Surfacing nearly a decade ago from long oceanic shores, dream-pop luminaries French for Rabbits create music that feels like it has been crafted from the fabric of the New Zealand landscape and psyche – with its salty waves, isolated coastlines, expansive skies and friendly, approachable people. That is to say, their music is at once intimate and expansive, welcoming and wary, poetic but piercing. Emerging from a vibrant local folk scene alongside other idiosyncratic talents Marlon Williams, Aldous Harding, and Tiny Ruins, together the band have released three records - NZ Music Award nominated EP Claimed by the Sea; Spirits and 2019’s The Weight of Melted Snow.
They’ve toured in the US and Europe, opening for acts such as Lorde, Agnes Obel and performed at SXSW, Iceland Airwaves and WOMAD. Despite racking up millions of streams and seeing their music appear in shows from Vampire Diaries to Being Human, the band have remained close to their DIY roots co-running local label Home Alone, and performing in various other bands in their Wellington home-town.
New single ‘The Overflow’, the title-track from their upcoming LP, is their most immediate and compelling to date - the song is an optimistic take on anxiety and panic attacks - hopeful and soothing on the surface, with deep-seated fears close beneath. Frontwoman Brooke Singer is locked in a battle between head and heart as she seeks to rationalise the mechanics of a panic attack - yet, the song is weightless and optimistically bright in delivery.
“Nobody needs to hear about the admin of an indie musician, but I can tell you – it could be a mountain higher than Everest if you let it,” explains Singer. “At times, I’ve found myself on the edge of burn-out and having panic attacks…I dream of living in a cabin by a river, with a dog and fireplace and a simple life with friends around for dinner. But I’m also filled to the brim with ideas for projects, new songs and new challenges,” she continues, a tug of war familiar to many creatives. “It’s just a river, a current / it’s just a heartbeat out of time” she sings, lulling herself back to reality when her heart is racing.
Jennah Barry is back with a new single, Venus In Heat, which like that LP, is produced by Colin Nealis (longtime Andy Shauf collaborator and bassist).
It's right in line with the groovy 70s-inspired acoustic pop of Holiday, with her vocals front and center as they should be.
Here's a quick quote from Jennah about the track: This song is about the first few days of falling in love, when you feel great and terrible all at the same time.
New Jersey native, London-dwelling artist, Baba Ali has today released his new single, "Thought Leader which trails previous tracks playlisted by BBC 6 Music and KCRW and tipped by Clash, NME, The Line of Best Fit and Paste. Premiered via Lauren Laverne on 6 Music, this latest single, which welds fuzzy guitars with a propulsive electronic beat, arrives as another installment of the forthcoming debut album, Memory Device that comes produced by Al Doyle (Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem) and is out via Memphis Industries on August 27, 2021.
Baba says of "Thought Leader": “The demo started out really bare with this sampled Warsaw drum beat and an overdriven bass line I’d recorded while still in America. I sent it over to Nik in London at about 3 AM UK time and he sent loads of guitar takes back for me to work with like an hour later. It was quite clear the song had potential. When we finished off with Al, the song managed to not lose its more punk energy and influence, as Al was intent on not cleaning out any grit. An added bonus was having Al play live drums and bass on the recording, which let him get away from the desk and to get his hands dirty.."
"The self-directed music video for Thought Leader was made in collaboration with visual artist Dan Tombs (www.2ms.studio) , and took inspiration from the 1976 video work This Is a Television Receiver by British artist David Hall."
Dana Gavanski final single before next weeks album release is 'Small Favours', a stripped back piece that builds a little without losing a natural personal vibe. === We have always been fans of live music on Beehive Candy so Jakob's Ferry Stragglers live single 'Poison River' is very welcome especially as it's a fabulous Bluegrass song with superb musicianship. === Glenn Thomas shares 'Catherine Ames' an intimate modern folk song that is fabulously arranged. === Accompanied by a dramatic video Deleo has just released 'Unfair' a moody and hook filled modern pop song. === Our fourth feature for Jennah Barry just ahead of her 'Holiday' album release is for the new single 'Rocket' which is another beautiful soft rock song.
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Dana Gavanski - Small Favours.
Serbian-Canadian musician Dana Gavanski will release her debut album, Yesterday Is Gone, on March 27th via Flemish Eye Records (Canada), Ba Da Bing Records (Americas) and Full Time Hobby (Rest of the World). This weekend she presents “Small Favours”, the final single before the album release later this month. Dana shared her state of mind when she wrote “Small Favours” and how it came to her in a song. “Small Favours expresses cheekiness. A playful dismissal of heaviness and getting bogged down by emotions, acknowledging how things may seem small when they’re big and big when they’re small.”
By turns break-up album, project of curiosity, and, as Dana puts it, “a reckoning with myself,” Yesterday Is Gone is an album of longing and devotion to longing, and of the uncertainty that arises from learning about oneself, of pushing boundaries, falling hard, and getting back up. Moments of beguilement splinter a backdrop of tenderly picked guitar, bass, synth, and poppier elements, which commune to produce her own kind of wall of sound. Each component is meticulously placed, yielding a deeply sincere response to the chaos of human emotion.
Yesterday Is Gone was co-produced between Dana, Toronto-based musician Sam Gleason, and Mike Lindsay (Tunng and LUMP w/ Laura Marling). While Sam helped Dana bring out the tunes, Mike’s input marked the beginning of developing Dana’s sound. The two kept stripped it down to the essentials, keeping things bare and letting the songs speak for themselves. The album shapeshifted as it passed through the hands of Dana, Sam, and Mike, taking on different tastes, feelings, and visions. When Dana performed the songs with a band, they found new form again. She was intrigued by performers like David Bowie and Aldous Harding, who inhabit different personalities on stage, physically tuning themselves to their music.
“Often we have to go a little far in one direction to learn something about ourselves,” Dana says. The months of solitary writing and self-doubt testify to this, but they’ve led to Yesterday Is Gone: an optimistic, steely-eyed gaze into the future.
Jakob's Ferry Stragglers are eager and ready to release their first live album into the world, titled "The Straggle is Live". The album is a curation of the group's greatest hits and was recorded live at The Church Recording Studio by Dana Cannone. The set was performed on 10/9/19 with a private, invite-only intimate audience. It was mixed & mastered by Will Shenk at Metier Mastering in Front Royal, VA.
“The Straggle is Live'' started with an idea to capture the animated onstage energy of the band, in a controlled studio environment. It’s not often that a recorded bluegrass album truly matches the sights and sounds of seeing the talent live in-person.
The team took this task to heart and has produced an outcome where the at-home listener can truly understand what it means to be at a live Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers show. "Poison River (LIVE)" will be released ahead of the full album, which is set for a drop date of May 22, 2020, at their first-time appearance at legendary The Station Inn in Nashville, ahead of their weekend at DelFest in Cumberland, MD.
Glenn Thomas new song is called "Catherine Ames," named for the antagonist of Steinbeck's East Of Eden. In it, Glenn sings to Catherine and cathartically tells her he's let her go. The song is about resolution and moving forward.
Glenn says of "Catherine Ames": "This song takes it name from the antagonist in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Cathy Ames. She’s pretty evil and causes a lot of pain for the main character. This song is about holding on to pain and anger as though they are part of your identity.
Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting, and as with any kind of healing and moving forward, it takes time. There was a moment for me when I realized I wasn’t holding onto something in my past that hurt me and had become part of me for years, and it was a really cathartic thing to write about. I pulled Steinbeck’s character name because there is a similar theme of resolution and moving forward in that story that was relatable, and he’s one of my favorite American authors."
He's such a poetically clever songwriter, and his sound is like Brit-pop-inspired folky vintage sunshine. Would you be willing to share this one? The song is out officially on 3/20. We'd be so grateful for the support!
Unfair is representative of our sound – a hybrid of pop, rock and electro, as if these genres never split apart but remained a single, fused supercontinent.
The track is a good way to discover our music.
It’s a ballad, maybe our most subtly mutant song, one you can curl up in and sail away, as smooth as Black’s ‘Wonderful Life’ blended with Garbage and Archive.
Jennah's new single is entitled 'Rocket'. Quote from Jennah: "Rocket is about acting on impulse and saying things you can’t take back."
"Rocket" comes from the gorgeous Jennah Barry LP Holiday, coming March 27th 2020 on Forward Music Group. Majorly recommended for fans of Andy Shauf, whose bandmate Colin Nealis produced the LP, the songs here are built to last, with echoes of those soft-rock classics often referred to as "AM gold."
Barry's vocals are warm and weave through the arrangements with so much skill. The arrangements are full and pillowey but always pull up short of being cloying or overdone, more-so than the source material she's referencing. This record is like catnip for me, honestly, just a true pleasure to listen to.
Lilla Parasit were featured a couple of times here towards the end of last year and they return today with 'Eirik', a song that sees them continue to explore differing rock moods with imagination. === Los Angeles based trio Rubaiyat have today released 'Breathers' a distinctive and atmospheric alt rocker. === Another band we shared music from twice last year are Union Duke who now have a video for the fabulous and refined roots rock song 'Left Behind'. === Whilst we are on the subject of artists who made a couple of appearances here last year Jennah Barry is another and has just shared 'Big Universe' accompanied by a video, her gorgeous vocals again shining through ahead of her new album due in March.
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Lilla Parasit - Eirik.
Late 2019, Lilla Parasit signed to Stockholm label family Rama Lama Records (Chez Ali, Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Julia Rakel etc.) and introduced themselves with the excellent 'Gaslights' which was followed by 'Feather Soul', both receiving praise from Scandinavian and international sources. Today, new single 'Eirik' is released on all platforms, the third cut from the band's forthcoming, self-titled debut mini album which is out in March.
Lilla Parasit may be a new band, but the members are no strangers for fans of the Swedish psychedelic and indie scene. The band is lead by Are, who's band Melby released their debut album last spring to great acclaim, and made complete by Amanda Lindgren (Systraskap), David Svedmyr (Me and My Kites) and Jessica Klingsell.
The project started out three years ago and has since changed both names and members before finding both the perfect setting and sound. The band's grand semi-psychedelic lo-fi folk is now finally ready to reach the world's ears. Eirik showcases the band's bombastic sides and is an absolute highlight from the upcoming mini album Lilla Parasit, out in March 2020.
Are on Eirik: "I started out with this blunt, kind of stupid guitar riff. Didn’t really think it would go anywhere, but then the verse melody came to me and I felt like the contrast between them had something. You could say the song moves between something fragile, almost embarassingly personal and something bold and pompous. And in the long instrumental parts we dive into that contrast. To me, Pelle Westlins saxophone pushes the whole thing to the limit of how many conflicting moods i can take in at the same time. And I think that’s good for a song."
"Tired from my teeth on edge like razorblades stuck end to end" - "Breathers is about getting caught up in an abusive relationship where you aren't valued and you struggle against the perpetuation of your own self-deprecating negativity. There's always a part of me that can't help but keep loving someone I've loved before- no matter the state of our current relationship or how they've treated me in the past. There's a fine line, however, between acknowledging some abuse or developing a kind of Stockholm syndrome. It can be hard to see someone in a new light when you've known them another way for so long." - Joel Heinrich
About Rubaiyat: Rubaiyat is a three-Piece doom wop/indie rock band based out of Los Angeles, CA. In April 2018 songwriter Joel Heinrich assembled his friends to sing off-kilter songs that take a darkly honest look at his brushes with love. With undercurrents of alternative rock like Pixies or Sonic Youth, Rubaiyat's lyrical content is focused on distilling moments into morsels of insight of life and love’s hedonistic and nihilistic tendencies.
Heinrich recruited Matt Camgros (drums) and Ian Earley (vocals, bass guitar) and the trio began playing shows around L.A., including spots like The Satellite, Hotel Cafe, Highland Park Bowl, and The Love Song Bar. In late July 2018 Rubaiyat recorded their debut EP, “O” with August Ogren at Petting Zoo in Minneapolis.
Inspired as a modern manifestation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Rubaiyat’s music captures the inevitable dichotomy present in romantic love; sonically embodying, through dissonance and harmony, the conflict and confusion of finding love when it seems impossible and the discord between the bliss of romance and the dread of a life without meaning.
“Left Behind is exactly what you think it is: a song about leaving things behind. We were trying to capture the feeling of loneliness and isolation one can feel when they’re far from the one(s) they love - both lyrically and musically. It’s about the distance often forced between us and the longing to be together again.
It’s the only soft-ish song of the music we’ve released over the last year and once we got in the studio with it we had the opportunity to explore some really cool ideas that are pretty new for us. It was a lot of fun building this tune and taking it from mellow and simmering to a driving banjo-driven sing-along…plus lapsteel!" - Ethan Smith
Based in Toronto, Canada, Union Duke comprise Matt, Ethan, Jim, Will and Rob, genuine friends who take influence from the gems of their parents’ record collections and injecting an extra dose of rock n roll attitude, whilst staying to the traditional roots. Five singers; five songwriters; countless reasons for them to be your new favourite band. With three albums, countless festival stages, and hundreds of thousands of kilometres in the rear-view, the band is excited to be touring new music and winning new fans everywhere they go.
In the two years since their last record Golden Days, Union Duke has been steadily travelling and unravelling across the country, and they’re ready to share the lessons they’ve learned with a slate of new music. Having played at at London’s The Moth Club on 28th January as part of AmericanaFest UK, Union Duke put on a high energy live show complete with soaring harmonies, driving rhythm, chicken pickin' guitar licks and banjo at a breakneck speed. Their humour and infectious enthusiasm will put a grin on your face and have you kicking up dust on the dancefloor. Union Duke are five guys, twenty-four beers, and a half-ton truckload of foot stomping folk rock. Left Behind is the final single to be released from their EP, following Atlas of Love; Ladidadida and 1,2,3.
"There was a period in my life where I read my horoscope not matter how goofy the source was. I was circling the drain a bit and was desperate for someone to tell me what to do. The horoscope writer for US weekly did not help me with this. Big Universe is about that.
And despite the confusion I was feeling in the song (Big Universe) I worked with 3 really great women on the music video and had a very life-affirming experience (something that doesn’t necessarily happen very often in the biz). We went overboard with a haze machine and created a storyline for a woman who plays big for no one".
"Big Universe" comes from the gorgeous Jennah Barry LP Holiday, coming March 2020 on Forward Music Group. Majorly recommended for fans of Andy Shauf, whose bandmate Colin Nealis produced the LP, the songs here are built to last, with echoes of those soft-rock classics often referred to as "AM gold." Barry's vocals are warm and weave through the arrangements with so much skill. The arrangements are full and pillowy but always pull up short of being cloying or overdone, more-so than the source material she's referncing.
Hussy has released 'YLMD' where her creative alt pop has a rockier edge as Sophie Nicole Ellison impresses us big time. === Lannigan poses the question 'Where Do We Go From Here?' his vocals urging for an answer on this melodic bedroom pop track. === Duo Tall Heights share 'Under Your Skin' a blissful, melodic song with an atmospheric and gorgeous vibe. === Our second feature for Smoke Fairies following 'Disconnect' (just over a week ago), they are back with another fine rocker 'Elevator'. === Talking of quick returns to Beehive Candy Albon is back with 'Big Sur Theme' we described his last track as "a refreshing and bright sounding piece" something he is clearly good at creating. === Swiss band Dirty Sound Magnet have a new video for 'Social Media Girl' the distinctive psych rock band are in splendid sonic form. === Scottish bandJohn Edge & The Kings Of Nowhere have a new song and video for 'It Calls' a beautiful folk rock track. === Finally today we have a second appearance here by Jennah Barry with the beautiful and tender folk song 'Pink Grey Blue'.
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Hussy - YLMD.
HUSSY, the moniker of Sophie Nicole Ellison, has been tucked away in South East London creating her trademark alt-pop sound, perfectly encapsulated in newest offering, ‘YLMD’. The multi-instrumentalist moved from North East England to London and has been playing drums for various bands and working as a studio engineer. During this time, she started writing for HUSSY, her avant-garde dream pop project.
Having only released three singles since October 2019, she has quickly worked up a reputation as one of the most exciting new alt-pop acts around. Like (Sandy) Alex G, Jay Som, Ty Segall, Sophie plays, produces and layers all of the instrumentation entirely herself. Gathering support at DIY, So Young, The Line of Best Fit and Clash, she recently supported FEELS and Lala Lala, whilst also being invited back to The New Colossus Festival in New York for 2020 after playing this March.
A pivotal release for HUSSY, ‘YLMD’ is the first track to have spent longer in the studio than Sophie’s bedroom with a particular focus on production: “I really wanted to up what I’ve been doing sonically. Before now I’d been recording nearly everything at home but went to a proper studio to redo some elements from the original home demo.” As a talented musician, being a multi-instrumentalist became a kind of superpower: “The whole process became a reaffirmation of how/ why I make music the way I do. Playing everything myself enables me to immerse myself in the creative process and in the end became a form of self-empowerment, something I wanted to prove to myself I could continue to do”
Although the message of ‘YLMD’ is moody, musically it feels “dramatic and fun, inspired by new wave ballads with some conflicting noise underneath.” Sophie explains “I could almost say at this stage it has become a love letter to self-empowerment and things going wrong. You can guess once you hear the lyrics, YLMD stands for You Let Me Down. I wrote it a few years ago and feels like it’s almost taken on a new meaning for me now than when I wrote it. Originally it was the frustration over seeing loved one’s self-destruction. Ultimately though, it’s a journey of reflection and self-empowerment.”
Emerging as a completely independent artist, HUSSY’s steady rise seems shrouded in strength and she puts it best herself: “This song has become a reminder of how important trusting yourself is to me."
Fresh from a creative slumber, Sydney bedroom-pop act Lannigan have dreamt up a single for the tender hearts and those lost in love with Where Do We Go From Here.
The silky guitars and pillowy synths in Where Do We Go From Here are the perfect support as Lannigan explores the feeling of uncertainty experienced in a relationship when you’re not sure whether staying or going is the right thing to do. His calm but sonorous voice leaves you staring into the ceiling, exhaling, relaxing into the songs charmingly therapeutic vibe.
Lannigan is the studio project of singer-songwriter Ben Roach. The project started in 2015, when Ben started working closely with producer and high school friend Luke Payne. The initial stages of the project were made up of mainly love songs played and written on acoustic guitar. However, after years of writing and recording music together, their partnership has developed and the sound of Lannigan has matured immensely with their debut single High attracting positive reviews from Eastside 89.7FM and was even added to Good Intent’s Weekly Playlists.
Majority of the track was recorded at Parliament Studios in Leichardt, Sydney. The mellow maturity of the song’s production belies the extent of the how fully the sentiment sits within the confusion and yearning of young love, Where Do We Go From Here has a low-key approach to a good groove and but a rousing sense of song. All things considered, Lannigan know exactly what they’re doing.
From playing on the streets of Boston to now performing in venues across the globe, the duo of Paul Wright and Tim Harrington, together known as TALL HEIGHTS, have built a career from the ground up, diligently as a relentless touring act. It’s been a journey of consistent evolution for the longtime best friends – everything from instrumentation to production to the size of their band has changed throughout the years, hand-in-hand with an ever-growing audience of listeners. Yet with all of this change, there remains a distinct DNA that courses through the entirety of Tall Heights’ music. The potency of their sound cannot be credited to harmony alone, but rather a unique union of two distinct voices that makes the music inarguably their own.
Tall Heights’ story begins just outside of Boston in Sturbridge, MA, where Paul became close friends with Tim’s elder brother. Two years Tim’s senior, Paul grew up in a family of classically-trained musicians, taking up the cello at a young age, while Tim, the middle brother of three boys, grew up in a household largely devoid of music. While Paul was a consistent fixture in Tim’s life, it wasn’t until high school, when they both took up playing the guitar, that the two began working on music together. Paul recalls, “This kid who had been my best friend’s little brother, not someone I had ever felt connected to, was suddenly my best bud with a shared dream.” Tim echoes the statement, describing himself as the “eternal little brother” and musing on the disparate beginnings that eventually evolved into the musical partnership it is today.
Flash forward to 2018 and the twosome continue on their biggest winning streak yet; with 130 million streams under their belt and touring alongside the likes of Ben Folds, CAKE, Judah & the Lion and Colony House, they now gear up for their sophomore album Pretty Colors For Your Actions. Co-produced by Oliver Hill and Steve Wall (both of whom worked with the group on their 2016 LP Neptune), the 11-track album is a sonic universe where man-made instrumentation meets grandiose, contemporary production. Stepping back from the production-heavy, synthetic palette of Neptune, (itself a reaction in part to the acoustic instrumentation of 2015’s Man of Stone), Pretty Colors For Your Actions was recorded with a live band in-studio, creating what Tim describes as, “something much more alive and tactile,” than their previous work.
Smoke Fairies have released ‘Elevator’, the lead single and the latest to be teased from their upcoming new album ‘Darkness Brings The Wonders Home’ (out January 31st 2020). ‘Elevator’ finds Smoke Fairies at their most fierce and riff-heavy.
Talking about the origins of the song, Katherine Blamire explains “Someone said to me ‘I never say goodbye in elevators’ and then the doors rolled shut and I whizzed off upwards. The exchange spurred this song - there is no way of knowing what is going on in someone else’s mind and sometimes it just feels like you’re kind of lost, like being in an elevator stuck between floors, trying to figure them out”.
“The song is set in Hollywood. How many weird exchanges, miscommunications and career breaks and falls must have taken place inside of Hollywood elevators?”
In support of the release of ‘Darkness Brings The Wonders Home’, Smoke Fairies will play an 8 date UK tour, their first full headline tour in the UK in 5 years. It follows a sold-out single launch show played in London last month in association with Rough Trade to celebrate the release of a limited edition 7” picture disc of tracks “Out Of The Woods” and “Disconnect” (which sold out on pre-order and landed the band at #3 in the UK Vinyl Singles chart).
LA-based singer-songwriter Albon creates folk inspired indie rock falling somewhere between the dreamy lineage of The Beach Boys, Grizzly Bear, (Sandy) Alex G and the whimsical soundtrack to Disney’s 1953 rendition of Peter Pan.
Albon, originally from Chicago, has clearly taken in what California's Pacific Coast Highway has to offer, as his new EP Dream Weaver/Bee Keeper shines with motifs dealing with loss, exploration, and a general sense of wanderlust. The music is perfect for those long drives where you zone out and effortlessly seem to have a deep emotional journey play out in your mind. Furthermore, it’s interesting that Albon cites Peter Pan as a defining influence, as his material is indelibly linked to the nostalgia of his youth and the darkness and power associated with attaining your childhood dreams.
Alexander B. Lappin aka Albon, began making music in his Northern Chicago suburban bedroom at the age of 12. Initially, he played his dad’s nylon string guitar upside down. Lappin quotes, that playing the guitar upside down was most likely caused by his learning disabilities which included symptoms similar to ADHD. Currently, Albon’s style of writing is informed by “upside down mind” as he tends to write songs backwards, starting with the end and working his way to the beginning of the song. Lappin’s public musical career has been somewhat limited due to his perfectionist qualities, as he has a library of over 150 plus finished songs, but has only released 14. Plublossums (2014), was Albons first attempt at creating a cohesive body of work, as he wrote, engineered, and recorded everything on the record. The album was eventually picked up by LA tape label Hellhole Supermarket.
Clearly, leaps and bounds have been made as Albon’s new EP, Dream Weaver/Be Keeper, embraces space when necessary yet allows for bursts of dense sonic compositions to enlighten the listeners experience, driven by sincerity, exploration, and heavy pop hooks. The songs are embellished by myriad of orchestral instruments and interesting pop production techniques such as pitch shifted vocals and soaring harmonies. The EP was recorded at Tropico Beauty, a studio created by LA’s native Hartunian brothers which opened one year ago, but has none the less hosted acts such as Devendra Banhart, Alex Bleaker (Real Estate), and Florist amongst many other reputable artists. Dream Weaver/ Bee Keeper was tracked with the help of artist’s Cameron Wisch (Porches), Alexander Babbit (LAG), and Sasha Smith.
A few weeks after the official release of their new album 'Transgenic', Swiss psych-rock alchemists Dirty Sound Magnet just unveiled a brand new official music video for the song "Social Media Girl", available right now on YouTube.
Dirty Sound Magnet is a psychedelic rock power trio from Fribourg, Switzerland. To members Stavros Dzodzosz (guitar, lead vocals), Marco Mottolini (bass, backing vocals) and Maxime Cosandey (drums, backing vocals), their collective means so much more.
Dirty Sound Magnet is a lifelong pursuit built on a feverish, border-line-religious passion for music and a common set of guiding values and beliefs.
The three state it plainly: “there is no plan B”. Their dedication is unconditional, unequivocal, and unavoidable. Not one of the members has been engaged in any side projects since the band’s formation a decade ago; Dirty Sound Magnet offers them a musical framework without any boundaries to their creative expression.
The band’s DNA can be traced back to the ancestral ‘Golden Age of Rock’ (60s, 70s), but it would be incorrect to think that DSM is...“retro”. The musicians are inspired by contemporary artists and modern production techniques, pushing the boundaries as they see fit. The results are personal, unique and original.
Simply put: the Dirty Sound Magnet experience is a mystical journey back to the future…
Glasgow/Edinburgh based band ‘John Edge & The Kings of Nowhere’ have just released the first single ‘It Calls’ from our upcoming album. The song could be described as euphoric folk-rock. Their debut album ‘Only Fear Dies’ will be released at the end of January with a tour to follow.
John Edge & The Kings of Nowhere provide an energetic live show with songs about love, truth, death, and the miraculous fragility of life. The Edinburgh and Glasgow based group are genre defying, yet perhaps best described as euphoric folk-rock.
The band carry an abundance of raw power, melodious songs, huge dynamics, and all is fused together and driven by Edge’s enchanting lyrics and totality on stage. Everything they have to offer is poured out in their performance; passion is abundantly clear. Each of the members hail from the Scottish Highlands and the dramatic landscape of their upbringing can be heard in their songs.
Jennah Barry, who hails from Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, is sharing her new single, 'Pink Grey Blue'. The new music arrives in tandem with the details of her second album, 'Holiday' which is due for release via Forward Music Group on March 27, 2020.
Produced by Colin Nealis (prev. Andy Shauf, Aidan Knight, and musician in Foxwarren), 'Pink Grey Blue' follows on the heels of the CBC-tipped first single, 'The Real Moon'. Once again detailing Barry's knack for intricate guitar-playing, the new single further outlines her compelling way with narrative whilst tackling the important topic of body dysmorphia – writing from the perspective of her own mind, instructing her eyes to view her body with love and care.
Jennah, who's beguiling vocals lead for comparisons to Bedouine and Natalie Prass, previously built audiences across Canada and Europe with her 2012 debut album Young Men before having to halt her career in 2015 with emergency vocal surgery – a frustrating time for Barry that partly inspired the new record. Following the release of the new album, Jennah will tour the UK in the spring (dates tbc) following previous dates opening for the likes of Ron Sexsmith, Jenn Grant and Rose Cousins.
Tayla Young has a new single 'With The Fire' which opens in a gentle, beautiful manner and then gradually builds in power without overdoing it and allowing her vocals to shine right through.
We have a fabulous song from Gran Noir entitled 'On And On'. The driving beat and melodic vocals are accompanied by a fresh new video, this is just so catchy.
Damone share the single 'Moon and Stars' which is a bright and smooth alt pop / rock piece with melodic vocals and harmonies.
Rue Snider has been featured on Beehive Candy a few times and the new video and song 'Chelsea' sees his music take on a more fuzzy rock feel, with a dramatic vibe.
From Plaza we have their new song 'See'. The pace is slow, the music and harmonies conjure an atmospheric feel, and the distinct lead vocals really do add character.
Desert Sparrow share a story line video for 'Karma', the song itself is a mixture of indie folk and sixties pop sensibilities, it's very catchy to.
Jennah Barry has released 'The Real Moon' a pristine singer songwriter affair where her refined vocals are supported by a superb musical backdrop.
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Tayla Young - With The Fire.
Few songwriters can take you on a journey quite like Townsville’s Tayla Young, shining bright with the release of her captivating new single ‘With The Fire’.
Delicate and carefully crafted, ‘With The Fire’ builds steadily from it's stripped back, folk driven intro, to it's fully engrossing, dreamy indie rock finale. Citing Julia Stone and Paul Kelly as key influences in her writing style, it’s no surprise her narrative is vivid and vibrant. Minimalist guitars and drums make way for Tayla’s entrancing vocals, her wholly relatable tone and storytelling making it impossible to turn away.
"Fireplaces are something you would never find where I’m from and when I wrote the song I was desperate for the exact opposite of where I was," Tayla explains, "'With the Fire’ is about being in a long distance relationship and missing the person you love and their family. There’s a bit of self reflection in there as well as to why I left and my struggle with being back in my hometown with my own family."
It's been a big few months for Tayla - her debut single ‘Southbound’, originally recorded in 2016 and posted as an online live-sung video recording, quickly received over 200,000 views, later skyrocketing up to #16 on the triple j Unearthed Roots charts when she officially released it in April this year. Shortly followed by ‘Crime Of Comparison’, an entirely acoustically performed track, the single has cracked over 500,000 streams on Spotify thus far, having been added to their huge global ‘Alone Again’ and 'Stations: Heartbreak' editorial playlists.
With just a handful of releases, Tayla has shown off her adept talents masterfully and managed to pronounce herself as one of North Queensland’s rising songwriters. With plenty more up her sleeve, it’s time to get amongst her exciting narrative!
Half-Swiss, half-German band, Gran Noir follow on from their successful album ‘Electronic Eyes’ (boasting a Spotify Rock Rotation takeover with almost 1 million streams, and airplay across the world), with new single ‘On And On’.
Formed in 2011 in Bejing the band, made up of Pascal, Matt, Rey, Nils and Phil, cast a blend of alternative indie rock, punk and bittersweet melodies as they present their latest release. 2019 has so far been a rather turbulent year for the band; forged plans were suddenly thwarted by fate. «Shit happens, life happens…», and then they asked themselves: «What is this really about? Making music, without stress.» And that's what they did.
The band worked in the Alterna Recording Studios in Basel with an old friend and companion, Philippe Laffer (Supernova, Zhivago), an expert on buttons and controls (Crimer, Kaufmann, One.Sentence.Superviser, Panda Lux) to venture into new territory.
Despite the sombre theme of ‘On And On’, more than a spark of hope shimmers in wonderfully arranged guitar, violin and vocals. ‘On And On’ keeps its promise: Gran Noir didn't let themselves be pulled down, didn't give up, persevered, set the focus anew and have emerged stronger from this pivotal year.
The accompanying music video was produced with love by the band, with the Swiss World Cup downhiller Annina Bruehwiler and Mario Hickethier. The remote Black Forest hut from childhood is a place of remembrance of an old friendship that was torn from this world far too early, every crack in the wood panelling is permeated by long evenings and shared history. The unique pictures of the Julier Pass in Graubünden show that the deep connection with life is a constant outdoor adventure.
The band felt how something so valuable can quickly disappear. With resolve to live in the present moment they recommend this maxim with ‘On And On’.
Damone is an alternative / pop / rock band from Boston MA. During their successful career, the band released 3 full length studio albums, most notable being Out Here All Night on Island/Def-Jam, and toured internationally in the 2000s. The band worked continuously to achieve ample musical accreditation in a short amount of time before disbanding in 2008.
Now, after more than a decade the surviving members are making an emotionally charged comeback with heartfelt new music and a captivating live show.
Currently sharing their glorious new single "Moon and Stars," the band is back and better than ever. With swirling melodies and harmonious vocals, Damone proves quickly once again that they have staying power.
Rue tells us - I made this video for "Chelsea" over the weekend with footage I shot at Zion, Arches, and Grand Canyon National Parks, as well as footage from Manhattan. I tried to incorporate the ghostliness of Phoebe Bridgers's lyric (ghost of Nancy Spungen speakng to Sid Viscious - my interpretation ) into the visual style. I really attached to the line "I won't be home." The video changes tone at the bridge in step with the music.
The electric guitar at the start of Chelsea comes in like a thunderstorm on the heels of my last synth heavy single Make Me Feel. The song’s different sections are in fact constructed to mirror the parts of a tropical storm. The notes for Phil Joly, mixer extraordinaire, began “This song should sound like a hurricane.” The desire to capture the violence of nature comes from Phoebe Bridgers’s excellent lyric. Chelsea is a cover of her folk ballad. Musically it’s opposite end of the spectrum but the energy and Shakespearean attempt to mirror the human condition are drawn from her words.
Chelsea temporarily abandons the 80s sound I’ve been chasing and finds inspiration from a mixtape of 70s rock n roll as well as 90s grunge. It’s a loud and audacious goodbye song that is perfect for the end of summer.
Implementing a new string to their sound can be a tricky procedure for a band, but Plaza have nailed it on new single ‘See’. By no means an extreme departure from the icy tones of their self-coined ‘post indie’, it nonetheless brings in new influences, and slows the pace right down. Tentative calls to Frank Ocean arrive alongside traditional key touchstones in Foals, DIIV or Wolf Alice.
It’s not a sudden change, with the evolution happening in public through live shows, as songwriter and Brad Lennard elaborates:
“‘See’ has been in the inventory for a while now. It’s a chilled song, played on keys, so a change in style for us. You move on from your favourite band or artist and start exploring new avenues, a lot of tunes that I write now are this kind of vibe, which is a new direction - having the opportunity to write music like this with us all in a band is class.
See is probably my favourite song we have written, it’s about staying true to yourself.” It’s the second cut from upcoming sophomore EP, ‘Wernotplaza II’ EP dropping via Clue Records (Crushed Beaks, Van Houten, Avalanche Party, TRASH) on November 29th.
The EP is the most open Plaza have been to date. It’s easy for bands to write obliquely, wavering around heavy points reticent to tackle them head on – which is more than understandable, as so much artistic inspiration comes from a deeply personal well. This time around however, explosive Hartlepool post-indie quartet Plaza refuse to compromise in expressing their truth.
Whilst this sounds disconsolate in sentiment, in listening to the tracks you can hear the release and catharsis it offers, generating an emotive layer to the spacious grunge-meets-dream-pop style the four-piece have carefully cultivated over the last few years. Spiky guitars and a sprinkling of electronics, driven forward by a skittish beat, provide the layer for Lennard’s confessional vocals.
The quartet have built up a cult live following across the UK, also drawing attention from Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart at BBC Radio 1, alongside John Kennedy at Radio X – with the likes of DIY, DORK, The Line of Best Fit, Clash and Wonderland singing their praises too.
Desert Sparrow is Kylie Adams and Dave Carreno, respectively hailing from the beaches of Sydney, Australia and Dana Point, CA. Blending their eclectic love for ‘60s rock n’ roll, folk, spaghetti westerns, and surf rock, Desert Sparrow spin narratives out of the solitude, hardship and perseverance on the desert roads and coastlines of California.
Before meeting each other, Adams began as a pianist, but quietly fell in love with singing after being raised on Stevie Nicks songs. After losing a bet years later to a friend and singing karaoke to a packed restaurant, Adams realized her calling as a singer/songwriter. Meanwhile, Carreno was similarly a late bloomer, buying a guitar at 21 after seeing Black Rebel Motorcycle Club perform.
After meeting at a Coachella party back in 2011, Kylie and Dave began playing together in earnest at friends’ parties. At a particularly fateful performance at Kylie’s dad’s birthday party, the mother of celebrated Australian duo Angus & Julia Stone encouraged the duo to begin writing and performing their own songs more. Since then, Desert Sparrow have relocated to Los Angeles, assembling a backing band and putting out two EPs along with a handful of singles, including “Karma.”
Jennah Barry, who, having recently signed to Halifax, NS-based label Forward Music Group (Sarah Pagé, Paper Beat Scissors) is looking to today sharing her new single ’The Real Moon’ which comes produced by Colin Nealis (Andy Shauf, Aidan Knight, plays in Foxwarren).
'The Real Moon' captures Barry's compelling way with lyricism and solicitous outlook on the world, finding a musical footing somewhere along the paths carved out by Harry Nilsson, Burt Bacharach, and Emmylou Harris. The vintage analogue synth, gentle acoustic guitar, flourishes of horn and overall feel of 'The Real Moon' are contrasted by the track's contemporary narrative.
"I was spending most of my time alone when I wrote 'The Real Moon,'" says Jennah. "The song is about the very modern problem of seeing too much of the world without actually leaving your house. It’s about experiencing the fragility of reality."
This new cut highlights Jennah's first foray of 2019 following 2018 single 'Roller Disco' (playlisted at New Music Friday, Outliers, Indie All-Stars) - before this, she first built audiences across Canada and Europe with her 2012 debut album Young Men (tipped by CBC, Exclaim, HypeMachine) before having to halt her career in music with emergency vocal surgery.
