BEEHIVE CANDY

The Big Bend - Celebrate. Background promo - “Celebrate” is the title track to The Big Bend’s new album that the always-reliable label Misra Records (Phosphorescent, Melaena Cadiz, Destroyer, etc) is putting out on July 22nd. Celebrate is the band's fourth release and has all the hallmarks of a career milestone, calling to mind early-‘70s Neil Young in its songwriting, with vocals reminiscent of The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle. The Big Bend is led by Chet Vincent, who's been kicking around Pittsburgh playing in bands since he was a teenager. A regular fixture of the city’s quietly thriving music scene, he's established a reputation as one of the city’s most dedicated figures. Celebrate shows the band’s dynamic range - from the first discordant, psychedelic notes of album opener “The Spins,” through the closing bars of the stripped-down, folky “Su La Ley.” In between, Vincent’s vocals show range stylistically, from shouts on the rowdier tunes, to lilting crooning rem...

Cigars Of The Pharaoh - Mystery Highway. Background - Sometimes a band just comes out of nowhere. You might hear it in the background at a bar, or it might hit you on the radio while you’re stuck in traffic. Chances are, if you’ve heard Sydney’s Cigars Of The Pharaoh, you’ll know about it. With a power-packed sound that tips its hat to the blues rock genre, Cigars Of The Pharaoh have risen up to bring the groove back to the Australian music scene with a punch that feels good. The band formed in the early part of 2015 as a four-piece - a mixed bag of guys with a multitude of musical influences and pasts that gelled from the get-go. From indie pop to hard rock, soul to RnB, this special union of musical minds has created something that’s fresh, based on everything they’ve learned and heard from a combined experience of many decades inside the scene. Cigars completed the recording of their debut EP within months of forming, such was the pace at which their unique blend of talents mov...

Background: With a classic touch like James Morrison, the folky heart of Ray LaMontagne, and a unique melodic adventurousness, George Woods creates his own signature style of Folk-Funk. George Woods’ effervescent lyrics and lighthearted indie folk sounds shine through on his new full-length studio album, “Heartbeat” which drops Summer 2012 in Boston, MA and online. “Heartbeat” features thirteen interwoven tracks, each blending classic grooves with stellar songwriting to guide the listener through a storybook summer soundtrack. The record aims to be relatable, and keep you moving with lush string arrangements, heart felt lyrics, and solid grooving rhythms. Some highlights are tracks like the laughable danceable "Stock In The Stars," or the gospel inspired powerhouse "Marry Me.” George’s solo project began after the dissolution of his group Birds In The Woods, a Boston based band that won the 2008 Boston Music Festival, received radio spins at home and abroad, and s...

Background: Having grown up with two home towns, it was almost destined that Sarah Beatty would occupy the space that exists between things. She grew up in Rochester, NY and Parry Sound, ON and cut her musical teeth in Parry Sound and Niagara. This singer-songwriter now calls Hamilton home. Her first full length album Black Gramophone was released earlier this year on May 24th. Earning her a spot at this year’s Mariposa Showcase, Beatty has gone straight to the fundamentals in her debut solo effort. In the collection of 12 original songs, she pares down the instrumentation and ramps up the contemplation, curiosity, and charm of honest-to-goodness song writing. Recorded live off the floor, hers are where lyric, melody, and rhythm exist in distilled form. Purposeful in her approach, Beatty is a courageous one, letting smart lyrics, strong melodies, and a listener’s imagination take centre stage in this intimate and conversational recording. Sarah Beatty writes, mos...

Background: The Peach Kings , Texan Paige McClain Wood and Californian Steven Trezevant Dies, recently released their new EP Handsome Moves  (September 6, 2012). They describe their sound as "gypsydelic," which is just what it sounds like. Stemming from their inability to choose one genre of music to play, they coined the term in order to reflect their own personal view of the band. "Gypsy-" because they were inspired by playing outdoors and "-delic" because it contains just a hint of strange.  Paige and Steven are strongly influenced by visuals in cinema and fashion. In fact, Drew Barrymore discovered their music and selected them to be a part of her Spring Music Preview spread for V Magazine, alongside the likes of Mayer Hawthorne, M83, Spank Rock, Warpaint, and The Drums. The duo fill the gap between upbeat rock and downtempo electronic, with comparisons being made to The Black Keys, Mazzy Star and The XX. Similarities can also be drawn to Little...