Playing catch up here on Beehive Candy does have it's upside. Today I was going through getting on for 100 artists and their music, playing a little piece from each and deciding whether to feature them, delete & move on, or play again and see if my mood just didn't fit the music at the time.
Well I must have been in a pretty good place because as I have around thirty artists I have short listed to feature and that's in addition to the many that deserve a mention still, whilst we were 'sleeping'.
Joni Fatora was a real stand out artist amongst the many I listened to today, taking nothing away from the rest, she just grabbed my attention the most. I remember the first time I heard First Aid Kit singing Cross Oceans a good few years ago, I am certain I was not the only person who thought they would reach greater heights back then. Well I'm not directly comparing the music, rather the freshness and distinct charm of Joni Fatora's music, and that feeling that this is something quite special.
Her background tells us - A crystalline voice and sentiment as clear as a child’s conscience –this is the marrow of folk singer-songwriter, Joni Fatora. At 22, her songs lure the heart like a siren and whisper with history as old as fisherman’s tales. There is no loud diversion; she is a writer in its purest form, a storyteller, and her life is the inkwell.
The daughter of a Sailor, Joni’s childhood carried her on a voyage across the world, always tied to the ocean. From the Mediterranean to the Sea of Japan and both the Atlantic and Pacific, her comfort lies in the uprooting. Her new five-song EP, aptly titled "Navigator," explores that unrest. Growing up, Joni’s parents couldn’t offer their young daughter much musical aptitude. Instead they offered her an acoustic guitar and a life worth writing about. It was with this alchemic uncovering that she began to spin her stories into songs.
In 2012, Joni found herself on a surprisingly different radar with a song called "Bullet Train;" a song she wrote at the request of a friend, Stephen Swartz. The track broke into the top 10 iTunes Electronic charts and sold over 100,000 singles to date. Her emphasis on lyrics is what separated her from the crowds. This success gave way to other electronic collaborations –uncharted water for a girl who grew up on The Beatles and Paul Simon. And so began the trend of Joni floating into a vast sea of genres while keeping her heart anchored deeply in a love of folk and indie rock.
Joni took close to a year to create "Navigator," finding a muse in Dreamland Recording Studio and enlisting the help of her close musical collaborators, Noise Club (Chris Petrosino and Rob McCurdy). The mystic air of an old church turned recording studio helped inspire some of Joni’s favourite records including Fleet Foxes’ ‘Helplessness Blues’ and The National’s ‘Trouble Will Find Me’. With the aspirations to expound upon her previous release (Blue Road) and explore open waters she sings, “I wish I could be a ship out to sea.” What she doesn’t realise is that she is the ship and we are her eager passengers.
Get in there quick folks, here's a chance to download a free copy of a really great song from Dioni Sydney’s Sweet, Soulful, Sassy Chanteuse - Australian Pop Singer! (someone else's words after 'Sydney's' - but hey they work).
You only have a few days and I have to say if you love Dusty Springfield or Sandie Shaw, this is a must.
Quoting elsewhere - "Blessed with a heavenly voice and showing her masterful use of a huge range while incorporating warm beautiful lows and powerful honey dipped highs."
-O Kosmos
Her promo tells us that - Dioni has traveled extensively throughout Greece, performing in ancient theatres and stadiums in support of bands such as Faithless, Soft Cell, and The Chemical Brothers. She has also collaborated with many other respected European electronic artists. Dioni has performed as a solo artist in Australia, France, Germany, Greece, and Qatar. Dioni is an extraordinarily versatile artist who has a multilingual repertoire (including seven languages) and the ability to sing in multiple genres.
More information on Dioni and her upcoming EP set for release on May 19th, 2015. is available on her official site.
Beehive Candy's verdict - love it, simple as that! Download HERE.
I'm sat in front of my computer screen wondering where on earth to start. I could be clever here, do a month by month catch up of all the new music, that has come Beehive Candy's way since the beginning of 2013. I'm not sure who would be put off the quickest by that idea, you or me?
The idea (I think) is to try and get Beehive Candy going again, however two years on and the world of web music coverage has moved on considerably. There are (as you know) some really professional music sites around and as previously mentioned You Tube seems currently, to be a good first port of call for live concerts both official and unofficial. So I think Beehive Candy will for a while at least, just do it's own thing and see how some new ideas can fit in. It was and still is the new music promos that have made me feel like getting Beehive Candy up and running again.
Therefore, for a while and most definitely in no order whatsoever, 'Whilst We Were Asleep' will feature some of the music that has come our way since we took a rather long siesta. These artists and songs are featured for a mixture of reasons such as, I like the music, it's different in a good way, maybe it tests a few boundaries, or it's just catchy.
So in no order at all lets start with Vienna Ditto. This song was released in February and they are due a new album any time now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexie Roth gained my attention in 2013. Lexie has been playing music since she was eight years old. Just ten years later, her debut album One Long Blink was released and gained attention as far as Japan. Since then, she has appeared on two of her father’s albums, Toolin’ Around Woodstock featuring Levon Helm on drums and his previous album Landscape. Most recently, "Call You My Hon" off her self-titled album was featured in the independent film shown in the Tribeca Film Festival "Maria My Love" produced and directed by Jasmine McGlade Chazelle in which starred the late Karen Black.
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This is more recent. Annie Woodward has an album due out around now, I'm often playing it, there something that just works for me.
Annie Woodward is a grunge folk-rocker born and raised in Scandinavia who originally set out to write lyrics for other bands. Through her projects in theatre Annie found her own voice in music and has been performing ever since. She has played two independent tours, one European and one in Northern America. Annie spent most of 2014 couch surfing and taking trains and buses across the US playing shows and making her first album.
This album, 2 faces on a clown is released on AmpÆr records, a small independent label founded by Annie and one of her childhood friends. Half of the record was produced by Mike Davidson in Boston and half by Sean Bloom in Los Angeles with the title-track produced by rock-singer Alexa Melo and mixed by Christian Hand who was the man behind the first Mowglis record. Annie's first album is the result of crowd-funding, luck and "really good friends".
The first single from 2 faces on a clown, Eager to talk debuted on Norwegian national radio summer of 2014. As of 2015 Woodward is again based in Oslo, Norway working with a full band and also writing and directing theatre for her company Playroom.
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Back last September Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios released Tombstone. The promo at the time had this to say -
"Tombstone," from Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios, showcases a "wall of guitar" trademark style that alerts the listener that classic rock is alive and well. As the album unfolds, catchy pop hooks and epic rock harmonies are unveiled in a ceremony of searing sound. Complete with social commentary and a defined style, once described by Magnet as a "blend of power pop, folk rock and Tom Petty/Neil Young classicism," listeners are reminded of the individuality of a Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios record upon first hearing "Tombstone." Hopkins, who has been a part of the American music scene since 1985, is, amazingly, still an undiscovered talent to some. Founding the Tucson, Ariz. based Sidewinders (RCA 1989-91)/Sand Rubies (Polygram 1993), Hopkins toured the U.S. and celebrated success with college/indie rock classics "Witchdoctor" and "We Don't Do That Anymore" (both went to #5 on the CMJ charts). In 1991, Hopkins formed Rich Hopkins and The Luminarios as a side project; it soon became his full time band when the Sand Rubies stopped touring. He has consistently cranked out new records and tours yearly in Germany/Europe (25 tours) where, in 1996, he was one of the first artists signed to Germany's Blue Rose Records.
A new member of the Tucson Musicians Museum (Class of 2013), Hopkins enters music history as the quintessential desert rocker, a constant in the bedrock of alternative music. As evidenced on "Tombstone," Hopkins possesses an ability to create unmistakable guitar tones that drive a hallmark sound and, as the years pass, he continues to reinvent and motivate himself for yet another album and tour.
The mention of Classic Rock usually leave me cold, bands that should have quit or moved on, seem to fill my mind, although rationally, I know there are some good bands today that have that label. If this si classic rock, then classic rock is alive and well.
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Back to 2014 again and Eilidh McKellar. The promo had this to say - When trying to describe Eilidh McKellar, BBC Radio may have said it best: “No silly overplaying, just quiet confidence and genuine virtuosity.” McKellar, a dazzling 20-year-old phenom from Edinburgh, Scotland, seems to be taking the industry by storm with her smoky rasp and astounding guitar chops. Her highly anticipated debut album, Delta Devil Dreams, was released on October 7, 2014. The album is a collection of meticulously crafted songs that rock hard, go down easy and expose young Eilidh’s bluesy old soul. Produced by Grammy award-winning Guy Eckstine, Delta Devil Dreams maintains a contemporary, indie feel while paying tribute to British rock royalty like Humble Pie, Led Zeppelin and The Yardbirds.
In the humble opinion of Beehive Candy, worth checking out (have we said that before?).
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Finally we are back in 2013 again when the excellent (as all of the above musically are for me - there you go, well balanced journalism) Star Anna was introduced to Beehive Candy.
These words were said about her- "Star Anna is an American original. She sings from a place of beauty that takes me to a higher place," says Pearl Jam's Mike McCready.
Guns 'n' Roses/Velvet Revolver's Duff McKagan says, "She is the real deal. She will be a talent that we can all say that we saw her when. Guaranteed."
Star Anna's latest, Go To Hell (Spark & Shine Records), will find you agreeing with McCready and McKagan.
A dark, haunting collection of songs that capture the essence of betrayal, regret, and hope, Go To Hell delivers melodic, soaring folk-rock with an Americana heart, best described as Americana-soul, and it will penetrate right to your core.
Seattle, Washington, by way of Ellensburg, Star Anna's Go To Hell, comprised of ten tracks, was a hard record for her to make. Her personal life was in upheaval as the record was being made; yet Star Anna persevered and came out better for it.
"There were a lot of battles going on at the time this record was being made and a lot of betrayals that I was dealing with that had been woven into my personal life as well as the life of this record," recalls Star. "We decided to keep moving forward and make this record. The title speaks for itself."
OK then, well in all honesty that really is just a random taster, whilst looking back over the last couple of years it really is hard to know where to start. But start Beehive Candy has, I hope to follow this up with part two sometime real soon.
Following an enormous sleep, it would appear that Beehive Candy has started to wake.
This could be a good thing, or this might be a dangerous set of circumstances. There may be life in the old dog yet, and reports of our demise may well be premature.
Planet Earth may be in a bad way, it's occupants happily marching off to oblivion, therefore a little light entertainment may ease the pain.
As it has taken this long to think about doing Beehive Candy again, may we suggest you check out the real meaning of life whilst we get our act together, that said something may well be stirring in the depths, let's hope it ain't the Kraken.
With a few new ideas knocking about, a mountain of new music arriving weekly and, some surprisingly decent music and songs hidden amongst the inevitable pile of 'can I be rich and famous' well no, not reallymaterial, Beehive Candy has cause to think, shall we, well shall we?
The message then is don't hold your breath quite yet, thanks for all the support and messages received in our inbox, and please above all else to some music promoters, stop pretending you have just visited Beehive Candy & love it, when we have been AWOL for two years, that said to all the others thanks for your past support, lets see what we can do for music fans, well lets see anyway...
