Monday Double: Expanda Fuzz - Hand Habits

Expanda Fuzz - Flavour : Zombie (Bleuets EP).

Background - Expanda Fuzz is a caustic homing device for wayward spirit animals. Have you ever had a ripped speaker that sounded so killer you didn't want to fix it? Or how about the excitement of that raw distortion sound that rips through a guitar part like a divining rod and makes your heart skip a beat?

Those are some of the sweet ingredients that inspire Expanda Fuzz to write catchy, trance-inducing, garage pop songs. The songs are a dark cuisine of droney hooks, garage spunk and muddy pop, all crushed with a Velvet Underground spirit, Helium flavour and Suicide daydream.

Find the first sampling of those tracks in the first official release from the band: Bleuets! Now available for download and for record collectors, it is also available on gorgeous black and white splatter vinyl. Limited to 100 copies only, website here, Facebook here.

The first of six tracks on the 'Bleuets' EP is 'Flavour : Zombie' a song that typifies the raw energy that drives this collection of songs. Sometimes some stripped back rock'n'roll is just enough, add in the darker garage edge, and that's enough boxes ticked for me!

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Hand Habits - Flower Glass.

Background - "Meg Duffy, aka Hand Habits, is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Upstate New York. She has been putting her time in on the road and in the studio over the past two years with  pacific northwest band Mega Bog, and the Kevin Morby Band, making an impression on everyone she comes across with her natural charisma and uncharted talent as a multi-instrumentalist. But let Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void) be her open invitation to the world to step inside and take a much deeper look into who Duffy actually is. Tracked in an Upstate New York living room, then finished in her current home in Los Angeles - it is appropriate that this album was recorded by Meg herself - for Meg, who has an acute ear for detail, has touched every corner, has seen every vision 'til its end.

Because of this, Wildly Idle feels incredibly intimate, like a secret between her and the listener. It hits soft, like warm water, and before you know it it is all around you - a bath, and Meg's whisper has made its way inside you. Like many bedroom-debuts before it (The Microphones, Jessica Pratt, Little Wings, Grouper)  let this be the first of many to come, for Meg has music in her touch - and this is only the beginning. But let us not look to the future now, but instead stand alongside her, our trust in her will, both humble before the void, with her first chorus as the mission statement; 'hold you like a flower, hold you like an hour glass'."- Kevin Morby. Facebook here.

Live dates:
01/18 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *
02/10 Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right #
02/11 Philadelphia, PA - Everybody Hits #
02/12 Cambridge, MA - Lily Pad #
02/13 Portland, ME - Apohadian Theatre #
02/14 Winooski, VT - The Monkey House #
02/15 Montreal, QC - La Vitrola #
02/16 Albany, NY - House Show #
02/18 Washington DC - Songbyrd DC #
02/19 Asheville, NC - The Mothlight #
02/20 Louisville, KY - Zanzabar #
02/21 Chicago, IL - Schuba’s #
02/22 Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe #
* = ACLU / PP Benefit show w/ Kevin Morby, Sharon Van Etten, Beirut, Daniel Rossen
# = w/ John Andrews & The Yawns

We featured Hand Habits back in October and 'Flower Glass' is most definitely worth a second share on Beehive Candy! Once again we are treated to some gorgeous dreamy pop music, that just oozes beautiful vibes. Wonderful!

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Genre Wander: Jetty Rae - Lucy and the Rats - Lucidalabrador - Loose Buttons

Jetty Rae - Queen of the Universe.

Background - Jetty Rae is a singer-songwriter based out of Northern Michigan. Jetty has been singing, touring, and recording for the since 2005. Her influences include Jennifer Knapp, Brandi Carlile, Cat Power, Ray Lamontagne, Lauryn Hill, Patty Griffin, and many more. If you’ve been to a Jetty Rae show you can agree to the fact that songwriting is her true forte, but how she marries her words to her voice and melodies is a thing to see. 

She has power, and restraint in her voice—the ability to pull at your heart strings delicately. On the other hand she also possesses the power to awaken a passion, a fight in all of us when she really belts it. Her hopes are to eventually start a label for independent artists like herself—that will empower artists to start where they are. She is hoping to give them the tools, studio time, experience, and resources they need to succeed in making great art. Website here, and Facebook here.

Jetty Rae has both a powerful and melodic voice that's just right for some bluesy folk rock. 'Queen of the Universe' is a really fine song, yes the influences are there, however Jetty carves out her own style, and is a natural, for this kind of song.

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Lucy and the Rats - This Situation.

Background - Lucy and the Rats — Lucy from the Ramones influenced pop punk trio, The Spazzys, is the ‘Lucy.’ The Spazzys have made headlines not only in Australia, where they come from, but across the globe. But she didn’t stop there! She assembles together a bunch of deadbeats and outcasts from the punk rock underworld of London and starts rehearsing. Manu, Mike and Joe, who were together in (the punk band) Michael Jackson become the Rats.

Splitting time between recording their debut album and touring all around Europe, (including a tour last month supporting The Buzzcocks)  it has been a very busy time for Lucy and the Rats but they have still managed to record and release a pair of great singles. Lucy and the Rats sophomore single, "This Situation" b/w "Melody" are two more gorgeous slices of their Powerpop - Girl Group hybrid.

It doesn't take long to find record labels interested. Monster Zero release their first 7", "Girl"; Surfin' Ki the second one, "This Situation" with Dirty Water Records taking on the digital duties for both singles.

When you listen to Lucy and the Rats, the melodies become power pop tunes and after a few rehearsals (if you could call it that) they start recording them. There you go, what you get from that is Lucy and the Rats, a kick ass punk band playing Lucy's catchy melodies. Website here and Facebook here.

With a feisty beat, jangly guitars and Lucy adding some no nonsense vocals 'This Situation' is a sub three minute blast of raw sounding punk rock. With just enough melody to make it standout, the track remains a little rough around the edges, keeping it real and relevant.

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Lucidalabrador - Zelia.

Background - Lucidalabrador is the musical moniker of Pedro Caetano Leite, a new emerging act from the vibrant scene of South-East London, who crafted a sound that pays homage to early 2000’s synthpop-rock.

A recent Goldsmiths University graduate (Blur, James Blake); the Brazilian born composer united forces with a multi-cultured live band that originates from Germany, Italy and Czech Republic. The band now looks forward to releasing their new EP: 'Today Is A Good Day For Friendship' for which they drew influences from classic songwriters such as Grandaddy, Sparklehorse, Jeff Buckley, Tom Waits as well as modern acts such as Father John Misty and Kurt Vile.

Working as an audio engineer across different studios in London, Pedro chose to explore a hybrid between using high budget studio facilities and his bedroom’s 8-track tape cassette recorder. The result is an EP with an intimate bedroom flair, and an incisive precision.

Mastered by Mikko Gordon (Atoms for Peace, Squeeze, Travis), the EP counts collaborations of two other local musicians: Bunki in “Yesterday Was A Good Day For Friendship” and Leiik in “Hurt you”. 'Today Is A Good Day For Friendship' was released on December 5th on Spotify. Facebook here.

Smooth and flowing vocals are supported by a melodic soundtrack on 'Zelia'. As the song develops the genre becomes even less clear with some alternative and original musicianship, that just adds to the intrigue. Once you think it's settled down the song takes even further twists, wonderful!

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Loose Buttons - Milk & Roses.
    
Background - "Breakups may suck, but they can be songwriting gold. NYC-based band Loose Buttons prove just that with their single “Milk & Roses,” from their upcoming EP Sundays, due in February.

The promising quartet met while playing for different local bands as teens, eventually coming together and releasing their debut EP, Damage Gallery,in 2014. Since then, Loose Buttons have honed in on a blend of new wave and pop that is all their own.

Drawing from the pain of a recent breakup, lead vocalist Eric Nizgretsky channeled it all into Sunday. "Milk & Roses,” the EPs closer, acts as the last step of the foursome’s aim to get you through every stage of a breakup.

“After copious amounts of sushi and ramen with my bandmates, I had the realization that it was time to move on and stop dwelling on my breakup,” said Nizgretsky. “There is a restaurant in Greenpoint called “Milk & Roses” and it was the last spot my ex and I went to before we broke up. It felt like the best lyric to signify moving on.”

As Nizgretsky deftly delivers lyrics like, “So it goes/ As in that book you know/ Our worlds, they will resume,” the beguiling melody carries you along; resolving the chaos of a breakup for you so you can move forward. And with Loose Buttons on the rise, it only makes sense to follow their lead. Facebook here.

Striaght down the line indie rock is taken up a notch or two, with some melodic guitar work and vocals that just draw you in. 'Milk & Roses' is one catchy unpretentious rock'n'roll piece and suggests next February's EP should be a good one.

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More Weekend Wonders: Grammar - Colin Onderdonk - Artificial Pleasure - American Dreamer - The Blinding Lights

Grammar - Michigan.

Background - “Michigan” is the second single from Massachusetts-based Grammar. Barrie Lindsay played and recorded all the parts in her bedroom studio in the summer of 2016. She started writing the song after rewatching the Virgin Suicides, and she was thinking about what the movie would sound and feel like as a song. She wanted to capture the movie’s saturated, dreamy, 1970s-inspired production. After she finished the song and took it to New York to work with the producer Billy Pavone, they ran the tracks.

The track was produced written and recorded by Barrie Lindsay, produced by Billy Pavone (Wet, St. Lucia, Delorean) and Barrie Lindsay, and engineered by Josh Bonati (Mac Demarco, Sufjan Stevens)."

Grammar is an alternative pop group created by multi-instrumentalist Barrie Lindsay of Boston in 2015. The band started as a home recording project of Lindsay, who writes, records, and produces the music.  The band’s first release, the single “Americana”, was featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist in August 2016. Grammar have opened for Rhye, Marian Hill, Beacon, Reptar, and others. Facebook here.

There is a rich synthy feel, and as the band kick in, everything goes up a gear on 'Michigan'. The smooth and dreamy vocals glide above, on what is a fine atmospheric song. Beware the hooks, for they are everywhere...

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Colin Onderdonk - Tidal Bomb.

Background - 18-year-old, Texas-based singer songwriter Colin Onderdonk is not concerned with his music referencing pop culture or appealing to trends. Unlike most of his contemporaries, the subjects he approaches through his deeply introspective songwriting carry immense philosophical weight.

His debut EP, Proximity Effect, references the effect a source of sound has on its receiver; i.e., the closer a vocalist is to a mic, the fuller his or her voice sounds. Colin maintains that this concept can be expanded into a more tangential metaphor, saying “As people get closer to God along their spiritual journeys, the more they feel connected.”

Onderdonk’s distinctive songwriting is influenced by Marcus Mumford and Kendrick Lamar as well as the work of Steinbeck, C.S. Lewis and the Cohen Brothers. His young age betrays his refined taste and tendency to process things in a conceptual manner. Ambitious songs like the EP’s “Prologue” attempt to sonically portray the creation of the world while “Foreign Home” encourages the listener to not settle for ephemeral beauty when there is so much more beyond the earth plane. Proximity Effect is out now. Facebook here, website here.

'Tidal Bomb' has a funky and potent vibe that is there throughout. Colin Onderdonk's vocals are beautifully distinct and the strings add another dimension into this very catchy and original song.

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Artificial Pleasure - I’ll Make It Worth Your While.

Background - London-based trio Artificial Pleasure earned a rush of acclaim for their debut single ‘I’ll Make It Worth Your While’ which inspired comparisons with the likes of David Bowie, Talking Heads and The 1975. They’re now set to add to that initial rush of attention with a strange and compelling new video for the track.

Directed by Dylan Holmes Williams (Huntar, O Chapman) and produced by Ailsa Vanessa Tapping (Sundara Karma, Biffy Clyro), the video for ‘I’ll Make It Worth Your While’ moves in surprising directions with body horror, camp theatricality and vibrant dance moves all contributing to its surreal visuals. Dancer, actor and choreographer Tiago Gambogi stars as a patient who is trapped in a hospital while suffering with a very peculiar ailment.

‘I’ll Make It Worth Your While’ bursts from the blocks with an irrepressible energy powered by riffs that feel like Gang of Four playing disco alongside effervescent flourishes of synths and vocalist/guitarist Phil McDonnell’s persistent and rhythmic cry of ‘Let me out!’. Set to a tightly hypnotic groove, the track recalls elements of Artificial Pleasure’s influences such as Talking Heads, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, LCD Soundsystem and Atlantic Records’ great soul era.

Friends since childhood, McDonnell and Brennan previously worked together with drummer Lee Jordan in the band Night Engine. Following a split from other band members and a renewed focus on their sound, which evolved into something bolder and brighter, the three redefined themselves with the new moniker Artificial Pleasure.

Artificial Pleasure’s songwriting is always informed by how the material will work in a live setting. As a result, their intense energy means that their songs flow with a rush of adrenaline without the need for any tricks or gimmickry. They recently played their first show at London’s Electrowerkz as guests to German electro duo Lea Porcelain, which they followed with a date as support to The Bay Rays. Website here, Facebook here.

A fabulous song becomes even more spectacular with the new music video for 'I’ll Make It Worth Your While'. It's not often the stuff of nightmares can put a huge smile on my face, wonderful!

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American Dreamer - Words Do The Walking.

Background - American Dreamer, an Austin, TX based orchestral folk ensemble, specializes in approachable, yet sophisticated fretless pop. Their topical and politically driven material is couched in intimate chamber music, sonically falling somewhere between Sufjan Stevens and Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O’Connor’s Goat Rodeo Sessions.

Band spearhead Sasha Klare-Ayvazian first got a taste of the lush combination of folk and classical music when his roommate began playing cello along with his songs during his freshman year at Oberlin College outside of Cleveland, OH. Sasha attempted to capture this sound through multi-tracking American Dreamers’ self-titled EP, released in 2014, and continued ruminating on the power of this tradition until he returned to school to get his master’s degree. There he connected with new friends who turned out to be classically trained string players.

The newly formed line-up released the live EP, Winding up a Dream, in 2015 and began performing across Central Texas, snagging a Global Music Award along the way. As a band with four fretless instruments, the challenges associated with intonation forced the band members to become highly attuned to each other and after a solid year of writing and performing new material, American Dreamer was beginning to realize the sound Sasha had been envisioning for years.

Earlier this year, American Dreamer entered Austin Signal Studios and, with the help of engineer/producer Andrew Oedel, recorded their first LP Restless Nights. “Calling the record Restless Nights is a reference to our band name” Sasha reflects. “The American Dream doesn’t seem to be doing so well at this time, so we wanted to offer a form of respite and spent a lot of time exploring the space we wanted to create.” Website here, Facebook here.

Another band that sneaked under Beehive Candy's radar earlier this year, and who are so worth a feature are American Dreamer, on this occasion with the song 'Words Do The Walking'. Beautifully creative music, you can hear a whole lot more via the website link above.

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The Blinding Lights - Can't Get Enough.

Background - UK old-school rockers The Blinding Lights are excited to share their debut music video “Can’t Get Enough”. The video gives an intimate glimpse into the bands recording sessions, perfectly capturing the bands unrelenting youthful energy. It also compliments the songs devil may care attitude, which describes a young man’s bedroom adventures with his amorous girlfriend, all to the accompaniment of catchy hooks and electrified piano riffs.

In the band’s own words: "Can't Get Enough was written to give people an escape - it's letting everything else go and just living in that few minutes of rock'n'roll. It may not be about a lot, but what it is about is embracing that feeling of giving yourself over to a particular moment, where all that matters is that moment.'"

Written in early 2016 by bandleader Callum Lury, the track came about as he gorged on the songs of songwriter-producer Jim Steinman (the man behind Bat Out Of Hell and so much more), plus The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle-era Springsteen. Playing around with riffs which would not have been out of place in the golden era of Motown, and shaking it up with a top layer of Steinman-style piano lines, he took it to the rest of the band who worked it up into a frantic rumbling rhythm & blues number, given a further flourish with a horn arrangement to drive it along. Together, the band stands as a throwback to the R&B inspired, fast and poppy tunes from a time when rock was still in its youth. Their goal is to rekindle the abilities of the genre’s heroes to excite, to elevate and, even, to anger – but above all, to make you feel alive. Facebook here, website here.

'Can't Get Enough' is one gritty and powerful rock'n'roll song. Stripped back to the basics the band create a classic and timeless sound, and with the roaring sound of horns coming in, it's energy unleashes even further.

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Weekend Wonders: Elouise - The Tiger & Me - Honeymilk - Gutxi Bibang - Eleven North

Elouise - Silent Night.

Background - Fueled by a sordid real-life backdrop of good old fashioned suicides, murders, and alcoholic depravity followed by church on Sunday, Elouise is an eccentric collaboration of Los Angeles-based musicians who came together to create an ominous, raw and cinematic genre of music they identify as Blackgrass.

It is the sound of sin and salvation mixed in a dark cocktail with a taste of Bluegrass, a black symphonic sound and weary emotional vocals that tell original tales of struggle and re-imagine songs from our collective Americana consciousness.

Elouise is back with their menacing Blackgrass rendition of the Holiday classic “Silent Night” and are offering a free download for the month of December. Website here.

Move aside seasonal slush, no room for sentimental songs here today. This is how you do 'Silent Night', followed by a large measure of Bourbon and ice (I'm guessing that's an acceptable brew for alcoholic depravity)...

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The Tiger & Me - Sleep The Night Alone.

Background - In anticipation of their forthcoming third album, Melbourne quartet The Tiger & Me have announced the release of their new single ‘Sleep The Night Alone’ and its accompanying clip.

Intrepid by nature, with three lead singers and a multitude of instruments, The Tiger & Me is a sound that refuses to sit still. Produced by ARIA-nominated Steven Schram (San Cisco, The Cat Empire), ‘Sleep The Night Alone’ is a dance pop track about the corner of the life you abandoned, and how you got there in the first place.

‘Sleep The Night Alone’ is out through ABC Music imprint “Four | Four” (Tim Rogers, Melbourne Ska Orchestra), who also guided the release of the band’s second full-length album, The Drifter’s Dawn, which took out album of the week on PBS and racked up airplay across JJJ, 4ZZZ, Triple R, Edge Radio & RTRFM.

To accompany ‘Sleep The Night Alone’, The Tiger & Me have released a clip for the track as well as b-side ‘When All The World Went Dark’, originally an acoustic folk song written by Tobias Selkirk (vocals & guitars) on a ukulele while travelling through South America. Website here.

'Sleep The Night Alone' mixes really fine vocals and harmonies with a melodic and slightly understated soundtrack, resulting in a likable and danceable indie pop song.

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Honeymilk - The Nothing New.

Background - Sweden's Honeymilk has been around for 4 years but just recently scaled down to a duo (from a previous four piece). We all have our ups and downs and the story of how the two main figures Marcus Admund and Nikki Nyberg hold on to each other since meeting in a scout cabin back in 2009 is one full of fighting spirit and love for the music they're creating.

At the moment they're in studio working on the follow up to critically acclaimed 2013 debut "Lean on The Sun" (and 2014's "Sanguine Skies EP"). Their shoegazy Britpop has gained supporters all over the world - notable ones are KEXP, Q Magazine, Jajaja Music and Music Week.

In June 2016 their latest effort "Time Will Kill You" soon turned into their most succesful single to this date - with playlists adds and media ravings flowing in to the HQ. The band play a sold out show at The Finsbury in London and the single soon hit 140k+ streams on Spotify.

'The Nothing New' could be about finding yourself in an age and situation where the demands that hunts you are increasing; the same that it takes more alcohol to get drunk, it takes greater and greater everyday explosions for the static line that life has gradually turned into to be moved. It could also be a pretentious and unclear salute to both Samuel Beckett's book Murphy or Spacemen 3. Or it could be a very good pop song that means nothing.

With a slick beat and distinctive vocals 'The Nothing New' builds into a fine and refreshing indie piece with enough hooks to guarantee another play for my ears.

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Gutxi Bibang - System of a Gun.

Background - Gutxi Bibang is an unlikely candidate to carry the rock n’ roll torch, a second-generation African from the Basque county of Spain. On the heels of his debut single, Gutxi shares an incredibly powerful video for "System Of A Gun" after his debut U.S. performance last night at Communion NYC.

His family emigrated to the tiny coast town of Algorta outside of Bilbao, but native son Gutxi Bibang has more in common with larger-than-life musical icons than he does his Basque countrymen. Even his unique moniker speaks of his cultural clash heritage – Gutxi, a common nickname in his Basque homeland, and Bibang, from his roots in Africa. 

With his distinctive manner and impeccable style, Gutxi Bibang exudes charisma - not just a reminder of when rock was a socio-cultural force for change in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but a glimpse into the music’s global future.

It's strange how sometimes a music video can add clarity to a song. 'System of a Gun' came my way a couple of weeks back in audio form, and for whatever reason it didn't register with me. Watching the 'live' video made things click, the band are feisty, Gutxi is a natural rock'n'roller, and the songs home is in a hot and packed venue, where the music plays all night long, simple really!

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Eleven North - Words From The Wise.

Background from the band - Words From the Wise is about the roads that life sets before us, and the choices we make to define ourselves. 

As a band we are currently wrapping things up in studio and we are excited to be releasing a full length album in the new year. The single, “Words From The Wise” with the same title was an easy choice for the band with its big sound, explosive energy and a message that reminds us to be more selfless in our choices.

We've been working on creating an unparallelled and highly entertaining live show that we can share with our listeners. This year we have had the privilege of sharing the stage with artists such as: Juno winner Dear Rouge, Australia's The Lazy’s, West Coast Music winner Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, East Coast Music winner Andy Brown, and Edge Next Big Thing winner Ivory Hours.

Overall we have tallied up over one-hundred shows this year from coast to coast and we don't plan on stopping anytime soon! Website here and Facebook here.

'Words From The Wise' is an energised alt rock song (or maybe indie, or whatever, it's hard to pin down). Vocals add depth and the musicianship is tight and funky. Forthcoming album most definitely on my radar now!

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