. Can't wait to share my debut record entitled "Lip Service" out November 13th. For now, I hope you like the video! 

The video is on our 'BeeVids' page, musically this is a strong debut track, part anthem and part story, the song is not reliant on a video to convey the passion but none the less, this adds to the interest.

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Chris and Carla - Paradiso, Holland 2007 (Internet Archive).

From the Internet Archive this is Chris and Carla recorded live back on March 12th 2007, at The Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I am sure that most reading this will know that Chris and Carla is a side project by the pair who are part of the band The Walkabouts. Carla Torgerson and Chris Eckman met and began playing music together in 1983 while attending Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.

In 1984 they moved to Seattle, and the band (The Walkabouts) was born when they joined forces with Chris' two younger brothers, drummer Grant and bassist Curt. The Eckman brothers had been playing in various punk rock and pop groups during their college years, and Carla came from a folk and street singing background. The band took their name from Nicolas Roeg's cult film, Walkabout.

As can be seen form the following piece from Wikipedia Chris and Carla have been extremely active musicians down the years - Eckman and Torgerson have also released albums as side projects under the name "Chris & Carla" and as solo artists. Carla Torgerson has worked with Greek musician Akis Boyatzis and his band Sigmatropic on their album 16 Haiku & Other Stories (2001). Later Torgerson has released a solo album Saint Stranger (2004) with help of Akis Boyatzis. Chris Eckman has worked in 1996-2003 with Norvegian band Midnight Choir and teamed with Al DeLoner of Midnight Choir in Electronica-project called "Höst" for an album The Damage Suite (2001). Also Eckman has worked in recent years with Willard Grant Conspiracy on the albums Regard The End and Let It Roll, as well as with The Bambi Molesters. Eckman is also a member of the trio Dirtmusic along with Chris Brokaw and Hugo Race and he has worked with the band Tamikrest from Mali. These two acts toured Europe as a double bill in the spring of 2010. Eckman has also worked with Tosca (band) on projects including the song "John Lee Huber", and with Rupert Huber of Tosca (band) on the album "L/O/N/G".

Recording Technical Details:  Soundboard - Edirol R09 (WAV 24 bit / 44.1 KHz mode) - Adobe Audition 2.0 (remastering and downmix to 16 bit mode) - CDWAV.

Sound Quality: Excellent soundboard.

Set List:

01. Acetylene
02. The Stopping-Off Place
03. Taking Leave Of Our Senses
04. At The Twilight's Last Gleaming
05. Black Rope Tied
06. Long Slow River
07. The Light Will Stay On
08. Jack Candy
09. Things We Should Have Known
10. Raise Them Hands
11. Whatever It Takes
12. Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone
13. New Love Ends
14. Fly High Brave Dreamers
15. Soundcheck Snippets
- Raise Them Hands
- Long Time Here
- Before This City Wakes

Chris Eckman - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals.
Carla Torgerson - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard, vocals.

Website: The Walkabouts Facebook - Here.

Comments: There are FLAC, Ogg Vorbis and mp3 files along with the streaming material over at the Internet Archive (here).

Stream Below: 

Australian Double Play: Zac Slater - Michael Fuhrman

Zac Slater - Moon Mission.

Background - Hailing from Launceston Tasmania, recently located to Melbourne in 2014 to pursue his music career. Having already had the successful supporting tours under his belt with Sticky Fingers, Thundamentals, Kingswood, Jackie Onassis, Phil Jamieson, Bootleg Rascal, Boo Seeka, just to name a small portion. Zac looks set and as if he is waltzing around with his boot raised high, ready to imprint his foot in the Australian Music industry.

Zac released a Self-titled debut Solo EP via Rockfellaz in 2010 which saw him securing his name down as a Australian APRA 2011 song writing finalist. Five years later, hundreds of live shows and also building a band, Zac has crafted his style into something hugely unique, not only his sound but stage presence as well, promising one of the most energetic and passionate sets this day and age has seen. Definitely put this on your list of gigs to see! 

The track ‘Moon Mission’ was recorded and produced by Zac himself, playing all instruments alongside producer Roberto Giddio helping to mould and create the sounds in the comfort of his home studio In Caroline Springs, Vic.

A funky come reggae sound, with some refreshingly versatile and extremely likeable vocals, Zac has come up with something quite special in 'Moon Mission'.


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Michael Fuhrman - London Town.

Background - Michael Fuhrman is a talented young singer songwriter from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. He has always had a passion for music since he was a toddler singing nursery rhymes and strumming a small toy guitar for the amusement of his mother and father. Michael’s love for song writing and performing can be accredited to his family’s long history of performing.

During high school Michael began to compose songs inspired after watching an Elvis documentary. From there, Michael began teaching himself to play the family piano and it turned into one of his main songwriting tools. To the effect that he recorded his debut EP, with one track solely on the keys, and began to perform with a keyboard in addition to his acoustic guitar.

Michael recorded his single called 'London Town' at Heliport Studios in the Sunshine Coast with the talented studio engineer James Russell, with mastering done by Mike Marsh in the United Kingdom. The song is about a man’s love for his girl when she travels overseas. As the story develops, he realises he was in pain at times during their relationship and those nights that were happy, were also extremely sad. The song draws from the emotional ride a relationship can be, but maintains a lightness throughout.

The words may drift into deeper matters, but as said in the background we received, there is a lighter feel in the actual music, that builds beautifully, in what is a very fine song.

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Sundays Alternative Take - From Soul To Synths

Phantoms - All In feat. Little Know.

Background - Los Angeles dark pop duo Phantoms have announced their signing to Casablanca / Republic Records and have revealed their debut EP on the label, Broken Halo, out September 25th. The EP features 4 original songs including "Broken Halo" and "Voyeur" with vocals from Nicholas Braun, and new singles "All In" featuring Little Know and "Colors." The project also includes an unreleased remix of the title track from electronic synthwave producer Com Truise. Broken Halo is Phantoms' first body of work since their debut EP on Skrillex's Nest free release imprint two years ago, and the two have even more content on the way. Vinnie Pergola & Kyle Kaplan, AKA Phantoms, have honed their sound to scale from their underground foundations to the heights of electronic pop production, setting the tone for their forthcoming full-length album in 2016.

Phantoms will be performing live in New York at Baby's All Right on September 22nd and in Los Angeles on September 26th with Com Truise.

Smooth flowing and a beautiful mix, the vocals blend to the music oh so well.

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Honne - No Place Like Home (feat. JONES).

Background - In the same week her current single 'Indulge' was promoted to the B-List on BBC 1Xtra, singer-songwriter JONES has showcased her vocal talents as a featured artist on the new Honne track 'No Place Like Home'. The track is taken from the London duo's EP 'Over Lover' out this week on Atlantic.

This is a gentle and excellently presented song with Jones vocal complimenting the piece in a duet that soul lovers will I suspect just love.
 
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Dailon - Just a Thot.

Background - Originally hailing from Nashville, TN, Dailon aka Dylan Flach is an inspiring young producer who has been relentlessly productive throughout his budding career. Since relocating to San Francisco five years ago, the talented young artist has made a name for himself in the Bay Area by pushing his take on colourful, jet-lagged beat music, finding a crucial balancing point between fluid, emotive bass vibes and jagged, synth-washed club workouts. Ever-Evolving is a tale of drastic change, as captured in his trip to the ocean cliffs of Big Sur, where it all began.

Dailon started his journey from San Francisco down the pacific coast, eventually finding his way to a remote beach 18 miles south of Big Sur. Beneath the hazy glow of the ocean sun, he studied the waves crashing, the peace and serenity of the tides, along with the turmoil of the violent cliff-side surf. Eventually, the beaming sunlight gave way to a heavy metallic downpour, a fleeting ocean rainstorm. 'Ever-Evolving' is Dailon's hi-def, carbon-fiber soundtrack to this continually changing atmosphere. The emotive swings of the EP reflect the shifts and rhythms of city life while offering moments of clarity and calm reflection that come from an escape into the misty pacific. This is "Ever-Evolving", the slowed tranquillity and angular chaos of life.

The synths tease a little and then blend into an atmospheric piece, that occasionally threatens to up the tempo, but continues in a laid back and well thought out piece.

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Naytronix - Back In Time.

Background - Soul/electronic musician and tUnE-yArDs bassist Nate Brenner (aka Naytronix) is set to release his sophomore record 'Mister Divine' on October 16 via City Slang. 

Naytronix's latest musical offering sees him turning from the disjointedly funky party dance anthems of his debut Dirty Glow (2012, Plug Research) to a surrealist stream of consciousness poignancy. While his music keeps its characteristic reflection of '70s Onyeabor and Bootsy Collins, there is a new facet of the sincerity and vulnerability of Arthur Russell amidst the psychedelia, as if wishing to land the Naytronix Mothership down to stay with us for a bit.

On 'Mister Divine,' the intricate and wide-spanning production of his debut is cinched tight as a racing foil as he goes back to where it all started: his bass, his voice, the secrets of drum machines and dreams, narrowing down his songwriting style to focus on narrative and cohesive arrangements; The Song. The result was hours of music not likely to see the light of day, tracks taken to the chopping block at the now iconic Oakland studio "New, Improved Recording" with friend, collaborator, and guitarist Mark Allen-Piccolo. He and Brenner, along with percussionist Robert Lopez, sculpted nine songs into something resembling a compact trio album, which was then finished with sounds and textures from fellow Oberlin Conservatory family members Matt Nelson and Noah Bernstein (tUnE-yArDs saxophones) and synth master Michael Coleman (Beep!).

Genre defying music that in this track alone seems to spin from indie to dance to electro and more. The result is an interesting and quirky song that has so many hooks, you're gonna get caught by one.

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Madeaux - Kill For Me.

Promo words - Madeaux makes his Fool's Gold debut with the perfectly-titled New Wav EP, reshaping North American dance music in his own image and injecting a needed dose of synth pop realness in the process. The six EP tracks are a wildly diverse bunch, connecting the dots between decades of inspirations. "Kill For Me" bangs like a lost Depeche Mode anthem, while A-Trak collab "Lost In Translation" is the unexpected warehouse jam of the year. Nowhere are these genre-splices more powerful than on New Wav's title track, where Madeaux flips Kaleena Zanders' postmodern diva vocals over high-NRG synths and a Miami bass-gone-Berlin drop. The tide is high for this one, and the future most definitely belongs to Madeaux.

This EP takes us in so many different directions it's hard to pin down one track that is representative. The promo is pretty much spot on, so all I will do is feature my favourite 'Kill For Me'.

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EZA - We Keep The Lights Out.

Background words - "We Keep the Lights Out" is a really exciting step into my new music. I want people to find it refreshing, different, bold, and new— all while being able to relate to it," said EZA. "I’m all for making some sexy music if you can get it just right. When you do, there’s something really genuine and beautiful about it. Hopefully "We Keep The Lights Out" has done that, and if people want to put it on their make-out playlist… I mean, go for it."

Part of EZA's (a.k.a Ellery Bonham) unique sound is attributed to a neurological phenomenon she experiences known as synesthesia. Ellery's synesthesia allows her to see colors and patterns while listening to, and creating her own music. She has used those visual cues to help create her magnetic, pulsing music. EZA has previously released an EP, Means Of Escape (2014), and a single, "Headlights" (2015).

Moody and with deep bass lines this song is lifted by the vocals into a fine piece that never loses the atmospheric feel, as it takes us on a musical journey.

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Saturday Double With: Lilly Wolf - Babaganouj

Lilly Wolf - Violence.

Bio - The duo is the collaborative project of Stanford brainiacs Lilly Wolf and producer Alex Neuhausen, better known as Dr. Nu (who derives his pseudonym from his doctorate in electrical engineering).

While the duo consists of these two equal partners, Wolfson’s name and face represent them. While studying at Stanford University, Wolfson and Neuhausen met on line in a musician-based Facebook group. At the time, Wolfson had a singer/songwriter focus and recruited Neuhausen to play the guitar. Having won several singing competitions and performed on “A Prairie Home Companion,” Wolfson was pursuing a more acoustic sound. 

However, after a few years of performing music in the Bay Area, the two transitioned their style and entered the EDM arena, employing synths, elements of house and dubstep, and their own electro flavourings to craft an entirely different sound. Lilly Wolf has made a name for themselves with their high-energy sets that have earned them quite the dedicated following in the Brooklyn underground dance-pop community.

This is an enjoyable indie pop song with superb vocals over synths, and a stylish production. Well produced music that deserves wider notice.

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Babaganouj - Hit Song.

Background - In 2014 Babaganouj garnered serious radio attention with their releases “Too Late For Love” and “Bluff” - leading them to tour nationally twice, play each leg of The Blurst of Times tour as well as support a slew of notable acts such as The Preatures, Smudge, Veruca Salt, The Lemonheads, Northeast Party House and The Creases.

They have come into 2015 swingin' - having played The inaugural Palms invitational “Mates” Festival in Sydney, and supporting Atlanta girl-punks The Coathangers in Brisbane and Byron Bay. On top of that this year Babaganouj released their single “Can’t Stop”, toured the east coast of Australia with bands such as Hoodoo Gurus, Bearhug and Scotdrakula and were finalists for the Billy Thorpe scholarship at the Qmusic awards.

‘Hit Song’ is taken from the forthcoming album by Babaganouj, out in November.

Straight down the line rock with tons of energy and passion, leaning towards indie vocals and music. This is a no nonsense song and one that makes the November album, one to look forward to.

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Past References & Modern Slants: Big White - Mutiny Mutiny - Younghusband

Big White - You Know I Love You.

Alway's good to hear straight from the artist or band, this is what Big White have to say - We're a band called Big White and I thought you might like to check out our debut single called 'You Know I Love You'. The band first met when we moved in to a share house together. It is an old 9 bedroom art deco house with a weird past having previously been a brothel, and a surgery, but now we all live there!

Our first recording session was in a Berlin bomb shelter whilst we were travelling, and we toured south west USA (inc shows at SXSW and Burgerama w/ Ty Segall and Ariel Pink) before we toured our homeland of Australia. This is our first single which has had some early love from NME and we will have an album out later this year. Facebook Here.

A feisty beat and thoroughly beguiling vocals. Shades of new wave and post punk from years gone by, with a modern slant, totally enjoyable.

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Mutiny Mutiny - Loukanikos.

The Facts - Mutiny Mutiny is noisy art rock from Seattle featuring ex members of Petals Like Bricks and Chinchilla. ‘Undefined’ is the first release from MM’s founders Jenn Schmidt (vocals, bass) and Jason Dean (vocals, guitar) with Julie D. (guitar, vocals).

And a little bit more - About “Loukanikos” from Jason Dean of Mutiny Mutiny: “While we were in the process of writing the song that would eventually bear his name, news outlets were running stories about the recent passing of Loukanikos, one of the Greek ‘riot dogs,’ that participated in the Athens anti-austerity protests of 2010 and 2012. “The passion for politics in Greece is strong and we have an interest in and affinity for its political and economic situation after traveling around the country in 2012.

Gutsy and heartfelt, a touch of early Blondie, but with a harder edge and vocals that challenge Arcade Fire to be a little more edgy. Most of all, plenty of their own unique style and attitude. From an EP that demands a purchase if the featured song pleases you.

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Younghusband - Waverly Street.

Yesterday UK band Younghusband shared "Waverly Street," the second single from their upcoming 2nd album Dissolver (ATP Recordings). The band are soon to embark on a UK tour supporting Jacco Gardner, as well as a UK headline tour in November with support from fellow ATP Recordings artist Grimm Grimm.

Bio - Younghusband first appeared in 2011 and this second LP has been a smoke stack on the road ahead since their 2013 debut 'Dromes'. While that album defined a scene, this one sets them aside. 'Dissolver' takes in a wide sweep of guitar music and focuses it into a precisely individual proposition; a sound unto itself that nonetheless garners comparisons with Elliott Smith, The Shoes, and Big Star. It is slated for release in October 2015 on ATP Recordings.

The quartet of Euan Hinshelwood, Joe Chilton, Adam Beach and Pete Baker emerged as one of a crop of so-called neo-psych bands. Under a canopy of reverb and phase, they could be heard hunting for escape routes from the played-out circus of British rock. No easy task in a country so cold, expensive and hostile to change, where bed-bound, infinite scrolls into the past are sometimes the only entertainment you can withstand or afford.

The band have struck well clear of the dying party and markedly expanded their horizons, assiduously refining their sound and pushing themselves beyond their previous work. They could have expected a struggle for orientation but instead circumvented the difficult second album cliché, producing something which feels utterly effortless. Each section of music rolls out of what came before in a shuttle of cause and effect, tension and release that tic-tacks back to the exhilarating opener 'Waverley Street' and its invitation: "...the offer is open tonight".

UK Support Dates w/ Jacco Gardener:

Thu 3 September @ London, Dingwalls
Tue 15 September @ Brighton, Sticky Mike's
Wed 16 September @ Bristol, Louisiana
Thu 17 September @ Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri 18 September @ Coventry, The Tin Music & Arts
Sat 19 September @ Sheffield, Leadmill
Sun 20 September @ Nottingham, Bodega
Tue 22 September @ Leeds, Brudenell Games Room
Wed 23 September @ Stockton, Georgian Theatre
Thu 24 September @ Glasgow, King Tuts Wah Wah Club

UK Headline Tour w/ Grimm Grimm:

Tues 10 November @ Glasgow, The Hug and Pint
Wed 11 November @ York, The Basement
Thurs 12 November @ Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge
Fri 13 November @ Leicester, The Cookie Jar
Sat 14 November @ Sheffield, Cornershop
Sun 15 November @ Manchester, Eagle Inn
Mon 16 November @ London, The Moth Club
Tues 17 November @ Cambridge, The Portland Arms.

'Waverly Street' has an effortless feel to it, that reminds me of 'summer surf rock' from many years ago. Talented and musically, oh so tight, it just pours into your ears and touches the heart.

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Wonderful Wednesday: The Legends - Oh Be Clever - Rory Max Kaplan

The Legends - Winter Is The Warmest Season - from the album 'It's Love'.

An expanded version of The Legends "It's love" (originally released on Cascine this summer) is out on Labrador October 16th. One of the new tracks features lead vocals by Sara Carlsson who also happens to be the main subject of the album.

Bio - The Legends from Stockholm have enjoyed a somewhat accidental career. Beginning with Up Against The Legends, their debut album in 2003, the project was comically assumed to be a 9-piece band due to early shows consisting of friends on stage, drunk and generally winging it. In actuality, The Legends has only ever been a personal outlet for one man, Johan Angergård, apart from his other, more focused projects, Club 8 and Acid House Kings.

Following the first LP were two back-to-back full-lengths – Public Radio in 2005, and Facts and Figures in 2006. Both records were well received, providing The Legends a platform to play festivals and tour internationally. The sound of each album was nothing like the one before it. “That’s the result of me needing to say what I want to say and express evolving emotions,” Johan explained. This approach was creatively satisfying, but divisive to fans that expected a more continuous sound across releases. “I didn’t think I’d record any more after Facts and Figures, but after a particularly chaotic stretch in 2008 and some angst, I needed noise and recorded Over and Over. And then I thought I wouldn’t record another album again...”

Fast forward to 2015 and the nearing launch of It’s Love, The Legends’ fifth album. It’s Love details a recent chapter in Johan’s life that saw him wrestle with issues of loss, love and identity. Turning 40 brought with it unexpected emotional distance from things that once mattered very much. Suddenly, his role as Labrador label boss was less important to him, and a relationship with someone he shared a large chunk of his life with lost importance completely. “I felt old and like I didn’t belong anywhere…some sort of no-man’s-land. Free floating.” At the same time, a new love came crashing into his world, bringing with it both infatuation and anxiety.

This is a beautiful album, Swedish electro 'dream' pop, that sends shivers through me. Layers of incredible music and pure sounding vocals that just capture my imagination.

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Oh Be Clever - River.

Bio (and a pretty different one!) - Indie, electro, soul is a category of sound squarely cornered by Salt Lake City's breakout duo Oh, Be Clever. Vocalist and wordsmith Brittney Shields effortlessly uses Cory Scott Layton's refreshing rush of instrumentals as a conduit for spinning tales of love, loss and living in the 21st century. The pair, however, haven't always enjoyed perfect harmony. Prior to Oh, Be Clever the two were members of separate bands which loathed each other to the point of physical violence. Late one night after a show, in the parking lot, a fight broke out between their two bands. 

Having always admired each other, Shields and Layton left the scene of the fight to create their own music. Later that very night, after disappearing together, the two alerted their previous bands that they were done. Oh, Be Clever was born. The goal from the beginning was to create a new sound completely different from their previous efforts. Layton knew that Shields' voice could roll and run, drop and drip, cascade and plunge like no other in Salt Lake City. Together these two set out to create the perfect sound to spark Oh, Be Clever to life.

And quoting Brittney Shields herself - "This song is about seeking validation in all the wrong places. When we wrote this I was very insecure. I'd do almost anything to get someone to like me. It's about the feeling you get when you come to terms your flaws and let go of the baggage holding you back.

"River is about accepting your flaws and living happily with them. There are a million different ways a person could interpret this song, and that's kind of the way we want to keep it. Leave it up to your own life experience and the way you relate to it. We're letting this song stay cryptic."

OK so whilst not endorsing bands brawling and loathing each other, if it leads to a duo who can produce a fine song such as 'River', perhaps we can put it down to artistic temperament. This song is, to be concise, 'epic' what's more you can download 'River' for free.

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Rory Max Kaplan - The Boxer.

Background and Bio - “The Boxer” is the first single from the forthcoming EP by the multi-talented Rory Max Kaplan. The Band included some of the greatest session musicians in the New York City area, Larry "Slappy" Saltzman on guitar (Simon & Garfunkel); Kasim Sulton on bass (Utopia, Meatloaf); Doane Perry on drums (Jethro Tull); Mark Rivera on baritone sax (Billy Joel, Foreigner) and features Inger Hansen on solo lead guitar. Rory’s vocals were produced and recorded by the legendary, Frank Filipetti (James Taylor, Foreigner, KISS, Billy Joel, various Broadway cast albums and more). The song was mixed by Grammy Award winner Larry Alexander (Bruce Springsteen, Janis Ian and more). The track was arranged by keyboardist, Kip Kaplan (Executive Producer for Al DiMeola, Cameo, Omar Hakim, among others).

A native New Yorker, Rory Max Kaplan has been performing and creating since the beginning of his existence. Ranging from acting on stage & screen, classical & contemporary dance, cartoon voices, playing in a band or singing in the recording studio, Rory is now ready to hit the world stage with this new major-label distributed release.

Rory made his stage debut in October 2014 in the cast of the hit, award winning Broadway show “Jersey Boys” at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City. He has appeared Off Broadway as the lead in “Nothing But Trash” at the Theatre for the New City in lower Manhattan; in an international tour of “Rock of Ages”, and in numerous theatre productions throughout the United States.

Well if you are going to do a cover version of a song as legendary as Simon and Garfunkel's 'The Boxer', you might as well put a different spin on it, just to get noticed. Having some of the best session musicians around can't hurt either. So a rock version complete with superb backing vocalist's is Rory's answer. In summary, quality, fun, different and yep, it rocks.

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Lillie Lemon - Stardust

Lillie Lemon - Stardust. (Video Premiere).

A creative and imaginative video for a really fine song and a pleasure to have first showing here on Beehive Candy.

So here's the low down on Monterey-based, alternative electro-pop duo, Lillie Lemon.

The group is comprised of Lillie Lemon (vocals/synthesiser) and Erica Wobbles (synthesiser/production). 

Originally from Wisconsin, Lillie Lemon moved to California, where she then met Erica Wobbles. Though the pair began performing small open-mic shows together, it wasn’t until years later that the decision to collaborate came to fruition. 

Their first album, entitled ​ /brāk/, ​was a turning point for the duo, shifting from Lillie Lemon’s acoustic style into a more electronic sound. According to Lillie Lemon,​ “Stardust” is about a relationship gone awry that tragically ends in a car accident.

This is a really fine electro-pop song. Lillie's voice just seems so right for this type of music, which is in my opinion, pretty good in it's own right. Hopefully this gets much wider attention, as I have said before if the Top 40's of today were full of songs of this calibre, just imagine how great radio would be again. There is more about Lillie Lemon on their website HERE.

 
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Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad - Peach Music Festival 2013 (internet Archive)

From the Internet Archive this is Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad live at the Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA, on the Mushroom Stage, back on the 17th August 2013.

From the bands website bio we learn the following - Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS) is known for folding the aesthetics of the jam band scene into the structures of reggae. In the live setting, the band performs extended jams, while their previous studio albums have blended roots reggae with psychedelia (In These Times, 2012) or diverged from the genre completely, journeying into straight Americana (Country, 2012). On Steady, the band’s fourth studio album (and first on Easy Star Records), GPGDS has synthesised their approach by weaving traditional folk instrumentation into a foundation of reggae, with arrangements that let the reggae breathe in a non-traditional way. While Steady may not be the first record to find inspiration in both old time Appalachia and ‘70s Jamaica, it may be the best.

Giant Panda formed in 2001 in Rochester, New York. A mysteriously fertile area for developing the U.S. reggae scene, the city has ties going back to 1981 when Lee “Scratch” Perry recruited his entire backing band from Rochester. The Upstate NY region became early supporters of GPGDS, while its members were in high school and beginning college, playing weekly gigs to cut their teeth. In these formative years, Giant Panda began to explore their songs with an experimental approach that is stylistically akin to the Grateful Dead, while keeping their roots firmly planted in reggae rhythms and lyrical content. Around 2005 tapers began to notice and soon after one of the band’s first Colorado shows received homepage placement on the popular taper website Archive.org. Almost overnight GPGDS became a mainstay on the jam band festival circuit.

From 2005 – 2013 GPGDS’s three original members (drummer Chris O’Brian, guitarist-singer Dylan Savage, and bassist-singer James Searl) began a touring schedule averaging over 100 shows a year and performing throughout the U.S., Canada, and Jamaica. Their third lead singer, multi-instrumentalist Dan Keller, joined the group a few years back, while keyboardist Tony Gallicchio joined in 2013. Giant Panda’s continuous time on the road hardened the players into monster instrumentalists. Their attention to the studio in later years, along with a unique blending of reggae and rural American music solidified GPGDS as one of the region’s most beloved bands. Like their hometown, they manage to unify an intellectual and creative culture with a hard-working blue-collar past.

Recording Technical Details: Schoeps MK4V's>V2+SBD>SD744t, Lineage sd744t>Nuendo 4>SF11>CDWAV>FLAC.

Sound Quality: Very good soundboard and live Mic's.

Set List:

1. Whatever Costs
2. Wolf at the Door
3. Another Day - Missing You More - Pockets - Healing
4. Steady
5. Every Night? - Seasons Change
6. On The Moon
7. All Night Music
8. Next Best Explosion - Morning Song - All Day Working
9. Ok Ok
(10. Missing last song due to recorder power issue).

Website: Official - Here.

Comments: There are FLAC, Ogg Vorbis and mp3 files along with the streaming material over at the Internet Archive (here).

Stream Below:

Sundays Alternative Take - New, Remixed and Refixed

Synkro - Midnight Sun.

Manchester producer Synkro is set to release his debut album Changes via R&S sister label Apollo Records on September 18th. Background - Having forged his career in the dubstep era, with nearly 40 releases to his name, Synkro AKA Joe McBride has always resisted easy classification - his music winds together such diverse influences as Boards Of Canada, dBridge, Burial and Oneohtrix Point Never, whilst still remaining utterly unique. His trademark warm sonics, and emotive melodies are ever-present on his forthcoming debut album 'Changes' - his much favoured vinyl samples being joined on this record by a new found love of analogue equipment, as he explains "I got addicted to vintage synths after a trip to Japan last year - I came back with a Juno-6 & SH-101 both of which play a big role in the album." 

His recent, lauded work with Indigo under the Akkord name set pulses racing with what Resident Adviser described as the duo's " fiercely technical take on dance music, one that you could dance to or simply admire in all its steel-plated glory". Fittingly, Changes acts as a soothing balm after the intense workouts that Akkord music incites - from the lush pads and rolling arpeggio pulse of the intro, to the understated dubstep meets ambient/balearic glory of the title track to the more muscular 'Let Me go' - awash with cavernous, soulful vocals and melancholic strings, to the epic, hymn like D&B ballad 'Body Close' featuring the dulcet vocals of Lyves, Synkro once again proves his effortless ability to create cinematic textures and surreal sonic vistas in long form.

Joe McBride readily admits his interest in electronic music 'past masters' so not surprisingly there is maturity to this music. The featured track is both sophisticated and an aural delight, a good taster for the album.

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Keep Shelly in Athens - Now I'm Ready (featuring Ocean Hope).

Background - Born in the midst of a creative surge in the pop-leaning underground, Greek act Keep Shelly In Athens have been a force in the indie world for the last half decade, releasing projects on Cascine, Gorilla vs. Bear label arm Forest Family and British heavyweight Planet Mu. Now, the Athens-based duo arrive on Los Angeles outlet Friends of Friends with the Now I'm Ready LP, their second official LP and their most emotionally mature, sonically adventurous effort to date.

At eight songs and 45 minutes, the album strikes a concise, yet imposing figure, each individual effort comprised of enough peaks and valleys to bring the listener to the edge and back again. Lifted off by lead single "Fractals", Now I'm Ready is not your typical indie effort, un-beholden to tempo and style, the album skips across genre tropes with ease,  each track guided by producer RΠЯ's singular aesthetic and vocalist Myrtha's unmistakable crescendos.

And whether you're locked into a long road trip, careening around a city or looking over the Mediterranean, Keep Shelly In Athens bring an arresting pathos to the proceedings, felt everywhere from the break beat-led madness of "Hollow Man" to the ever-building, hypnotic vocal qualities of "Now I'm Ready". It's only the duo's second official LP, but considering their release history on outlets as diverse as Cascine, Forest Family and Planet Mu, it's no surprise that their arrival on Friends of Friends is such an unabated success.

The featured song can have, with honour, Beehive Candy's vary rarely awarded 'Almost As Good as the Cocteau Twins Medal'. Seriously there are some echoes of the Cocteau's on this track, which is absolutely fine as this is an excellent production!

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Major Lazer ft. MØ - Lean On (Tribe Society Refix).

Regarding Tribe Society we are told - Taking on one of their personal favourites, the band have reworked Major Lazer's electronic smash hit, "Lean On," for a refreshing alternative rock spin. Transforming it with new vocal stylings and a spiced up instrumental arrangement, "Lean On" takes on new life thanks to Tribe, and stands as a unique re imagination of the chart topping hit. 

We featured Tribe Society back in July in another 'Sundays Alternative Take' however this 'refix' of 'Lean On' with guitars, flutes, and a new vocal top line, is fascinating, fun and just deserves a share.

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Touch Sensitive - Pizza Guy (Fantastic Man Remix).

Background - Multi-instrumentalist, self confessed synth-freak and italo-style icon, Michael Di Francesco is Touch Sensitive. Having originally released his notorious single 'Pizza Guy' in his local Australia in 2013 to incredible success (it was the number 3 most played track that year on the country's No. 1 radio station, Triple J and featured a star-studded video with cameos from label mates Flume, Chet Faker and Jagwar Ma), the UK will finally see a release on 9th October through Future Classic.

The single, which will be packaged as a AA-side release alongside 'Show Me' and includes brand new remixes from Melbourne slow-mo disco connoisseur Fantastic Man (the moniker of Mic Newman) and legendary French DJ/producer i:cube.

Already getting considerable attention this new Fantastic Man remix does the original justice. Thoughtful and imaginative and just so listenable.

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World's End Press - Tall Stories.

Background - ‘Tall Stories’ is the brand new single from Melbourne band, World’s End Press. The delectable, soon-to-be dancefloor favourite offers the first peek at the band’s forthcoming EP release of the same name.  It sees World’s End Press carry on from the forward momentum of previous single ‘Spirals (Slide Away)’ which burst from the airwaves all summer long, received a plethora of online love, and saw the band edging into a sweatier, grittier, clubbier realm.

Tall Stories the EP, which was self-produced and mixed by Bruno Ellingham (The Maccabees, Delphic, Goldfrapp) and is due for release on September 25th can best be described as the result of a misspent summer; one spent in lock down in an insulated, bunker-style studio with the PA turned to the max and the lights dimmed. The EP takes its name from the glittering high-rise windows that the band would gaze at on their late night walks home from the studio, and touches on themes of distorted communication, self-deceit, enigma and unconditional love.

World’s End Press recorded their self-titled debut album at Massive Attack Studios in Bristol and released it in 2013 to widespread critical acclaim. The last few years have seen the band touring both nationally and internationally, supporting Primal Scream on their Screamadelica tour, Cut Copy on a North American Tour and Phoenix on their last Australian Tour. Their visceral live sets for Let Them Eat Cake, Meredith, Golden Plains and Falls have left audiences feeling dazed and happy.

Feel good and full of brightness this is just 'good old down to earth', great dance and pop music. Sometimes that is really all that's required.

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Axwell /\ Ingrosso - Sun Is Shining (Marcus Schossow & Years Remix).

You possibly know this - Axwell & Ingrosso's summer smash "Sun Is Shining" has grown to be one of their biggest songs to date. It has earned over 50 million streams on Spotify and over 10 million views on the official video, as well as #1 on iTunes in 9 countries, securing its title as one of the biggest dance songs of the year. The official remix package has just been released (28th August) on Def Jam featuring new mixes from W&W, R3hab, Marcus Schössow & Years, and M-22.

Popular song and my favourite of the remixes, simple as that really.


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Saturday Specials: The Mantles - Limbo Sanctuary - Clara Lofaro

The Mantles - Doorframe.

Everything you could possibly need to know - Bay Area garage-pop band The Mantles announce their latest musical offering, 'All Odds End.' The new album will be released via Slumberland Records on October 16.

What makes the Mantles the Mantles? Maybe it's the idiosyncratic motion and energy of Michael Olivares' vocals, the way they alternately stroll and hop assuredly over the music. Or maybe it's the band's sound itself, familiar and classic yet increasingly distinctive, and growing-with acoustic texture; keyboard hooks and licks; and resonant and representative drumbeats-to its deepest, warmest, fullest, and most colorful on their third album, All Odds End (out October 16th on Slumberland Records), a record that is quintessentially Mantles from the sheer sonic splendour and elation-and biting words-of the album-opening "Island" on through to the final harmony of "Stay."

The album exits with "Stay," so you can loop right back and listen to it all over again, and live for a bit within songs that capture those heightened moments when you (and Olivares' lyrical portraiture often favours a perceptive "you" over a needy. greedy "I") are at the threshold of change. It's right there in the snapshot-vivid lyrics of "Doorframe": "Ooh nothing like standing in a doorframe all day." While it's tempting to see these transitional vignettes-marked by characters who are simultaneously coming and going-as reflective of day-to-day tumult in contemporary Bay Area, Olivares brushes off the idea: "We would have written the same songs even if we weren't here." 

Still, the theme even extends to the making of All Odds End. The band reunited with Jason Quever, song-smith of Papercuts, and master of vintage audio production who recorded The Mantles' much loved early single, "Don't Lie".  Quever had all his boxes packed for a move to L.A. while recording and mixing the album, with his equipment his only belongings out of storage. The situation meant an already attentive, sound-romancing producer had an even more heightened focus on the song's ingredients, and appreciation of how they form a greater whole. It spills right off of the layered "Island," which grows as it goes along, motored and punctuated by the playfully assured interplay between Olivares's vocals and Virginia Weatherby's steadily propulsive, detailed (yes, that is a Vibraslap) drumming. It's apparent in the stark, bracing "Lately," where acoustic guitar has the sharp-to-blind beauty of morning sunlight.

For this album Olivares, Weatherby, and lead guitarist Justin Loney were joined by Matt Bullimore on bass, a New Zealand native and member of Oakland's Legs, and Carly Putnam on keyboard. These two new members energise the band into exploring territory that ranges from the staccato bursts and messy wisdom of "Police My Love" (which draws from a crazy variety of lyrical inspirations), to the country lilt of "Undelivered," to the casually anthemic SF-to-LA tilt of "Best Sides."People move, bands fall apart, cities change, but the Mantles abide and grow stronger, embodying their many-faceted name-planetary core-deep; incandescent; enveloping-a bit more with each new day, year, song and album. The Mantles are more and more the Mantles, and listening with dedication is like getting gifts. All Odds End, but the group continues to bloom.

Warm sounding with every instrument blending to provide a breezy pleasant 'late summer' sound. Add Michael Olivares voice and the whole song is a real special treat.

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Limbo Sanctuary - Lost.

Background - Hailing from New South Wales’ Southern Highlands, Limbo Sanctuary is a three piece Indie band. The band formed after classmates, Nina Therese and Austin Harris met up with Sydney based musician James Phipps in late 2013. The wide range of musical influences amongst the three musicians provides a blend of modern indie tones with a classic folk rock platform. 

With comparisons drawn to musicians as varied as Sarah Blasko, PJ Harvey, Bon Iver and Of Monsters and Men, it’s no surprise that Limbo Sanctuary have attracted a crowd everywhere they’ve been. After some notable gigs in 2014 at venues like Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory, Metro and Factory Theatre, the band has recently spent some time honing their sound, writing and recording and are set for a big end to 2015. 

“At the time that I wrote ‘Lost’, I was listening to a lot of vocal melody based music like Crowded House, You Am I and The Cure. I wrote the song as a nod to what it is like to deal depression and anxiety, and that feeling that you can never get back to something that you enjoy. Once the framework of the song was built, the whole band came together to put their individual touches into the song and what came out of it was something that we all contributed to and something that we are all proud of.” - James from Limbo Sanctuary. .“Lost” will be released 18th of September 2015.

A beautiful song that has just about everything going for it. Enchanting vocals and as mentioned above an indie come folk rock feel, that just charms me through and through.

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Clara Lofaro - Other Side.

Background - Toronto born, Brooklyn based, Clara Lofaro, began singing in a local community church. Realising her abilities for harmonies and composing at an early age, Clara continued to study and perform music throughout her formative and high school years before accepting a scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Clara Lofaro is a singer/songwriter who performs throughout the world with her band and as a Solo Artist. She is well sought after by her contemporaries to collaborate on their respective projects and her song catalogue has provided television, film and commercials with over 50 song placements spanning many musical formats. When Vanity Fair Napkins was searching for a theme song for their “Wipe On A Smile” National Commercial Campaign, they chose Lofaro's single "Just Smile" (from her Self Titled LP).

Clara Lofaro’s current EP release Other Side (Sept 2015) follows her 2014 “Air Lift Me” EP release, which includes the Billboard Club Hit "Born To Love You”. Lofaro has performed alongside Stevie Nicks, Edwin McCain, Kimberly Locke, and Jeffrey Gaines and was the featured vocalist in the Disney Super Bowl commercial "When You Wish Upon a Star" featuring MVP players of the NFL team.

Clara Lofaro is the winner of 6 Toronto Music Awards and has had numerous nominations in both the U.S. and Canada. She has also been awarded first place, triumphing over 300 bands during Toronto's Indie week, a competition to find the city's best unsigned talent.

The opening piano bars reminded me of Regina Spektor, see that as a positive. Then everything changes and a country rock feel with Clara's distinctive vocals and bags of energy happens. Mainstream sounding, with that certain 'extra' that makes it stand out in a crowd.

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Fridays Three: Street Chant - Betty Moon - Alpha Rev

Street Chant - Pedestrian Support League.

Some words from the band - Emily Littler from Street Chant: "Pedestrian Support League is a song loosely about Auckland life. Coming back from being on tour a lot and moving back into a crummy flat in Grey Lynn I felt an extreme sense of ennui amongst my peers and especially in myself. A few years ago I had felt excitement for the future and now I was paranoid my flatmates were stealing all my margerine. The chorus “enrol to vote and so it goes, everyone dresses like us nowadays..” expresses the amusement and dissatisfaction I felt with my surroundings - amusement because I felt like I was living out some “food for flatties” cookbook cliche, but watching National win another election as well my seemingly endless ability to stagnate bought about an extreme sense of apathy.

The new album Hauora will be released in November 2015 on Arch Hill/Flying Nun.

Kicks off with a nice funky bass line and then a fine Indie tune ensues. Pleasing, accessible and bodes well for the forthcoming album.

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Betty Moon - No Good.

The story so far - Toronto-born songstress Betty Moon began her career as an artist signed to A&M Records in 1990 and released her first LP just a year later. Moon followed up her debut with five critically lauded records that have led to four CASBY Awards nominations including Best Album of the Year, Best Single of the Year, Best Video of the Year, and Best Artist of the Year. Moon has amassed legions of devoted fans by crafting edgy modern rock music in the vein of Portishead, Massive Attack, and Florence and the Machine. She captivates listeners with a powerful, sultry vocal that evokes female legends such as rockers Chrissie Hynde and Grace Slick, and iconic soulstress Sade. Moon released three records after her self-titled debut, including Doll Machine on EMI Music, STIR, and Demon Flowers. 

A former teen model and dancer, Betty Moon took the Toronto music scene by storm upon her arrival. She sold over 10,000 DIY records within a few short months, all while still in school. The buzz caught the attention of A&M/Universal, who quickly signed Betty to a deal and crowned her as Canada's resident Lady of Rock. 

In 2013, she was a featured performer at the world famous Sunset Strip Music Festival alongside Marilyn Manson, Quiet Riot, Black Label Society, and The Offspring. Her last album, “Amourphous,” was released in 2014 and features the first single, “Valentine,” mixed by Grammy Award-winner Chris Lord-Alge. Moon’s music has been featured in a variety of film and television spots including Californication, Dexter, Bounty Hunters, Walking the Dead, and Last Gasp. With a catalog of music now available on iTunes and Pandora Radio, Betty Moon is continuing to play shows in support of her new album. Now residing in sunny Los Angeles, Betty is ready to bring her unique brand of music to the masses on a global scale.

As you can see, this is a Depeche Mode cover. Betty puts her own touch on the song, the music is a respectful nod to the original feel, her vocals lighten the load and make this a pleasing listen. The album has so much more to offer, so if this song gets your attention, your on to a winner.

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Alpha Rev - Names.

Background - Alpha Rev, the infectious alt-pop band from Austin, Texas, isn’t just making an impact musically.  They’re also making an impact socially. The band released their latest single, “Names,” less than a month ago and for the next six months, 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Additionally, Alpha Rev just completed a successful must-see summer tour that began in Austin, criss-crossed the country and culminated in Dallas.  The tour, called Music Builds, is an exploration of the ongoing poverty crisis, and what Habitat for Humanity is doing to fight it.  The band is working closely with the organization to inform and inspire Americans to take action in the fight against poverty.  Alpha Rev’s Casey McPherson filmed his time volunteering for Habitat, and is using the footage to create both a music video and a PSA to bring in new donors. You can learn more about the campaign at PledgeMusic.

“Names is all about being able to change,” explains McPherson. “We’re all born with a name, born into an environment that we had no say in creating. For most of us, we see our situations as the way things must always be, but we forget that we are in charge of the life before us, and we can be given a new name, so to speak, if we choose. For those of us born into poverty, abuse, chaos, or whatever the negative attribute may be, we don’t have to stay there! This is what Habitat for Humanity is doing, and they have inspired this song.”

“Names” was recorded at Pierre de Reeder’s (Rilo Kiley) studio with input from several notable musicians including: Jason Faulkner (Beck/Jellyfish) on guitar, Roger Manning Jr. (Jellyfish/Beck) on keyboard and Kiefo Nilsson on bass. Steve Hardy (Pink, Alicia Keys) provided mixing, and Andy Vandette (Uncle Kracker, Dear Hunter) punctuated the song with superb mastering.

Fronted by Casey McPherson, formerly of Endochine, Alpha Rev released their debut album, The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Learned, in March of 2007.  McPherson’s honey-laden vocals, along with with Zack Loy’s impressive guitar work and Tabber Millard’s memorable drumming, helped gain the band significant buzz and a spot as the #1 indie band from Texas on the Myspace.com charts.

A lively music track backs Casy McPherson's notable and enticing vocals. This is a great song which has so many fine hooks, one that will be on repeat for me this weekend.


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