Jared Saltiel - Lights and Bridges - Gianni Paci - Lisa Hilton

Jared Saltiel - The Fountain.

Background - “The Fountain,” the scene-setting new single from singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jared Saltiel, begins with a softly strummed guitar and Saltiel’s sweet falsetto, gently ushering the listener into an intoxicating haze of magical storytelling. The ornate arrangement of warm, rich strings, delicate harp, and bittersweet countermelodies give way to a lush trio of female voices, beckoning us toward a beautiful vision. The second single and opening track of Saltiel’s upcoming album Out of Clay (due out February 2), “The Fountain” was recorded at The Bunker Studio, and is available as an approved downloadable mp3.

The song unfolds like a chapter in a magical realist novel. Cast in a dreamlike mist, a sailor washes up on the shore of a deserted island. Through the fog he sees an ethereal, silver-y fountain, guarded by three mysterious women; are they spirits, or witches, or distinct manifestations of a Goddess? They show him a beautiful face in the water, his future lover, but warn him not to forget his “Queen.” In the morning sun, all is forgotten but the lovely face in the fountain, and the sailor sets off to find her deep in the hills. “The Fountain” serves as an introduction to Out of Clay’s narrative universe. The archetypes of the perfect-yet-passive love interest and the prophesying triple-Goddess are woven throughout the album’s twelve story-songs of love and loss. Saltiel explains, “Regardless of how you interpret the characters in the story, this song sets the stage for an album that examines the process of falling in love, from the externalized projections that create a sense of desire, to the pitfalls of possession.”

“The Fountain” features singers Dawn Cantwell (Wicked, The Last Ship), Kate Steinberg, and Katie Rose Summerfield, as well as jazz harpist Brandee Younger, and members of yMusic, Antony and the Johnsons, and Clare & the Reasons. It was recorded and mixed by John Davis (Jojo Mayer / Nerve), and co-produced by Justin Goldner (Dear Evan Hansen, Grace McLean)

Jared Saltiel is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn, NY. As lead singer and songwriter of Ann Arbor pop/rock quartet the Dirty Birds, he released his debut album How the Cause Became the Cure in 2009. After moving to New York, Saltiel released a series of EPs, which were expanded into the full-length album The Light Within (2013). As a producer and arranger, he has worked with a variety of musicians, including Bell the Band, Cassidy Andrews, and his brother Jason Saltiel. His upcoming album Out Of Clay was recorded at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn. It is the second chapter in a four-part concept series called Caught Beneath the Wheel. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Jared Saltiel's falsetto vocals are immediately inviting on 'The Fountain' a song that gently unfolds, before gradually building into a sublime choral arrangement which is itself a prelude to the material developing even further. The arrangement is magnificent, the track, totally lovable.

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Lights and Bridges - Tears Of Gold.

Background -  Composer and instrumentalist Lights & Bridges (Tom Rossi) recently released his new EP comprising of four songs. Tom Rossi is best known for known for beautiful, groove laden, wordless world music records like Salma Har, featured on tastemaker programs like BBC/PRI's The World, NPR's Echoes and Talk of the Nation.

Tom Rossi’s a fluent multi-instrumentalist in everything from ceremonial Ghanaian hand drums to African kora. He’s a therapeutic musician, who’s dedicated years to the art of performing for those in the most vulnerable condition of hospice care.

It’s both intriguing and rewarding to hear these unusual skills and influences filter through the lens of more conventional instrumentation and song structure on instant classics like Superball (a collab with poet, Rich Ferguson) and Outside The Wall. Lights & Bridges becomes at once an avenue for reinvention, a return to roots, and a distillation. FACEBOOK.

The last of four songs on the new Lights and Bridges EP is 'Tears Of Gold'. The EP is a gorgeous folk orientated singer/songwriter collection of material, where gentle acoustic sensibilities provide an intimate and yet lush backdrop for Tom Rossi's personal and melodically pleasing vocals.


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Gianni Paci - Honest Thing.

Background - “Honest Thing” is an ethereal ode to mixed feelings. Written, produced, recorded and performed on all instruments by Gianni at Pine Hollow Road Studios in Oyster Bay, NY, the song ebbs and flows with chime-like acoustic guitars, an R&B rhythm section and one mind-altering electric guitar solo that tears through the track like a terrible hallucinogenic fright. “I tried to right my wrongs, but I made a left,” he coos in a spacey, detached voice, as the undulating mood takes a turn for the curious and sinister. The lyric was so succinctly expressive and meaningful that Gianni decided to name the entire EP, released 11/17/17, after it. And yes, you are seeing double: the actress from the video who bears such uncanny resemblance to the artist is in fact his mother.

Long before he was legal, Gianni Paci was sharing the stage with rock stars like Ace Frehley of Kiss, Steven Adler of Guns N Roses and the late Mike Starr of Alice In Chains. He’s been in the studio with the likes of Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Gwen Stefani), Jon Anderson (Yes, King Crimson) and Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai). Gianni even toured with the infamous Butthole Surfers, earning a dedicated spot on their live album, “Live At The Forum London,” as the band sings “Happy Birthday” to him in front of that sold-out crowd.

Having performed at music festivals like Austin City Limits in Texas, Zappanale in Germany and Musikfest in Pennsylvania, Gianni learned the ropes while in the ring, honing his craft in front of audiences far and wide. He’s even had the privilege of performing at CBGB’s, the sorely missed punk rock landmark on Joey Ramone Place. Songwriting was a talent that sprouted even earlier, as Gianni wrote his first original piece of music at the tender age of eight. “It just seemed to pour out of me so naturally,” he recalls, reflecting on his propensity towards poetically simple songs that are as alluring in their charm as they are surprising in their depth.
   
Gianni released two full-length albums of original material under his old pseudonym, The Pine Hollows. This work landed Gianni on the cover of Performer Magazine and helped him to establish a considerable presence in the NYC music scene. His first solo release, “Walking Through A Movie Scene” [EP], ups the ante, as each analog-tracked song is accompanied by a visual vignette. FACEBOOK.

'Honest Thing' has a loose trippy feel to it that is both engaging and intriguing. The guitar break is a rip roaring and sudden occurrence that snaps the listener out of the spell, before the song lulls them back in again.


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Lisa Hilton - Mojave Moon.

Background - "Lisa Hilton’s engaging, expressive and impressionistic compositions explore the soundscape of jazz and blues alongside classical and modernist ideas in refreshingly new but familiar ways."

For her 20th album Lisa Hilton wanted to provide uplift and relief, where listeners can be energized and feel rejuvenated, and this became the theme for the aptly titled Escapism. Each composition seems to generate, by albums end, a mental release or escape all its own. “Artists have an important role in our culture and community--it is through art and music that our souls and spirits can be energized, balanced and entertained--we all need to "escape" or transcend our challenges. I want our music to be a positive force whether you\\'re listening on the subway, while at work or lounging on a tropical island! Our music embraces the good experiences in our world,” Hilton comments.

After working solo on last year's Day & Night release, Hilton brought back saxophonist JD Allen, trumpet and flugelhornist Terell Stafford, bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston into Avatar Studios. “Our engineer James Farber, a true sound icon, captured the incredible sound of these amazing musicians - all leaders in their own right,” Hilton enthuses. Mixed by 23-time Grammy® Award-winning engineer Al Schmitt at the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood and mastered by multi-Grammy® Award-winners Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Mojave Moon' is just a small glimpse of Escapism an instrumental album that is centred around Lisa Hilton's outrageously good piano skills, alongside some highly talented musicians. Jazz might be the anchor point, the musical directions often explore from that point, and some lighter blues are also found along the way. Above all however is the fact that this is very assessable music, and those not usually so keen on these genres, might well find they are in for a refreshing surprise.


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Berry - VanWyck - Rainbow Reservoir

Berry - Fragments.

Background - The music of Berry is a strange animal. But writing and recording over 100 songs in their 15 years together has resulted in some dense, delicate, graceful pop songs with a certain Searching for Bobby Fischer mentality.

Berry formed in 2002 on Martha’s Vineyard when guitarist/vocalist Joey Lemon and drummer Paul Goodenough connected at an intensive four-month music program. When they returned to the Midwest, the two recruited college friend and keyboardist Matt Aufrecht. Their first LP, Marriage (Right Place Records), was released the following year and was met with critical acclaim, allowing the band to tour extensively throughout the country.

After several tours and bass players, Berry moved to Chicago in search of a city that would fit their quirky and idiosyncratic music. There, they began a recording frenzy, releasing a series of six EPs between 2007 and 2008. To promote these releases, the band embarked on a novel idea for a tour. Foregoing the usual cargo van or bus, Berry purchased a 30-day Amtrak pass and booked shows from Chicago to Seattle, relying entirely on the whims of public transport. Carrying a tiny tube amp in a rolling suitcase, a children’s drum set in a single kick drum case, and a full-sized keyboard on rollers, the band took an even more literal approach to their already minimalist styling.

Exhausted by their Odyssey, Berry’s productivity hit a lull until close friend and bass player Shane Bordeau joined the band, revitalizing the group with a jolt of positive energy. Their next LP, Blue Sky, Raging Sun, was recorded and released in 2010 on Joyful Noise Recordings. This record took its inspiration from the Amtrak tour, juxtaposing scenes of epic natural beauty with the ennui of endless train rides where micro societies are formed by a handful of strangers riding coach. 

Despite a devoted following, Blue Sky, Raging Sun saw limited commercial success, and the members of Berry spread out across the country, each pursuing separate professional opportunities. The next few years bore little fruit for Berry, but in 2014, they decided to record again, this time with few expectations about what might transpire. Gathering in a re-purposed pole barn in rural Kansas, the group picked up as if they had never dropped a beat. After writing and recording the skeletons of 11 songs in four days, the album fell into production limbo for more than two years until producer Paul Klimson (John Legend, Erykah Badu, Kirk Douglas of the Roots) offered his services to help complete the album.

The result is a stunning follow-up to Blue Sky, Raging Sun. The new LP, Everything, Compromised, drops in early 2018 on Joyful Noise Recordings. Classic songwriting amidst Rubik's Cube structures -- the music of Berry is a curious hybrid. At once dense and delicate, their blend of forward-thinking indie-pop is as graceful as it is perplexing. In their decade and a half of playing together, Berry has found a way to marry meticulously detailed instrumentation with genuinely alluring pop. FACEBOOK.

The wasteland rock hashtag for 'Fragments' had me intrigued, however after my first listen it really does seem a very apt description for the song. There is a loose unorganised feel running through much of the piece, that both charms and engages the listener, whilst a gentle underlying melody gives the track a beautiful vibe.

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VanWyck - Listen To You Breathe.

Background - "You start with some kind of urgency that is indistinct, and it takes a lifetime to uncover what the thrust of your activity was about. You sing from a kind of thorn in your side, which may just be the human heart aching in its particular predicament. And all art is an effort to address that aching." - Leonard Cohen

Upon first listening to Amsterdam singer songwriter, VanWyck, Leonard Cohen’s quote immediately comes to mind. A hauntingly atmospheric and melodious whisper in her ear, it emerges in the form of smoky soulful vocals aching with lyrical precision of stories untold.

The VanWyck moniker is in itself an untold story of front woman, Christine Oele’s grandmother. An homage to her grandmother’s maiden name, the project makes the invisible, visible. It’s this thread that weaves throughout, from the curiosity of the mystical songwriting process to calling into question the erasure of women’s history, their stories, and their names.

VanWyck says, “Both my grandmothers were strong women (a nurse and a teacher) who came from very humble backgrounds and had to work hard and take care of children. Being creative was a luxury that was often not allowed to them. Being in the foreground was also not something they were allowed to aspire to. One of my grandmothers was very inspirational in making me reach higher and to put all my talents to work. I keep her picture as a young girl on my desktop to remind me of the chances she never had and the way she pushed me to reach higher.”

Her push to reach higher formed into an eclectic musical background that has included training as a classical pianist, becoming a keyboard player and one of the first female rappers in the Netherlands in a jazz dance band, and being half of a trip hop duo. VanWyck launched a year-long project called One Song A Week after releasing her debut solo EP Tanned Legs, with the lead single “The Daughter” lauding critical acclaim from KCRW’s Chris Douridas in 2016. Songs floated in her head, snippets of ideas that needed fruition, and the way she felt she could give them a voice was through the song a week quest. Some of the songs she released were studio recordings with a full band, some came from live shows, some were shot as videos, and others were sung in kitchens. Some spoke of mystical longings, and others of earthy intimacies.

The result of that year is An Average Woman, Van Wyck's first solo album calls on the voices of the unsung heroes: the nurse, the teacher, the mother. Everyday women whose mundane tasks emanate into extraordinary outcomes. She's accompanied by the award-winning bass player and arranger Reyer Zwart, and singer Marjolein van der Klauw, whose silvery voice is the perfect counterbalance to VanWyck’s own darker tones.

An Average Woman is about women who are visible and hidden, sacrificing and selfish, ordinary and magical, obligated and free. It's about the mysteries lurking in the everyday. It's about creating your own universe and your own sense of belonging - and stumbling along the way. In this debut album, VanWyck is An Average Woman who's anything but. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured the track 'An Average Woman' back in October and it's good to be able to follow on from there with 'Listen To You Breathe'. Last time we commented "VanWyck's vocals are melodic, sensitive and carry some notable emotion." The sensitive and stunning musical arrangement and the alluring vocals of VanWyck working together on this song, is put simply, something very special.

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Rainbow Reservoir - Fuzzy.

Background - Odd Box Records are delighted to announce the debut LP by Rainbow Reservoir will be released on 23rd February. The first cut to be shared from the forthcoming LP 'Channel Hanna' is 'Fuzzy' a buzz-saw pop song and a neat introduction to the record and is accompanied by a playful sock puppet video.

'Channel Hanna' finds the bands bite as hard as their bark - the title refers to Riot Grrrl pioneer Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin) and Rainbow Reservoir take their cues from the 90s explosion of riot grrrl rock bands but they fuse it with a poppier heart. Anyone who loves the power pop buzz of bands like Cars Can Be Blue, Tullycraft and The Spook School will fall instantly in love with the Rainbow Reservoir buzz pop sound.

With a session recently recorded for cult radio station - Dandelion Radio and numerous pop fest appearances under their belt, Rainbow Reservoir are set for an exciting 2018.

This is the first Odd Box release since we reached out for help at the end of 2017 and we are delighted to say that crowd funding drive has secured the future of the label and we are aiming to be here for many more years to come. BANDCAMP.

'Channel Hanna' is a collection of twelve songs, of which 'Fuzzy' acts as a pretty good indicator of this often feisty album. That said the band can and do tone things down on occasion allowing more melodic moments, however they also explode into life and demand your unreserved attention a whole lot more often!


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Gasoline Lollipops - Peter Kernel

Gasoline Lollipops - Montreal.

Background - Gasoline Lollipops is a Colorado band that combines the sincerity of dirt-floor folk with the energy and rebelliousness of punk. It's an all-new incarnation of alt-country that’s both high-energy and heartfelt, like the American highway's soundtrack. This year marked the release of the GasPops' debut full-length album, Resurrection, and the band’s first-ever vinyl release Soul Mine.

Colorado Daily readers voted Gasoline Lollipops "Best Local Musician/Group" for 2017, and in 2016, Denver Westword named Gasoline Lollipops Color ado's Best Country Artist. 2014 and 2015 brought multiple awards and accolades to the Gasoline Lollipops. 

These included being selected to play six showcases in Austin during SXSW 2014; getting voted "Best Local Musician/Group" in the Colorado Daily's 2014 and 2015 polls; being selected as one of only six bands across Colorado for the highly coveted SpokesBUZZ Emerging Artists Incubator program; and winning the Oskar Blues Battle of the Bands in 2015. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Having featured Gasoline Lollipops twice towards the end of last year, the recently released single 'Montreal' seems to be a good way to round off matters, in connection with their recent Soul Mine album. The ten song album is a virtual melting pot of Americana styles from alt rock to outlaw country, and with 'Montreal' we have a slower and more gentle folk vibe, all with the natural and very individual Gasoline Lollipops sound.

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Peter Kernel - There's Nothing Like you.

Background - Peter Kernel is a Swiss Canadian post punk band formed in 2006 by graphic designer Aris Bassetti (Swiss) and filmmaker Barbara Lehnhoff (Canadian). The two met in visual communications school in Switzerland and quickly launched the band and their own label On The Camper Records. Throughout the years they have been well noted for their clever and witty humour in communication and DIY approach.

In 2008 they were invited by Spencer Krug from the Canadian band Wolf Parade to open their UK and European tour. With the release of their 2nd album 'White Death & Black Heart' in collaboration with French label Africantape the band received a particularly warm welcome in France, launching Peter Kernel straight into the heart of the European musical scene.

In the past years Peter Kernel have played over 600 concerts across Europe and Canada, in a variety of different venues and festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival, the fashion week in Milan, Paleo Festival, The HMV Forum in London, Les Rockomotives Festival in France, The Great Escape in the UK, and in 2018 will be on stage at Eurosonic in NL.

In 2016 they were nominated for the Swiss Music Grand Prix. The same year they scored the music for the film 'Il Nido', by the Swiss Peruvian film director Klaudia Reynicke. The film was world premiered at Locarno International Film Festival 2016. In 2017 they were nominated as Best Live Act at the Swiss Live Talents. The same year they started an orchestral version of the band called Peter Kernel & Their Wicked Orchestra, rearranging their songs for piano, harp, cello, harmonium and viola. On March 7th 2018 they will release their 4th Album entitled 'The Size Of The Night'. BANDCAMP, WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The first single from the forthcoming album is 'There's Nothing Like you' and it's a gorgeous blast of post punk imagination. Vocals and music compete for attention with both elements having their moments in this addictive track.


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Port Cities - Black Mamba

Port Cities - On the Nights You Stay Home.

Background - Port Cities’ music is a perfect balance of Nashville (where much of it was recorded) and Nova Scotia (where the band reside); of the rustic and atmospheric, of indie intimacy and the sort of arena-pop anthems that betray Port Cities’ globe-trotting ambitions; 2018 sees the band embark upon their second cross European tour, including a timely stint here in the UK, where their following is building up nicely off the back of 2017's visit, and the hugely successful #PostcardsFromPortCities series of videos.

A port city is a place where cultures and histories collide, where goods and ideas are imported and absorbed into the local bloodstream. Not entirely un-coincidentally, Port Cities the band is the musical equivalent; a melting pot of three of Canada’s most creative individual talents, drawn together to make an entity even more outstanding as a group than as its constituent parts.

As with any form of musical collaboration, the magic occurs in the blending of one element with another, but unlike most groups, Port Cities never started out to be a band. Comprised of trio of celebrated Nova Scotian musicians Carleton Stone, Dylan Guthro and Breagh MacKinnon, Port Cities were drawn together through songwriting as independent artists, with every intention of crafting new material, and then going their separate ways. Yet that is not quite how it panned out.

The first thing anyone observes when hearing Port Cities is that this band is tight. Seriously tight. Yet it begs the question; How to go about fusing divergent styles and experiences into such a singular rootsy Americana sound? From MacKinnon’s silky jazz-schooled timbre, allied to Guthro’s R&B influenced natural tendencies and Stone’s acoustic troubadour, the space in between the three is delightfully warm and resonant, yet entirely coherent across the course of their self-titled debut album, due for imminent release in 2018. FACEBOOK.

UK tour dates:
25th March: Manchester Castle – tickets here.
26th March: Glasgow King Tuts – tickets here.
27th March: London Slaughtered Lamb – tickets here. 
29th March: Bath Chapel Arts Centre – tickets here.

We featured Port Cities last August and a number of forthcoming UK tour dates seems as good excuse as any to share another song from the band, such as 'On The Nights You Stay At Home'. Filmed on the Brighton waterfront while at The Great Escape last year, it's another refined indie pop song with good old hints of Americana and a fine level of buoyant energy.


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Black Mamba - Loop.

Background - Black Mamba is a female fronted Rock trio from Viterbo (Centre of Italy). Coming from different musical backgrounds, the band has developed on stage an high-voltage, extremely technical and eye-catchy show. 

Black Mamba has over one hundred and fifty performances under her belt and has shared the stage with some international acts, for example, Blaze Bayley (Ex. Iron Maiden Singer), John Macaluso, Carl Palmer, Braido and more. The band: Irma Mirtilla (Guitar and Vocals), Cecilia Nappo (Bass), Federico Maragoni (Drums) is endorsed by Vater Drumsticks, Mezzabarba/Masotti Guitar Heads, ATS Bass Heads, IQS Bass/Guitar strings.

Heritage the new album is ten characters, ten songs flowing through the river of experience. All of us are carrying something like an indelible heritage. Sometimes these experiences are bad, and the only solution is to scream and throw them out like a swarm of butterflies coming out from the stomach. We can represent instrumentally the album and how the Black Mamba conceive their concept of the band, as two large gears formed by bass and drums that rotate and run tirelessly with syncopated rhythmic joints that put the listener's feet well glued down to the ground while the world around is collapsing.

The guitar arrangements will stick you in the real world while a tornado is disheveling the landscape in the distance. The vocal parts are like a mermaid singing while all these things happen and the concept of this album is burned into listener's skin. Bass, guitar, and drums solos color this painting and enrich the tension and resolution music effect of the entire album of the Italian female-fronted trio. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Loop' is taken from the bands 'Heritage' album released a couple of weeks back. It's a fair representation of the album where full on rock is the norm and even on the odd occasion when the band reduce the pace, the levels of energy and dynamic presence is retained. Uncompromising rock & roll delivered with the potent power, rock trio's are renowned for.


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Libertino Records - ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1 (Compilation Album)

Libertino Records - ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1.

Background from Wale's Libertino Records - ‘Into Space and Never Back’ Libertino MIX 1. This is a celebration of the first eight months of Libertino's releases. What a gloriously, head-spinning roller coaster journey it has been so far; and this is only the beginning. 

Holding steadfastly to our ethos of inclusiveness and community grass roots support for emerging artists, our releases have demonstrated a bravely eclectic streak from indie death disco to psychedelic folk and post punk feminist anthems.  

This compilation also includes taster songs from artists with whom the label will be working in 2018. ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1 is our way of saying thanks for all the support that Libertino's artists have received this year. All songs are free downloads. Turn up loud and lose yourself in the colours and sounds of our world.

Until 2018, thank you and diolch. Love from Libertino x

‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1Dyma ddathliad o ganeuon a ryddhawyd yn ystod wyth mis cyntaf Libertino.  Mae eleni wedi bod yn siwrnai llawn antur i'r label; a dim ond megis dechrau ydy hyn. Gan ddal yn dynn yn ein ethos gynhwysol a chymorth cymunedol gwerin gwlad ar gyfer artistiaid sy'n ymgodi, mae'n cynnyrch yn arddangos croesdoriad eclectig o indie death disco i ganu gwerin seicedelig ac anthemau ffeministaidd ol pync. Mae'r casgliad hefyd yn cynnwys caneuon blasu gan artistiad y bydd y label yn gweithio gyda hwy yn 2018. Ffordd Libertino o ddweud diolch i bawb a gefnogodd artistiad y label eleni yw ryddhau ‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1. Gellir lawr lwytho'r caneuon yn rhad ac am ddim. Trowch y sain i fyny ac ymgollwch yn lliwiau a seiniau'n byd ni. Tan flwyddyn nesaf, diolch mawr. Cariad o Libertino x WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

1.     Adwaith - Lipstick Coch
2.     Los Blancos - Datgysylltu
3.     Names -  Limb by Limb
4.     Flöat - Vapitidty
5.     Hotel Del Salto - Yellow Rose
6.     ARGRPH - Llosgi Me
7.     Phalcons - Idle Ways
8.     Jaffro - Rhyfin Di-Dda
9.     Papur Wal - Anghofio Dy Hun (ar Fora Dydd Llun)
10.   La Forme - Birds In An Avery
11.   The Tates - Water
12.   ilu - Mewn Fydd

‘I’r Gofod A Byth Yn Ȏl’ Libertino MIX 1' or if like me, your grasp of the Welsh language is somewhat lacking '‘Into Space and Never Back’ Libertino MIX 1' is a compilation album from independent record label Libertino who launched in 2017. Adwaith, ARGRPH and The Tates have already been featured on Beehive Candy and are joined now by another nine fine & promising bands / artists, some of which will hopefully make further appearances here in the year to come. In the meantime dip into and enjoy this exciting and varied collection of songs.


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Andrew Reed - Stephen Michael Murphy

Andrew Reed - If All the World Were Right.

Background - Auspiciously due on 1.1.2018, with "If All the World Were Right" there is a shot of positivity in the world. There is nothing really being sold here except an atmosphere to "believe in yourself" and "embrace your own greatness" with heavy doses of humility thrown in thanks to our struggles through dense matter. This concept album is of a journey...a journey of a Prodigal, who has to return home after being defeated by life and the world... Humility fills the album.

The new album, Andrew says, is "about my journey, but I don't think it is unique to me at all. Most of us go through really tough patches during our lives. So much of it has to do with our thinking and the emotions that result from our thinking. We are constantly thinking about how to interpret or reconcile our lives... but we have a choice in how we experience the world! And all it takes to improve things is to change your thinking or perception of things. Once I got ahold of that idea many years ago, Bam! My life changed! We tend to become what we think about...and it is about that simple. So I started to think positively, about all the options there are...and how I could see others in a more loving way...without judgment or without the need to call them "right or wrong"...but just accept everyone as they are...and trust in Life."

Andrew Reed's music is for seekers. He is a reclusive artist and creative figure whose reflective ideas expressed in music, film and spoken/written word platforms. He cannot be bought or sold. Never afraid of challenging popular opinion, detesting celebrity culture and non-value-adding commercialism that preys on the masses, he always seeks to “make better.” He is an outspoken voice for art and ideas.

Andrew is a recording artist and Executive Producer/CEO of Artists International Media and Financial Companies (AI) and Multi-View Incorporated (MVI). He is a creative known for different things to different people. As a songwriter, his works have been recorded by artists in the United States and abroad. He is a principal of these artistic/entertainment and healthcare-related entities by virtue of a twist of fate in the music business.

The most fitting genre description for Andrew’s music is “Introspective Rock/Acoustic” where the rich inner world of experience is explored. As cited in the liner notes of Search for Significance. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The title track from the album 'If All the World Were Right' is one of thirteen songs, well make that twelve the final piece is a beautiful poem accompanied by some refined music. The featured song provides a fine impression of this gorgeous collection of material, that conveys a positive vibe throughout, even with the occasionally more sensitive song. What a grand release to greet the new year with!


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Stephen Michael Murphy - Root Down Low.

Background - "Root Down Low", the title track from the RDL CD featuring Curtis Clark on lead vocals.  The actual recording of the 15 Root Down Low original tunes was accomplished on a worldwide level in a unique manner. 

Hundreds of tracks were played and recorded by gifted musicians from across the globe. Truly, a project without borders. The music did the communicating.

"We were heading for the hills of Ecuador when I got that familiar call from mission control to create something new". Many moons later the 15 song album entitled “Root Down Low” came to be.

I received enthusiastic aid on this project from a number of fine young musicians starting with Curtis Clark who laid down an inspired lead vocal here on the title cut. Ezzy Mourao from Lisbon, Portugal did the way cool art work on CD cover and this lyric video. WEBSITE.

'Root Down Low' is a fabulous mixture of soulful vocals and a rich musical landscape with hints of reggae, blues and more all arranged with refinement. A fantastic teaser for the new album...


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DateMonthYear - Dirty Fences

DateMonthYear - March.

Background -  New Zealand outfit DateMonthYear has announced their forthcoming single 'March' on the trail of their well received single 'Numbers', released earlier in 2017. On both of these releases, the band tastefully combines pop melody and rock dynamics with a cinematic atmosphere, calling to mind such artists as Low, Cat Power, and Sharon Van Etten.

Based in Hamilton, DateMonthYear is a five-piece comprised of Trevor Faville, Emma Koretz, Brooke Baker, Hayely Schwass and Tyler Leet. 'March' eludes to the process of grief and loss, delivering a strong message with hard-hitting lyrics, music and video. The band worked with local production team Bad George in Hamilton to produce and film their new music video.

Bad George production team were award nominees at the HP 48 Hour Film Festival, with production crew member and also band member Brooke Baker nominated as best director and best female director, and Jay Baker nominated as best scriptwriter. Although March is Bad George’s first foray into making music videos, the video has received accolades at local and national film competitions.

"The lyrics in 'March' reflect the the transition from grief to hope when you lose someone suddenly. The shock when someone passes, and the questioning of your own identity and purpose, and then the point when you start to look forward again - whether it be in the sense of a traditional faith, or just about reconciliation with how life is. I think its quite a positive song, ending on an uplifting note," says Trevor Faville. “The song itself is quite different to our last one, musically. It’s a lot more dramatic and has dynamic changes involved. It’s something more of a big rock song. It is a completely different topic lyrically but probably just as intense.”

This release follows up their most recent single 'Numbers', which reflects on today’s society and how people’s lives revolve around numbers – those of your mortgage or rent, income, supermarket shopping and simply hoping that you have enough to pay for groceries and bills each week.

Shunning traditional band formats, DateMonthYear’s structure means that “commitment is defined by contribution”, allowing for new ideas and influences. The fluidity of the line-up ensures a smorgasbord of musical flavours. The band is already working towards their debut album release, focusing on songs addressing issues that need to be spoken about, rather than being a distraction from what is actually going on in the world. FACEBOOK, WEBSITE.

An expansive rock music landscape ebbs and flows with power and restraint on 'March.' The song has some beautiful duel vocals adding feeling and melody to this formidable and compelling track.


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Dirty Fences - One More Step (ft. Christina Halladay).

Background - NYC's Dirty Fences rolls out US tour in support of "Goodbye Love". Grab a thirty rack of Pabst, a liter of cheap whisky, and call up the boys because “New York City's favorite hard-workin' rock n' roll band” Dirty Fences is back on the road in the USA and ready to party down in your town in 2018!

The band will kick off a thirty-two city long haul tour in support of "Goodbye Love" via NYC’s own Greenway Records, the band’s third studio album and comes as a follow-up to 2013's Too High To Kross (Volcom) and 2015's  epic Full Tramp (Slovenly). The album is available on limited-edition splatter vinyl, cassette, CD and digitally.

Dirty Fences is a quintessential New York band: the kind the city is known for producing; the band you’d want to hear blasting out the PA at some dive bar that is beyond capacity before they even take stage. They often refer to themselves as a gang, and that mentality is evident in every meaty riff and perfectly-executed harmony on Goodbye Love. It’s a perfect slice of wax that evokes early American rock and punk acts such as Redd Kross, The MC5, and Johnny Thunders — whilst showing an obsession with early KISS and Motley Crüe through the lens of The Dictators and Ramones —yet the band still manages to maintain an identity all its own this new record. WEBSITE.

'One More Step' is a swaggering rocker with gorgeously gutsy and commanding duel vocals. Primal and natural rock & roll, I would imagine based on this song alone that those going to any of their tour gigs will be for a feast of raw rock music.

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Candy Ambulance - Modesta

Candy Ambulance - Weekday.

Background - Candy Ambulance are a high-energy band from upstate NY. They're gearing up to release their new EP Spray scheduled for release on February 18, 2018. The trio self-released their first single "Weekday" earlier this fall. Described as alternative grunge rock, the band pulls plenty of pop hooks and punk energy into their sound.

Formed in the summer of 2014, grunge-influenced Candy Ambulance of upstate NY are Caitlin Barker, Jesse Bolduc & Jon Cantiello. Lifelong friends and musical mates, Bolduc & Cantiello rescued Barker from a wealthy engagement prospect and whisked her away to the land of DIY punk. Poppy melodies, dynamic vocal changes and half naked live shows have solidified this rock trio as always entertaining, unabashed fun.

Boasting a healthy and frequent tour schedule the band has played with notable acts such as Screaming Females, Speedy Ortiz, Daddy Issues, and Dorothy. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The second of six tracks on the forthcoming EP 'Spray' is 'Weekday' an often grungy Alt rock collection of material. The band do however vary their styles both in terms of mood, energy and the sheer amount of differing hooks along the way. The featured song is therefore more a glimpse of the band, and definitely not the only trick they know, if this song appeals, then the EP will delight.

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Modesta - VHS.

Background - On January 12, 2018, the indie duo Modesta ​will release their highly anticipated debut studio endeavor, a self-produced four track EP entitled ‘VHS​.’ The eclectic set of songs masterfully walks the line between contemporary indie influence, electronic stylings, and organic, retro sonic flavors. Today, Modesta’s single, ‘VHS,’ has been made available prior to the full album release.

Fronted by Arjun Viswanathan and Kostas Papadopoulos, Modesta is a retro R&B-infused indie rock duo with an electronic charm, thus offering a wholly unique and genuine sound unlike anything else in the independent music scene. Calling upon influences the likes of Roosevelt, The Shins, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Modesta’s style is rooted in musical diversity and experimentation.

Modesta, founded in the Boston area, has accrued almost half a million spins on Spotify, with over 15,000 monthly listeners. Over the last year, Viswanathan and Papadopoulos have built a home recording studio from the ground up, learning new ways to improve their craft and achieve a high level of creative control and artistic integrity with their work. FACEBOOK.

'VHS' opens with a layered synthy sound above gentle beats. The falsetto vocals add another dimension to this melodic and flowing song, the EP is awaited with both intrigue and anticipation!


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Delta Deep - Late Sea

Delta Deep - Bless These Blues.

Background - Blues-Rock-n-Soul supergroup Delta Deep is thrilled to announce the release of their live CD/DVD East Coast Live on January 26, 2018 through Frontiers Music Srl which as an added plus will also be availble on vinyl. The East Coast Live CD is a full show performance filmed at legendary Daryl’s House in Pawling, NY while the DVD showcases select songs and highlights from that night. The label will also be re-releasing Delta Deep's debut album. The group, which made their chart topping debut in 2015, featuresPhil Collen, lead guitarist of Def Leppard,  Debbi Blackwell-Cook (back-up vocalist for such artists as Michael Buble & Gregory Hines), Robert DeLeo (bassist for Stone Temple Pilots) and Forrest Robinson (drummer for Joe Sample & The Crusaders, India.Arie & TLC).

Delta Deep’s self-titled debut was released in June 2015 entering iTunes Blues charts at #2. The band immediately hit the road performing at festivals and concert venues across the country. Critics lauded the band, with Elmore Magazine declaring, “Delta Deep is a rocking force due to bring down any house– historical or modern.”  While San Francisco’s BAM Magazine said, “the live experience for Delta Deep is one not to be missed…Debbi Blackwell-Cook is mesmerizing!”

The group originally came together when Collen was jamming at home with his wife's godmother, Debbi Blackwell-Cook. What started as a casual pairing, singing Motown favorites and classic blues when Debbi visited, quickly turned into much more.  Along with Collen's wife Helen, the three began writing original music together. Eventually Collen and Blackwell-Cook began laying down demos and the rest is Delta Deep history.

Collen, widely known to millions of rock ‘n roll fans for his iconic albums with Def Leppard, recently explained why they decided to put out this live album and DVD. "We recorded every night of our 2016 tours, east and west coast, expecting to pull out the best performances from different cities. But we managed to capture one of those special, magical nights where all the stars fall into place in Pawling, NY at Daryl's House. This whole album was recorded that night. It was so relaxed but we were so on fire at the same."  The musicians of Delta Deep bring their varying experiences from all corners of the music spectrum together to make a unique stew of blues-rock-n-soul.  Collen also adds, "The intention was never to have a DVD addition to the CD but seeing the performances live and the fact that Daryl's House also video records its shows was an added bonus for us." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Blues, Rock and Soul are all rolled up together and performed live with total enthusiasm and style, on the East Coast Live album due in late January. From the opening salvo of Led Zeppelin classic 'Black Dog' the band take the audience through some fabulous songs including the new piece 'Bless These Blues' featured below. This is as you would expect from a band of this calibre, one very fine album.


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Late Sea - The Writers Trilogy (EP).

Background - Late Sea are not afraid to create music that challenges listeners to question and reimagine everything they know. Jerusalem-born singer and composer Izzy Gliksberg and his band craft lush, dynamic soundscapes that fall somewhere between experimental electronic rock and indie-pop. The band's new EP The Writers Trilogy explores this unique musical confluence. Gliksberg's cryptic lyricism, delivered in his trademark sing-speak style, fearlessly traverses the dark terrain that he and his bandmates create.

As the title suggests, The Writer's Trilogy is a collection of three original songs, that pay homage to literary giants Frankz Kafka, Paul Celan, and Baruch Spinoza. Gliksberg shares, "The making of the EP was literally reaching back to the writers that shaped my concept of what it means to be an artist and to have some sort of inner dialog with them. Every creative person is the sum of his influences: we immerse ourselves in the works of others, consciously or unconsciously, and then we process it into something that's our own. Sometimes we have so many ideas buzzing in our heads and all of them demand our attention and time. In a way,  when working on the EP I had the chance to give voice to many ideas at once - lyrically, musically and visually. In that sense it was a very satisfying process."

Each stunning track is accompanied by an equally impressive video, providing a visual component that helps to reinforce each songs narrative and sonic impact. Part one "Ring the Bells" and part two "The Great White", previously released, are chock-full of thought-provoking themes and imagery. The third video, for "Hunter" will be released in January 2018, continuing and fulfilling the mysterious and mythical themes found throughout the series. Passionate about combining music and visuals, Late Sea creates a new level of powerful and transformative art.

A fourth track provides a reimagined cover of Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 hit "Sound of Silence," for which a music video was released yesterday. Punctuated by Sam Nester's ambient trumpet lines, the somber rendition of the track is paired with sobering images of nuclear war and political propaganda. The cinematic tone of the music combined with the stark imagery conveys a sense of impending doom. Over fifty years after the original release, Late Sea manages to breath new life into both the music and interpretation of the message. The video features animation by international award-winning animator Yulia Ruditskaya. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Imaginative and creative, 'The Writers Trilogy' is a beatiful collection of four quite unique songs. The music is intricately developed and supports the atmospheric vocals, alongside intriguing lyrics that demand attention in their own right.  


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Micah Olsan - Endre Nordvik

Micah Olsan - Open Space.

Background - Micah Olsan is a versatile singer, songwriter, guitarist and tape machine enthusiast who's sound falls somewhere between Nick Drake and Michael Kiwanuka. Olsan’s energy, talent, and seminal sound have made him one of Milwaukee’s longtime beloved musicians.

A one-man sound machine, Micah Olsan bucks the trend of overly-produced perfection choosing instead to focus on capturing a moment in time and preserving it for posterity. Using his voice, guitar, and a few old machines, Olsan wanders through dimensions of Americana, Soul and Psychedelia.

With every offering on the ‘Open Space’ EP blurring the lines of archetypal styles, it’s no wonder that Micah Olsan hunkered down at National Studio with a handful of prodigious guest musicians to create the perfect cocktail of melodrama and focus into four deceptively simple tracks. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The first of four tracks on Micah Olsan's 'Open Space' EP is the featured title track. The song exudes Americana musical sensibilities whilst Micah's vocals are warm and genuine. It typifies the quality across this varied and unpretentious collection of music, one that has many hooks and originality.

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Endre Nordvik - Like Old Friends / Sometimes.

Background -  With well-established singles like "I'm In Love with You" and "I Believe", Endre Nordvik's first album "Suburb Hero" is due for release on January 12, 2018.

"Suburb Hero" contains ten pop songs that falls within the boundaries of the soul inspired indie and Americana genre. “Suburb Hero” was Recorded at Demningen Studio in Norway, with producer Eirik Grønner, the album is well crafted with top-class musicians, a great sound, and solid songwriting.

"Suburb Hero" is my first album and, I'm very proud of it! says Endre Nordvik. I have worked for more than 2 years, together with producer Grønner, and I'm humble of what we've achieved.

The songs are written by Grønner and me, except for 2 songs that I have written myself. World Idol winner Kurt Nilsen has also been involved in the writing process and participates in three songs where “Let The Good Times In” is a duet with Kurt. FACEBOOK.

'Superb Hero' the forthcoming album from Endre Nordvik is a collection of ten beautifully crafted songs. 'Like Old Friends' and 'Sometimes' two very fine tracks, provide the listener with the opportunity to hear some of the variety and scope found within this collection. The musical arrangements are consistently well constructed, the vocals, harmonies and in the case of 'Sometimes' duets are melodic and very engaging, and the catchy nature of every piece, whether gentle or full bodied is notable. Endre Nordvik is providing us with a very fine new musical start to 2018.

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Kudzu - Almond Soy - Percival Elliott

Kudzu - No Backbone / Some Cops.

Background - Missouri-based post-punk synth wave duo Kudzu have announced their forthcoming album 'Defeated', slated for release in early 2018 via Push & Pull Records. This album is a reaction to mounting disappointments and frustrations with increasingly frustrating and disappointing realities.

On this 9-track long-play, Kudzu delivers a cheerfully caustic synth pop assault with psychedelic underpinnings, like paint fumes you'd happily dance to. The offerings range from post-punk (Defeated) to synth pop (One Purpose, No Backbone) and tracks with a darker more industrial sense (Balking The Grave). If that's not enough to intrigue you, the vocal delivery oscillating between John Lydon of Sex Pistols and PiL fame and the cold sinister lyricism of Al Jourgensen's Ministry in the band's earliest phase.

Based in Springfield, Kudzu is Seth Goodwin (vocals, synth, and drum programming) and Mark Gillenwaters (vocals and guitar). Influenced by bands such as Tears For Fears, The Cure, Spectrum, Guided by Voices, Sympathy Nervous, and This Heat, they've managed to concoct a sound original from any of them.

"A lot of these songs come from a place of disenchantment with punk and "diy" scenes i've dedicated too much time to and the resulting dissociation as i've continued to have involvement in those scenes," says Seth Goodwin. "A documentation of a transitional period that im sure a lot of people feel as they start to feel parts of them age out from this type of lifestyle but dont know how to do anything else."

'Defeated' was recorded by Adam Schoeller and Jonathan James at No Coast Recording, and mixed by the latter, with Shay Rainey creating the cover artwork. FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.

'No Backbone' and 'Some Cops' are two of the nine tracks that make up the forthcoming 'Defeated' album. This is an impressive collection of mostly high octane post punk material, with plenty of synth lead music. Echoes of John Lydon ride alongside the pairs own modern and creative musical developments, resulting in an addictive album that begs to be heard performed live.

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Almond Soy - Happy Ever After.

Background - One of the surest signs it's summer in Perth is the wave of brilliant new music that emanates from the city every year. A perfect case in point is Social Misfit, the debut EP from indie five-piece Almond Soy. Opening with the band's energetic single Happy Ever After, the EP is a triumph of mature songwriting and the boundlessness of youth.

Undulating through varying moods and tempos, Social Misfit shows off the multi-dimensional talent of the band. I Could Be The One is more beat-driven and swaying; awash in an ocean of synth and reverb... leading perfectly into the bouncy third track Whiskyand its dance floor rhythms and duelling guitars. The EP closes with the tranquil I Always Wanted The Moon, creating a beautiful ambience with its layers of nonchalant vocals, orbited by spacious guitar riffs and subtle horns.

Taking these beautifully written songs and giving them the sonic grandeur they deserve, The Money War's Dylan Olivierre has excelled in his duties as producer. While there is no definitive 'Perth sound' to speak of, Social Misfit has certainly encapsulated the mood of the city. Laid-back yet adventurous, Social Misfit balances warmth with a cool breeze; allowing each song to radiate without being overbearing. Each song is bursting with unique character, yet they flow together as one coherent work of art.

Starting out as a bedroom project, Almond Soy have developed at an unbelievable pace. Formed at the end of 2016 and lead by brothers Brandon and James Stockbridge, the band has evolved into a sophisticated ensemble, exemplified by Social Misfit. Driving each note is an emotional energy that shows the band's natural chemistry. Now ready to kick things into the next gear, Almond Soy will be heading out on their first Australia-wide tour in January 2018, following up a run of sold-out headline shows in their home city. FACEBOOK.

Upbeat and fast paced music is accompanied by more measured vocals on 'Happy Ever After' a refreshing indie song that is both energised and catchy.


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Percival Elliott - Forever.

Background -  Percival Elliott are an indie-folk rock duo from the south coast of England. Formed by the belief that true friends can create something meaningful, Olly Hite and Samuel Carter-Brazier united to grace audiences with their poignant lyricism and neo-nostalgic melodies and have since been captivating listeners at sold-out shows across the UK.  

Titled in memory of Hite’s great grandfather, Percival Elliott, born in 1883 was an inventor who created one of the first ice-cream emporiums in Brighton. After discovering a dusty box of trinkets in the back of Hite’s family attic, the untouched time capsule unveiled Percival Elliott’s mysterious inventions, engraved ice-cream paraphernalia, haunted photographs and time honoured war medals. The revelation of these long-forgotten hidden treasures became embedded within the duo’s imagination and musical creativity and thus Percival Elliott was reborn. 

“Forever” is the first single to be released off the duo’s upcoming album Save Your Soul. Inspired by the likes of Jeff Buckley, The Beatles and Father John Misty, “Forever” is a gracefully heartfelt and atmospheric song about eternal love. Hite reveals, “Forever is about a chance meeting with someone. Sparks and butterflies, even if it’s just for a second, that feeling can last forever”. The use of yearning lyricism seamlessly blended together with Hite’s celestial vocals and Carter-Brazier’s soothing guitar, “Forever” succeeds in crafting a song of compelling honesty and authenticity.

The duo are known for their signature style of hard hitting piano melodies, rhythmic guitars and retro vocal harmonies, all underpinned by a string quartet. “Forever” illustrates the band’s desire to create music that makes the hairs on your neck stand up, “We want to make the listener feel alive” Hite expresses.

Percival Elliott's successes to date include a national tour with numerous UK charting artists, as well as collaborating with the likes of Fatboy Slim. Percival Elliott are now ready for the next chapter of their musical endeavour with the highly anticipated release of Save Your Soul due early 2018.  WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Indie folk may have become something of a crowded place, however songs such as 'Forever' suggest there is plenty of mileage and opportunities for creative people to continue to build upon. This is a melodic and superbly arranged song, the vocals are smooth and pleasing, the music builds instrumentally and adds even more to this engaging piece.

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Yellow Feather - White Birches - Little Axe

Yellow Feather - Lucille.

Background - Old Fort, North Carolina band Yellow Feather, which features vocalist Casey Kristofferson, daughter of Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, released their debut album, And Gold, arlier this month.

Yellow Feather also features guitarist/vocalist Hunter Begley (who stars in the video for the album’s first single “Lucille”) and lap steel player Charlie Wills and the album features drummer Herschel VanDyke and bassist Robert Parks along with a slew of special guests!

And Gold was recorded at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, NC with producer Rorey Carroll, mixed at Café Rooster Records in Nashville w/ sound engineer Gabe Masterson and mastered by Alex McCollough (Jim Lauderdale, Amanda Shires, Todd Snider) at True East Mastering in Nashville.

Mountains call many to their bosom. Born sheltered by the winding valleys, amidst time-worn peaks, or discovered down a  shady dirt road, songs and humans alike, have many origins. Hunter Begley found himself in an eastern descent past Asheville, past the weird, and staring at truth. In the small town of Old Fort NC, searching for a room to fit his bed and guitar,he found a loft belonging to Casey Kristofferson. What became of the friendship that followed was the band, Yellow Feather.

Music in moments. Stories in sunsets. Poetry in progress. This is how songs are made. Kristofferson weaves lyrics and melodies  perfectly, while Charlie Willis works the lap steel into a smooth, sometimes rhythmic, but always haunting eulogy to the past. WEBSITE.

'Lucille' is one of twelve songs on the recently released 'And Gold' debut album. The album is a melting pot of gorgeous Americana rooted music, where vocal duties are shared, melodic hooks are a constant feature and the band are just so good. Like featured song = Love the album!


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White Birches - Howl.

Background - White Birches' music has been compared to Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins and Sisters of Mercy mixing sweet piano and alarming guitars with dark wave synthesizers. Haunting pop melodies with dark lyrics.

The band formed in the summer of 2013 and their debut EP Stands of White Birches was recorded during the fall of 2013 and released april 2014 followed by a 10 day tour in an old station wagon. One year later, in April 2015, their debut album Dark Waters was released. Dark Waters was nominated in the catogory "Best Synth" at the swedish "indie grammy awards" Manifestegalan.

 In the fall of 2017 White Birches signed with the label Progress Productions and their second album is to be released during the dark winter of 2017/2018. The duo consists of Jenny Gabrielsson Mare and Fredrik Jonasson. WEBSITE.

We featured Jenny Gabrielsson Mare a couple of times back in 2016, and now as one half of White Birchs she returns to Beehive Candy with the song 'Howl'. Her vocals are immersed in Fredrik Jonasson's richly textured keyboard sounds as the song flows along growing in energy and passion. The video is also Jenny's handiwork, the song is very much a team effort.


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Little Axe - London Blues.

Background - Twenty-three years ago, this quotation foretold a great career for Little Axe aka Skip McDonald. The musician had already had a taste of fame with the Sugarhill Gang Backing Band / Tommy Boy Co-operations and their Hip Hop Masterpieces, writing music history along the way. Then he rolled out Little Axe and gave the blues a new, groovy face! Releases on legendary labels like Okeh Records, Realworld, On-U Sound and majors like Sony, BMG, Warner, etc. followed.

On-U Sound label mastermind Adrian Sherwood has always given Skip a platform to present his entrancing blend of blues, gospel, cajun, dub and trip hop: pioneering and authentic at the same time. His sound takes the essence and sound samples from blues legends such as Howlin Wolf, Leadbelly and Son House and distils them to create musical visions that are both penetrating and highly hypnotic. Little Axe has released seven albums to date; London Blues is his eighth official album. Old mates, like Mark Stewart (Pop Group and Maffia), Doug Wimbish (bass player for Living Colour), Keith LeBlanc (drummer), Perry Melius (drummer for African Head Charge) have provided assistance – and JebLoy Nichols collaborated on writing.

London Blues sticks tenaciously to tradition – to the blues – but at the same time is infused with a plethora of musical lingos (see above ….). On London Blues, Skip McDonald’s creative team is even more sophisticated and innovative than on the predecessor albums. Amazing instrumentals (Be Thankful), a touch of gospel (Deep River), splashes of trip hop with blues harp (Next Week Thursday) and delta blues meets dub (When I Rise) – the album meticulously follows a trail between Chicago and London, blending all the stepping stones to form a smooth, irresistible pathway. 

The title track and featured song 'London Blues' is typical of the album as a whole, a vibrant collection of songs, where reggae and blues collide with other styles resulting in some wonderful material. There are even some dub versions along the way. Top musicianship and refined natural vocals, this is a very fine collection.


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