2012Candy - July - Catch Up Time !

Background: Life...set to a dance beat. The credo that New York indie electronic pop band The Mystic Underground are guided by as they create their brand of bedsit drama set against an electronic canvas of beats and bangers. The duo of Vladimir Valette (the singing and the writing) and Benedetto Socci (the composing and the producing) are fully engaged and primed to herald a new beginning in electronic pop music with a new EP entitled 'Dreamers And Lovers'

Hailing from the bustling Williamsburg district in Brooklyn, New York, an area constantly finding itself at odds with the sprawling metropolis that is Manhattan just across the bridge, The Mystic Underground's latest is a pre-emptive strike against the stale and staid state of pop music that surrounds them. Finding little satisfaction in simply regurgitating dance beats for yet another jilted generation, this duo is writing the soundtrack for a new breed of pop music fan. A return to proper songwriting, a return to what made us all turn up the volume on our radios upon that fresh new sound.

'Dreamers And Lovers' features the booming anthem 'Discord And Panic' which has previously garnered substantial blog acclaim as  well as being featured on the BBC 6 Music programme 'Introducing with Tom Robinson'. It also features the new track, the wistful 'Remember Me' which upon its release has already drawn more listeners into the world of The Mystic Underground. The song is currently available as a free download on the band's Facebook page.

Synths and sass. The Mystic Underground aim to be your new favourite band.

2012Candy Comments: This may well appeal from fans of OMD through to David Bowie. There is enough originality to carry the whole thing off.

Website: Official HERE. Listen: Remember Me. (mp3).
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Background: What started out as an experimental cross-breed of Jam Bands and Prog Rock turned raw Rock n’ Roll, grew into a force stronger than Jonathan and Bradley from Female Demand expected. Out of the ashes of fizzled musical projects begun rehearsal and the first songs that the band would ever write together.

Finding themselves as both individual musicians and as a band, the group had quickly become excited about the future, as they wrote more songs and sought out to play anywhere and everywhere in the Houston music circuit. Rocking as hard as the could at every show, the proved their worth both as a band and as performers.

People were naturally drawn to Female Demand’s stage approach as every show is filled with plenty of energy and loudness created by just two guys with a drum set and a bass rig. After 6 months of playing around Texas, the band ventured to the unknown territory of Los Angeles, CA, to create their 4-track EP with producer Manny Nieto (HEALTH, The Breeders, Los Lobos).

After only 3 days of recording and mixing, the band had completed their first self-titled EP. After a successful 2010 release, the group decided to expand their fanbase by booking their own tour to play 10 different states and 15 different cities in the U.S.. By the time late 2010 came, Female Demand was ready to get back into the studio again to blow the doors off of everything you know about Rock n’ Roll.

With one bass and one drum kit, the band worked on their first full length LP, Outside the Universe.  Consisting of ten tracks, the album shows Female Demand’s expansion of their style of experimental noise rock with the incorporation of vocals by both Johnathan and Bradley. Already being compared to Death from Above 1979 early on, Female Demand has enough ammunition to take over the world. Outside the Universe was released on June 26th. It’s time to hear what all the fuss is about and open your eyes.

2012Candy Comments: If you need a massive blast of sound that has you rocking rather than grating your teeth, this works. Not for the easy listening fan.

Listen: Paint Your Brains With My House. (mp3). 
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Background: Dangling Teeth, the sophomore album from Kelli Scarr out now, is rooted in the traditions of American folk, shot through with wanderlust and campfire warmth.

The album sees the Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter (an Emmy winning composer and former vocalist for Moby) coming into her own. Recorded live in Woodstock, NY and mixed to tape by Adam Lasus (Yo La Tengo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) and Joe Rogers (The Shivers, Noah And The MegaFauna), Dangling Teethfeatures Scott Metzger on guitar, Andrew Southern on bass, Taylor Floreth on drums, Jo Schornikow on piano / organ, string arrangements by Daniel Brantigan and the country sway of Jonathan Lam's pedal steel among others.

2012Candy Comments: Superb quality acoustic Americana that has both wonderful vocals and incredible accompanying musicianship.

Website: Official HERE. Listen: Dangling Teeth (mp3). 
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Mint Juleps, the latest full length album from the two-time Juno Award nominee Jeremy Fisher, was released on Tuesday, July 3, through Hidden Pony Records.

The fifth album by the Canadian, acoustic singer-songwriter, Jeremy Fisher returns to his folk-drenched musical roots and brings you to the lazy excitement of summer. This acoustic-driven full length journeys through Fisher's coy, sweet lyricism and the handpicked covers by the likes of Greg Brown and Jean Leloup.

Recorded off the studio floor, this album not only became a challenge for Fisher, but it gave the record an unremarkable shadow of simplicity. This simplicity shines through in songs like "Built to Last" where Fisher crafts an irresistible melody next to a subtle parable that calls for people to embrace a simple kind of life. 

With Mint Juleps, Jeremy Fisher provided himself a challenge, yet was still able to capture his most honest and carefree lyrics and melodies. He has been able to develop a great record from start to finish, and has built a career that is sure to last.

2012Candy Comments: Your feet not tapping? see a doctor immediately! As the promo said "carefree & full of melody".

Website: Facebook HERE. Listen: Built To Last. (mp3). 
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Background: Where hi-fi swagger meets low-fi sway, Skipping Girl Vinegar have carved out their own heart warming, hobo-pop aesthetic that is testament to the band's old-world authenticity and song craft. Lead single "Chase the Sun" has caught a lot of people's attention with its critically acclaimed 'Monkey in Space' film clip that has enjoyed extensive play on Australian music television and being awarded 'Rage clip of the week'. The EP was mixed in Nashville by legendary indie US producer Brad Jones (Josh Rouse, Missy Higgins) and in London by renowned mix engineer Adrian Bushby (Ben Kweller, Gomez, Foo Fighters).

Skipping Girl Vinegar has supported The Lemonheads and Angus & Julia Stone and are one of Australia's most talked about bands. Skipping Girl Vinegar's Chase the Sun EP hints at the depth of what is to come from this Australian five-piece.

2012Candy Comments: The harmonies are strong and work wonders over some very appealing anthemic and energised music.

Website: Official HERE. Listen: Chase The Sun. (mp3).
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Background: Conceived during their first US tour, Pressed And return with Hyper Thistle, their second EP of processed vocal and complex electronic experiments. The release is a bridge between their sound-defining debut, Imbue Up, and the more performance driven sound of their recent Daytrotter Session which is infusing the music they are working on for their first full-length.

The tone is quickly set as a chopped vocal and double-time break beat propel the EP forward. Chiming guitars interplay with delays and propulsive percussion before cutting to a slice of glitched out hip-hop that throws out the rules to transcend all well-worn electronic micro-genres. Ambiance creeps back into the fold with ethereal atmospherics and light drum-and-bass beats until a demented vocal chop and equilibrium throwing groove changes the mood completely. Finally pitched down vocals complete with higher register electronic wizardry creating something both future-sounding and soulful. With their second release Pressed And once again prove that they refuse to be trapped by tradition of genre in their quest for electronic bliss.

2012Candy Comments: How dare the accompanying promo to this say 'ethereal atmospherics', and leave me to come up with another expression that sums the music up.

Website: Official HERE. Listen: Andross To Aneki. (mp3). 
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Background: Talk Normal's sophomore LP Sunshine, out this fall on Joyful Noise Recordings, the Brooklyn duo unveil songs that sparkle with melody and dissonance. Jarring rhythms and feedback-drenched guitar tones lace Sunshine's nine surprisingly songful tunes - creating a sound informed by their predecessors (Cocteau Twins, Velvet Underground, Laurie Anderson & Creatures).

Unlike traditional noisy-rock, Talk Normal's Sunshine is steeped in melody, albeit unconventional melody. Sweet-sounding female vocals are present throughout, sometimes as sung lyrics and sometimes as instruments themselves. Ambro & Register's combined voices often volley back and forth, each providing equal contributions to vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation - meticulously orchestrating not only the arrangements, but also the tonality of each collected sound. As Pitchfork describes: "(their) vocals can handle both desperate screech and matter-of-fact detachment somewhere between Karen O and Kim Gordon." Combined with Register's flowing, nearly-drony riffs and Ambro's finely choreographed beats, the end result is a natural sonic cohesion. Maybe not the sunshine you're used to, but rays within which you'll want to bask.

2012Candy Comments: Somebody mentioned the Cocteau Twins and I was interested straight away. There could be many other references for Talk Normal, give them a break and take the wholesale originality as the reference point.

Website: Official HERE. Listen: Bad Date. (mp3).
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Background: The Black Cadillacs are a 6-piece rock & roll band from Knoxville, TN made up of Will Horton, Philip Anderson, Matthew Hyrka, John Phillips, Kevin Hyfantis and Adam Bonomo. Over the last 3 years they have been working hard to hone their sound and live performance, and have made a name for themselves in the Knoxville region. Their sophomore album Run was released through Young Giant on June 5, 2012.

They draw upon a diverse group of influences from classic bands like The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Pink Floyd to more modern bands like My Morning Jacket, The Black Keys, and Jack White. The Black Cadillacs have melded together their many influences to create an album full of strong guitar melodies that are matched with catchy lyrics, which will have you singing along in no time. 

Describing their single "Classic Fool" off of Run, Jason Harrison of Sirens of Decay wrote, "This is a band that sometimes delves into the lowest of lows, but they have a good fu##in' time doing it.  'Classic Fool' begins on that some solitary island, Horton's vocals carrying wistfully while the melody finds its feet. The guitars find their horses at the midway point with a bit of help from some beautiful organ accompaniment and 'Classic Fool' really hits its stride."

2012Candy Comments: OK the names are clearly similar and I reckon there is a nod and a wink to The Black Crowes, that said, this most definitely is The Black Cadillacs and boy do they rock.

Website: Official HERE. Listen: Choke. (mp3).
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Background: The Raveonettes have premiered their first single "She Owns The Streets" - from their upcoming album "Observator" out September 11th on Vice Records.

Inspired by their surroundings, The Raveonettes have always been able to capture the experiences and emotions of every day life. "She Owns The Streets" is a perfect example of this.

Songwriter Sune Rose Wagner says, "The real people I'd met and experiences I had over the last year in NY and Venice, CA all bled into these new songs. 'She Owns The Streets' for example is about a New York City street dancer. I've noticed her before dancing wildly on Bowery, running crazily in the street among the cabs and horrified passers-by. A friend of mine introduced me to her and we struck up a friendship. In 20 minutes I had written a song about the pleasures and pitfalls of being perceived as either a drug-crazed girl or an insane individual, simply because she dares to defy the laws of civility and conformity. Isolation can be a wonderful thing, but it doesn't afford you this kind of inspiration."

2012Candy Comments: Top quality indie rock with super backing harmonies over a lifting song, would you expect less from these people?

Website: Official HERE. Listen: She Owns The Streets. (mp3).
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Background: Making Marks, from Oslo, Norway are the latest addition to Fika Recordings label. After 5 years as My Little Pony, they’ve slimmed down to a 4 piece to become Making Marks. They’ve gigged with the likes of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Asobi Seksu and Marit Larsen, toured extensively around Europe and the USA, including appearances at SXSW.

The debut single from Making Marks, Ticket Machine, will be released by Fika Recordings in October 2012 on 7″ vinyl. They’ll be in the UK playing some shows in September – full details to come. A full length album is due in the spring of 2013.

2012Candy Comments: Looking forward to hearing more from Making Marks based on the strength of this song. I still reckon there is something in Scandinavian water that produces such great indie music.

Website: tumblr HERE. Listen: Hard To Be Good. (mp3).
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Background: The Jelly Project has already garnered the ultimate accolade a young band could ask for... biker cred.

Motorcycle gangs flock to see this band tear it up. Outlaws and hipsters alike seem to be smitten with Jelly, a fiery young twin cities girl who's voice and stage presence echo the great Janis Joplin, and her band of burly, bearded boys who lay down the funk like their life depends on it. The fact that this rag tag group stumbled into writing some of the most poignant and moving rock of 2012 should be duly noted.

2012Candy Comments: I think you should draw any comparisons with Janis Joplin with real caution. There are some similarities but this is good enough to stand on it's own feet, decades on and this type of craft still has wide appeal.

Website: reverbnation HERE. Listen: Crazy World. (mp3).
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