Friday, 8 June 2018

Lucy and the Rats - Lyla Foy - LT Wade - Ennor

Lucy and the Rats - Melody.

Background - Lucy And The Rats is the new band from now London based singer/guitarist Lucy Spazzy, formerly one third of Australian punksters The Spazzys. 

Once settled in London in 2015, she set about assembling a new band being “bored of playing at home by herself”, subsequently linking up with guitarist Joe To Lose (Los Perros, Johnny Throttle), bassist Mike Cannibal (Animal Cannibal), and drummer Manu (Thee Tumbitas).

A pair of ear grabbing singles followed as the band made a stir on the live scene in the Capitol, in turn nationally and all over the world sharing stages with the likes of Buzzcocks and Paul Collins along the way.

Produced by Johnny Casino and Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Dirtbombs), their first album is an inescapable tap on the shoulder of the broadest attention and recognition, a sweet sounding proposition so so easy to run off with. FACEBOOK.


It was in late 2016 that we first came across Lucy And The Rats, then they disappeared pretty quickly off our radar until now, where the new music video for 'Melody' reminds us of what a vibrant and feisty band they are. Musically there is a punk infused feel, with plenty of hooks and their natural rocker energy.


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Lyla Foy - Far Behind You.

Background From Lyla…. This is Far Behind You, the first single from my new record. It’s about chasing a dream that never happens: an ode to that mission. If creative frustration makes you feel trapped or tiny - keep chasing - or at least write about it.

After finishing the track, I wanted to see if I could get another voice in there with mine, ideally that of Jonathan Donahue from Mercury Rev. 


I managed to get an introduction via email and very quickly he replied complimenting me on the song and agreeing to get in the driver’s seat to record his parts. There was nothing about the way he sung my words that emulated me, it simply became him.

Patrick Wimberly (Chairlift, Solange, MGMT) mixed the single and completely brought it to life with a whole new intensity. So here’s this weird little pop song. Hope you like it! WEBSITE.


'Far Behind You' opens with some distant dreamy vocals and is soon accompanied by some smoothly layered synths and a driving beat. Jonathan Donahue's vocal duet adds a further dimension to what is a refined and charming song.


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LT Wade - My Sun And Stars.

Background - Alternative rock artist LT Wade shares his new single, "My Sun And Stars" off his forthcoming LP, Transient. Transient is the name of the record LT Wade's life has been very transient over the last 2 years. He started recording the album in London, UK before moving to San Francisco where he continued work on the album, then finally finishing it in NYC after his move. 

The album embraces all three cities sonically. It has elements of the West Coast with songs like "My Sun & Stars" and "Lost Angeles." "Hard To Know" and ‘Hell of a Night’ have the more European almost Krautrock feel to them and "This City" and "A Summers Dream" were recorded in NYC this past winter with jazzy saxophones and more industrial tones.

The album was written, recorded, produced and mixed by Wade himself. Wade enlisted one of his best friends Olly Betts of ‘The Duke Spirit’ in his studio ‘The Crows Nest’ in London for the drums. When he moved to NYC, Wade started working with another friend and fantastic musician Grant Zubritsky (Chet Faker's Band) who played sax, keys, and bass on 2 tracks of the album. The “secret” track at the end of the song “This City” is a cut and paste interview Wade recorded and put to music with a friend - it's an extension of the song about the trials and tribulations of NYC. WEBSITE.

Live Date: 07.27 - Pianos (w/ Nosh (Skaters), The Fluids, Tolani - New York, NY.


'My Sun And Stars' has something of a retro rock and roll feel to it, where the vocals are melodic and very engaging, the music is superbly arranged, this is one atmospheric and very catchy song.

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Ennor - West Coast.

Background - In its title alone, Ennor’s ‘West Coast’ forms a suggestive link between their roots in the south westerly tip of England and the blissed-out Californian vibes their music emits. In a sense their most traditional song yet, the track wields a melodic sensibility that is timeless to the folk traditions of the UK. Idyllic, romantic, but with a soft rock warmth and edge that would have the late Tom Petty humming along approvingly, ‘West Coast’ is a stunning injection of the rock rhythms and grandeur of Americana into folklore musical storytelling. Bathed in soothing harmonies and abounding in cinematic guitar work, it’s everything we’ve come to expect from Ennor: compelling, boundlessly energetic and matchless songwriting.

With their musical and emotional roots embedded in the far corners of Cornwall, Ennor write songs that have a palpable sense of openness and raw emotion. It’s the culmination both of their journeys across the UK and a nostalgic longing for the Cornish sea. By turns folk and rock, the four-piece’s infectious sound has garnered attention from London to Penzance, as well as the acclaim of BBC Introducing. 


The poeticism and sincerity of frontman Tom Elliott is propped by the blistering work of the rhythm section. Adam Williams’s driving drums and the dexterous string work of guitarist Jack Rennie and bassist James Creed have earned their sound a new moniker: ‘Californwall’ - a fitting epithet to describe the perennial summer communicated in their songwriting. Drawing influence from the likes of Frank Turner, The Gaslight Anthem and The War On Drugs, Ennor spent the summer of 2017 touring their sunshine sounds across the UK to the like of Ronnie Scotts, The Eden Project and Boardmasters, before heading into the studio to record new works ready for 2018 and the turn of the seasons. FACEBOOK.

Cornwall's Ennor make their third appearance on Beehive Candy this year with 'West Coast'. The bands upbeat folk rock sound has a slightly mellower and reflective feel to it this time, however the band remain very addictive to listen to, maybe it's the combination of fresh Atlantic weather and the influences of Pacific coast charm, whatever - it's extremely good music.



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Wednesday, 6 June 2018

Kris Angelis - St. Jude the Obscure - Black Grapefruit

Kris Angelis - Photobooth.

Background - "Photobooth is about a real night that I thought would be the beginning of something and it turned out to be the end, but the joy and hopes of that night were saved forever in the photos. I wrote it because I've always thought photo booths were romantic and that concept would be fun to write a song about, but also as a bit of a catharsis for a heartbreak. The song is more upbeat and nostalgic than one might imagine, because its about those memories captured in the flashes of the photo booth. On a larger scale its about the moments in life that could become tainted by how they ended up, but trying to allow them to keep their happiness." ~ Kris

Accomplished singer-songwriter, Kris Angelis, visits bittersweet nostalgia on her new single, “Photobooth.” Over the years, Angelis has experimented with a myriad of sounds and ideas, though never straying from the lyrical reflections and life experiences that make her music undeniably relatable. Whether she’s sticking to her folky, Ingrid Michealson-esque roots, or toying with pristine pop productions, she never strays from the heart of who she is — a storyteller. Her 2013 release “The Left Atrium” and 2017’s “Heartbreak is Contagious” received critical acclaim and saw time in the Top 10 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts, solidifying her as a songwriter and artist alike. Her songwriting has garnered her a number of awards including the 13th International Acoustic Music Award for Best Female Artist, LA Music Critics Award for Best Female EP, and she was named a finalist at the 2016 International Songwriting Competition. Her recent return to the studio to work with producer Billy Lefler found Angelis settling back into the rootsy folk-pop sound she started with, and the inspiration for “Photobooth” quickly followed.

On her newest single, “Photobooth,” Angelis reflects on the power of a single pivotal moment transpiring over a matter of seconds. Bright and breezy, the beat ebbs and flows with carefree abandon that instinctively transports listeners to a happier place. Angelis captures the same sunny disposition with her pristine vocals, draping the melody in a lightness that gives power to the evocation that such a meaningful moment can induce. As she croons about first kisses behind a curtain, captured in black and white on paper, you can feel the sense of yearning and gratefulness throughout each clap-and-repeat chorus. Once again, Kris Angelis has put real-life moments into stunning melodic stories on her new single, “Photobooth.” WEBSITE.


'Photobooth' is a gently unfolding singer, songwriter affair that quickly perks up and begins to charm the socks off me. Hints of folk Americana occasionally surface, the lyrics and their gorgeous delivery are refined, and those musical hooks are pretty much everywhere. It's perhaps a sign of my age that photo booths provide me with some fond memories, so much better than the instant gratification of a selfie, honest!

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St. Jude the Obscure - I'm The Wolves.

Background - St. Jude the Obscure are an art pop 2-piece, residing in Liverpool. Formerly known as Feral Love and Bird, now, Adele Emmas and Christian Sandford have undergone a metamorphosis that led to St. Jude the Obscure. Referencing the patron saint of lost causes and Thomas Hardy’s most miserable novel, Saint Jude the Obscure’s music is neither a lost cause or dripping with misery. Instead, it’s literate uplifting synth-pop with more than a hint of Regina Spector, Florence + the Machine and Bat For Lashes.

Recently commissioned to create a soundtrack for WWI poet Wilfred Owen’s poem ‘Futility’, to accompany an opening of his memorial, St Jude the Obscure tend to pair poetic lyrics with airy electro-pop beats. ‘I’m The Wolves’ is their most recent example of a metaphorical account of individual truth-seeking.

The band explains: “’I'm The Wolves’ is a song about independence and freedom of spirit, the need to escape a somewhat chaotic world and to reconnect with the simplicity of nature. It celebrates how strength can be found in the vulnerability of choosing to walk your own path even though it might be a solitary one at times.“ FACEBOOK.


Whether this is art pop, synth pop, or electronic might be open to debate, that 'I'm The Wolves' is delicious and very catchy as it smoothly charms its way into my life, needs no further consideration.

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Black Grapefruit - Mind.

Background - After building a fervent following as SOS in their native Pacific Northwest and on SoundCloud, Black Grapefruit drove across the country and settled in Brooklyn in 2014; a year later they left the borough and made their new home in upstate New York. 

Getting away from the city wasn’t a retreat or a hideaway, though; it forced them out from the cover of the crowd, forced them to confront who they were, as a band and as individuals. To start the album they first had to break old habits in the heat of a Lokata sweat lodge and the dirt of their garden. In a house where pre-war means pre-War of 1812, in rooms where people were born and died, All My Relations came together.

To achieve the ambitious sounds of their new album, the duo synthesized Randa’s mother’s West Indian roots and the gospel of her father’s American South. Exuberant, headphone-filling vocal harmonies and syncopated percussion are present, and Afro-Caribbean polyrhythms anchor tracks with impassioned vocal samples and lush string arrangements. The assertive low end and double-time trap hats of their previous album return, but the sonic palette has widened to befit the ambition and scope of the project. 


The abiding arrangement philosophy is balance: in a sequence emblematic of the assurance and depth of the album, an atmospheric field recording anchors the slow-burning emotion of “05,” a high-wire act of masterly vocal production that crescendos into ecstasy before giving way to the irresistible exuberance of “Mind.” WEBSITE.

'Mind' gives just a partial indication of what to expect from the twelve tracks that make up the new album titled 'All My Relations'. This is both an ambitious and creative selection of music, where attempting to give the collection any one characterisation, is difficult to say the least. It's all that the promo above tells us, and much of it is addictive, demanding a second listen and more, Black Grapefruit have developed a unique and very fine style of music.


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Tuesday, 5 June 2018

Ana Silvera - El Ten Eleven

Ana Silvera - Circle Of Chalk.

Background - Since the 2012 release of her debut album, 'The Aviary', singer-songwriter Ana Silvera's work has garnered broad acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Her uniquely ethereal brand of alt-folk has seen her perform at SXSW, Iceland Airwaves Festival, Liverpool Royal Philharmonic and more, whilst recent collaborations include composing for Royal Ballet, duetting with Imogen Heap and singing original songs with early music consort Concerto Caledonia.Now six-years after her last full-length record, Silvera is about to release her sophomore album, ‘Oracles’.

“It was Marcus Davey, artistic director of the Roundhouse, who was really the Oracles fairy-godfather. I’d sung in choirs till the age of 15, so that was always my musical foundation. Then Marcus mentioned this great, experimental in-house choir [REC] who were keen to collaborate. It was a very open-ended commission, basically ‘do what you want, use the choir somehow’. I don’t think either Marcus or I realised how much I needed to write this piece”.

Poignant, dreamlike and beautiful, and written following the sudden loss of her mother and brother, ‘Oracles’ was Silvera’s way to transmute her grief into a cathartic work of art. “I wrote ‘Oracles’ in a state of absolute urgency and emergency – it felt like I had been buried in the ground myself, and writing this music was a small pocket of air, my chance to breathe again”.

In 2011, the song-cycle was debuted with REC, and the following year was performed as part of a sold-out concert on the Roundhouse Main Stage, earning Silvera a nomination for a British Composer Award. She then returned to the Roundhouse Theatre to make a live recording of the piece, which forms her second full-length album. The recording features Silvera as a soloist, a choir led by Josephine Stephenson and a stellar line-up of guest musicians including pianist Bill Laurance (Snarky Puppy), double bassist Jasper Høiby (Phronesis) and drummer Jacob Smedegaard (Fiction, Du Blonde) as well as Simran Singh (violin), Anne Chauveau-Dhayan (cello) and Naomi Morris (percussion).

The result is a haunting yet life-affirming collection of songs whose lyrics explore loss, love, salvation and the journey towards acceptance, themes that are underscored by beguiling, weaving choral lines, mellifluous Debussian piano melodies, subtly off-kilter percussion and rapturous strings, all unified by Silvera’s dynamic vocal style which evokes the delicate yet theatrical prowess of Kate Bush, combined with what the Arts Desk described as a “Björk-like spontaneity’.


Conceptually, the piece follows the arc of a ‘quest’ – a folk tale that begins with a search for a tangible or symbolic goal and ends with a triumphant return home. “On reflection, I see my quest was to fathom this experience and - though it no longer existed in the familial sense of the word - to find my own way back home”. ‘Skeleton Song’, an Inuit-myth inspired tune about a woman who is sung back to life, is a fragile yet powerful paean to the female figures surrounding Silvera who “painstakingly pieced me together again”. ‘Catherine Wheels’, the epiphanic closing song, whose swelling strings push the song-cycle to an emotional climax, celebrates “the kind of earth-bound, steadfast love” that allowed Silvera to finally reckon with her past and come to terms with the present.

Says Silvera, “I can honestly say, I found it so moving that post-performance, audience members would come and speak to me about their own experiences of bereavement. Making that human connection and finding we are not alone is perhaps the greatest healer of all”. WEBSITE.


Opening with rhythmic drums and vocal chants 'Circle Of Chalk' soon begins to have an expansive feel to it. Ana Silvera's vocals are captivating, powerful and dramatic, and as the song continues to develop additional elements to the musical arrangement, these further complement the hypnotic and beguiling singing. Despite the track being over six minutes in duration, I was left eager to hear it again, along with everything else that will follow.

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El Ten Eleven - Phenomenal Problems.

Background - Seminal post-rock duo El Ten Eleven, have announced the release of their new album Banker’s Hill (out 8/10 via Topshelf Records). They have also released the lead single “Phenomenal Problems” and its corresponding live video. The video is an up close and personal look at the formative duo’s meticulously-honed skills at work… crazy how much sonic force two people can conjure!

Armed with merely a double-neck bass/guitar, drums and a dizzying array of pedals, El Ten Eleven create complex, resounding music from scratch, onstage, with no help from laptops or additional musicians. Made up of Kristian Dunn (bass, guitar) and Tim Fogarty (Drums), they utilize multiple looping pedals to create songs that sound as though they are being played by at least six people… most first-timers to an El Ten Eleven show are stunned that the band is a duo. It’s a refreshing sight in this age of letting the computers do all the work!

Banker's Hill is a nine-song exploration into the challenge of living in the moment. The bands' music has been described as “meditation in motion,” which seems apt - the album explores the paradox of beauty in anxiety, the importance and effect of family and the fleeting possibility of satisfaction. Since the band’s inception in 2002, they have always been just two people who produce their own records. For Banker’s Hill, the band brought producer Sonny Diperri (Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors) into the fold, which is the first time the duo has ever worked with an outside producer, and moved up to the beautiful Panoramic House studios in Stinson Beach on the beautiful Northern California coast to create their seventh album (also, their first for Topshelf Records). TWITTER.

Rock duo's always seem to pack a punch and El Ten Eleven are no exception. 'Phenomenal Problems' is however far more than just sonic energy, there's melody, variations in sound that with two people live, seems remarkable, and above all else, this is a fabulous and hook laden blast of post rock.


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Monday, 4 June 2018

Sauropod - Naomi Greene - Margot - Tim Carr

Sauropod - Headed

Background - Oslo, Norway based trio Sauropod, made up of – Jonas Røyeng (guitar, vocals), Kamilla Waal Larsen (bass, vocals) and Jørgen Natland Apeness (drums) have released their new single ‘Headed’ via Propeller Recordings. With a natural gift for simultaneously delivering energetic, punk-leaning songwriting with irresistibly catchy hooks - those attributes are more evident than ever on the ferocious new single.

The latest signing to Propeller Recordings (Sløtface, Highasakite, Frøkedal etc) — new single ’Headed’ switches from uplifting, acoustic-tinged pop rock to searing grunge-punk with incomparable ease.

Speaking a little more on the lyrical depth behind the new track, Jonas explained: '"I think to us it's foremost a song about getting away from people with hazardous attitudes who try to bring you with them, if you let your guard down. Sometimes the best thing to do is to get the hell out of there and start over!"

Quickly becoming a force to be reckoned on the live stage, the band’s recent live credits include Øya Festival (NO), Trondheim Calling (NO), Eurosonic (NL) and Visions Festival (DE) - as well as touring the whole of Norway with label mates Sløtface, and supporting them at last year's sold out Camden Assembly show in London. The band are currently preparing for an extensive touring schedule kick-starting later this year, as well as writing for the release of their first album on Propeller Recordings - penned for release in 2019. TWITTER.


We featured Sauropod a couple of times in 2017 and now we can share 'Headed' the bands brand new single release. We previously described their music as "indie rock with punk energy" and with the new track there is no shortage on those two fronts, this time around I would just add that there is a healthy twist of garage rock along the way.

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Naomi Greene - Collision.

Background - Leading with a harp or an electric guitar, Parisian-born musician and Los Angeles transplant Naomi Greene focuses her song craft on raw emotions and parallel worlds. Her soulful voice and layered arrangements conjure an authentic vision that’s a first rate, experimental balance between indie folk and progressive pop. The result is mystically enchanting, hypnotically enveloping, and naturally beautiful.

At its heart, Greene’s solo music holds the power to suspend time and space, teleporting you to some of your rawest moments that she has written lyrics to. It requires your pause and allowance for her sound to wash over you, a warm and mesmerizing envelopment by her clear, rich voice.

It’s hard to believe Naomi Greene has been on the earth for a mere 25 years as her old soul speaks lifetimes and her lyrics tell of experiences not meant for the young. In truth, she’s a bit of a mystic, and most certainly a poet and storyteller. Naomi Greene is the genuine deal and the Los Angeles artist you’ve been waiting to hear. Naomi Greene lends vocals on La Femme’s latest album “Mystère.” FACEBOOK.


'Collision' is a beautiful combination of gorgeous, other worldly vocals and a superb musical arrangement, that seemingly twirls around the singing, adding more feeling, and an air of intrigue and mystery. 

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Margot - Twenty Six.

Background - In April South London’s Margot emerged with he strikingly accomplished debut single Desensitised, a dream-pop lament to the repetitious nature of modern capital-city life, and are now following this up with the similarly well-honed Twenty Six.

Having already taken inspiration, both positive and negative, from their concrete surroundings, and reflecting on the way the external city impacts on a person’s life, Margot decide to turn the camera inwards on the infectious new single. “It is a discussion with myself, a self-reflective hangover” says vocalist Alex Hannaway,“where you make pledges to yourself, full up with anxiety and memory loss. Think the artwork pretty much sums it up.”

From the opening lackadaisical anti-riff onwards, the touchstones to dream-pop artists old and new are apparent, yet there’s a unique thread running throughout. This is generated by the collective way the quintet creates not only their music, but art and visuals as well.

Making a decision to be completely self-sufficient through the creative process, Margot record over long weekends at drummer Ben Andrewes' place, in between working weeks. This DIY approach and the autobiographical realism are reflected in the subject matter of the songs. FACEBOOK.


Back in April we featured 'Desensitised' by Margot and without hesitation are pleased to now share 'Twenty Six'. The bands laid back dream pop manner is proving to be pretty addictive stuff, the vocals and also the lyrics are engaging, there is something about Margot, I'm not sure quite what, but it's definitely good!

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Tim Carr - Take Me There.

Background - Tim Carr is a Los Angeles based singer, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist.  His music is a stunning mix of instrumental interludes, and minimal folkesque songs inspired by African rhythms, melodies of the French Romantics and 60s pop.

Raised in Marin County, Northern California, Carr was surrounded by a family of musicians. At an early age he immersed himself into music and studied Jazz drums at the prestigious California Institute of the Arts. After graduating with a BFA, Carr soon began working with notable acts including HAIM, Julian Casablancas and Nick Cave, to name a few. His time with the band The Americans saw him performing on Letterman, recording with T Bone Burnett, as well as being featured in the Emmy-nominated documentary ‘American Epic’, which was produced by T Bone Burnett, Jack White and Robert Redford.

Carr’s highly anticipated upcoming EP Swing & Turn, is the follow up to his 2016 release The Last Day of Fighting, which found success being featured on Robert Redford’s ‘Watershed’ soundtrack, alongside the likes of Beck and Thom Yorke. Swing & Turn is titled after the feeling of movement, like a dance between intimacy and independence, which is also a common theme in the music. Having mixed, produced and engineered the five track release himself, Swing & Turn is the perfect balance of dissonance and consonance, with unexpected swelling harmonies, lilting rhythms and minimalistic pop.

Leading single 'Take Me There’ is a compelling tale touching on the desire to escape apathy, highlighting the need to either let go and fully love or let go of a love. Carr expresses this poetic melancholy through his raw and understated tones, emitting the purest of expressions. His use of delicate instrumentation, ethereal vocal harmonies and graceful melodies, succeeds in crafting a poignant yet beautiful song. TWITTER.


With a subtle selection of styles and influences Tim Carr develops an engaging vibe with 'Take Me There', a modern folk song where attention to detail musically, provides a rich and appealing backdrop to some melodic and sincere vocals.

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Saturday, 2 June 2018

1099 - The Black Delta Movement - Beanpole

1099 - Blindpassasjer (Album).

Background - Formed 15 years ago, 1099 is an instrumental post-rock collective from Trondheim, Norway.  

Having released two double albums, a self-titled debut in 2012 and “Young Pines” in 2015, the Norwegian five-piece group is about to issue their third album “Blindpassasjer”, which means Blind Passenger in English and is set for release on May 11th via All Good Clean Records.

Featuring 12 instrumental tracks all recorded, mixed and mastered in Autumnsongs Recording Studio in Trondheim by Rhys Marsh, the new album has a quite dark and melancholic atmosphere. 


With influences as diverse as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Swans and Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore, 1099 combine elements of post-rock, space-rock and dark jazz to conjure a sound that is intensely engrossing and all of their own. FACEBOOK.

One of the good things about an instrumental band is that language barriers are not an issue, that said in the last few years, I have found myself increasingly engrossed by songs sung with lyrics I cannot understand. Whilst the album 'Blindpassasjer' might not challenge me lyrically, with some certainty I can confirm it really does captivate me musically. If this was a ship then post rock would be it's sturdy anchor, allowing the music to turn gently with the tide in varying directions with even the odd wave of jazz along the way. 

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The Black Delta Movement - Butterfly.

Background - Hull’s 6 Music-supported psych-rock outfit, The Black Delta Movement, have this week announced details of their debut album, ‘Preservation’, due out via Clubbed Thumb Records (distributed by Non Delux/Cargo Distribution) on August 3, 2018. In-line with sharing news of the album’s release, the group are sharing the video for recent single, ‘Butterfly’. The band will be performing a one-off show at The Strongroom, London on June 23, 2018.

Recorded with producer, Mike Burnham (Fuzz Club Records, Holy Wave) at his Lovebuzz Studios, London, ‘Preservation’ emerges as the segue between The Black Delta Movement’s early years, and where they are sonically propelling towards. Speaking about ‘Preservation’, which ties together influences drawn from BRMC, Thee Oh Sees and The Black Angels, frontman, guitarist and primary songwriter, Matt Burr says, “‘Preservation’ is literally preserving a series of songs that we felt really proud of that either never got recorded or we felt had grown over the years.”

Over the years, the band have earned approval from the likes of Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre),  Alan McGee (Creation Records) and Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie/The The/Primal Scream), alongside sell out UK/EU tours and previous slots with the likes of Drenge, The Jesus & Mary Chain and Temples. The band will support the release of ‘Preservation’ with a full UK tour throughout September and October, dates to come shortly. WEBSITE.


Back in March we described the bands forthcoming album as "Sometimes full on garage rock, other times timeless psychedelic grooves, more often a mixture of both, the bands flowing psyched out vocals and potent guitar driven rock, is highly contagious" Along comes the video for 'Butterfly' our second song feature, and one that I reckon confirms our initial observations, and some!


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Beanpole - Farmer Loved An Onion.

Background - Beanpole's unreleased LP is on it's way and the single "Farmer Loved An Onion" has now been shared. The LP, 'All My Kin', which features members of Primus and Spent Poets, will be out 8/31 on Chimera Music. When speaking about the song, guitarist Larry LaLonde says, "To get the vibe of recording a Beanpole song, you have to place yourself in a secluded farm valley full of mutant hillbillies trying to recreate melodies that were found on a broken record of Disneyland ride music."

As for the album, Chimera Music's Sean Lennon states, "It's a concept album for post-modern America.  It chronicles the epic tale of Chicken Boy and his dangerously interrelated family. Years of isolation have resulted in the birth of a child who is part man and part poultry.  Despite obvious adoration for their uniquely feathered offspring, having fallen upon hard times they consider the unthinkable: will Chicken Boy be sacrificed to feed his hungry family?"  Bassist Les Claypool adds, "If Fellini, Dali, and Captain Kangaroo got together in their teens and ate peyote, this is the album they would have recorded."

All My Kin is the strange and somewhat unbelievable album collecting the music of an artist by the name of Beanpole. “Starving artist” must have been their mode of recording as stories of farming, eating, and disfigured animal-human hybrids course throughout the record. Very little is known about Beanpole, but it is widely recognized by collectors that most of the music originated from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some sources maintain Beanpole is still active, although evidence remains unsubstantiated.

Primus’ Les Claypool claims he attempted to release a decade’s worth of Beanpole recordings on his Prawn Song label in the ‘90s. We’re told that the tracks were delivered to the mastering studio on worn-out cassette tapes and dusty DATs. As legend has it, when Claypool played the mastered tracks to his distributor, the response from company executives was poor. As a result, Claypool was summarily dismissed from his business relationship with the distribution company, effectively ending his label. For nearly 20 years thereafter, the tracks were to remain forgotten. Fast forward to 2016 when Claypool was touring with Sean Lennon as The Claypool Lennon Delirium. Les played the old, neglected recordings to Sean, who decided that the world was finally ready for Beanpole! CHIMERA.


Lovers of music that is more than a little bit beyond "out there" may well find 'Farmer Loved An Onion' something to engage with. The vocals made me think of Tom Waits initially, a little smoother and deeper, but definitely having some bar room gusto. The music is equal to the challenge adding even more "out there" intrigue, and somehow I have to say this is one of those albums I just have to hear the day it's released.

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Friday, 1 June 2018

Falcon Jane - Joshua Burnside - Melby

Falcon Jane - The News.

Background - Grief is so complicated. It fills you with unanswerable questions, fear, sadness, and incomparable emptiness – but it is also about moving on and healing. There has been a lot of loss in the Canadian news lately, nationwide, and in my own community. “The News” is about losing someone you love and trying to find them amidst the dense, emotional fog of grief. I hope it can help aid those who are grieving by reflecting some of the complicated emotions we are feeling.

There have been severe floods in my community over the last year. One of the last ones swelled the Grand River, washing a little boy out of his mother’s arms. I was so deeply affected when I heard about it – my partner and I had driven through the area where it happened only hours before. There are a lot of commonalities between “The News” and this boy’s story. When the next flood hit, I couldn’t help but try to capture some of what my community and I had been collectively feeling.

Water can be powerful and destructive, beautiful and cleansing. Its constant flow reminds us to keep moving forward – yet we are at the mercy of the current, the rainfall, and the floods. TWITTER.


June 1 - Maggiolly's - Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, ON
June 2 - Vibes in the Valley - Mulmur, ON
June 15 - Hillsburgh Library Opening, ON
June 26 - Monarch Tavern, Toronto, ON
July 14 - Burdock, Toronto, ON
July 27 - Monarch Tavern, Toronto, ON


'The News' is melodic, sensitive and touching. Dealing with grief is a subject many might to choose to avoid, when it comes to song writing and performing. Falcon Jane demonstrates both empathy and passion with this song, singing about reality on the other hand, is something many artists do. After all when you come away from escapism and denial, reality is always there to greet you.


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Joshua Burnside - A Man Of High Renown.

Background - Singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside follows up his Northern Ireland Music Prize winning debut album Ephrata, with a brand new EP entitled All Round The Light Said, due out on 29 June via Quiet Arch. Weaving elements of Irish traditional and European folk music with hints of Americana, he creates songs that are understated yet passionate and heartfelt.

The EP features four new songs. In lead-single “A Man Of High Renown”, he blends a joyous waltz complete with air organs and accordions with often violent and disturbing imagery, dealing with the shame of sins committed in childhood; “where the dusty garage floor, along your soft skin tore.” Clash premiered the single saying, "From the delightful accordion lines to the thumping percussion, 'A Man Of High Renown' has a physical side to its engrossing poetry."

A multi-instrumentalist, Burnside plays most of the instruments on the album but was also joined by a number of collaborators and producers with whom he’s worked with over the past few years, most of whom have their own solo projects. These include his brother Connor on drums and percussions, Clark Phillips on bass and Sarah Martin on trumpet.

Following the release of Ephrata Joshua Burnside has had a busy year clocking up four million plays on Spotify, with two sell out London shows, appearances at International festivals including Reeperbahn and The Great Escape. He has also had extensive radio play and support from the likes of Guy Garvey, Tom Robinson, Tom Ravenscroft, Lauren Laverne, Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart. Joshua performed at the Atlantic Sessions in Portstewart, as well as the music trail for Other Voices in Dingle in December. FACEBOOK.


The thought of Irish traditional music mixed with European folk and Americana is on the surface a little like looking at a menu of fine foods in a high class restaurant, which I could never afford. Without wanting to over play that illustration 'A Man Of High Renown' does have a good helping of the core ingredients, along with plenty of natural charm.

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Melby - Reject.

Background - Since debuting with catchy single Human early 2016 things have moved steady for Stockholm psych pop act Melby. Last year's debut EP received praise from both Swedish and international sources such as Amazing Radio, Ja Ja Ja and Line of Best Fit, making Melby one of the most exciting names on the Swedish indie scene. Today, new single Reject is released followed by European tour dates in London and Berlin during the summer.

The band often gets comparison to fellow swedes Dungen and Amason but Melby’s dynamic sound, with influences from folk, psych, indie and pop, stand out. The quartets light, semi-psychedelic folk pop is led by Matilda Wiezell’s enchanting voice which fits perfectly with Melby’s unique musical landscape. The band consists of Wiezell, Are Engen Steinsholm (guitar), David Jehrlander (bass) and Teo Jernkvist (drums) and formed when living together in a Stockholm shared housing.

Reject, their first new material in over a year, is a development of the band's already characteristic sound, adding an energy that's mostly been seen live to this date. Are, guitarist and author of the song, explains: "We all wanted an energetic song to play live. David had this great, kind of spiteful guitar part and bass line for the intro, and a melody for the verse. Back then with a weird synth sound. Building on that, we speeded up the song, and finished it together. At the time, I was annoyed with a person close to me. As I walked around being cranky, I started writing the lyrics, and they wound up being about building up anger for a long time, being awfully stubborn, and longing for redress".

The single is the first taste of the new, fresh material that the quartet's been working on since releasing their ambitious EP which of more is to expect after the summer. On June 5, Melby make their international debut at Sebright Arms in London (w/ label mates Chez Ali and Delsbo Beach Club), followed by a Berlin show in August. Reject is released on all platforms via Stockholm label Rama Lama Records (Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Kluster, Chez Ali etc.). TWITTER.


Lively and with a refreshing pace 'Reject' is a fine indie song where psych vibes comfortably rub shoulders with moments of pop and folk rock. The vocals are delightful, the music is detailed and assessable, the catchy nature of the piece is constant throughout.

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BEEHIVE CANDY ON FACEBOOK: Please note that we are currently unable to access our Facebook account. Despite numerous suggestions and online help (hmmm) service assistance the problem remains. Once/if the problem is resolved we will decide the way forward. Because of the intrusive nature of Facebook (tracking/data collection when logged off etc), I will not ask anyone involved with Beehive Candy to use their own private devices to assist, on principle.

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Joy Autumn - Cedric Warner Sparkman - Christopher Pellnat

Joy Autumn - Go.

Background - Go is singer-songwriter Joy Autumn at her most vulnerable. The sparse nature of the song allows room for its listener to breathe into Autumn’s pain, intimately feeling her internal struggle between loving someone so deeply and yet desperately needing to tell them to go.

With lush strings and cinematic harmonies, Joy’s raw and breathtaking vocals float from first verse until final second. Go transports any listener back to that heartbreakingly necessary moment of convincing yourself that you can and will leave. The song is a part of Joy Autumn’s upcoming EP, Midnight, an atmospheric indie-pop record about the dark side of making it as an artist in Hollywood.

“The hardest thing you can possibly do is walk away from someone that you viscerally love and feel is a part of you. In that moment,  I realized that I had to pick my own well-being, even though the distorted reality is that I perhaps loved this person even more than I did myself.” WEBSITE.


Lush and enticing vocals are all apparent from the opening moments of 'Go' a dreamy and intimate song that is both personal, vulnerable and above all, quite mesmerising.

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Cedric Warner Sparkman - Black Rabbit.

Background - "Black Rabbit," the new Cedric Warner Sparkman song that we have the extreme pleasure of releasing, was in the works for five years. It was worth the wait. Cedric would never be accused of working too fast, but it's worth the wait. 

His new concoction is a glam-tinged confection of great harmonies and killer riffs. An amalgam of T-Rex guitars meet postpunk drums and are held together by Cedric irresistable, gooey melodies. A three part pop suite awaits the listener. Three minutes later, you're going to want to go on the sonic journey again.

Cedric Warner Sparkman grew up in the small Eastern Kentucky town of Hazard. His grandfather was in The Kentucky Hilltoppers, and his father was the lead guitar player in The Cornerstones. He was involved in musical theater from age ten, which pushed his musical inclinations towards melody and drama instead of the grunge rawk and country music that his peers preferred. 


Listening to his father's Beatles records and his brother's Pet Shop Boys tapes only developed that interest further. He was a member of Great Went, Varsovia, and Candidate before striking out on his own with his first solo single, PSB. BANDCAMP.

'Black Rabbit' is vibrant and rhythmic and as far as I am concerned could have been twice as long and still needed a second spin immediately. It's alt rock with a good hint of pop and it's fabulous!

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Christopher Pellnat - Ode to Olivia Rhodes - ft. Erin Pellnat.

Background from Chris Pellnat - This song is inspired by the virtual reality (VR) video game, "Lone Echo," which is played on an Oculus Rift. "Lone Echo" blew my mind, not just because of the amazing visuals and the simulated feeling of being weightless in space - but also because of the immediate connection you feel with the main characters.

You play as a robot (Jack) and your companion at the space station is a live person (Olivia Rhodes). Phenomenal voice acting by Troy Baker and Alice Coulthard, respectively, really bring these characters to life. What fascinates me are multiple levels of perception, illusion, and meaning in VR, and the game raises important questions about consciousness, artificial intelligence, and human connections.

As "Jack" you are an AI robot (even though you know you're actually a human being sitting there with a VR headset on in your room) and you feel a connection with "Liv" - who is human - but of course both are actually 3-D virtual reality illusions - one of which you "inhabit". But this inhabitation is so convincing that you are completely immersed. Olivia speaks to you like you're human, so you really feel like a conscious piece of AI, and that she is your friend.

So the magic happens because you buy into the illusion - suspend disbelief. It kind of sneaks up on you. Suddenly you are Jack in a very real way. The illusion becomes all. So this song is written from Jack's perspective - as multi-layered as that is.... Chris Pellnat: TWITTER - Erin Pellnat: BANDCAMP.


Regulars to Beehive Candy may well have noticed that we have featured Christopher and Erin Pellnat both collectively and as solo artists a few times now, and whilst the music remains this good, why not! 'Ode to Olivia Rhodes' gently tells it's story, allowing the energy levels to gradually build and the melodic hooks to dig in very deep.

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Monday, 28 May 2018

NewTown - Ella Grace - Lusterlit

NewTown - Naomi Wise.

Background - Kentucky Bluegrass band NewTown is bringing new life to the “Old World” with their new single “Naomi Wise,” an old English murder ballad written in modern times. It tells the story of commoner Naomi Wise who falls in love with a man in high-standing and what happens when forbidden love takes a dark turn.

Written by Donna Hughes, the haunting “Naomi Wise” serves as a cautionary tale, staying true to the English ballad style. Yet NewTown brings a fresh take with progressive arrangements that harken back to Appalachian roots. The song and accompanying video is the first release from the band’s upcoming album “Old World,” expected later this summer from Mountain Home Music Company. It sets the tone for the rest of the album, highlighting the vocals of both Kati and Jr. Williams and giving listeners a taste of what the band does best — bring tradition into the modern age.

“Donna Hughes is one of the most prolific songwriters in bluegrass and acoustic music, and she has written one of the best songs of her career with ‘Naomi Wise,’” says Jr. Williams. “The classic, tragic love story is portrayed  here and written so beautifully and vividly.”

Songwriter Donna Hughes says, “It was more than exciting to learn that NewTown would be recording this song! The story of Naomi Wise was a very shocking tale. The legend around her hometown of Randleman, NC, is that she haunts the area still. A young orphan teenage girl with so much hope, lends her trust to a young man of means. The story of deception & betrayal is timeless, and familiar to every generation of souls.” WEBSITE.


With a classic story telling style and some top quality duel vocals, 'Naomi Wise' is a fabulous slice of Bluegrass, where expressions such as Roots, Americana, and Timeless comfortably rub shoulders together, whilst NewTown do their beautiful thing...


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Ella Grace - Run.

Background - Indie folk newcomer Ella Grace shares evocative new cut Run, her second release via Ont’ Sofa Records focusing on the pain and heartbreak of a failed relationship and her transition to a better life. Using music to sooth and heal, the 22-year-old Londoner’s therapeutic songwriting is laid bare once more in her latest single, the follow-up to acclaimed debut effort Here We Are Again out late last year.

Having developed an impressive online following (over 200,000 Instagram followers), the young female activist touches on aspects of sustainable living, mental well being and feminism whilst sharing a very raw personal journey through her teenage years, aspects of which are firmly rooted in her music. In Run, Ella’s supreme honesty and spiritual observations on 21st century life permeate her dulcet, husky vocals, exemplifying the songwriter’s burgeoning talent ahead of her debut live shows and further releases later this summer.

Speaking ahead of the track’s release, Ella stated: “Run was a super cathartic song to write and record, it was a message to someone I loved. I wrote it during a time when I was really split between two worlds. Run was this promise to try and stay with somebody whilst my heart was pulling me in other directions. It was a really bittersweet time for me and I think this track captures it perfectly”. TWITTER.


Graceful indie folk, London style, is the first description that sprung to mind when listening to 'Run'. So I go with my first instinct on this, and just throw in a couple of superlatives like imaginative and seductive, for good measure.

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Lusterlit - You Were Never Really Here.

Background from Lusterlit - We've created a double-A-sided single, Lusterlit's ode to Jonathan Ames' new pitch-black novella/film You Were Never Really Here, with 2 songs, which we wrote for Bushwick Book Club events that included the author in Brooklyn and LA 

The twisted pop of Rolodex and and the relentlessly dark River, available now on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music etc. and on vinyl 45, courtesy of Brooklynphono!

Both feature our cinematic blend of electronic and acoustic textures: vintage beatboxes, swirling guitars, Korean drum and sublimely layered vocals, all mining Jonathan Ames' noirish page-turner for more inspired songcraft about books. BANDCAMP.


Comprising of two tracks 'River' and 'Rolodex' the latest music from Lusterlit based on 'You Were Never Really Here' continues to impress me in a big way. Their somewhat darker electronic music remains at the very least absorbing, and the occasionally more "out there" moments are a delight.

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Sunday, 27 May 2018

Frøkedal - Batz - AyOwA

Frøkedal - Treehouse.

Background - Oslo, Norway based Frøkedal nears closer to forthcoming second full-length album ‘How We Made It’, today releasing the album’s summer-ready lead cut ‘Treehouse’. The track is breezy, though no less brutal – as the opening line may suggest – with a visually inspired lyric that details a mischievous plot to tear down a tree-topped kingdom. “Treehouse was inspired by a six year old kid who tore his older brother’s treehouse to pieces without knowing he was being watched,” singer/songwriter Anne Lise Frøkedal explains.

“Even if it seems meaningless and silly, the joyful mischief of it feels strangely familiar.” “This idea – or this way of behaving – kind of translates to everyone at some point. Sometimes it just feels better to tear stuff up. Or maybe, tearing stuff down for others feels better than building up your own,” she says. “You’re doing something and you know you’re gonna get in trouble for it but it’s better somehow – you just want to be part of the game.”

Far from the acoustic sensibilities of her earlier material, new album ‘How We Made It’ – released August 31 via Propeller Recordings – signals an arguably more “mature” sound, combining full band with folk-leaning string sections. Though the instrumental approach feels more expansive and fully fledged, the album is thematically inspired by Frøkedal's more "immature" personal traits, by her own admission – detailing “unfiltered, impulsive thoughts and actions fuelled by everything from fear, love and deep passion to red hot anger.”

“When I started writing this new material, I was picturing different ages or stages in our lives when our vision gets a little blurred,” she says. “I wanted the songs (and the characters) to channel these critical moments when decisions are dominated by emotion and not necessarily by logic.” TWITTER.


Following on from 'I Don't Care' which we shared earlier last month Frøkedal returns with 'Treehouse' another gorgeous, fresh and modern folk song. As always the vocals are melodic and are surrounded by some top quality musicianship carefully arranged to allow everything to shine through.

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Batz - Save Us.

Background - Melbourne's Batz swoop in to save the day again with electric new single 'Save Us'. A heady mix of razor wire guitar, propulsive percussion and glimmers of psychedelia, Chrissie Aubry's captivating vocals shine on Batz' latest offering that will chew you up and spit you out in the nicest way possible. Glittering, infectious and unapologetic, 'Save Us' teeters on the precipice of wishful thinking meets transparent actuality.

BATZ aka Melbourne artist Chrissie Aubry tells the tale of earlier days spent living in London, where the nights were long and the romance was flowing. "I had flashbacks of nights out in London with my girlfriends and meeting various randoms, (some who became love interests) and thinking about scenarios where you felt like you could save the relationship. I always feel like I'm the one that can save friendships and relationships, fighting for the last hope to salvage something special", Aubry explains.

Expanding to a five-piece live, Batz take their notoriously raucous show on the road this month, hitting Frankie's Pizza in Sydney on May 31st and The Grace Darling in hometown Melbourne on June 2nd in support of the new single. Recorded at Los Bomberos Studios, the track was engineered and produced by Alex Markwell (The Delta Riggs) and mastered by David Briggs (Little River Band and Australian Crawl).  Batz' latest stomper that follows enigmatic single 'Gameshow Queen' (2017) and fiery debut EP, 'Night Terrors' (2016). With new single 'Save Us', BATZ have well and truly come out of hibernation, guns blazing and guitars at the ready to woo you like never before. TWITTER.

Opening with a feisty and driving beat 'Save Us' is a seductive indie rocker, with plenty of pop sensibilities, ensuring the hooks are everywhere, and the urge to listen again is soon established.

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AyOwA - alt det du ku'.

Background - “Alt Det Du Ku” is a song about standing between break-ups and breakthroughs and in the abstract of looking forward to the future whilst being back in time simultaneously. On "Alt Det Du Ku" AyOwA still have their electronic approach in focus but with more acoustic elements, the band explores new sides of their music. With an infectious rhythm and sweet affected vocal it’s quite a mysterious track.

With modular synths, old tape machines and ethereal vocals, new Danish duo AyOwA channel their Nordic roots creating their dark, electronic, atmospheric songs. Sung in Danish, but with a certain universal and dreaming approach, AyOwA combines noise pop with electronica and melodies with improvisation, in an evocative and playful mix.

Together with the duo's third member - drummer Anders Meinhardt - AyOwA has an energetic and captivating live show. AyOwA had a busy festival season in 2017 with appearances at Spot and Roskilde Festival, the opening of the Marina Abramowich Exhibition at Louisiana and extensive concert activities at many of the country's venues. Then they headed straight into the studio to work their magic on new material. TWITTER.


Well this is our fifth feature for AyOwA, I really didn't realise it had been that many, however as soon as 'alt det du ku' started I was reminded of their distinct and intriguing electronic sound. It feels a little softened this time around, which I suppose in part, demonstrates their ability to gradually move into new territory, doing so well and without losing any of their musical character.

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Saturday, 26 May 2018

Curse Of Lono - The Hanging Stars - The Mobros - Cape Weather

Curse Of Lono - Valentine.

Background - London five-piece Curse Of Lono have announced the release of second album As I Fell on August 17th, and plus new single Valentine. “Valentine is about the kind of murderous jealousy that twists you up until you don’t recognise yourself anymore. The sort of dejection that will make you do things you know you will regret,” says Felix. “I think the vocal harmonies floating over the tribal beat, distorted bass and filthy baritone guitar going through a tiny 1950’s Selmer practice amp, really capture that feeling.”

Second album As I Fell, produced by Oli Bayston (Boxed In) was recorded half at Rancho V, a remote desert studio in Joshua Tree, and half at Flesh & Bone Studios in Hackney; and the album is accompanied by a documentary ‘Somewhere In Their Heads’ by Gregg Houston (Noel Gallagher, Two Door Cinema Club, Michael Kiwanuka, Foy Vance).

Joining Felix in Curse Of Lono, who formed in London in 2015, are Joe Hazell (lead guitar and vocals), Dani Ruiz Hernandez (keys and vocals), Charis Anderson (bass and vocals) and Neil Findlay (drums).

As I Fell is the follow-up to their 2017 debut Severed, and builds on Curse Of Lono’s deeply cinematic blend of harmony-laden Americana and driving, gothic alt-rock. It’s a sound that owes as much to old faithfuls like The Doors and The Velvet Underground as it does to more modern practitioners of the form such as The War On Drugs and Wilco. WEBSITE.

Well we featured Curse Of Lono once in 2016, once in 2017 and now for the first time in 2018, I kind of hope we might get a second crack at sharing some more of their music this year. 'Valentine' demonstrates abundantly that the band have a distinct and highly engaging style and sound, the video adds more, as the band expand on the simmering tension and focus of the song,


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The Hanging Stars - For You (My Blue Eyed Son).

Background - Ahead of their forthcoming tour with kaleidoscopic Californian folk-rock janglers GospelbeacH, The Hanging Stars share their new single "For You (My Blue Eyed Son"). The track is co-written and sung by Richard Olson (The See See/Eighteenth Day Of May) and Patrick Ralla (Alan Tyler Show, Edwin Colilns). It is perhaps the most traditionally country song on their recent critically acclaimed Songs For Somewhere Else album, with two-part lead vocal continuing throughout, supported by finger-picked guitars and classic drum shuffle.

The tour with GospelbeacH starts on 28 May in Brighton and heads through Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newport, finishing up at London's Bush Hall on 4 June. The Hanging Stars will also be playing an acoustic set at the Red Rooster Festival.

Channeling the sounds of The Byrds, Big Star and The Flying Burrito Brothers, as well as hints of Mojave 3 and The Allah Las, The Hanging Stars mainline the dying embers of the early 70s psychedelic folk and cosmic country scenes.

Recording was conducted at the legendary Bark Studios in Walthamstow with Brian O'Shaughnessey (The Clientele, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine) at the helm. Joining Richard Olson and Patrick Ralla in The Hanging Stars are Sam Ferman on bass, Paulie Cobra on drums and pedal steel courtesy of Joe Harvey-Whyte. They had a collective attitude to performances on the album, with additional input from US friends Collin Hegna (Federale, Brian Jonestown Massacre), Miranda Lee Richards (on the emotive duet “How I Got This Way”), and Christof Certik (Brian Jonestown Massacre, Winter Flowers), as well as Alison Cotton on viola (Left Outsides, Eighteenth Day Of May), Luke Barlow (Nought) on flute and Thomas Wake on clarinet. WEBSITE.


There are plenty of folk and country rock vibes from times gone by, on 'For You (My Blue Eyed Son)' a sumptuous and catchy affair. Whatever comparisons there might be for bands of old, this is fresh and beautiful, and thoroughly deserves the "timeless" seal of approval.

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The Mobros - Carrie Anne.

Background - The Mobros have shared a new video for their single, "Carrie Anne." “Who are we, and where do we go from here?” These were the questions on the minds of Kelly and Patrick Morris in late 2016. After bringing to an end a long but successful two and a half year tour, playing venues and music halls from small to large from coast to coast including festivals such as SXSW (twice), Midpoint Music Festival, Sweetwater 420 fest to name a few, and recording a live session with Daytrotter. Garnering new fans and attention from various press outlets along the way they averaged over 250 shows a year all in support of their 2014 debut release “Walking With A Different Stride.”

In the midst of it all, they found themselves coming to terms with the fact that they were not progressing in the ways they felt they needed to with their songwriting, and recording. Between being on the road and living in Chicago it was hard to find a permanent place to work and move forward with their music in the ways they wanted to do.

The brothers packed up and headed back to their home state of South Carolina to find a space conducive to living, writing, and recording without the limitations and pressures of time and money that commercial studios usually entail. They needed a home, somewhere to recuperate and hone the sound and conceptive direction they wanted to take with their next release. They found themselves looking in the city Charleston, SC, two hours south of their hometown of Camden, and a place they had spent some time between tours in 2014.

A year later they emerge with a collection of songs that embody the writing and production style developed during their time spent at “Leon’s Electric House.” These works follow suit with challenging the same questions they have asked themselves “Who are we, and Where do we go from here?” The first single off the upcoming release is entitled “Carrie Anne.” WEBSITE.


The video for 'Carrie Anne' is a good one as it adds some additional intrigue to the song. That said the song is just as good with eyes closed and taking in the fabulous vocals and refined rock backdrop.


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Cape Weather - Never Say.

Background - Los Angeles-based Cape Weather released their new single "Never Say". This is the follow up to the bands first single "Telephono",  which received a great amount of blog love and major support from Spotify being added to almost every major Indie Playlist, as well as a video premiere with NPR Music a couple weeks ago.

The band is a collaboration between Natalie Smith and Eric Jackowitz. They’ve both played in bands for years; Eric playing drums for Nick Waterhouse, and Natalie bouncing around the Oakland scene while silently releasing music under solo monikers. After both feeling like it was time to make something their own, the two best friends who attended Berklee College of Music together decided to start writing songs over the internet while Eric was on tour with Waterhouse and thus Cape Weather was born.

"Never Say" encapsulates the simplicity of 60's pop, a nostalgic throwback whose vocal performance brings to mind Trish Keenan of Broadcast and teases their debut EP for Future Gods later this year. If interested, please feel free to reach out as we will be looking to place three more songs in the near future and obviously, we would love all the support we can get with this one. BANDCAMP.

'Never Say' is a lush and melodic dream pop type of song with some natural sixties feeling coursing throughout the piece. It's classy, addictive and deserves to be heard.

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LeVolume - Clint Wilson - Pam Ross - Chad Price Peace Coalition

LeVolume - LeVolume (Album). LeVolume is a new project for its members Jenny Whiteley, Joey Wright and Julian Brown. "That Was Then, T...