2010FM - September Edition Two

The second September edition is all over the place in a positive sort of way. Loads of different styles and moods from both new and established artists and we start with someone with real style and class.

Grammy nominated Sylvia Bennett, (and we quote) the timeless smooth jazz and pop vocalist sings of love with a warmth, clarity and spirit that is enveloping and tender, showcasing the depth of her skill, talent and experience. She's sung with Lionel Hampton and she's sung for presidents - all with a singular style and intimacy that is hers and hers alone.

Quoting some more however it's all pretty much 'on the nail' - 'Sylvia Bennett's big break came in the 1980's, when legendary vibraphonist (and National Arts Award Winner) Lionel Hampton took Sylvia under his wing and made her the first female singer to record with him in thirty years. She recounts, “Lionel validated me as a performer and inspired me to be the best singer I can be. He made me realize that the audience was the most important thing and that all I needed to do was to sing from the heart and be honest.” Sylvia worked with Hampton for ten years, touring and recording two albums together. The first, Sentimental Journey, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987. The second project, There Will Never Be Another You, was a CD/DVD tribute to “Hamp” from Sylvia, and she furthered the honor to her mentor with the show, “The Lady and the Legend,” premiering in Miami in 2007. In the wake of Sylvia's tribute to Hampton, Hal Batt suggested that she record timeless love songs and standards, backed by a small band to convey the desired intimacy for her next album. Songs From The Heart featuring the Three Tenors (tenor saxophone legends Boots Randolph, Ed Calle and Kirk Whalum) was released in 2007'.

More recently 'Smile' was released in April 2010 and our featured track is from this superb album. 

Featured Track: Make Someone Happy.
Website: Official.
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We featured them back in May, however you cannot fault Mutts for being tenacious and when they sent us a copy of their third EP 'The Tells of Parallels' which is out October 1st 2010, we thought this had better be good if you want another audacious Beehive Candy plug.

Well for starters I think it goes without saying that there is a definite contrast with the previous artist whether you measure it in decibels or any other kind of standard.

Mutts brand new EP is to use their terms "rambunctious keyboard rock music". Well we here at the Beehive needed a few cobwebs blown away and Mutts have delivered on that one. Taking a prompt from the EP cover, it's a bit like standing next to the railway line as a crazy express train hurtles past.

If you like good old rock'n'roll with some attitude and energy and a hint of insanity you will like Mutts. Check out their website for even more music.

Featured Track: Terranaut.
Website: Official.
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We are quoting again (well we would only rearrange the details so why not?) - "NU SHOOZ was nominated for a “Best New Artist” Grammy award in 1987 and earned a Gold Record for the album “Poolside.” Their breakthrough hit, “I Can’t Wait” continues to be played on radio stations around the globe every 11 minutes. The band has been featured on MTV, VH1, and classic music programs like American Bandstand, Solid Gold, and the UK’s Top of the Pops. They’ve toured with some of the biggest names in show business, including Tina Turner, Billy Ocean, and the Pointer Sisters".

More than two decades after their 1986 Top Ten Hit single, “I Can’t Wait,” took the world by storm, NU SHOOZ have returned with a new album, “Pandora’s Box”, and a 10 piece orchestra Gil Evans would have loved. Formed in Portland, Oregon in the summer of 1979, their line-up has changed over time, but in all its various forms, they’ve always pushed the boundaries between pop, funk, and jazz. Now, with the release of Pandora’s Box, Portland’s favorite soul explorers take one giant leap for mankind with a brave new sound, combining their signature brand of funk with elements borrowed from Film Noir, ‘60s Spy Movies and even Tarzan.

And not quoting, this is one class act that we are delighted to give a taste of here on Beehive Candy. 

Featured Track: Right Before My Eyes.
Website: Official.
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Unashamedly ripping this info to get the detail spot on - International star and platinum recording artist, songwriter and producer Gregory Abbott's roots stem from Venezuela (his mother) and the Island of Antigua (his father). Raised in New York City, he is a dual citizen of the USA and Antigua.

In college he majored in psychology and minored in music and dramatic arts. He holds a Masters degree and is currently working towards his Ph.D and was awarded a Wallace Stegner Fellowship to Stanford University's Creative writing Masters program. While pursuing graduate studies at Berkeley, and Stanford University, he helped pay his tuition by starting a band. It was here he developed his own personal musical style. While teaching English at the University of California at Berkeley, he decided to become a professional musician built a studio, and applied his academic discipline to developing skills as a singer composer and producer.

He released the single and album "Shake You Down" shaking up the music industry with countless honors and awards. His music has crossed every barrier imaginable. In his music you hear the Caribbean/Spanish influence topped off with Abbott's incredibly smooth and soulful voice. Abbott is noted for coining the term "groove ballad" his signature style. When referring to him music writers have affectionately used the term " Wall Street Soul". He is a favorite with the ladies for his good looks, sophisticated demeanor and intelligent green eyes, but there is a sense of something more beneath the surface. Abbott’s' songs have gone to #1 on every chart here in the US and around the world.

He hails from a family of entertainers. His first cousin Diahnne Abbott (for many years married to actor Robert De Niro), is herself an actor of merit. Gregory has guest starred on the daytime drama "All My Children" and is now delving more heavily into acting and writing for film and television.

He's served on the Board of Directors of both NARAS (the Grammy’s), and the NAPM (Songwriters Hall of Fame). Some of is community service work includes Rock Against Drugs, when they brought their message to Washington, DC, and the "Bands to Beat AIDS" campaign whose focus is AIDS awareness across the nation.

This is wonderful music that oozes class from Gregory Abbott and as we like to say here on Beehive Candy - enjoy...

Featured Track: Middle Of Harlem.
Website: Official.
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Ireland-based duo Low Sea combine warped seasick-shoegaze, nostalgic pop melody and fuzzed-out dreampop, all cemented on a solid krautrock platform.

With sounds that reference everything from Suicide to Spacemen 3, A.R.Kane to Mazzy Star, Giorgio Moroder to The Big Pink, Low Sea’s songs are a hazy journey between looming shadows and bleached-out light.

Who are we to argue with Pitchfork who said - “… Low Sea cut the dark, pressurized atmosphere with an update on steady-state krautrock motorik, bringing to mind some of the experiments on the Horrors’ Primary Colours (not to mention the “Sea Within a Sea”/”Low Sea” connection.) The track “Never Yours” from their self-released debut ‘Las Olas’ builds unhurriedly with swirling synthesizers and distant vocals and …growing more forceful when the repeated line “I was never yours” cuts through the haze.” Pitchfork

We are gonna share one track from their EP released on the 13th September, which would currently be on heavy rotation if we were a radio station to ensure you stay tuned and 'dont touch that dial'. 

Featured Track: Never Yours.
Website: MySpace.
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After meeting in college in 2005, Oakland based duo James & Evander  began making music together in the bedrooms of their apartments. There they discovered a shared love of Moog synthesizers and analog delays and began writing the twee electronica that would make up their first EP. In the time that’s passed, James & Evander have constantly been making music, releasing a full length, starting an ongoing remix series, and now present a new EP: Sunlight and Circuitry.

Sunlight and Circuitry finds James & Evander wrapped inside their synthesizers and drum machines, exploring new territory while continuing to reference their long standing influences (Dntel, The Album Leaf, and Kompakt Records). Much of the EP was written and recorded in their West Oakland basement (dubbed “The Turtle Shell”) where the one corner window let in the sunlight that covered their scattered mess of keyboards, cables, and pedals. The six songs that make up the EP are moody pieces of electronica that can best be described as weedwave, the stonier more introspective cousin of chillwave. Processed and glitched drums drive the songs while melodies bleep and bloop through thick layers of delay. James & Evander attempt to make music that doesn’t say “Hey! Look at me!” but more “Hey, we make music in our basement. Want to check it out?”

One of six tracks from their EP we share Turtle Two, which sounds more like it was recorded on a sunny day in a park or by the sea - more please!

Featured Track: Turtle Two.
Website: MySpace.
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Some more quoting here but once again it is fair and to the point - 'Over the past year, Leslie DiNicola has built an impressive following of fans and played packed shows at famed NYC venues such as Crash Mansion, Arlene's Grocery, Fontana's, and Googie’s Lounge.

This summer she embarked on her first mini-tour, during which, the highlight was being asked to sing the National Anthem for the Atlanta Brave’s on two separate occasions. Once in Atlanta at Turner Field, then, again, in New York at Citi Field. She says, "Singing the National Anthem at two Major League Baseball Games was, quite simply, the most rewarding feeling I have ever felt. It's hard to describe how it feels when so many people start applauding you. As I sang, "…the rocket's red glare" and heard the excitement in the crowd, I got chills straight up my spine." As Leslie DiNicola's songs continue to reach a wider audience, it is easy to imagine her playing sold out shows for thousands of fans every night'.

As fans of both baseball and Alt Country and the other genres Leslie can claim to include in her repertoire, we are delighted to include a song from her in this edition!

Featured Track: Lay Me Down.
Website: MySpace.
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Peter Buzzelle (Vocals, Drums, Guitar) is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and indie rock musician from Boston, Massachusetts. Buzzelle’s main influences are mixed amongst artists such as Elliott Smith, Morrissey and Band Of Horses.

Peter is an original singer and songwriter whose lyrics and vocal melodies are memorable. His music tells a story about his life and his experiences, with a blend of unique genres that gives him an emotive sound that has not been heard before in the genre of indie rock.

Peter Buzzelle has written and recorded his newly released debut album “To Telescope” with the help of Chris Zerby, a producer from California. In the beginning of his career, Peter was the founder of a band called Frequency dB that has toured for over half a decade across the west coast of the United States with well known bands such as The Posies. Buzzelle is an independent musician that has learned to market himself and manage his own career over the years. His album “To Telescope” tells a story about his life and his experiences amongst a broad range of genres that creates a unique and refreshing sound.

We cant quite put our 'finger on it' but there is something about Peter that gets our attention here at Beehive Candy in the crowded world of indie rock - anyhow here's a stab at it, 'nice and fresh music with a lift that we feel' - oh just listen, we have never claimed to be journalists.... 

Featured Track: Summer Home.
Website: Official.
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Another band that have contacted the Beehive directly are Quiet Lights.

To demonstrate once again the wonders of keeping a message short and to the point (along with sharing some really cool music which tends to be the deciding factor) we received the following...

Hey this is Marcus from Quiet Lights from Brooklyn, think you may dig this.  We've recently put out a 3-track pre-release that we're giving away while we finish the proper album.  The album is getting mixed by John Congleton (St Vincent, Explosions in the Sky) then mastered by Alan Douches (Frightened Rabbit, Sufjan Stevens) and should be out by the fall..   A good short descriptor could be dream-pop but we think its a bit more then just that.

Well a good short descriptor is always welcome especially when the prompt is accurate, we think the emphasis should be on 'a bit more than just that'. This is dream pop with more than a bit more, that is well worth a listen (or two) and lets hope the full album builds on this!


Featured Track: We Live In Balloons.
Website: Bandcamp.
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We finish with a new video from Nice Purse. The song is called Kathalaugh and its an upbeat celebration of young spirit (well thats what we are told and it seems that way).

Keeping on message it's not unlike Bright Eyes or The Violent Femmes, it's a folk stomp fit for a care free scene in a teen coming of age movie. In fact they will be contributing original music for the nationally (USA) syndicated sketch comedy show M@dAbout TV. We agree the video is light hearted and fun, just like the music.

Plus we get to try out a new way to embed a video on Beehive Candy - seriously this is a great way to end this edition and an mp3 version is included for good measure (in case the video dont work).

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