Background: The people have spoken and Beast Make Bomb came out victorious over 1000 other bands entered in Converse’s “Get Out of the Garage” competition. Female-led punk band Beast Make Bomb earned themselves a spot at the Rolling Stone SXSW showcase, sharing the stage with Queens of the Stone Age, J Masics (Dinosaur Jr.), The Black Angels, and more.
Their new EP, Sourpus, follows up their critically acclaimed freshman effort, Skinny Legs. Beast Make Bomb describes themselves as “a marriage between punk attitude and pop sensibility”. Their live shows convey these thoughts exactly. They play tightly knit punk songs with the perfect amount of messy rock exploration, catchy guitar riffs, and melodic female vocals. “Coney Island” off their new EP, is reminiscent of Camera Obscura’s early work and “Rough It Out” shows hints of hair-tossing, Brazilian girl-rock outfit C.S.S.
Hailing from all over the country, Beast Make Bomb calls NYC its home playing local Brooklyn hot-spots and historic Manhattan rock/punk venues. Their sound lies firmly on the pulse of rock and punk in a city known for spawning the pioneers of both. After sharing the stage at SXSW with some of the best in the business, they will be playing a slew of dates with the likes of Tokyo Police Club, Cold War Kids, The Whigs, and more.
2011Candy Says: Cool refreshing NYC punk meets pop in a stylish mix of tight vibes and superb vocals, this band just leave me feeling really upbeat and at my age that's some challenge! Listen:Coney Island. Web:Official.
________________________________________
Background: Featured on Beehive Candy one year ago The Lonely Forest recently unveiled a new song, "Coyote," as the KEXP Song of the Day. The song is taken from their new Trans Records label debut Arrows, which has been in stores since March 22nd. Critical acclaim for Arrows in advance of the release includes praise from Nylon, which posts, "We are in love with The Lonely Forest. Listen to them now!" and Alternative Press, which calls Arrows "the band's most self-assured album yet." Meanwhile, NPR's Song of the Day hails the band's previous single, saying "'Turn Off This Song' serves as a catchy call to arms, not to mention one of the best and most honest slices of pop music around."
The band is embarking on an extensive North American tour supporting The Joy Formidable. Trans Records is the new label headed by Chris Walla, guitarist and producer for Grammy-nominated rock band Death Cab for Cutie, who found The Lonely Forest's music so compelling he made the band his label's very first signing. Walla produced and engineered Arrowsat Sound City studio in Los Angeles, Tiny Telephone in San Francisco and his own, Portland-based studio, Alberta Court. He also mixed three tracks-"Be Everything," "Turn Off This Song And Go Outside" and "I Don't Want To Live There." The balance of the album was mixed by John Goodmanson (Girls, Nada Surf, Weezer).
"The Lonely Forest proves to me," says Walla, "In a time full of throwbacks and references and meta-references, that nothing can beat a focused, bulletproof guitar rock band with amazing songs. I didn't start a label for nothing."
2011Candy Says: One year on for Beehive Candy we revisit The Lonely Forest and are so pleased we have. The featured track has elements of Coldplay in my head, however at a level and energy that leaves me feeling positive and wanting more. Listen:Coyote. Web: Official.
________________________________________
Background:German Error Message began in 2004 as the solo bedroom-recording project of Louisiana native Paul Kintzing. In late 2008, after several musical and stylistic transition periods, German Error Message released a self-titled EP. In early 2010 German Error Message released a full-length, To Carry Alongside, a work that signified a solidification of sound, and a movement in a more defined direction.
In January of 2011 German Error Message released SPPLIT, a 6 song split EP with longtime friends and sometimes-collaborators The Widowers. In mid-February, Kintzing released After The Warmth, a record that continued in the stylistic vein of previous releases while further refining and developing a soon-to-be signature sound.
Composed by Kintzing, and occasionally assisted by a group of friends, German Error Message makes lyrically driven bedroom indie music, combining delicate walls of sound with personal metaphorical and symbolic lyricism and diverse instrumentation. German Error Message creates songs that exist in a realm of feeling that is all their own. To date, the band has hit the blogosphere, garnering praise, and comparisons to bands like The Microphones, Bon Iver, and Iron and Wine, and was featured on a year-end list for 2010.
2011Candy Says: This is a charming featured song and sometimes charming is one hell of an achievement. We bet you play this at least twice here (and then hopefully support German Error Message as the bands name is worthy of a little extra attention regardless of the great music). Listen:We Arose.Web:Bandcamp.
_____________________________________
Background: Having been in constant creative demand for over 17 straight years, pop-punk uber-band Bowling for Soup clearly has no problem kicking out fresh songs, ridiculous videos, and album after album of music that sets the bar for their genre. Even after nearly two decades together, some things are the same. They still call Denton, TX home, they still are putting out an avalanche of new music every year, and they’re still the guys you’d cut class with to get a beer and a Hot Pocket. For a band that has had only one personnel change in 17 years, which is a remarkable feat by any standards, it’s clear that the team stays tight and that ain’t gonna change. As much as things are the same, however, recent times have brought massive changes for Bowling for Soup, and some things are very, very different and completely awesome.
At the core, Bowling for Soup is still Jaret Reddick, Erik Chandler, Gary Wiseman, Chris Burney, and 3 generations of loyal, ravenous fans. As of Fall 2009, though, the partner no longer at the party is Jive Records. Jive and the guys parted ways on good terms, but sadly just four weeks after the release of Sorry for Partyin’. Away with the label went all promo plans for the album, and no single from the record was ever released to radio. Though they were shell shocked, the decision not to slow down was obvious. Rather than spend a couple years trying to get ownership of Sorry for Partyin’ from Jive so they could release it themselves, Jaret locked himself in a room for a month and wrote the songs that have become their latest release, Fishin’ for Woos.
Available worldwide on April 26th, 2011, Fishin’ for Woos is their response to being label-free for the first time in years and deciding to go balls out as an independent band with a mind-blowing fan base. “The only pressure we felt was not to make a record just to fill the space and keep things moving,” says songwriter/front man Jaret Reddick. “It had to be just as real as everything else we’ve done.” It worked. Fishin’ for Woos is the classic Bowling for Soup sound and energy, led by marquis tracks “S-S-S-Saturday”, “Girls In America”, “I’ve Never Done Anything Like This” featuring Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo, and “Turbulence” featuring Gabriel Mann, who is 1/4 of The Rescues and composes the music for mega hit TV show Modern Family. Also making its full-production debut is “Guard My Heart,” which will make legions of fans very, very happy. Written by bassist Erik Chandler for a film called Sardines, the rough demo was leaked to fans online in 1997 and became a monster favorite around the world.
2011Candy Says: Come on it's Bowling For Soup, what can we say that has not been said before, just how long can these folk keep on form and with this level of power? Wonderful! Listen:S-S-S-Saturday Web: MySpace.
________________________________________
Background: I know nothing about Ghost Animal beyond the fact that they are a Portland based band who recently appeared at SXSW. From Oreganlive.com I also learned that Ghost Animal have only been around for a year, and both members of the group, guitarist/vocalist Michael Avishay and drummer Marisa Rowland, have been squeezing music in between their studies at Reed College. Apparently the SXSW performance was their first festival appearance and they were stunning!
2011Candy Says: Like I said above I know so little about Ghost Animal, however this just strikes a chord with me and hopefully a good few other visitors to our little world. Listen: Young and In Love. Web:Bandcamp.
________________________________________
Background:Sunday Lane is not your typical singer/songwriter who left Middle America for the City of Angels. A classically trained pianist, she writes articulate lyrics about social injustices in our society, young love, and growing up. Her soulful approach to songwriting expresses the depth of her musicianship.
“I am most in my element when my hands are on the keys,” says the 20-year-old Tulsa native. After receiving tons of critical acclaim in her home state, Sunday Lane decided to pursue the only career path that made sense… music. She is currently attending the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Sunday has been playing some of the most sought after venues in Los Angeles and winning over new fans nationwide. Her debut EP, Bring Me Sunshine, displays her ability to write relatable songs with idiosyncratic phrases. With a new music video for her song “Won’t Go Back Down” and her EP available of iTunes, sunshine is definitely in Sunday Lane’s future.
2011Candy Says: How many times can I get away with saying something like "a breath of fresh air"? Oh well I have and I mean it! Sunday Lane remember the name and check her out some more if you like this little taste of her songwriting skills and delivery. Listen:Heavy Heart Heavy Hands. Web: Official.
_______________________________________
Background: "Ambitious rock collection favours both quantity and quality...a remarkable body of work." - Rolling Stone
"The band entire commands a special attention from the room’s eyes and the air seems momentarily hung for the release of that all-important downbeat." - Time Off
The attitude that Drawn from Bees bring to their music-making is anything but ordinary. They chose to initiate their musical journey with the statement of a four-album concept box set in their first two years. Australian radio taste maker Richard Kingsmill recognized the potential of the band soon after the release of their debut album The Boy and the Ocean and he featured two songs from the EP on his flagship Triple J radio show.
Touring Australia at length to maximize this early exposure, Drawn from Bees soon had industry and fans alike anticipating their sophomore release, And the Blind Shall Lead the Way.Lead single “Long Tooth Setting Sun” was added to rotation on several radio stations in Australia, as well as gaining radio play on notable USA stations such as Indie103.1, KNRK, WCNR, WXPN, as well as stations in the UK, Finland, Poland and Germany.
Drawn from Bees’ live shows in 2009 mirrored their success on the airwaves, with the band undertaking several support tours and gaining a highly coveted spot on V Festival after a talent scout spotted them at a show. This success was followed by slots at the Brisbane Valley Fiesta and Sounds of Spring Festival. The band closed 2009 with their third studio release, The Sky is Falling, which also enjoyed national airplay with singles, “Cables in the Sky” and “Bus Now.”
Last year saw Drawn from Bees released their fourth album, Fear Not the Footsteps of the Departed, to critical acclaim, including four-star reviews in The Australian and Rolling Stone Magazine. The band immediately set their sights on the international stage, travelling to Los Angeles, Hong Kong, London & Perth to play at various international showcases and touring across the UK. Drawn from Bees undertook another series of shows across Australia before rounding off the year with a high-impact performance on New Year’s Eve at Woodford Folk Festival.
2011Candy Says: The platitudes above are deserved, reminds me a little of Midnight Oil (unplugged?), Drawn From Bees fly the 'down under flag' with confidence and quality that deserves respect. Listen:Long Tooth Setting Sun. Web:MySpace.
_________________________________________
Background: Last month saw the latest release in the February Records free digital singles series. Baltimore-native and current Manila, Philippines resident Abby Mott released "Can't Come Back." Abby Mott has an unmistakable voice and a soulful, hooky songwriting style.
Her songs are a unique combination of Americana, indie pop, classical and blues, cleverly arranged with imaginative lyrics. Mott's twangy vocals bring to mind Jenny Lewis, Neko Case or even Zooey Deschanel. This single is unlike anything February Records has released so far.
2011Candy Says: I like Abby Mott and sincerely hope as many people as possible get to hear her, and that's on the strength of hearing just two songs from her. Listen:Elika Ray. Web:Official.
________________________________________
Background: NYC's neo-grunge trio, Baby Teardrops bring a new dimension to a fan-favorite track, "Smooth Sailing Ahead" by committing the song's larger than life idea to film. The video, directed by Serg Soza with cinematography by Andrew Lyman-Clarke, takes front man Matthew Dunehoo's "rosier than possible" mantra and puts it in motion. Shot on the streets of New York, the video follows Dunehoo as he walks, observing others as he repeats "smooth sailing ahead". Says Dunehoo, "I play the central character and in his open state of consideration and constant reiteration of the idea that everything will be OK, he seems to be open to radical circumstances going on around him. It's as if others can tell that my character is possessed of something they can't quite put their fingers on, in the midst of their own nonsense." The video is available now HERE.
"Smooth Sailing Ahead" can be found on Baby Teardrops' latest release, X is for Love,which comes out April 12th 2011, and which also includes our featured song below.
2011Candy Says: Because Beehive Candy can get a little mellow to quickly these days bands like Baby Teardrops are mandatory listening. Sometimes you just have to ROCK! Listen:Banged In The Heart. Web: Official.
________________________________________
Background: I love it when a record company are genuinely excited about a new artist or recording. Then when you listen yourself, you understand that they were not hyping the material but are indeed just getting excited over something new and worthy of some real support.
Case in point! From Indiecator Records regarding Code Pie - Love Meets Rage is one of those rare records that stopped us in our tracks the first time we heard it. As we grew to appreciate every one of its contours that awe only increased as we discovered it’s wealth of ingenuity. Of course you’re used to reading such effusiveness from overexcited labels bigging up their acts but we think you’ll be just as blown away as us when you hear this gorgeous album. Over 10 tracks Code Pie engagingly switch tact, genre and momentum but somehow it feels like a natural progression. There is a little adventure around every corner and each one is embellished with the sort of sucrose melody that will have you returning time and again.
2011Candy Says: Have been streaming this new album today and hope that some of you remember that Beehive Candy introduced you to Code Pie as our credibility rating can only rocket skywards. Quietly confident they will breakthrough this year, lets just hope so. Listen:North Side City View. Web:Official.
________________________________________
This is Jimmy Cliff live in concert during a tour supporting the release of his 1982 album 'Special'. This recording is from a concert in Kansas City, MO, USA on the 9th October 1982 and features six of the eleven songs on the 'Special' album.
Jimmy Cliff was born in Somerton District, St. James, Jamaica. He began writing songs while still at primary school in St. James, listening to a neighbour's sound system. In 1962 his father took him to Kingston to go to Kingston Technical school where he ended up sharing his cousin's one rented room in East Kingston. He sought out many producers while still going to school, trying to get his songs recorded without success. He also entered talent contests. "One night I was walking past a record store and restaurant as they were closing, pushed myself in and convinced one of them, Leslie Kong, to go into the recording business, starting with me," he writes in his own website biography. After two singles that failed to make much impression, his career took off when his "Hurricane Hattie" became a hit, while he was aged 14.
It was produced by Leslie Kong, with whom Cliff remained until Kong passed away in 1971. Jimmy Cliff's later local hit singles included "King of Kings," "Dearest Beverley," "Miss Jamaica," and "Pride and Passion." In 1964, Jimmy Cliff was chosen as one of the Jamaican representatives at the World's Fair and Cliff soon signed to Island Records and moved to the UK. Island Records initially (and unsuccessfully) tried to sell Cliff to the rock audience, but his career took off in the late 1960s. His international debut album was Hard Road to Travel, which received excellent reviews and included "Waterfall" (composed by Nirvana's Alex Spyropoulos and Patrick Campbell-Lyons), which became a hit in Brazil and won the International Song Festival. "Waterfall" was followed in 1969 by "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and "Vietnam" in 1970, both popular throughout most of the world. Bob Dylan called "Vietnam" the best protest song he had ever heard. Also during this period, Cliff released a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" as a single, but it was not included on his Wonderful World, Beautiful People album.
Source: Soundboard.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps
Genre: Ska, reggae, roots.
Set: Full set.
Set List:
01 Originator (4:39)
02 Give The People What They Want (5:56)
03 Turn The Tables (6:21)
04 Roots Radical (4:42)
05 Treat The Youths Right (4:34)
06 Rock The Children (6:48)
07 Music Maker (7:04)
08 Many Rivers To Cross (4:35)
09 Special (6:44)
10 Peace Officer, Are You A Warrior (7:00)
11 Love Is All I Have To Give (7:43)
12 The Harder They Come, They Harder They Fall (5:54)
This is Tim Buckley performing just four songs at the Denver Pop Festival held at the Mile High Stadium, Denver, USA on the June 28th 1969.
Tim Buckley's short life is well documented, so a little about the actual Denver festival. The Denver Pop Festival was a three-day music festival promoted by rock promoter Barry Fey (Feyline) on June 27-June 29, 1969 which was largely overshadowed by Woodstock two months later. Unlike the free-form happening in upstate New York, the Denver festival had the full support and local resources of a major city, taking place in Denver Mile High Stadium. There were high expectations for the Festival; it was commonly called the "First Annual" Denver Pop Festival. The peak attendance was estimated at 50,000.
Frank Zappa is credited by some with inventing the audience wave during his set. He actually selected sections of the stadium (audience) to each make different odd sounds and gestures. He then composed a "tune" on his "crowd instrument".
Throughout much of the festival, a crowd gathered outside the venue and demonstrated against having to pay to hear the acts. They also tried to breach the gates and security fences. The Denver Police were forced to employ riot tactics to protect the gates. On the second day the battle between gatecrashers outside the stadium and the police suddenly affected those inside. With a combination of shifting wind and re-thrown canisters, tear gas suddenly swept over the crowd. The seats emptied into the concourses and onto the field.
Ticket prices were $6 per day, or $15 for all three days (Fri, Sat, Sun). On Sunday, after all possible tickets had been sold, the promoter announced from the stage that he was declaring it a "free festival". Other bands appearing included - Three Dog Night, Iron Butterfly, The Flock, Poco, Johnny Winter, CCR, Joe Cocker, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Source: Audience.
Sound Quality: Very listenable (both in clarity and for it's age) mp3@128kbps
This is Gary Moore live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London back on the 11th February 1984.
As no doubt you will be aware Belfast born Gary Moore sadly passed away last month at just 58 years of age.
In a career dating back to the 1960s, Gary Moore played with artists including Phil Lynott and Brian Downey during his teens, leading him to membership with the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy on three separate occasions. Gary Moore shared the stage with such blues and rock luminaries as B.B. King, Albert King, Colosseum II, Greg Lake and Skid Row (not to be confused with the heavy metal band of the same name), as well as having a successful solo career. He guested on a number of albums recorded by high profile musicians, including a cameo appearance playing the lead guitar solo on "She's My Baby" from Traveling Wilburys Volume Three.
Since his death, many fellow musicians have commented on Gary Moore's talents including Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bob Geldof, Roger Taylor, Brian Downey, Ricky Warwick, Glenn Hughes, Bryan Adams, Henry Rollins, Scott Gorham, Ignacio Garay and many others.
Fans have called for popular magazines such as Classic Rock, Guitarist and Total Guitar to do tributes. Twitter was flooded with tributes from fans for several days after the news was revealed.
This is part of a concert from 1984 recorded by the BBC and broadcast on BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) Germany where this copy was sourced.
Source: FM Stereo Broadcast.
Sound Quality: Very good MP3 @192kbps.
Genre: Blues-rock, hard rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz fusion.
Set: Broadcast part of set.
Set List:
01 - Wishing Well
02 - Murder In The Skies
03 - Shape Of Things
04 - Cold Hearted
05 - Don't Take Me For A Loser
06 - Empty Rooms
07 - End Of The World
08 - Back On The Streets
09 - Nuclear Attack
Background:Dub Is A Weapon Make Psychedelic Studio Sounds Breathe Fire on Vaporized and on Tour, April 2011 - "It can't be done, man!" That's what Dave Hahn, mastermind behind Dub Is A Weapon, heard when he first floated the idea of a live dub group, as he and his mates listened to some prime 1960s King Tubby cuts in the band van. "Everyone seemed to think you could only do dub in the studio," Hahn recalls.
Hahn set out to prove them wrong, with skills learned live and on the road, and with help from a Jamaican beatnik percussionist, an old high school friend, and young upstarts from the Brooklyn scene. Together they've honed their live take on the genre's spaced-out grooves, a sound felt in full force on Vaporized (Harmonized Records; April 26, 2011) and on stage on their upcoming March/April tour.
Hahn had been kicking around the New York music scene for a while. He'd played ska with The Slackers and the Stubborn All-Stars, and Afrobeat with Antibalas. He worked as a dub engineer for the Easy Star All-Star's Dub Side of the Moon tour. But he wanted to make a dub record of his own: The music had the modal appeal of Coltrane, but was built for the dance floor. "Dub hooked me in," explains Hahn. "It really reminded me of modal jazz with its static harmony, which gives musicians lots of freedom to explore and encourages listeners to contemplate what musicians are thinking about. At the same time, dub and reggae are dance music, even if you have that same meditative quality."
This perfect mix of pensive and driving rolls through Dub Is A Weapon's music. Hahn finds dub inspiration everywhere: in the complex interlocking grooves he mastered with Antibalas, the intense snowfall on Hokkaido, or in a simple melody plunked out on a piano. He crafts a bass line, then builds from there. The vibe is trippy, but with a fire and edge that give Dub Is A Weapon's music real punch. This is music for serious dance floor moves, not spacey evenings on the couch.
Witness the funky polyrhythm of tracks like "Turbulence," with its dubbed-out, 3-against-4 beat and Ethiopian-inspired waves of brass. Or "Turmoil," with its dueling bass lines, shifting sections, and blissed-out solos. Hahn saw "Forwarding Home," featuring vocals by Rob Symeon as a round, swirling around rich modal melodies and guitar licks that flirt with both major and minor moments. Through it all, a powerful stream of dreamy, gritty effects flows in and out.
Figuring out how to make psychedelic studio sounds burn up the dance floor took years of experimentation, of trying things on the fly in illegal Brooklyn loft nightclubs or on tour as Lee "Scratch" Perry's backing band. Eventually, Hahn got it: He wasn't leading a band, he was riding the faders. "At first I really struggled with getting the band to create dub that felt as powerful as what I could create in the studio. I finally figured out I had to think of each musician as a fader on the mixing board, cuing them to drop out and come back in so I could replicate the dub mix I had in mind."
To make dub happen live, Hahn worked with a shifting group of friends, including bassist Dan Jeselsohn from the New York's Mephiskapheles to jam and record with him at his Greenpoint, Brooklyn studio. Soon a multigenerational core of strong musicians emerged. These included percussionist Larry McDonald, who had played on several crucial Bob Marley cuts in Jamaica and had since backed up American icons from Taj Mahal to Gil-Scott Heron to Bad Brains-moves that earned him the sometime nickname of "Original Beatnik." Ben Rogerson, equally at home on the bass or guitar, was a friend of Hahn's since high school when they played in the jazz band together. Drummer Madhu Siddappa and Hahn met at a mysterious rehearsal session with Lauryn Hill, who came in, tried some songs, and wandered out. Sax ingénue Maria Eisen joined the group straight out of college.
Vaporized captures the group's diverse energy in a way that mirrors their live shows. The band played and did the dub effects live, with next to no overdubs or post-take tweaking, at a studio run by a friend, the sound engineer for reggae band John Brown's Body. "It's like a jazz record from 1950s," notes Hahn. "We did a couple takes of each song, then picked the one that sounded best. We laid the stuff down and made it happen." - "It's like hearing us live," he continues, "when you can feel all the drama of dub as parts come in and out. That's what's exciting about our music: We never play things the same way twice."
2011Candy Says: OK I have a fondness for reggae and dub and this is just superb, not to heavy and some really fine musicians that produce classic examples of these genres. All reggae and dub instrumental fans should give them a listen asap. Listen:Turbulence. Web:Official.
______________________________________
Background: San Francisco's Sandwitches have been plugging away at their craft for a couple magical years now, sprinkling their barbed, alluring electric folk briars across unsuspecting gardens in the Bay Area and beyond. Previous releases, such as the swampy ecstasy of How To Make Ambient Sadcake and last year's oceanic ouija board of an EP, Duck Duck Goose!, captured distinct sides of the trio. Their latest platter, Mrs. Jones' Cookies (out March 29th via Empty Cellar Records), is here now to unify their uniquely whimsical and creepy vision.
Mrs. Jones' Cookies pours Sadcake's plaintive bounce into Duck Duck’s celestial, mysterious drift, spiking the mix with a side they've previously only hinted at: a playfulness, a comfort. It's the sound of a band at ease with unease. Even when they're plumbing the most desperate depths, there's an unforced confidence in the lonely plucking of guitarists Heidi Alexander and Grace Cooper.
The shared vocal duties are where these ladies truly and finally let loose. On "Lightfoot" and single "Summer Of Love," drummer Roxy Brodeur punches out lively, soul-flecked trots, as Grace and Heidi tickle the end of their high and low ranges, returning later to those highs and lows with extra force and bluster, shooting out the lights with aplomb. The Sandwitches live for moments like this, teasing the listener with deceptively simple backing, then letting fly with soaring vocal saltwater taffy that can be scary, cartoonish, or both. Then, of course, the girls backtrack on a dime and plant a mournful lullaby in your lap, as affecting and otherworldly as you'll ever hear and complete with a wandering flute.
Ultimately the confidence with which they mingle with these vague ideas of beauty, sorrow, humor, and freakishness adds up to what this band and this record have in spades: mystique. You may not have any idea as it's happening, but the Sandwitches are playing with you, not for you. Engineered by Donny Newenhouse, mastered by Paul Oldham, and featuring guest appearances by San Francisco swingers Shayde Sartin, Dic Stusso, and James Finch Jr, Mrs. Jones' Cookies come in both CD and LP flavors. All LPs include a complimentary digital download.
"The ten songs on Mrs. Jones’ Cookies stand as a doorway leading to the House of God. The music of these three cascade in and out like active and passive expressions of the Divine Energy. Sometimes high, sometimes low, Sulfur and Salt, Good and Bad, Light and Darkness, that, when placed in the proper chamber of initiation graft into one androgynous creature that blazes forth eternal verities revealing temporal truths." – Sonny Smith.
2011Candy Says: Feisty girl band music meets modern folk with wonderful harmonies and a freshness that I can only recommend, an easy pick for this edition. Listen: Joe Says.Web:MySpace, Buy.
_______________________________________
Background:Sarandon’s “Age Of Reason” tells the story of Big Trev, a man frustrated with his lot and determined to change his life. The album is narrated by The Shend (The Cravats, The Very Things) who plays the voice of the story’s hero.
Musically Sarandon have moved their sound forward – Produced once again by the inimitable Anthony Chapman (Collapsed Lung, Bis, Klaxxons, Ten Benson), the sound is a more mature take on the angular agit-pop of their previous outings. The cheese-wire treble of the guitars remains, the bass thuds and booms and the drums clatter at light speed, but the songs contained in “Sarandon’s Age Of Reason” are more carefully crafted and arranged. There are songs to make you shout and songs to make you sing. There are even songs to make you dance.
Sarandon are back with a vengeance. Back to rescue you all from the mundanely of modern la-la-love-you indie pop.
Other guests on the album include Robert Lloyd (The Nightingales) and Rhodri Marsden (Scritti Politti).
To celebrate the release of the album there will also be Sarandon's Age Of Reason Beer especially brewed by the Revolutions Brewing Co (www.revolutionsbrewing.co.uk/) coming as cask & bottled beer with super limited edition beermats for the collectors out there.
The album is released in UK/Europe on Odd Box Records. In the USA the album is coming out on the legendary Slumberland Records.
Live Shows:
26th March – Brixton Windmill, London (Album Launch Show)
27th March - The Hop, Leeds
Sarandon are currently:
Crayola (Colgates, Future Sperm Brasil): Guitar & Voice
Alan Brown (bIG fLAME, The Great Leap Forward): Bass & Voice
Tom Greenhalgh (World Sanguine Report): Drums & Voice
2011Candy Says: Tight guitar, sharp vocals, post punk style and a story to tell. It's different and Big Trev has always wanted to do something... Piglet is one of the songs you will have to check out the story yourself. Listen:Piglet. Web: Official.
_______________________________________
Background:and we quote from Indiecater records - We haven’t heard a collection of songs from Utah’s Adam and Darcie since the summer of 2009 but the wait has been worth it. This release is everything you’d expect from the duo and this time they’ve teamed up with a few of their buddies to record the Early In The Morning EP.
You might recognise Aotearoa from our World Cup compilation, Fast Forward, of last year and its appearance here feels just right given the recent tragedy in Christchurch. There are also a couple of covers amongst the 6 tracks which you can read more about below.
Not many artists can do soothing melodies quite like Adam & Darcie, not that they are laid back in their arrangements as each song here has a beautifully delicate and intricate detail.
2011Candy Says: Have to agree with the promo background on this one, really nice harmonies and singing over delicate music and well worth a listen (or two). Listen:2 Cities.Web: Indiecater Records.
________________________________________
Background: Little Tybee is something of a mini orchestra with its ever-evolving five to ten members all engaged in intricate musicianship. Their name comes from a tiny island off the coast of their native Georgia, where legend has it, an undetonated atomic bomb from the 1950s lies missing. They jokingly attribute the quirkiness of their debut album Building a Bomb to the long-term effects of eating radiation-drenched seafood, but it’s more likely they were just born that way” -Lavinia Jones Wright, ASCAP
One might think from their humble beginnings in the backwaters and basements of coastal Georgia to their headlining shows at some of Atlanta’s most well known independent venues that the members of Little Tybee were the harbingers of some secret formula for artistic success. In reality, they are simply a group of friends who couldn’t stop making music together if they tried.
The core of each of their songs begins in the relentless and creative mind of vocalist/guitarist/pianist Brock Scott. The songs mature through the dedicated musicianship of 8-string guitarist Josh Martin, violinist Nirvana Kelly, bassist Ryan Donald, and percussionist Pat Brooks. Since the release of their first LP last year, they have discovered that change is not only inevitable, but indeed good.
Little Tybee has been raking in the local love in their Atlanta/Savannah base as of late, but now it's time to show the rest of the country what the buzz is all about (pun very much intended). Kicking off their tour in just a few days in support of their upcoming album, Humorous To Bees, out April 5th, Little Tybee will be making their way through the deep South (Savannah, Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans) and into Austin for SXSW. Post SXSW, Little Tybee will make their way Northwest-bound hitting Ft Worth, Little Rock, Miami, Asheville, Marion, Philadelphia, and New York City before heading back home through Charlotte and finally back to Savannah and Atlanta for their CD release shows.
2011Candy Says:Yet another gem comes to us from Paper Garden Records, this time in the form of Little Tybee who make it all seem so simple as they mix a variety of styles and really cool musicianship around fine vocals. Sometimes up tempo, sometimes calm, always cool.
Background:Cowboy and Indian, along with nine other bands, will play a free, all ages and open to the public show as part of Paper Boat Music and Harris Radio’s SXSW Day Party at Betsy’s Bar on Thursday, March 17 at 4pm. The line-up, consisting of Paperboat Music artists, friends and great bands spun on Harris Radio includes: Jeremiah Birnbaum's Electric Shoes, Wakey!Wakey!, Pearl and the Beard, Haley Bonar, Danny Malone, Buddy, Jenn Grant, Kacy Crowley, and The Sour Notes.
Cowboy and Indian, a rootsy trio, began when Jazz Mills (T-Bird and the Breaks) got together with Jesse Plemons to write their first song. The collaboration took off and before long the pair was drawing major buzz at SXSW. Daniel James (frontman of SF based "Leopold and His Fiction") soon joined the band to complete the trio.
“We came together out of nowhere and were immediately inspired by one another,” Mills said. The band put that inspiration to work by recording their first song, “Hurt My Pride”. With James in San Francisco and Mills and Plemons in Austin, the bulk of the song was written over the phone. Yet when it came time to record, the chemistry was obvious to all. “We tracked the song as soon as we arrived in San Francisco,” James said, “and did it from the ground up, recording in living rooms, bedrooms and closets.”
The band is currently working on their first full-length album, produced by James and due out this spring. They recently recorded their video "Hurt My Pride” (featured on taste-maker blog Baybridged.com) while on their cross-country tour, using playful footage captured in Chicago and on the banks of Lake Michigan. The band’s song “Trouble Tracks” was recently featured in an episode of the NBC hit series Parenthood.
2011Candy Says: You will clap your hands or tap your feet, it's inevitable. Is it roots or blues or just plain sing and jig along? Your call! Listen:Ledbellies. Web: Facebook.
_________________________________________
Background: Paul, Grace, Meaghan, Chris and Dan met in Belfast, Northern Ireland and became great friends who were musically and artistically happy in each other’s company. So they decided to start a band and sought the same harmony in their music. The whole thing went wonderfully well. They created an intricate blend of electronic and indie music and they called it Morning Claws.
They have recently recorded a single with former Oppenheimer member Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together, Belfast. ‘Slack Magic’ is scheduled for release on 11th April 2011. The band will launch the single with an intimate show at Belfast’s oldest tavern, White’s and will then play shows across Ireland and the UK while recording their debut album.
April 28th, 2011 - White's Tavern, Belfast
May 14th, 2011 - Whelan's , Dublin.
2011Candy Says: I think mixing indie rock or pop with electro or dance still has along way to go. Morning Claws are definitely one to watch, lets hope they get the chance to explore some more. Listen:Slack Magic. Web: Official.
_________________________________________
Background: Life is a process, - this is something Renée Wahl seems to have realized instinctively from an early age. As an alternative country, Americana, Rockabilly artist, Renee Wahl has followed a non-traditional path to a career in music, and yet no one who has known her over the years would ever question her destination. Wahl enrolled in the musical theater program at Staten Island’s Wagner College only to find college life mundane. Finding her way to Philadelphia, Wahl became a regular on the local Indie music scene. After a stint in the US Air Force, where Wahl served first as a flight specialist and later as a physicist and educator, she returned to music. Eventually making her way to Nashville, Wahl’s affable personal style helped her network with some of the brightest lights on Music Row. This combined with her natural talents as a singer and a songwriter have Wahl poised on the verge of widespread name recognition.
Renée Wahl writes intelligent, literate songs from the heart. Working both on her own and with Roger Prescott (Trainwreck Ghost, The Texacala Jones Band), Wahl displays a talent for creating and inhabiting characters and moments in the fashion of Lyle Lovett and Townes Van Zandt. Combine this with a voice that finds the soft parts of your soul and insinuates itself there and it’s easy to understand why Wahl has been compared to Maria McKee (Lone Justice). Wahl acknowledges being a bit of a tomboy, loving to take things apart to see how they work. She invariably practices the same art in her songwriting, dissecting people, places and moments and recreating them in song in ways that bring new light and understanding.
Wahl was inspired early on by such asymmetric songwriters as Neko Case and Chris Isaak. Writing from deep emotional waters, Wahl’s songs bespeak a stark intellect. Wahl paints portraits with words, bringing to life her own experiences and those of people she’s known or observed. Wahl’s eye and ear perceive with the refined understanding of an artist, and her musical media are many. Wahl is equally comfortable writing in the realms of rock, country, Americana, Motown and even 1950’s pop, and her songs are infectious. It’s clear that Renée Wahl enjoys making music, and whether on stage or in the studio, it’s impossible not to pick up on that energy and enthusiasm.
2011Candy Says: The featured track reminds me a little of Emmylou Harris circa Elite Hotel era, take that as a positive as Renee stamps her own mark on the music. Thats only one dimension of her, there is alot more and you would do well to check out the album Cumberland Moonshine if this song grabs you. Listen:On Something New. Web:Official.
________________________________________
Background: Losing Colour is Stricken City’s final album. Recorded and produced in London by the band over the course of a year it includes the Skellington remix of “Pull The House Down” from the well-received mini-album Songs About People I Know. In the time since their last release Stricken City’s sound has become more honed and complex; a dance-pop beat here, a looselimbed sway there, and awash with dreamy notes ranging from haunting saxophone solos to tropical island pipes and distant moaning drums.
March 8th sees the worldwide digital release via The Kora Records of Losing Colour. Several stunning reviews have already come in from the UK and the album has been featured on BBC Radio 1.
When Iain Pettifer (guitars) and Rebekah Raa (vocals/keys) first met in math class they were wearing exactly the same clothes and quickly coupled over a mutual appreciation of introverted, romantic guitar music; not to mention a palpable sense of detachment from the cool kids. Rebekah spent her entire student loan on a guitar and 8 track recorder while Iain educated her with his extensive music collection including of a full set of Twisted Nerve 7”s and the complete works of Richard Hell. Soon joined by Kit Godfrey (drums) and Mike Hyland (bass), our heroes holed themselves up for hours on end, making and breaking songs about life and loss, love and desperation, hatred and hunger.
Defined by their clattering guitars, the scatter gun pounding of the drums, bass lines bursting with hooks and the strikingly voiced melodies of otherworldly front woman Rebekah Raa; SC produce an indie-pop of hitherto untapped gems drawn from influences Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Young Marble Giants and The Slits as well as those lost sources of alternative melodica Life Without Buildings, The Sundays and Bow Wow Wow.
“Loose limbed guitar-pop magic… manna to the ears and a ctrl-alt-delete on the musical torpor that is always so close at hand. Stricken City have a floppy, just-short-of-fully-formed form that is beyond endearing and reaks of tiny record labels, the Festive Fifty and musty record shops down back alleys. Tak O Tak effortlessly unfolds as a gorgeous three minutes of lens-flare pop, made all the more palatable by Raa’s voice, which achieves the perfect balance of being exemplary without drowning in its own excellence. Restore your faith in indie with this fab, slightly ramshackle four-piece. More please.” The Times.
2011Candy Says: The featured song 'Some Say' has to be one of my favorites this time around. Indie still has a good future if bands of this calibre continue to deliver such fine music. Listen:Some Say. Web:Official.
__________________________________________
Background: Hidden Shoal Recordings have announced the release of the new single ‘Endlessly’ by neo-classical/minimal ambient artist Antonymes, taken from the forthcoming album The Licence To Interpret Dreams.
In its opening moments, ‘Endlessly’ patiently weaves traces of nature with unearthly, oscillating tones, creating a delicate, pensive atmosphere. Its apex comes halfway through as the gentle tones give way to a strident, emotive piano theme. The accompanying video is a continuation of Antonymes’ stunning explorations into the still and moving image. Hypnotic, minimal and expertly crafted, it is the perfect visual echo of the music.
The Licence To Interpret Dreams is an album of resonant beauty, it is as expansive as the wilds of North Wales from which it came, yet as delicate and intimate as a loved one’s breath upon your skin. Each song deploys a modest array of instruments and textures, giving them ample space to breathe and glow. The album is released on 21 April, distributed via n5Mailorder, and will be available for pre-order from 1 April.
2011Candy Says: I guess this could be the song that's 'different' in this round up of new music. Minimalist music demands attention to detail by its very nature (IMHO) and this works for me. Late night, lying in bed with the lights out, and listening to this is a dreamy way to end any day. Listen:Endlessly. Web:Hidden Shoal.
________________________________________
Background: Known for her melancholic, melodic pop CALLmeKAT is the moniker of Danish singer, keyboardista and composer, Katrine Ottosen. With her vintage keyboards and a voice that sets her apart from the masses, CALLmeKAT creates music where live samples, haunting bass lines and a broken omnichord dance together under the twilight of the moon.
To announce CALLmeKAT’s sophomore performance at SXSW, Katrine has chosen to give away “Bug in A Web” for new and old fans alike. For the fans who have already fallen in love with CmK, this song will be another delicacy filled with the raw delivery and honest performance they have grown to expect from her. For new fans, this song about love lost, will draw you in- not just with Katrine’s hauntingly beautiful voice but also with the theme of struggle told through the story of the bug in a web. It’s a tale we all know too well.
It’s no wonder NPR has called CMK’s music"...Just mesmerizing" as solely via word-of-mouth, she is singly drawing crowds in clubs throughout Germany, Benelux, France, Switzerland and Austria, all before an official international album release.
In 2008 CALLmeKAT released I'm In A Polaroid Where Are You? (EP) and 'Fall Down' both of which made the media in her native Denmark fall head over heels, while word quickly trickled across to the U.S. with nods in Billboard, Spinner, and Interview Magazine.
Since her two 2008-releases, CALLmeKAT has toured as a solo headliner, opened for artists such as Au Revoir Simone, Okkervil River, Nouvelle Vague, The Dø and Sebastien Tellier and played numerous festivals including SXSW, NXNE, EuroSonic, Northside Festival (NY) and CMJ (NY). At the 2010 SXSW Festival, CALLmeKAT was invited to perform on NPR's All Things Considered followed by a pick on Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton's "Who We Liked List". In addition CMK's music has been featured alongside artists such as Bat For Lashes and The Brunettes on several compilations including Perfect As Cats - A Tribute To The Cure (Manimal Vinyl, 2008) and Stella Polaris - A Handful (Stella Polaris, 2009). Katrine has also appeared as a vocalist on Nouvelle Vague's 'Hollywood Mon Amour' album (2008).
Living in New York for most of 2010, Katrine collaborated with Joe Magistro (Prophet Omega, The Black Crowes) to finish her international debut When Owls Are Out mastered by Chris Athens of Sterling Sound, NYC. A hand numbered, limited first edition will be for sale exclusively at CMK shows and at select stores, in 2011, with a proper release date to be determined.
2011Candy Says: This is another artist that has gone on my 'one to watch out for' list. Gentle rhythms support dreamy vocals and all is well for the Beehive. Anyone who has been featured alongside Bat For Lashes gets my attention, this song deservedly so. Listen:Bug In A Web. Web: MySpace.
________________________________________
This is Barclay James Harvest live in concert in Amsterdam, Holland back on the 25th May 1984.
After signing with EMI's Parlophone in the UK for one single in early 1968, they moved to the more progressively inclined Harvest label. Their self-titled debut album was released in mid 1970 to positive reviews, but few sales. Their second album Once Again gained more favourable reviews, and the tour that followed was conducted with a full orchestra under the guidance of Robert John Godfrey. Their third album Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories was an even greater achievement, though Martyn Ford was brought in to supervise the orchestral work after Robert John Godfrey departed over writing issues behind "Mockingbird" - one of the group's most consistently popular tracks. By the release of their fourth album, Baby James Harvest, in 1972, the pressures of touring were beginning to have an impact on the band, and the album's inconsistency was noticed by both fans and critics alike.
After this album, they departed from EMI, and signed to Polydor, the move immediately resulting in greater sales. The next album, Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974), is viewed by many as their artistic high point. The album being played extensively on Radio Caroline, and later appearing in their Top 100 All Time Albums Chart. It also led to the band being invited to a BBC Radio 1 session for John Peel. The double live album, Barclay James Harvest Live, which followed in late 1974, built upon their solid fanbase, and was the first to chart in the UK, reaching number 40. Time Honoured Ghosts (1975), recorded in the USA, followed and this also charted in the UK reaching number 32. Octoberon followed in '76 and reached #19 in the UK. They finally broke into the mainstream European market with their 1977 set Gone to Earth, which contained the song "Poor Man's Moody Blues", a homage to that band's 'Nights in White Satin', and also a title foisted upon Barclay James Harvest by press critics in the early 70s.
Woolly Wolstenholme – whose mellotron playing was a trademark of the band's sound in the 70s – left in 1979 after the album XII. Woolly pursued a short solo career fronting Maestoso, before retiring from the music business to pursue farming.
The remaining three members continued. At the height of their success, they played a free concert in front of the Reichstag in West Berlin, with an estimated attendance of 250,000 people (30 August 1980). They were also the first Western rock band to play an open-air concert in pre-Glasnost East Germany, playing in Treptower Park, East Berlin on 14 July 1987 to a 170,000 plus audience.
The band continued as a trio with regular guest musicians until 1998. One album, Welcome to the Show, released in 1990, was released under the abbreviated name BJH. However, because of criticism from fans, the full Barclay James Harvest name was restored, albeit with the inclusion of the BJH moniker.
In 1998, musical differences in the band saw the three members agree to take a sabbatical. John Lees subsequently released an album mixing new songs and BJH classics, entitled Nexus, under the band name "Barclay James Harvest through the eyes of John Lees". Woolly Wolstenholme played in (and composed for) this band, subsequently resurrecting Maestoso to record and tour with new material, as well as back-catalogue favourites. Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard teamed up to record under the name "Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd". Lees and Wolstenholme recently (2006/7) toured under the slightly modified band title "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest".
Mel Pritchard died suddenly of a heart attack in early 2004. Woolly Wolstenholme very sadly took his own life in December 2010 having apparently struggled with depression for many years.
The two derivatives of the original Barclay James Harvest continued to record and tour until today, and enjoy ongoing popularity, particularly in Germany, France, and Switzerland.
Source: FM Stereo Broadcast.
Sound Quality: Very good MP3 @256kbps.
Genre: Art rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock.
Set: Full set.
Set List:
01 Fifties Child (4:47) 02 Hold On (5:25) 03 Rebel Woman (5:35) 04 Waiting For The Right Time (6:41) 05 Just A Day Away (4:04) 06 I've Got A Feeling (7:06) 07 Sideshow (4:25) 08 Rock n Roll Lady (5:19) 09 Paraiso Dos Cavalos (6:13) 10 Victims Of Circumstance (5:55) 11 Poor Man's Moody Blues (7:29) 12 Life Is For Living (4:11) 13 For Your Love (8:09) 14 Looking From The Outside (4:34) 15 Child Of The Universe (5:39) 16 Berlin (8:59) 17 Inside My Nightmare (6:19) 18 Ring Of Changes (7:36)
This is another Pink Floyd concert that is hardly an exclusive for Beehive Candy, however the quality of this specific remastered version, the songs performed and the unique nature of this bootleg make it a must feature as far as we are concerned.
Copying from the notes that have been circulated with this remastered version we quote - M-502 is the matrix number of the original 2-LP vinyl set that was made in Europe sometime in the 70's (performance Grosser Saal Musikhalle, Hamburg, West Germany February 25, 1971). Although there are many different versions of this show, all of them are sourced from a M-502 vinyl copy. Some sound better than others, none of them sound anything like this. (Take Linda Surfin' was a popular one). This 2-CDR set comes from a mint condition original LP, and has been beautifully remastered by the Digital Floyd Archives. Not only is this one of the best sounding recordings (especially of this era), this is one of the best vinyl remastering jobs I have ever heard. An original vinyl find is almost unthinkable.
Known Flaws:
If there's any surface noise on this, I can't hear it. May be a little at the start of disc 2, but this is a non-issue. The original recording does sound slightly "overdriven"; there is some mild distortion on the loudest parts of the first set. Cymbaline fades in around the second verse. There is also a bit of static in 'green is the color'; this is mic noise caused by the taper, and is in the original. Overall sound quality is a solid 9 out of 10, with the only penalty being for the above flaws. ooh... those cymbals!
The performance:
Wow. This seems to be the only concert with the brass/choir on Atom Heart Mother where the brass section didn't make any mistakes! Also, the 18+ minute version of A Saucerful of Secrets is probably the definitive version of this song. Did I mention that this is my favorite version of Careful With That Axe, Eugene? Roger's doesn't scream, he roars. Hold on to your hat.
Source: Audience (do not be put off - this is an incredible copy).
Sound Quality: Very good MP3 @256kbps.
Genre: Progressive rock, psychedelic rock, contemporary.
Set: Full set.
Set List:
1. Green Is the Color
2. Careful With That Axe Eugene
3. Cymbaline (missing first verse)
4. The Embryo
5. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
6. A Saucerful of Secrets
7. Atom Heart Mother
Background:yourfeetstoobig (or yftb) is 22 year old Chicago resident Kevin Benishek. Currently working under the moniker yourfeetstoobig, Kevin Benishek is a artist/musician who has in the past dabbled in everything from hip-hop beats to lo-fi experimental projects.
"My methods are constantly changing and evolving" as Kevin puts it. What was once an electronic bedroom project (started in 2009) has quickly grown into live shows. Blending a multitude of different genres, everything from pop, shoegaze and freak-folk finds its way into the yourfeetstoobig soundwaves.
Since the release of his first self-released EP, Hunter/Gather (released January 19th), his lo-fi, pop tracks have been featured on SIC Records 100th release, loveSICdisco, with the likes of Memory Tapes, Memory House and Niva. Tracks have also been released through the digital singles label Beko-DSL.
yourfeetstoobig's tracks are upbeat, but engaging and beautiful to listen to anywhere. The dance pop-influenced tracks have been said to be a blend of Washed Out meets Neon Indian meets Memory Tapes. yourfeetstoobig is low-budget, low-fidelity pop, tailored for the nostalgic generation.
2011Candy Says: If electronica is your thing, this should really impress, if your not so sure then listen along for a while, as this is a really cool artist who uses melodies and rhythms that just hooked the Beehive. Listen:Pintail. Web:Bandcamp.
________________________________________
Background: Join the fun of the first inaugural Snow Ball Festival in Vail Valley, CO March 4-6, 2011! With the stellar lineup and beautiful surroundings, there's really no good reason to miss out. A few more fun facts of the fest below:
-- First group to sign on was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, who are coming a couple days early to ski and hang out in the mountains. The second group was local Denver band Gauntlet Hair. The last group to sign on was The Flaming Lips.
-- It will be the first ever Colorado plays for Twin Shadow, Miami Horror, Lord Huron, and Parisian producer Onra.
-- The festival is selling a festival pass/ski lift combo (as well as music only passes). The fest will take place outdoors. While the organizers admit it won't exactly be tropical temperatures outside, they believe the (very likely) snowflakes, surrounding mountains, and wintry vibes will make for a nice change from standard music festival experiences, offering something unique and distinguished for those who enjoy all seasons.
-- The festival is three days, with music from 2pm - 10pm, so that visitors can still have time to enjoy the Vail Valley before and after each day of music. Snow Ball will bring 10,000 people to Nottingham Park in Avon, CO, which is at the base of the Beaver Creek Ski mountain and sits next to what will be a frozen-over Nottingham Lake.
-- Fort Collins, Colorado psychedelic indie group Candy Claws has offered up their track "Snowdrift Wish" for those attending and wishing to attend the first inaugural Snow Ball Music Festival in Vail Valley Colorado. Enjoy this winter gem from the Two Syllable Records rarities compilation.
2011Candy Says: Talking about Candy Claws specifically I love this featured song that has an oriental feel to it and an element that makes them a perfect fit for a festival headlined by The Flaming Lips. It all comes naturally together. Listen: Candy Claws -Snow Drift Wish. Web: Snowball Festival.
_________________________________________
Background:Two Tears is Kerry Davis of the legendary Red Aunts (Epitaph and Sympathy for the Record Industry). She also played with Mick Collins in The Screws (In The Red Records). This is Kerry's latest single and follows her early 2010 single on Windian Records. This single features 3 of Kerry's raddest garage rockers. Three songs that were written and recorded in 3 different continents (The specific cities they were written in were Paris, Dubai and New York City). Art was designed by Kerry herself, and is hand numbered. Limited to 500 copies. First 100 on Pink/White mixed vinyl. Single will be available on Itunes, Amazon, Emusic and other MP3 retailers when the release date comes. Two Tears has toured Europe with The Donnas, Jon Spencer, Mark Sultan, Dan Sartain, and many more. They have also played CMJ Music festival in NYC the last 2 years. She's had 2 LPs out before, one on Bratmobile/Lookout Record's Molly Neuman's label Simple Social Graces.
For Fans Of: Pussy Galore, Sleater-Kinney, Breeders, Bassholes, etc - Two Tears will be spending 6 weeks in Europe touring with Dan Sartain in support of the new release during April and May.
Denver Post said - "Another case was Kerry Davis of Two Tears, who completely stole the show. As she set up, it looked at first like she’d fit nicely into the standard one-man fare. And then she opened her mouth and unleashed a fiery attitude that exploded from every pore, compounded by each brutal thrust of her knee-high, boot-clad right foot on a bass drum pedal. Davis was anything but “just traditional,” and seemed anything but satisfied. Her style wrapped the power of all of X inside of a cocoon made with the pelts of Jon Spencer (more from Pussy Galore days) and Jack White. “Senso Unico” (“one way” in Italian) may have defined the whole festival in its few short minutes: one way to go, one way to do it and only one person worthy of the task".
2011Candy Says: There's a hint of the B52's in the featured song, however there is enough personal attitude and a very different guitar feel that makes this one fine song. More Please! Listen:Heisse Hexe. Web: MySpace.
______________________________________
Background: Dad Rocks! is Icelandic/Danish Snævar Njáll Albertsson, singer in Danish band Mimas. Dad Rocks!, however, is quite different: The guitar here is acoustic and is accompanied by piano, trumpet, accordion, hand claps and more. As Dad Rocks!, Snævar is inspired by acts such as Bill Callahan, Owen, Why?, Akron/Family and Do Make Say Think. This has led to a sound that is a unique mix of psych folk and lo-fi country with elements of hip hop and use of dubs. However, Snævar Njáll Albertsson’s primary sources of inspiration are the relations closest to him. Most of all his little daughter who also inspired by name Dad Rocks!, which is of course also a pun on the ’dad rock’ genre. This use of pathos and irony is something that is explored throughout his work. Lyrically, this is also a central aspect. The subjects are both big and small. Sometimes delivered almost cynically with words that are close to naïvism. Underneath this, the irony lurks at every corner, and even the debut EP title ‘Digital Age’ explores the space between pathos and irony.
Dad Rocks! released ’Digital Age’ in Denmark in april in Denmark through danish label ’Kanel Records’. English label ´Big Scary Monsters Records’ later fell in love with the music of Dad Rocks! and released the EP in the UK on August 16th. The EP was very well-received by the music-media, and even NME featured the video for the single ’Nothing Keeps Up’ on the their website.
Dad Rocks! is in the midst of recording his debut-album to be released this Spring.
2011Candy Says: OK so the vocals are clearly regional, you know early on that this is from somewhere in the cold part of the north of Europe, but the instruments could be from anywhere in an old mining village in the UK. Reminds me a little bit of Roy Harper, but that can only be a massive complement. Listen:Aroused By Hair. Web: Soundcloud.
______________________________________
Background: We recieved the following recently from Collin, the singer for the band Home Video which we featured recently for their latest album. He tells us - I have a brand new side solo project that has time sensitive subject matter that I thought you might interested in.
The band is called NiveHive, and the album is a Wikileaks Concept Album titled "Collateral Sounds".
Musically, it is inspired by dark, minimal electronic bands like Kraftwerk and Pan Sonic. Politically it is inspired by independent left media like Democracy Now and Glenn Greenwald... not to mention Wikileaks, Bradley Manning, and Anonymous. Each track on the forthcoming album will highlight and comment on a different aspect of the Wikileaks drama that is unfolding. Some of the tracks have straightforward vocals samples, while some attempt to present information in a more obscure way. It is politically smart, while also musically engaging.
The track, "The Stuffed Men Bristle", that I have a link to below, is instrumental music for the most part - with some vocal samples provided by some of our beloved US government leaders. ( The title is a reference to T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Hollow Men".)
2011Candy Says: Collin, you are a very talented guy ! With a few pieces that have an electronica feel to them in this edition of 2011Candy, this for me is up with them all and the use of vocal samples demonstrates first hand that what Pink Floyd developed still has a long way to go. Listen:The Stuffed Men Bristle. Web: MySpace.
________________________________________
Background: With a Canadian Radio Music Award nomination for their song, “Change of Seasons,” and brand spankin’ new single, “Lazy Susan,” that’s climbing the top of the charts, Sweet Thing will be wrapping up their highly buzzed Canadian tour with a stop off in the U.S. The band will be showcasing their rockin’ indie pop styling on March 14th at Pianos in NYC and all throughout SXSW in Austin, TX.
Hailing from Toronto, Sweet Thing was formed three years ago by Owen Carrier, the lead singer, and Alex Winter, the lead guitarist. From there, they gathered the talents Nick Rose, Tyler Kyte, and Morgan Waters, ultimately creating the five-piece band, Sweet Thing. With the dueling guitar harmonies of Alex Winter and Nick Rose, Morgan Waters laying down the bass line, and Tyler Kyte driving the beat, Owen Carrier’s voice carries angelically across the stage.
With this tight-knit group, Sweet Thing has become known for their catchy and cleverly written songs, amazing live performances, entertaining personalities, and their high-profile fans (including Emma Stone and George Stroumboulopoulus). Since the release of their self-titled debut album and with their song, “Change of Seasons,” being featured in the film, Easy A, Sweet Thing has established strong excitement for their tour in Canada as well as stateside. The band has already lined up a series of high profile gigs in NYC and Austin for SXSW. The New York show is schedule for March 14th at Pianos and later that week, Sweet Thing, will be making their way down to Texas for SXSW to play shows starting March 18th.
2011Candy Says: It's a good indie pop song. It does everything a good indie pop song should do and then it also decides to rock - that's not allowed! Listen:Change Of Seasons. Web:MySpace.
_______________________________________
Background: From those lovely people at Paper Garden Lovely Hearts Club we received the following - One cold winter day in NYC, we here at The Lovely Hearts Club decided we needed an anthem to get us through the February blues and excite us for the Spring. There were many stipulations however. It had to be uplifting, familiar, easy to love, perhaps some horns, female harmonies, clever to a point of genius and strong on the team vibe. Where could we possible find a song like that? Then it happened... destiny appeared in the form of an email from Team Genius, delivering unto us this track, 'Making Myths' from their upcoming LP slated for release later this Summer embodying everything a dwelling New York indie music company could ask for.
Team Genius will be releasing a series of 4 albums (3 EPs and an LP) starting in April. Catch these clever Brooklyn kids at our SXSW showcase on Friday, March 18th at Uncorked (900 East 7th St) or one of their other SXSW or NYC shows.
2011Candy Says: I know very little about Team Genius. I hear a touch of Big Audio Dynamite circa E=MC2 and then I hear more harmonies and the one thing I realise is this is a cool track, enough said! Listen:Making Myths. Web:Official.
_______________________________________
Background: Combining the unassuming guitar pop of the 50’s and 60’s with some of the fuzzier, kookier rock of the 90’s and pre-apocalypse, Australian independent band The Honey Pies create music which is at once nostalgic and revelatory: Pre-post-rock, if you will. For two years now they have been gigging and touring ravenously, supporting the likes of Tim Rogers, Parades, The Jezabels, John Steel Singers, Leader Cheetah, Belles Will Ring and Oh Mercy. Their debut album Think of England (released January 12, 2011), recorded by local-wiz Tom Barnes (Leader Cheetah, Empire of the Sun, Colonel Kernel, The Transatlantics), captures the versatility of their alluring live set, from harmony-laden ditties to shambolic punk anthems.
2011Candy Says: Retro cant be that easy especially when you are stuck these days with recording equipment that can so easily show every flaw. So I am guessing my point is that The Honey Pies are pretty clever at sounding from somewhere in the sixties and carrying the vibes of the second decade of this worrying century. Listen:Get It Right. Web:Official.
__________________________________________
Background: From egg-shaped plush chairs or towering cabinets carved like totem poles, hi-fi sound once poured over the conversation pits and cocktail hours of yesteryear. The warm tone and stop-and-listen vibe continue with exotica innovators Waitiki 7’s latest venture, Waitiki in Hi-Fi (Pass Out Records; April 12, 2011). The vinyl-only release of new material finally gives listeners—die-hard exotica connoisseurs, record collectors, or the merely tiki-curious—a chance to sit back and savor the group’s fresh look at a mid century music in clear, rich analog.
Timed to honor the 100th anniversary of Martin Denny’s birth, the record pays homage to the exotica pioneer with whom several band members had the privilege to work with before his death. Thanks to Denny and many other highly skilled musicians, exotica’s tropical soundscapes, Latin dance grooves, and potent jazz chops became mainstays on turntables around the world.
Often misunderstood as kitsch, exotica was born in Hawaii’s vibrant postwar music scene and went mainstream when musicians like Martin Denny performed on national television shows like American Bandstand, Andy Williams, and Steve Allen. (Denny’s ’59 hit single “Quiet Village” reached #4 on Billboard’s charts, with his Exotica album eventually reaching number 1).
The scene Denny helped spark found new life in the 1990s when groups like Combustible Edison took a serious new look at a funky old art form. Part of the lounge revival, which included renewed interest in neglected cocktail recipes, vintage technology, and mid century pop design, the band spearheaded a movement that continues to flourish, thanks to a new generation of dedicated ensembles like Waitiki.
2011Candy Says: I know little about this style of music beyond saying it is captivating and so.. atmospheric. Those who fear 'world music' can come in from out of the cold and enjoy this. Listen:Similau (remix by Tabu). Web:Official.
_______________________________________
Background: Singer/songwriter Holly Long has two hands, and she’s using them. She’s no princess, and she’s no queen. She’s just a straight up modern day musical artisan with a genuine love for the work and an impressive track record. Having crafted 4 albums over the past decade in her pop/funk/soul hybrid style with a string of top-shelf producers, Long communicates her passion and worldview with an evocative sound in league with Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, and Carly Simon. It’s not just about the music, though. Much like for her chanteuse heroines, music is about connection and community. It’s where she finds herself, and how she makes her contribution to the world.
Still bearing the better parts of her Chicago-born savvy, she recalls how music first moved her. “I remember how a song could give voice to my moods and change how I felt when I was a kid. It could express the deep stuff that I didn’t know how to get out on my own, and it really transported me. It moved me, took me from one emotional place to another.” From piano lessons at age 7 to plays and musicals in high school, and right on through a move to Los Angeles to study Theater at UCLA and pursue a career as an actor and comedian, music transported her and connected her mind and soul. It was during this time that she began reaching for the piano and scribbled sheets of lyrics as a way of being creatively productive while waiting for the gatekeepers of the acting world to grant her admission. The final push towards music, though, came when she was literally brought to death’s door by endocarditis, an often-fatal heart infection. After waking from a week-long coma she began the process of learning to move and live again from scratch, and felt a movement in her away from acting and directly into music. What could have become a bitter and barren creative period was refashioned as the doorway to her future as a vital, tough, and compassionate singer/songwriter.
2011Candy Says: Nice funky music with heart and soul. A wonderful musical arrangement with harmony vocals to match. So check it out please! Listen: Pretty Picture Frame. Web: Official.
__________________________________________
Background: Up out of the post-industrial chaos and primordial creative energies of Oakland, California arrives a welcome aberration. Dylan Travis, Brian Kennedy, Tyler Corelitz, and Emery Barter make up Man/Miracle, one of those rare guitar groups that play their songs with raw emotional honesty and urgent ambition. Whether it is the upbeat, complex beauty of “Hot Sprawl” from their acclaimed 2010 debut The Shape of Things or the propulsive pop gem that is their new single, “Don’t Waste It,” Man/Miracle consistently deliver their unique sound with verve. After a major US tour in support of The Shape of Things, the four-piece has begun tracking an as-yet untitled new album, set to be released in the spring of 2011. “Don’t Waste It” bridges the sonic divide between the first record and the second—between the bright, joyous pop that earned praise on The Shape of Things and the darker atmospheric textures that permeate the upcoming LP. Fusing disparate and difficult sounds in a beautiful way is one of the band’s most admirable talents, and “Don’t Waste It” manages to wed the delayed guitar intricacies of British giants like The Chameleons and Slowdive with driving, meditative drums and a distorted freak out that recalls early-90’s indie rock. The B-side, “Oakland Island,” is a spontaneous piece of studio improvisation that reaps considerable rewards. A gorgeously warped piece of California surf rock, “Oakland Island” features spacious guitar interplay, crooned Scott Walker-worshiping vocals, and the production talents of Eli Crews (Deerhoof, Beulah). The single was released digitally March 1st via Third Culture Records.
2011Candy Says: Loads of words above, what can we add? Well we just needed to finish this edition with some atmosphere, guitars and Man/Miracle have done the trick and they know how to build up and up. Listen:Don't Waste It. Web: Official.
_________________________________________
Background: Last month saw the latest release in the February Records free digital singles series. Baltimore-native and current Manila, Philippines resident Abby Mott released "Can't Come Back." Abby Mott has an unmistakable voice and a soulful, hooky songwriting style.
