BEEHIVE CANDY

Sorority Noise - Either Way. Background promo - Ahead of the band’s first ever UK dates, headlining and in support of Modern Baseball, Sorority Noise announce a new EP for Topshelf Records, “It Kindly Stopped For Me”, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2015 album “Joy, Departed”. The EP was recorded and produced by the band with exclusive artwork from Mitch Wojcik. The intimate first song from the EP, “Either Way”, is available to stream now. Frontman Cam Boucher said the following of the track: “I wrote this song in our van outside of chain reaction in Anaheim, ca. I had found out I lost another friend a few days previous and was having a difficult time thinking about how I had made positive strides in dealing with my mental health but hadn't been able to help friends around me that I didn't know we're suffering from the same thing.” 'Either Way' is a soft acoustic number with calm vocals and harmonies. Keyboards add to the lilting melody, in what i

Jaye Bartell - Tuesdays. Background promo - Jaye Bartell's move to Brooklyn, NY in 2013, as well as the work of Spalding Gray and Eileen Myles, heavily influence the content presented on his latest record, Light Enough. In his own words, "Resettlement is an implicit theme in much of the writing, and the process of making the album itself was an act of resettlement, finding out where I lived as a means of coming to live there."  Bartell spent about a year secluded in his Greenpoint bedroom, piecing together the intricate tunes and gentle melodies that furnish his new record. Originally from from Massachusetts, Jaye Bartell laid the groundwork for his music career after relocating to Asheville, NC in the early 2000's. During this time, he began to play music among friends, parallel to his poetry and other writing endeavours, which included a reading/performance series and a small magazine. After relocating, again, to Buffalo, NY in 2006, Jaye joined up with the p

Lecia Louise - Shock Me. Background promo - “Shock Me” is the brand new single from Brisbane’s Lecia Louise,  just released ahead of her east-coast launch shows later this month. Since her musical beginnings in 2005 with the release of her debut EP ‘Heaven or Hell’, Lecia Louise has been a force to be reckoned with. Lecia has an impressive touring history that has seen the award-winning guitarist/singer/songwriter travel the four corners of the globe since 2006 performing to audiences throughout The UK, Europe, Abi Dhabi, Dubai, Rome, Singapore, New Zealand and Hong Kong. On February 19th, Lecia released her first new single in two years titled “Shock Me” which continues to showcase her upbeat guitar laden, rock/pop offering. “The song is about a man who ‘trades in’ his long term girlfriend for an 'updated model, a more edgier version',” says Lecia. “But in the end she doesn't actually make him any happier”. The track, produced and mixed by Jeff Lovejoy in Blackb

From the Internet Archive (IA) this is Death Cab for Cutie live at the Arvikafestivalen back on the 5th July 2008. Arvika Festival was a music festival that took place in Arvika, Sweden every year from 1992-2010 around mid- July. The event ceased when the organisers went bust. From the ever 'reasonably' reliable Wikipedia we are told - Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band, formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band comprises Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass) and Jason McGerr (drums). In 2014, founding guitarist and producer Chris Walla announced that he would be departing from the band after recording their eighth studio album, Kintsugi. The band was originally a solo project by Ben Gibbard, when he released the demo album, You Can Play These Songs with Chords, to positive reception. This led to a record deal with Barsuk Records. Gibbard decided to expand the project into a complete band, releasing their debut album Somethi

ManaLion - Dirty Roots. Background promo - Three Kiwi (New Zealanders) brothers (most likely from different mothers) maybe they met in Australia in 2012 on Sydney's Northern Beaches, maybe they met on Mars, maybe they met by a bin fire floating wayward on a raft between the North and South Islands of Aotearoa as the full moon kept us moving... Either way three brothers met, and they met to make music to make you sway and dance and swing and sweat. Music to make love to the mind, soul and ears of your sister, your wife, your mistress, your Nanna, to your sweet baby mama. They met to sing of love and trouble, of leisure and life. Since their inception ManaLion have shared the stage with the likes of UB40, Sticky Fingers, Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Black Seeds, and Meta & The Cornerstones just to name a few. They’ve played a number of homegrown, hometown gigs around Sydney, building up steam like Peter Gabriel on herbal tea and winning the hearts of Australians everywhere in venu

Ben Mauro - She's Beautiful. Background promo - Last year singer, guitarist and songwriter Ben Mauro was part of a major European tour with pop/funk icon Lionel Richie.  It was a two month tour of sold out arenas across Europe. Ben’s extraordinary musical skills and dynamic stage presence has been the reason that he has remained a core member of Lionel Richie’s band for over fifteen years.  Ben has also worked with many other artists including Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Don Felder from The Eagles, John Fogerty, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton and also worked on projects produced by Peter Frampton and Prince. But with Ben it’s not just about the music, it’s also about giving back.  On every trip to Syracuse he goes to his old high school (West Genesee HS) and college (Onondaga Community College where he studied classical guitar) to talk with students.  Ben gives them advice on how to have longevity in the music business and gives clinics to teach them the basics of music

Linda Em - Blue Girl (Single edit). Background promo - With both BBC and Irish radio support for her debut album “Shadow Lands” , new single “Blue Girl” is available on download on 29th February. The single takes you back to the 1960s Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” girl group soul era, with Linda’s pure and raw vocal beautifully intertwining with the soulful backing singers. Linda’s lyrical narrative has a nostalgic feel to it bringing back the early days of Woodstock, with some saying that she has an old soul for such a young woman. No surprise when she quotes Joan Baez, Carole King and the husky laments of Melanie Safka as her song writing influences. Performing at the credible 100 Club (London) and Ifracombe Folk festival her set up can be acoustic or with her full seven-piece band, which includes soul backing singers and a mandolin/ bodran player bringing the Celtic vibe to the music. Linda’s clear, warm, sultry vocal draws the listener into her musical story telling throughout

Matthew Logan Vasquez - Personal. Background promo - If you happen to like indie rock performed by real bands, and you catch yourself listening to a mixture of The Vaccines, Kasabian, Dead Weather and Arctic Monkeys more often than not, you should keep an ear out for Matthew Logan Vasquez, the front man of Delta Spirit and one-third of the super-group Middle Brother’s upcoming new LP Solicitor Returns. Inspired by the sonic nonconformity of The Black Keys and The Raconteurs his tracks like Everything I Do Is Out, Personal or Muerte Tranquila showcase the lo-fi rock raver-cum-primal stomp-like energy from start to finish. Compromise- what’s that? Take it easy- what for? No no no, this track is certainly not about keeping anything in, but letting yourself go to the sound of the still much alive rock’n’roll. The speaker-blowing vocal abilities of Vasquez, hinting slightly at the style of Dan Auerbach and Cold War Kids, are complimented well against his guitar-driven idiosyncratic f

Shapes On Tape - My One and Only True Love. Background promo - "My One and Only True Love' is actually about my one and only true love. It's about my girlfriend. It is a factual account of just a few of the things that make her a marvel of nature. She was a ballerina but should have been a drummer in a riot grrl band--or perhaps both. She did go to space camp two years in a row, as well as art school. There's no question that she is the smartest, funniest and best woman to ever be able to put up with me. Also, it explores a Faulknerian inspired notion that the very specific actually creates and ironic sense of the universal, but that is very much secondary." Shapes on Tape was an arranged marriage. In 2012, Jason Matuskiewicz left behind a reasonably decent job as a young litigator in a relatively secure law firm to move to New York City and "make it" with his band. A solid career move to be sure. His famous last words were, "If I had known it

The High Violets - Bells. Background promo - The High Violets "Heroes and Halos" (Saint Marie Records) Release date: April 1st, 2016. Heroes and Halos opens with two sharp hits on the snare, like two quick blows to the head, and then you’re inside and it’s happening all around you. ‘How I Love (Everything About You)’ stops you in your tracks. The High Violets make you put down that chocolate chip muffin and listen. These dream pop vets sound like a delirious mix of Lush and Slowdive, and their fifth album finds them looking to the skies, a cathedral of colour, a stadium of sound. Listen to the way the chorus in ‘Long Last Night’ keeps climbing and climbing until your agoraphobia kicks in and you have to grab onto something to keep from falling out of your chair. Then there’s the sinister groove of ‘Longitude,’ the majestic bliss of ‘Ease On,’ one great song after another, all awash in hooks that swoon and dive. The album ends with the sparse burned-out waltz of ‘Hear

The Bohos - Leaders Don't Love You. Background Promo - The distinct sound of The Boho’s new single represents the essence of the band, their trademark sound refined and re-packaged into one exciting, unique statement of intent.  A band with a message engrossed in the current movement of disbelief and disenchantment with today’s leaders. Smashing out raucous passionate sets throughout a string of sell out shows and parties bursting at the seams amongst the like minded of Bath and Bristol.  The South West-based band have always proved difficult to pigeon-hole – moving quickly and swiftly between genres, gaining a significant cult following for their bold inability to settle into typecast while ploughing rich pop furrows Fiercely independent and at the forefront of the collaboration of four hot UK bands teaming up to co-headline a 4 date tour across the UK this March, The Boho’s will headline their home town show in Bath, amongst shows in Sheffield, Brighton and London.  They wi

Laura Jean Anderson - It Won't Be Long. Background promo - As young as she may look, Laura Jean Anderson is filled with the spirit of wisdom, amassed through years of travelling, busking, hitchhiking, touring and old time religion--just the kind of learning a prolific songwriter would need. You can hear it in her voice and lyrics on her latest EP, Righteous Girl in which she evokes the ghosts of Janis Joplin and modern influences of Lucius, St. Vincent and Alabama Shakes, “I feel like these songs reflect that feeling you get when you get one glimmer of hope, of sunshine in the midst of a deep depression. I would go on long walks barefoot with my guitar in the neighbourhoods of LA--I felt super out of place doing that but for some reason, it put things into perspective,” Anderson says wistful. “Take Me In” opens up the EP and Anderson gently pulls the listener into her world, her soothing voice (reminiscent of June Carter) ebbs and flows along with the electric piano rolls. H

Candi's Dog - I Couldn't Ask For More. Background promo - Tyneside trio Candi's Dog specialise in acoustic folk-pop, combining inventive structures with ludicrously catchy melodies. The result is a mash-up akin to the likes of Bright Eyes and the lyrical quality of Ed Sheeran. Creativity isn’t something that’s hard to come by for the innovative threesome who can regularly be seen sporting Melodicas, Kazoos and a homemade Acoustic Bass. Not content with leaving the ear candy duties to their primary instruments alone (consisting of guitar, bass and percussion), Candi’s Dog add delicious, rich vocal harmonies to their audio arsenal, echoing the melodic vocal prowess of the Beach Boys and Crowded House. The satisfying suggestion of pop along with their folksy-rock feel results in their sound igniting a feast of welcomed familiarity, allowing the band to become part of your inner soundtrack with obliging ease. Favouring the DIY approach, Candi’s Dog have not only opted to

Mantocliff - These Words. Background promo - Basel, Switzerland-based quintet Mantocliff make their debut with a powerful orchestral electronic composition. Their intense blend of emotional vocals, ethereal instrumentation, and refined production will leave you in awe. Caveman Sound writes "Led by the brilliant vocals of singer Nives Onori and steeped in a vibrant atmosphere built by the groups five instrumentalists, "These Words" is an exceptionally stunning debut. It's creativity is made apparent from the start, with cleverly echoed arrangements of lighter-than-air guitar plucks, resonant percussion and poignant lyrics drawing us in. These lend themselves organically into a rhythmic ebb and flow of energy, combining orchestral elements with exploratory pop and spirited dance. They’ve created a magnetic web that will leave you with the feeling of having experienced something cinematic, endlessly expressive, and the affirmation that Mantocliff are definitely one