This is Tom Scott live at The Golden Bear, Huntington Beach, CA, USA back in 1979. These are the notes in full that came with the recording (grateful thanks to the person who penned them) - This recording comes from the archives of the Golden Bear night club in Huntingon Beach, California. At the time, the Golden Bear was the oldest running night club in America open since the mid 1920's. Eventually earthquake building codes made it too expensive to upgrade, and it was eventually torn down. Everybody from Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Doors have played at the Golden Bear.
I was a frequent patron of the Golden Bear, and I recorded many shows at the venue. Eventually I became friends with the sound board guy, and we began trading some tapes. This recording is one of those tapes. Like many of the Golden Bear tapes, this one isn't a complete show. After 47 minutes, it cuts off. Since the Golden Bear usually ran 60-70 minute sets, it's very likely that the last 15-20 minutes are missing.The concert was recorded from the sound board on the house cassette deck in mono.
Tom Scott's professional career began as a teenager, as leader of a jazz ensemble Neoteric Trio, and then as a "first-call" (i.e. high-demand) session musician. He has dozens of solo recordings for which he collected thirteen Grammy nominations (three of which he won). He also has numerous film and television scoring credits, including composing and conducting the score for the movie 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes'. He has also appeared on records by such diverse artists as George Harrison, The Grateful Dead, Paul McCartney, Steppenwolf, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, Blondie, Eddie Money, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, The Blues Brothers, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Olivia Newton-John and Frank Sinatra.
Source: Soundboard.
Sound Quality: Very good mono mp3@320kbps.
Genre: West coast jazz, jazz fusion.
Set: Majority of set.
Set List:
01 Car Wars
02 Dirty Old Man
03 Band Introductions
04 Street Beat
05 Shadows
06 Introducing ''Hittin' on Six''
07 Hittin' on Six
08 Heading Home
Line Up:
Tom Scott: Saxophones
Carlos Rios: Guitar
David Garfield: Keyboards
Neil Stubenhaus: Bass
Vinny Colaiuta: Drums
This is Traffic live in concert at the Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, USA back on the 26th June 1970. The concert was broadcast live on the excellent WNEW-FM.
In late 1968, Traffic disbanded, guitarist Dave Mason having left the group for the second time prior to the completion of the Traffic album. In 1969, Steve Winwood joined the supergroup Blind Faith, while drummer and lyricist Jim Capaldi and woodwinds player Chris Wood turned to session work, Wood also joining Blind Faith's drummer Ginger Baker in his post-Blind Faith group Ginger Baker's Air Force for their first album.
In the beginning of 1970, after the demise of Blind Faith, the band having lasted barely six months, Winwood returned to the studio ostensibly to make his first solo album, originally to be titled Mad Shadows. He recorded two tracks with producer Guy Stevens, "Stranger to Himself" and "Every Mother's Son", but yearned for like-minded musicians to accompany. Inviting Wood and Capaldi to join him, Winwood's solo album became the reunion of Traffic, and a re-launch of the band's career.
As did most of their albums, it featured influences from jazz and blues, but the version of the traditional English folk tune "John Barleycorn" also showed the musicians attending to the same strains of folk baroque and electric folk as contemporary British bands The Pentangle and Fairport Convention.
Five live versions of the then brand new album are performed in this the second performance of the evening along with earlier material, in what is an incredible piece of the bands history.
Source: FM Broadcast.
Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@320kbps.
Genre: Progressive rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, jazz fusion.
Set: Full Late Set.
Set List:
01. Tuning
02. Scott Muni Intro
03. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring
04. Every Mother's Son
05. Medicated Goo
06. John Barleycorn
07. Pearly Queen
08. Stranger To Himself
09. Empty Pages
10. 40,000 Headmen
11. Freedom Rider
12. Feelin' Good
13. No Time To Live
Line Up:
Steve Winwood - organ, guitar, vocals
Jim Capaldi - drums, vocals
Chris Wood - sax, flute, keyboards
Web: Official Steve Winwood HERE, Jim Capaldi HERE, Chris Wood HERE.
Background: This is the second single from Australia's Pets With Pets, titled "Acid Girls." Recommended for fans of Ratatat, Wavves, Japandroids and Sonic Youth. The group are currently making their first rounds in the U.S. including last week at SXSW, before heading to New York City to play the Aussie BBQ at the Bell House in Brooklyn.
Staring in late 2006 with a home recorded EP, Zayd Thring is Pets With Pets. In 2007 he took on a drummer, the first of many that define the group over the years, and started playing shows as a band. From the start, Pets With Pets have garnered attention from the likes of NME, and have gained a cult following.
Last year saw the band releasing Saturday Aquatic Pixie Acid, released on Sensory Projects, to critical acclaim. Alongside Zayd is bassist Ash Buscombe from Witch Hats, Will Macfarlane on synthesizer from The Shocking Pinks (who were signed to DFA Records) and Alex MacFarlane on drums.
The Candy Opinion: What a modern day Amon Duul II might sound like, well that's what occurred to us first, it's more than that of course, adventurous and yet minimalist, easily said but difficult to do.
Web: Bandcamp HERE. Listen: Acid Girls. (mp3).
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Background:Ghost of Chance are an experimental rock band based in New Haven, Connecticut. The group's distinctive style is characterized by subtle time signature changes and sonically open experimentation set to surrealist lyrics. Ghost of Chance's sound takes its influence from 1960s psychedelica, '70s glam, math rock and post-punk while maintaining the shimmer of classic pop sensibilities. All of this adds to the unique yet familiar sound that Ghost of Chance have cleverly cultivated.
Ghost of Chance began as a collaboration between Jayson Munro (The Striders, Noisette, Deluxe) and George Moore (Duvet Cover, Noisette) in 2008. The two sent back and forth demos and ideas for a project that had no name and really no direction. After awhile the two came up with the name, based on a William Burroughs Novella, and a direction. The group's first album was crafted and recorded in the sweltering confines of an attic apartment during the summer of 2009. Moore and Munro re-recorded demos and created several songs in the studio, attempting to embody the chaotic spirit of the novella. After completing the band.s first album, Moore and Munro started the Ghost of Chance live band. Their live set consists of Jayson on guitar and vocals, George on guitar and keyboards, Dave Corsak on bass, and Mark Niciu on Drums. The live band brought new dimensions of vibrancy and controlled chaos to the mystical contours sketched out in the recordings.
The groups second album, A Simple Beast, began as an effort by Munro to write a series of songs about the wild desolation of Chernobyl after the tragic 1986 nuclear disaster. As time went on, Munro adhered less directly to the specific concept but continued to write songs that conveyed the eerie combination of vacancy and unchecked wilderness found in Chernobyl today. Moore, working in his own modest home studio, wrote two songs that similarly capture this aura. The album.s title, A Simple Beast, references the inscrutable animal beings that have adapted themselves to Chernobyl.s poisoned landscape.
The group is currently in the process or mixing their third album, "Be My Void," which is scheduled to be released July 2012. Prior to this release, the band will be sporadically releasing singles off "Be My Void."
The Candy Opinion: What on earth is an experimental rock group? Well these people are, which is fine and as for time signature changes, well we spotted one in the drumming! Seriously this is a fine and fresh rock song that more than suggests we are on to a class act here.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: I Feel Fine. (mp3).
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Background: Sid Bernstein is on a musical mission...
Ever since the beginning of his career as a music promoter, booker and manager in the Bronx in the 1940's, Sid Bernstein's been blurring the boundaries between cultures and communities by simply sharing the sounds he loves with everyone his life touches. From migrating uptown Latin bands downtown, to opening the doors for a British Invasion, ushering radio personalities from the public ear to the public eye, and bringing Beatles to baseball stadiums - Sid's love of music and tireless support for the artists who create it have not only enriched cultural history but united a whole world in song.
Now, seventy years later, at the seasoned age of 93, Sid Bernstein would like to share with you some music of his own. Coming soon is a new collection of songs which have meant the most to him over the years - now as sung by Sid himself!
"Sid Bernstein is a wonderful person who was instrumental in introducing the Beatles" - Paul McCartney
"Sid Bernstein is a legend in this business. He helped define an era in music by bringing the people an array of artists that changed the times" - Lenny Kravitz
"Sid Bernstein is the quintessential gentleman promoter. He is part P.T. Barnum, part Donald Trump and part Henry Kissinger. His life is filled with the colorful, the implausible and the enormously entertaining" - Geraldo Rivera
"Sid Bernstein is one of those unique individuals.... He's been able to swim in the entertainment's shark-infested waters for years unscathed. He's one of the good guys" - Dick Clark.
The Candy Opinion: Please, please, please, check Sid Bernstein doing his own thing out! La Vie en Rose is a wonderful song that he gives new life to. This is just a taste of a man who has been in the music business longer, than pretty much every Beehive Candy visitor has been alive (and we have featured prog rock here, so some of our visitors are dinosaurs). Wonderful, just that.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: La Vie en Rose (mp3).
Background: Under one roof in New England's Pioneer Valley, Darlingside came together with five songwriters, a mandolin, a cello and violin, guitars and drums, a chorus of voices, and a van named Chauncey. Holed up in their home between a cornfield and the Connecticut River, they forged a seamless, exhilarating sound at the intersection of rock, classical, and folk music. The band is currently rolling out an innovative subscription album, Pilot Machines, and shaking rafters along the eastern seaboard with their vibrant live shows.
Darlingside traces its diverse sound to an eclectic array of musical origins: Harris picked up the cello at age six, and appeared twice on NPR with his classical piano trio. Auyon spent a year-long travel fellowship studying the traditional music and instruments of Brazil, Turkey and Ireland. Don toured nationally as a boy alto, and later worked as a singer-songwriter on sunset boat cruises in Maine. Dave began singing and arranging music in college, then spent two years learning guitar as a street musician in Boston and abroad. Sam took up drums at the age of seven and developed an intricate style that draws on his rock, celtic, and jazz backgrounds. Together, the five close friends are a powerhouse of vocal, instrumental, songwriting and performing talent.
Following 2010's self-recorded EP 1, Darlingside teamed up with producer Nathaniel Kunkel (Sting, Crosby and Nash, Maroon 5) in 2011 to turn their house into a hi-fi recording laboratory and playground. The result was Pilot Machines, an insistently melodic collection of new songs that feel both familiar and ground-breaking. The band is now in the midst of an ambitious release, with three 7" records and a string of exclusive pre-release events ramping up toward the full-length album in Summer 2012.
The Candy Opinion: Good, feisty, pop come rock music, sometimes keeping it simple works, as is the case with Darlingside.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Still. (mp3).
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Background: Those fine people at Hidden Shoal Recordings are excited to announce the release of new single ‘Manatoc Enters The City / The Long Fall’ by musical experimentalist and long-time Robert Pollard collaborator Todd Tobias, taken from his forthcoming debut solo album Medicine Show.
‘Manatoc Enters The City / The Long Fall’ is a multi-part mini-epic that offers a tantalising taste of Medicine Show’s shadowy steampunk dystopia. The track kicks in like a panic attack, a dizzying flurry of organ and toms alternating with lurching guitar. The chaos soon calms, but builds in intensity again as a massive detuned riff pummels your ears into submission. The final coda is an exercise in unwinding as the song’s tight, muscular coils begin to lose their tension.
The single comes with a bonus ‘B side’ called ‘Crystal Palace People’ taken from the soon to released bonus EP Night Above Ground. A lilting and intimate electro-folk ballad, ‘Crystal Palace People’ is a glimmering, soft-focus comedown after the A side’s rush - only to become unhinged in its closing moments as the recording is chewed and slurred.
“A psychedelic boat ride that leads to a poorly lit and wicked place, where even the nursery rhymes of youth become foreboding...” - AllMusic on Circus Devils’ Ringworm Interiors.
The Candy Opinion: Take a deep breath, hold on tight and hit play. This flows at a mighty rate with a whole lot going on, slowing only to remain a mighty instrumental piece. Powerful and very listenable.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Manatoc Enters The City (mp3).
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Background: Boston has always been indie rock’s best-kept secret. Launching the careers of acclaimed artists such as The Lemonheads, Guster, and The Hush Now, you never know which band will break next. Well, look no further!….Meet Cowgill, one of the more brilliant groups to grace your ears in recent memory.
Formed in June 2011, Cowgill is the perfect combination of indie rock and folk rock, recommended if you like The Decemberists, The Shins, Fleet Foxes, Dr. Dog and The Airborne Toxic Event - combined with the catchy hooks and melodies of The Beatles. With the release of their debut single, “Plans,” the group is ready to take on the world with guitar, mandolin(?), and trombone(!) in hand as they fight for the hearts of music fans.
“Plans” showcases the band’s impressive range, opening with a gorgeous piano line closely followed by a rocking string section groove, slowly building to seriously thumping drums in the outro. Lead singer Paul Cowgill’s vocals are sublime, blending indie and folk influences with a touch of pop sensibility.
Cowgill is Paul Cowgill (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar), Mike Truskowski (Piano, Backup Vocals, Trombone), Dan Weissman (Mandolin, Backup Vocals, Trumpet), Leeann Hackett (Violin), Ryan Rivers (Bass Guitar) and a temporarily rotating cast on drums.
On May 17th, Cowgill unveils “Side One" of their debut full-length album,
Planted, celebrated with a hometown CD release show at The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA. Get ready to meet your new favorite band…it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
The Candy Opinion: Well constructed indie rock to be technical. Plenty of heart and passion added to make this one fine song, reminds us a little of UK indie rock from way back, however as that was mainly class stuff, no harm with the comparison.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Plans. (mp3).
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Background: As a teenager, Lauren Edman was too shy to practice her singing exercises at home, but she grew up to be a woman with the moxie to perform on Apollo Amateur Night where contestants are routinely booed offstage. Lauren’s seductively spare solo debut It’s Always the Quiet One is a prismatic and intimate self-portrait. It’s a starkly vulnerable album that peeks under the veneer of shyness and examines the inner struggles of someone courageously and coyly grappling with the societal and personal manifestations of being soft-spoken.
Lauren is best known for her singing and songwriting on the track “Afterthoughts” from Sleepthief’s 2006 electronic album The Dawnseeker. At the time, she was a relatively unknown talent with a passion for trip-hop featuring ethereal but strong female vocalists. The Connecticut native moved to New York City around that time with the plan of making an album of her own music, but in the years that followed she struggled to find a balance between producing the music that played in her head and paying the rent. “I wrote a lot of these songs at around 3AM while working night jobs and living in a tiny, dingy bedroom in Queens,” she says. She later joined shoegaze band For Every Story Untold, with whom she currently gigs and records. The dual aesthetic trajectories of these disparate influences—the angelic electronic atmospherics of trip-hop and the earthiness of the shoegaze aesthetic inform It’s Always the Quiet One. The album begins with a minimalistic electronic direction that morphs to an organic and rustic sensibility in its second half. The title It’s Always the Quiet One succinctly frames the album’s thematic bend, and throughout the album Lauren examines her experiences and feelings while being thought of as the “quiet one.”
It’s Always the Quiet One is bookended by “Wasting” and “She’s Not Here.” The sonic texts in between chronicle Lauren finding peace within by not letting her natural disposition stifle an expressive life. “’Wasting’ is about questioning yourself,” Lauren explains, “but I think of ‘She’s Not Here’ as a celebration.” It’s a song about someone loving you for who you are and allowing yourself to feel that love and reciprocate it, a tender confessional of someone getting out of their head to feel what’s in their heart. In the song she pens an intimate scene with the following lyric: She knows the sound of the snow on the road/ as the cars drive by when there's no one home/ He gives her shirts that he's worn for a day/so he stays with her/ while she hides away. “It’s all true, about me sitting by myself in my room,” she says. “I can finally accept that this is who I am, and it’s okay.”
Lauren's latest album, It's Always the Quiet One, will be released on March 27th, 2012.
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Absolute quality, beautiful vocals and musical arrangements, with songs that take you to different personal places, totally recommend checking her music out.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Sweet Girl. (mp3).
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Background: Shreveport, Louisiana natives and alternative rock/pop band Super Water Sympathy have released their debut album “Vesper Belle”, a collection of songs blending traditional alternative rock with the band’s self-made genre of “Water Pop”. The genre, described by the Louisiana natives as “a synthesis of classic symphonic ambience with modern ethereal anthems” also pays particular attention to lyrical value and the support of an ethereal synthesis of guitar and keys.
Formed in 2010 and consisting of brothers Billy and Clyde Hargrove (bass and guitar, respectively), Ryan Robinson (drums), Jason Mills (keys), and Ainsley Hughes (vocals), the group clicked from the start, sharing a similar vision of the sound they wanted to create. By fostering and combining their individual strengths, they’ve produced an impressionable and unforgettable music experience like no other.
After traveling and garnering acclaims in the Southwest, Super Water Sympathy is set to hit the road for a nationwide tour in support of the album. In July, they will be performing as part of the coveted Vans Warped Tour after Tour founder, Kevin Lyman “played the record for 30 people this week, to see if [he] was crazy to think they were so good…[he] was not.”
3/17/12 Atlantic City, NJ - St Patty's Day Fest
3/19/12 Savanah, GA - Wormhole
3/20/12 Atlanta, GA - Smith's Olde Bar
3/21/12 Atlanta, GA - Red Light Cafe (Acoustic Show)
3/22/12 Starkville, MS - Dave's Darkhorse
3/23/12 Pineville, LA - The Brewhouse
3/24/12 Natchitoches, LA - Bourbon Creek
3/28/12 Houston, TX - Scout Bar
3/29/12 San Antonio, TX – The Tonic Bar
3/30/12 Gallup, NM - The Juggernaut
3/31/12 Tucson, AZ - Skrappy's
**APRIL TOUR**
4/2/12 Prescott, AZ - Whiskey Row (Acoustic Show)
4/3/12 Phoenix, AZ - The Rogue Bar
4/4/12 Phoenix, AZ - The Lost Leaf
4/5/12 Los Angeles, CA - Amplify
4/6/12 Los Angeles, CA - Viper Room
4/7/12 Las Vegas, NV - Freakin Frog
4/9/12 San Luis Obispo, CA - Linnaea's Cafe (Acoustic Show)
4/10/12 Atascadero, CA - Last Stage West
4/12/12 Stockton, CA - The Plea for Peace Center
4/13/12 Sacramento, CA - Shine Coffee and Art
4/14/12 San Francisco, CA - Brainwash
4/17/12 Reno, NV - Knucklehead's Bar and Grill
4/18/12 Eugene, OR - Sam Bond's Garage
4/19/12 Seattle, WA - Sky Lark Cafe & Club
4/21/12 Seattle, WA - Rat & Raven
4/22/12 Seattle, WA - King Cat Theatre
4/25/12 Boise, ID - The Shredder
4/26/12 Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House
4/27/12 Jackson Hole, WY - Town Square Tavern
4/28/11 Salt Lake City, UT - The Green Pig Pub
Beehive's Considered Opinion: This song reminded me of Heart to start with (in a good way) however the band positively stamp their own mark on the song, which really is a delight.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Cherokee. (mp3).
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Background: Brooklyn-based shoegaze / post-rock outfit LUFF amp up the support of their forthcoming EP with the release of its lead single, the swervy, spangled gem, "Through Here Like Our Fathers." Shifting from crashing chords to cleanly picked notes in the blink of an eye, the single reveals the quartet skillfully working a tightrope between imagining an avian history of our winged brethren and lamenting where their path has brought us today.
The upcoming EP, Maybe It's Just Sleeping, will be unleashed by the band on their own imprint, Delicious Noise. It’s a grievous love letter to the lost; a clutch of disquieting, powerful tracks that cover the intense and universal post-grief process within an ethereal melodic sensibility. Written in the aftermath of the tragic losses of vocalist / guitarist Sheila Sobolewski's mother to a fire and lead guitarist Robin Pickering's step-mother to suicide, the heavy themes in the record's lyrics are balanced by nimble, thoughtful arrangements and production. LUFF conjure a bleary-eyed sense of hope that stands just out of time, interlocking cascading, shimmering arpeggios with quicksilver guitar chords and a tight, sinewy rhythm section. Muscular guitar interplay and lush atmospherics not only co-exist, but play off each other elegantly.
LUFF will continue to perform in their home base of NYC, while moving toward the release of their EP April 17th.
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Over used expressions such as haunting or hypnotic are oh so easy to apply here. Well they apply so lets just accept the fact.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Through Here Like Our Fathers. (mp3).
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Background: Glam rocker & classic pop maven Edward Rogers is set to release his fourth solo album, Porcelain, in the UK and Europe on 4/2/2012 via Bucketfull of Brains with distribution by Proper Music Distribution. Porcelain, which was released last November in the US via Zip Records, is comprised of eleven sonically distinctive compositions that were written and recorded within an 18-month period. “The title of the album,” explains Rogers, “directly reflects the emotions represented in the songs and my mood during the writing process – rage, love, broken friendships, good days, bad days…fun days.”
Porcelain was ultimately penned by Rogers, but the album draws upon the talents of notable kindred spirits including: Don Piper, the celebrated songwriter and bandleader (contributed co-production); James Mastro, a founding member of both The Bongos and Health & Happiness Show and who currently records and tours with Ian Hunter (contributed guitar); Don Fleming, the frontman for Velvet Monkeys, B.A.L.L., and Gumball and who has produced Sonic Youth, Teenage Fan Club, and countless others (contributed guitar); Sal Maida, a member of Cracker who also performs with Roxy Music and Sparks (contributed bass); Ira Elliot, drummer for Nada Surf and Bambi Kino (contributed drums); Pete Kennedy, one half of the folk/pop duo The Kennedys who is currently on tour with Nanci Griffith (contributed guitar); Konrad Meissner, who frequently works with The Silos and Graham Parker (contributed drums); Joe McGinty, who has worked with everyone from the Psychedelic Furs to Ronnie Spector and who is also the mastermind behind the Losers Lounge series of all-star tribute shows (contributed keys); and Claudia Chopek, who has toured and recorded with Moby, TV on the Radio, and Bruce Springsteen among others (contributed violin and viola). This unique assortment of disparate talents bring a vibrant musical life to Edward Rogers' creative vision and add another dynamic chapter to an already impressive body of work.
The now New York-based Rogers, who spent the first twelve years of his life in Birmingham, England, says "I'm motivated by the urge to make music and express myself, rather than by some abstract idea of being some kind of pop star, so I feel like I'm making music for the right reasons."
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Having read the above I was expecting something quite retro and yes there are elements on this song that remind me in part of Lou Reed in days gone by, however this song is immediate and modern sounding and pretty fine as well.
Web: Facebook HERE. Listen: Porcelain. (mp3).
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Background: From their website we read - The neyBuzz is a collective of some of the most talented musicians in the San Francisco Bay area. The collective is a pool of constantly revolving talented musicians, artists, dancers and visionaries to bring a sound imprint of the Bay Area at the moment.
The neyBuzz family firmly believes in the power of sound to transmit information and engage the mind to nurture the human spirit. We assemble our alternative sound through our shared spirit, history, experiences and laughter.
And the unifying result can be labeled everything from Dub, Soul, funk, Indie to feral Rock.
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Turn this one up a bit louder to hear all that is going on. An exceptional piece of music that is stylish, natural and demonstrates top notch musicianship that totally captivates.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Rhumba International. (player below only).
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Background:Ira Lee produces some of the most bizarre and haunting music we have ever heard. Yet, somehow the bizarre produces a result of unexpected beauty and addiction. We first listened to Ira Lee a couple years back in Montreal when the idea for Lovely Hearts Club first came to fruition. Now, years later, we see the evolution of his multi-talented character which has transcended from upbeat piano pop to dark and experimental R&B.
Combining key elements of underground hip hop in the style of Bus driver and MC Chris with the raw and obscure vocal style of rock icon Tom Waits, Ira Lee is onto something – and it’s something we love.
Though we first knew of Ira Lee in Montreal, he is quite the traveller – and it shows in his music. The track we’re featuring here, for example, is titled “Drinking Alone In Paris”.
His latest video is titled “Seven Days in Amsterdam”, and features beautiful cinematography immediately bringing to mind the films of Larry Clark. Ira Lee is an artist across many mediums including film, comedy, visual art, and music…we can’t wait to see what he’s going to come up with next! (courtesy of Paper Garden Records).
Beehive's Considered Opinion: There is something in this song that has had me listening again and again. Part disturbing even threatening and yet it just draws me in as a story over an unfolding instrumental piece.
Web: Facebook HERE. Listen: Drinking Alone in Paris (feat. Scream Dream Baby). (player below only).
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Background: Beehive Candy received this message a few days back from previously featured The Hussy - I'm writing to tell you about the new Hussy LP, Weed Seizure! Tic Tac Totally is releasing it on 3/20/12. It follows the band's sold out debut LP "Cement Tomb Mind Control" (Released less than a year ago in May 2011), which garnered the band comparisons to many of the finest Goner and In The Red alum (Ty Segall, Oblivians, Jay Reatard). Weed Seizure expands on the debut's sonic carnage, while staying true to the band's unique perspective on bash-em-up-spit-em-out garage-trash for short attention spans. It hinges on hints of psych, noise and pop wreckage. Think the crude force of The Oblivion's meets the pop-centric mind of Ty Segall...with alternating guy/girl vox, and an insane live show (fire, push ups, crowd surfing...). Ben Lyon's artwork channels The Hussy's countless acid trips and blood pressure drops perfectly, like some telepathic visuals from the centre of a blackout dream. Impose recently premiered the first video from the LP for "Undefined". Three more videos from the LP are expected throughout the year. All feature a different look into the band's psyche. The record will be distributed physically and digitally by Revolver/Midheaven in the USA and P.Trash in Europe. The LP comes with a download code.
The band will be embarking on a sizable Midwest and East Coast tour in March and April as well as a trip to the West Coast during May and June. The most exciting dates are with Ty Segall, White Fence, Bare Wires, Night Beats, and the stop at WFMU for the band's second live performance there...this time on Terre T's excellent garage-punk show The Cherry Blossom Clinic!
The Hussy also have two brand new 7"s on Italy's Goddbye Boozy (Home to Ty Segall, Mikal Cronin, BBQ, etc...) and Eradicator records available now. These are the band's fourth and fifth 7"s. Two more 7"s will follow the Midwest/East Coast Tour on Evil Weevil Records and Slovenly's subsidiary Black Gladiator. Expect those in May or June.
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Time to crank things right up with a touch of Hussy mayhem. Total no nonsense, crazy energy, get leaping about folks!
Web: Bandcamp HERE. Listen: Stab Me. (mp3).
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Background: The West London (original home of Beehive Candy - no deserved bias here eh?) Grunge-Punkers Katalina Kicks have been destroying British stages with their blend of heavy-hitting rock since 2009 and now promise to bring their energy and aggression to stages in Canada for Canadian Music Week.
The self-funded 3-piece are the epitome of the DIY model. With a heyday pointing back to proper British punk, fused with garage rock and grunge, they mean business. They live to play. Hard. And play to live. Harder.
The trio is fronted by Ian George, who belts it out until his throat bleeds while hammering his Telecaster--the man is not messing about! Kam Kappa, blazing beat-maker, provides thunderous rhythm reminiscent of Bonham, Moon & Grohl. J Creswell is the filth merchant, with cowboy boots and a vintage Rickenbacker, a serious party animal--everything you expect in a bass-player.
Well known for their wild on and off stage antics, banned from the World-famous 100 Club for stage destruction (ironically the original "home of punk"), touring extensively across the UK in 2011, headlining a sell-out CLUB NME show at the famous London venue KOKO; and renown for staging crowd pleasing mini soap-operas every time they appear on stage, the band has the music and the swagger to carry it off.
The band's debut album The Return of Montague Rotter was recorded in Baker Street's Air Edel Studios and released in the US in July 2011. The debut single "145" received critical acclaim, was featured as Track of the Day in Clash Magazine, and was play listed across the UK, receiving numerous 5 star ratings, as well as a feature in the Financial Times's howtospendit.com.
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Whilst we have the energy switched right up, Katalina Kicks also demonstrate their finesse at the art of rock'n'roll/punk/grunge, prepare to be blown out of your room.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: C Bomb. (mp3).
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Background: Brooklyn-based production duo Javelin has announced the digital release of their two limited edition 12'''s Javelin and Javelin II, out on April 17 with Luaka Bop. Now collector's pieces, Javelin and Javelin II were held to 500 copies each and never made the light of a widespread digital day. Taken together, the EPs contain some live set staples and fan favorites including the ferocious 8-bit homage 'Soda Popinski,' 'Beyondce,' and the sublime statement of intent 'Radio.'
Javelin (cousins George Langford and Tom Van Buskirk) originally released the 12'''s on Thrill Jockey, before signing with Luaka Bop to release their genre-hopping LP No Más and last year's western-inspired Canyon Candy EP. From Providence warehouse parties to Brooklyn warehouse parties to performances at the Whitney Museum, tours with Yeasayer, Girl Talk, Matt & Kim, and sets with Little Dragon and QuestLove, Javelin has carved out a niche uniquely their own. The duo has put its distinctive touch on tracks for Cee-Lo, Warpaint, Future Islands, Darwin Deez and Health and done production work for hip-hop moguls and pop divas.
Beehive's Considered Opinion: Quirky ? You bet, plus different and just such a great song.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Soda Popinski. (mp3).
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PLEASE - IF YOU CAN SPARE US A MINUTE OR TWO - GO TO THE TAB ABOVE - 'MARCH 2012 PLEASE READ'.
*** UPDATED - 14TH MARCH 2012 ***
Project Stealth - For All True Music Lovers and All Of Our Friends!
Friends of Beehive Candy hopefully will read this and understand why we have taken this pretty sudden change of direction.
Beehive Candy knows where it's roots are. We have grown in terms of interest and regular visits thanks to you our friends. Our focus on new music and emerging bands or artists will remain.
As regards the older rarities we have featured in the recent times and the past, well we need to consider how these can be shared without upsetting those we have genuinely sought to support by cutting out the money grabbing bootleggers.
Please accept that currently we cannot re-upload deleted or missing files. As Scarlett said in "Gone With The Wind" .............. (what? you don't remember, well OK then just watch this old space).
SXSW comes around again and Austin, Texas is well and truly on the musical map for a few days. Along with many others our inbox has been filled with a good many messages for numerous artists heading that way, this is our little selection, we could not fit everyone in, so randomly chosen from our favorites list are the following acts...
Background: El Paso quintet The D.A.'s debut album You Kids!, recorded by Justin Leeah (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Conor Oberst and the Mystic River Valley Band, Girl In A Coma), is 10 tracks of pure bliss – impeccably produced pop set apart by its merging of electronic sounds, soaring trumpet and bare bones rock instruments. Each lovingly-crafted track transcends the synth-pop formula, laden with personality by odd flashes of weirdness – whether it be secretly recorded barroom banter or glitchy chirps at the end of “Big Woman."
You Kids! has impressively bottled The D.A.’s live sound. Frontman Tyler Dudley has been known to hang from rafters, barking like a madman. Keyboards either titter in pleasure or shudder in fear at the wrath of synth maestro Cesar Muñiz. Michael Frisbey’s trumpet– alternately sad and buoyant – cuts through the din of chugging guitar, Steven Escargaza’s earworm bass, and Evan Tremper’s driving drums.
“If I was a manager or label, I would snatch these little twinks up and make them rich twinks,” tweeted a bowled-over JD Samson of Le Tigre during The D.A.’s opening set for her side project MEN in April. The D.A. has also shared stages with such indie darlings as Yelle, Foster the People, Twin Shadow, Crystal Castles, Mister Heavenly, Holy F##k, Miniature Tigers, Pomegranates and Prefuse 73. This spring they more than held their own on a bill with MSTRKRFT, CSS and Beach Fossils at El Paso’s first-ever Neon Desert Music Festival.
Upcoming shows include support for Gardens & Villa, Electric Guest, a DJ set for Of Montreal and Deerhoof, and several performances at Austin for SXSW.
3.14 Houston, TX @ Super Happy Fun Land
3.15 Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Texas Rockfest Main Stage (7th and Neches)
3.16 Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Hole In The Wall (Echo Cloud Productions Showcase)
3.16 Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Trophy's (NSN Showcase)
3.16 Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Ponderosa Live (Tradewind Showcase)
3.18 El Paso, TX @ Tricky Falls (w/ Of Montreal, Deerhoof)
3.19 El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace (w/ Electric Guest)
Beehive Say: This is a charming lively song, a little quirky in a good way. It's the only song from them we have heard and if we were at SXSW it would have us racing to their first set without a doubt.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Pastels. (mp3).
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Background: LA-based sister trio HAIM are comprised of bassist Este (24), lead guitarist Danielle (22), rhythm guitar, keyboard, and percussionist Alana Haim (19), the girls spent their childhood playing in a family band, and are able to seamlessly switch from instrument to instrument with complete confidence and ease, all while singing in three part harmony. Influenced by Stevie Nicks, Kate Bush, Eurythmics, Aaliyah, and TLC, HAIM was featured in two separate Nylon pieces this month, with the site calling their songs "bizarrely good," noting, "They're all gorgeous and have serious style, but you know what? That doesn't even matter, because these girls are really talented musicians." HAIM will be making their SXSW debut this March with more performances to be announced.
After years of playing with their parents, the girls decided to strike out on their own, adding drummer Dash Hutton to round out their live show. "I think we still have the structure of old-school rock," says Alana. "But the R&B adds the spice." Danielle has previously toured with Jenny Lewis, Cee-lo Green, and Julian Casablancas. Over the past few years, the band has opened up for Julian Casablancas, Ke$ha, Grouplove, No Age, The Bird And The Bee, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and Chief. This month HAIM played four incredible sold out LA shows including sets with Cold War Kids, Mini Mansions, Milo Greene, and Electric Guest.
3/13 - Austin, TX- French Legation Museum @ 1pm
3/15 - Austin, TX - Plugged in Showcase - Red Eyed Fly @ 8pm
3/16 - Austin, TX - Neon Gold Showcase - Karma Lounge @ 8pm
3/17 - Austin, TX - Cantora Showcase - Lambert's at 10pm
Beehive Say: Wonderful three part harmonies that are complemented by a superb mix of instruments, excuse the cliche but this is one act to really watch out for, and some!
Web: Facebook. Listen: Better Off. (mp3).
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Background: Oh Mercy, headed by songwriter Alexander Gow, is a young indie rock band with real talent. For their latest album, Great Barrier Grief, the group treamed up with Mitchel Froom (Crowded House, Elvis Costello) to record eleven tracks of evocative acoustic pop. The record was inspired by the idea of "the classic albums and songwriters who soundtrack our lives." Timeless in feel, Great Barrier Grief is a confident, purposeful album with the occasional bird noise thrown in.
The album received critical acclam, debuting at number 13 on the Australian ARIA album chart and nominated for two ARIA Awards. Abundant with singles, the album was featured on Triple J radio Australia, 3fm in The Netherlands and added to college radio stations across America while the bizarrely subtle video clip for the single “Stay, Please Stay” quickly surpassed 200,000 plays on YouTube.
Oh Mercy have toured consistently since 2009, growing a devoted audience through their own sold out shows, in support of Kaiser Chiefs, The Vaccines, Temper Trap, The Triffids and Crowded House and on the festival stage at Splendour In The Grass, Laneway and the Big Day Out.
2012 will find Oh Mercy in America for the third time in many years, with shows in Los Angeles, Austin and New York. Alexander remembers his last SXSW trip, “Austin was very cold. It was there that I bought beers as big as my face for one dollar.”
3.14 Austin, TX @ The Studio
3.14 Austin, TX @ Joe's Crab Shack
3.16 Austin, TX @ Maggie Mae's - Official Sonicbids SXSW Showcase
3.17 Austin, TX @ Maggie Mae's - Aussie BBQ
3.21 Toronto, CAN @ Hard Luck
3.22 Toronto, CAN @ Library Bar
3.24 Toronto, CAN @ El Mocambo - Aussie BBQ
3.25 Brooklyn, NY @ The Bellhouse - Aussie BBQ
Beehive Say: In the crowded indie rock market place, stand out bands are seemingly hard to spot, Oh Mercy stand out for us with their down to earth songs, excellent musicianship and pleasing vocals.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Stay, Please Stay. (mp3).
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Background:Bonfire Nights' make swirling moody psych-pop: a clash of surf and synth, shoe-gaze with purple haze, Virginia Plain meets Jesus & Mary Chain.
With mantra like drones, shaking bones and sweet candy overtones, Bonfire Nights like to blur the boundaries. Formed by Steve, Ruth and Nicole in 2010, the band split their time between London and their hometown of Brisbane, Australia.
Adopting a minimalist ethos, the band recorded their first self-titled EP on a four-track analogue tape machine. While the approach was modest, the outcome was an eclectic mix, ranging from the menacing “Own Worst Enemy” to the sparse and dreamy fuzz of “Leave Yourself Open.”
The EP has received early kudos from Australian, Japanese, South African and British Radio. The video clip for single "Own Worst Enemy" also received rotation on Rage - the primary Australian music television program. While the track was also voted into the ‘Hot 100’ tracks of 2010 for Australian station 4zzz FM.
After a highly successful UK tour supporting Scottish indie rockers Sons & Daughters, the band are again looking to foreign shores as they plan tour dates to coincide with their official SXSW 2012 showcase.
3.13 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live - AACC Showcase
3.16 Austin, TX @ German School - Dart International Showcase
3.16 Austin, TX @ Treasure Island - Official SXSW Showcase
3.17 Austin, TX @ Maggie Mae's - Aussie BBQ
3.24 New York, NY @ Lit Lounge
3.25 Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House - Aussie BBQ
Beehive Say: Some bands can make it seem all so simple, whilst crafting fast moving and changing arrangements. Case in point here, and a very fine song as well!
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Own Worst Enemy. (mp3).
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Background: Combining fuzzed out pop melodies with the distorted punk attitude of late 1970's New York, Brooklyn's Beast Make Bomb craft songs informed by twenty-something college life in urban grit. Powerful yet tastefully delicate vocals by Houston native Ceci Gomez croon over distortion driven guitars (Glenn VanDyke), warm bass lines (Sam Goldfine), and locked down up-tempo drums (Hartley Lewis) on the band's two premiere EPs, Skinny Legs and Sourpuss. Bringing a pronounced energy and sonic solidarity to the stage, Beast Make Bomb's roots lay firmly at the intersection of indie pop and punk rock, inhabiting a city known for spawning the pioneers of both.
Formed as NYU students in 2009, Beast Make Bomb have toured the country in support of several acts, including Cold War Kids, Tokyo Police Club, and The Whigs. The band was also featured at Rolling Stone Magazine's 2011 SXSW showcase, sharing the stage with Queens of the Stone Age. This year, the garage-pop quartet is returning to SXSW to play a string of dates in the midst of their southern tour.
3.15 Austin, TX @ Kebabalicious, 3pm - Vagabond Showcase
3.15 Austin, TX @ Fados, 8:45pm - Rethink Pop Music Showcase
3.16 Austin, TX @ Liberty Bar, 11:30am - Mightier Than Sword Showcase 3.16 Austin, TX @ Budare's, 6:15pm - Generic Mammal Party
3.17 Austin, TX @ House of Commons, 10:45pm - Generic Mammal Party
3.21 Washington, D.C. @ DC9
Beehive Say: There is a freshness to this band and song that reminds me why I enjoyed punk and new wave the first time around. Sadly it also reminds me how old I am getting, still if I need reminding of that, then at least I get to enjoy fabulous music along the way.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: It Snowed Last Night. (mp3).
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Background:Bunny West was born on a locomotive, raised on a reservation, and steeped in salvation. The spirit of Bunny West comes alive through a style of music all her own. With ten years of playing and writing music under her belt, she has dipped her toes into every style of music and fused all of these to create her own fresh sound. Whether she draws inspiration from Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Etta James or The Black Keys, Bunny West’s distinct, chillingly powerful voice lies at the root of her music.
Her hard work and dedication has culminated into a brilliant debut album, to be released later this Spring. After working as a bartender and playing weekly gigs at Piano Bar and Hotel Café in Hollywood, Bunny West was able to pay for sessions out of her own pocket. Brother Sal, along with friend, engineer and co-producer Geoff Neal, lent a hand to get the album done in just four days. The tracks were all recorded live, within three takes and finished with limited overdubbing. Her sound is raw. Her sound is unforgettable.
As an introduction to her beautiful voice, she has recorded a video covering "Run to the Hills" by Iron Maiden. It's Bunny's voice that brings out the sincere hurt and pain in the lyrics and gives the song a whole new perspective.
Los Angeles, CA @ Piano Bar (every Monday)
3.14 Austin, TX @ SXSW - The Section 101 Launchpad (12:30 p.m.)
3.14 Austin, TX @ SXSW - Red Shed Tavern (5 p.m.)
3.17 Los Angeles, CA @ The Escondite (12 p.m.)
Beehive Say: I used to occasionally go out for a drink or two with a Parisian called Guy who was a massive Iron Maiden fan. What Guy would make of this I do not know, but after the decibels he inflicted on me, I am just glad I can here this incredible version of the song.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Run To The Hills. (mp3).
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Background: NY-based multi-instrumentalist Delicate Steve, (aka Steve Marion) has premiered his first single 'Africa Talks To You' from his sophomore album Positive Force, due out on May 15 with Luaka Bop. Written, played, recorded, and mixed by Marion, Positive Force is an interplanetary step forward from the bedroom sounds of his debut Wondervisions.
What remains true on Positive Force is Marion's dedication to hyper-melody-- put simply, the ability to make you ready and able to sing his wordless songs. But everything is bigger here on the LP. It is a planet onto itself, a world to immerse yourself in. Wondervisions put Marion on the map, as it won praise from New York Times, Spin, American Songwriter, with the song "Butterfly" recently named one of the best singles of 2011 by NPR. Delicate Steve has shared the stage with Yeasayer and Lee Ranaldo, and toured extensively last year including dates with Battles, Ra Ra Riot, Cut Copy, Akron Family, and the list goes on and on.
3/14 Austin, TX [SXSW] - Blue Theatre (Blow Up) - 4:40pm RSVP nihao@caoker.com
3/16 Austin, TX [SXSW] - Music Makers Lot Terror Eyes -3pm
3/16 -Austin, TX [SXSW] - Takoba (Shout Out Out) - 6pm
3/17 Austin, TX [SXSW] - Mohawk Outside (Panache Showcase) - 9pm
3/18 Denton, TX - Rubbergloves
3/22 Boise, ID - Treefort Music Festival
3/24 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
3/25 Omaha, NE - Slowdive
3/26 Milwaukee, WI - Mad Planet
3/27 Muncie, IN - The Center Stage
3/28 Pittsburgh, PA - Belvedere's
3/29 Harrisburg, PA - 29th Stage on Herr
Beehive Say: Superb instrumental mix which has atmosphere and is carefully layered, so you get to hear and enjoy all of it without having to sit and concentrate.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Africa Talks To You. (mp3).
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Background: Washington DC-based quartet Deletes Scenes has announced appearances at SXSW '12 and a set East coast tour dates in support of their sophomore Young People's Church of the Air LP. With performances currently underway, the band will appear at this coming weekend's Savannah Stopover and Orange You Glad Festivals. Earlier this year, Deleted Scenes embarked on a nationwide tour with art-pop group A Lull, including Daytrotter, Quit Mumbling and LaundroMatinee sessions along the way.
Their newest collection of songs originated in frontman Daniel Scheuerman's basement and was recorded at the Garden Center in Hockessin, DE, with Nick Krill (The Spinto Band) and Birdseed Shirt producer L. Skell. Young People's Church of the Air mixes themes of family, love, death, and joy incorporating studio sounds and home-recorded lo-fi noise. Deleted Scenes has shared the stage with Cursive, Wild Nothing, Abe Vigoda, Black Kids, The Antlers, Medications, and Matt and Kim among others, and has performed at SXSW, CMJ, and Pop Montreal.
3/14 - Austin, TX: DC Does Texas SXSW Party at Lovejoy's
3/14 - Austin, TX: Audio Perv/Sophistic Arts SXSW Party at Peckerheads on 6th
3/14 - Austin, TX: STPP Does! Does! Does! SXSW Showcase at Casa Chapala Downtown
3/15 - Austin, TX: Popantipop SeaNow! SXSW Showcase at Brew Exchange
3/15 - San Antonio, TX: The Big Spill Music Festival at Korova
3/17 - Austin, TX: Red Ryder Showcase Swan Dive
3/19 - Atlanta, GA: 529
3/20 - Durham, NC: The Pinhook
3/21 - Philadelphia, PA: Kungfu Necktie
3/22 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
3/23 - Baltimore, MD - The Talking Head @ Sonar
3/24 - Newark, DE - Mojo Main
4/20, Washington, DC - Comet Ping Pong
Beehive Say: Mood music, with differing beats and atmospheric vocals, we just cant help but get hooked on this song, that draws you in, even if you try to resist. The song builds beautifully and fly's the flag for bands who continue to dare to be different.
Web: Blog HERE. Listen: Bedbedbedbedbed. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: The Los Angeles synth pop duo Tic Tic Boom! is giving away the first single "For Feeling" from their upcoming EP Before the Sun Rises. The release, to be available in April, promises to be stronger, dreamier, darker, and a major evolution of their sound from their previous recordings.
Before the Sun Rises, the band's third EP, follows on the success of their 2011 release Reasons and Rhymes. Drawing inspiration from new wave, punk, and indie rock, their second EP received a wealth of praise and recognition from publications like Buzzbands LA, The Owl Mag, and CMJ, the last of which described their music as “hook-laced synthpop that casts live drums and guitars as conspicuously as it does sugary vocals and catchy synth loops.” It also earned the band the opportunity to do an official remix of one of the most popular songs of 2011, Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks,” and an invitation to showcase at CMJ Music Marathon in New York.
After a year of tirelessly playing shows and releasing acoustic versions and remixes, Tic Tic Boom! is nearly ready to release their junior EP, Before the Sun Rises. It was dubbed thus by the two’s nearly nocturnal writing and recording schedule and, as with each of their previous releases, the upcoming six-track recording showcases a different side of Tic Tic Boom! “[Before the Sun Rises] deals with concepts of life and death,” explains Francisco about the inspiration behind the EP. “How all things are cyclical and we're all just a small piece of an enormous never-ending puzzle. It's about struggling to understand your place in all of that.”
To promote Before the Sun Rises, the band will be playing live shows in the LA area as well as performing in Austin during SXSW and performing a residency at Los Angeles’ Lot 1 Café for May 2012.
Beehive Says: Lots going on here, drums and synths colliding into energetic vocals, the whole song is a frenzy of action and it works. Set as your morning alarm call and you will hit the ceiling before you leave the pillow.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: For Feeling (MP3).
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BACKGROUND: Originally a side project of sorts, twins Jaymes and Tegan Voltaire became the Voltaire Twins after winning the Triple J Unearthed Parklife competition in 2008 and receiving a personal invitation to support Ladytron. Fast forward a few years and with a single and EP release under their belt, the band has now toured Australia numerous times and played everywhere from CMJ in NYC to Laneway, Parklife, Groovin’ the Moo, and Summadayze. This March, Voltaire Twins will return to North America to perform at both SXSW and CMW. Dates and times are below.
Last fall, the indie/electric/disco foursome released the Romulus EP throughout Sydney and Brisbane. Australian critics describe the EP as “darker than the previous Cabin Fever EP with Lord of the Flies-esque themes of chaos and detachment from humanity in the wilderness.”
The lead track from the EP, "Animalia," has already been added to rotation on Triple J, FBI, and Radar Radio, and its accompanying music video, directed by Ben Young and David Le May, was recently awarded a Gold Award at the Australian Cinematography Awards. The video tells the dark, twisted tale of a taxidermist's latest acquisition - a pair of feathered twins.
The lead track from the EP, "Animalia," has already been added to rotation on Triple J, FBI, and Radar Radio, and its accompanying music video, directed by Ben Young and David Le May, was recently awarded a Gold Award at the Australian Cinematography Awards. The video tells the dark, twisted tale of a taxidermist's latest acquisition - a pair of feathered twins.
In an effort to step towards a bigger, more textural sound, the release of the Romulus EP also saw French nu-disco legend Lifelike, Sydney party-starters Purple Sneakers DJs, and Munich-based genre crusher Moullinex all contributing remixes. Fans can also “like” Voltaire Twins on Facebook and receive a code to download the single and remixes free.
Beehive Says: Catchy, very catchy. 'Indie/electric/disco' indeed! and all done to a fine standard.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Animalia (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: NY-Berlin trio Fenster has released the single "Fantasy II" with VMAN from their forthcoming debut full-length, Bones, out on March 13 release via Morr Music. Read Fenster's Q&A with VMAN to get better acquainted with them, learn what's behind their interesting song structures, and how their bi-continental background inevitably effects their musical point of view. The group will embark on their first ever US tour including three performances in NYC surrounding their scheduled appearances at SXSW '12.
Fenster began as New York native JJ Weihl and Berlin-based Jonathan Jarzyna started experimenting with de-constructed pop music, layering subtle distortions, melodic chords and city soundscapes under dream narratives. Their new album Bones takes its narrative structure from the associative logic of dreams, weaving morbid imagery and playful fairytales together into a sardonic play against backdrops of dark forests, train rides, graveyards, mountains and seashores. With influences ranging from the Velvet Underground, to the sounds of broken records, the hum of a washing machine, or the faint melodies of oldies tunes through their kitchen radio, at times, you might be reminded of an American version of The xx.
Beehive Says: Vocals and accompanying harmonies are spot on, as this song twists and turns. Fenster are imaginative as is this song.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Fantasy II. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: In 2010, after the release of their debut melancholic folk LP On Claws to critical acclaim, I Am Oak was invited to be a part of over sixty-five tours and festivals throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemborg, Switzerland, and the UK, including a sold out show at the Unitarian Church as part of the Great Escape festival. Fast forward one year and I Am Oak have released their sophomore LP Oasem to unanimous praise, even earning “Album of the Year” at the prestigious 3VOOR12 Awards.
I Am Oak is the folk/experimental project formed around Dutch singer-songwriter Thijs Kuijken. Described by the 3VOOR12 judges as “night songs” and “songs that take you on a journey,” Kuijken’s truly unique sound is created by manipulating minimalistic sounds into complex and gentle sound arrays using his own voice as the main backbone complemented by guitar, banjo, organ, beats, and samples, all produced and arranged out of his bedroom.
On January 12, 2012 I Am Oak released the Skulk EP via Snowstar Records in the Netherlands. The first single from the EP, “Gills,” premiered on MP3.com last week. The “I Am Oak” moniker is derived from "Bergeijk," the village in which Thijs grew up. The name also contains the Dutch word for Oak ("eik") and expresses Thijs’ love and fascination for nature, a theme that is prominent throughout his impressive body of work.
I Am Oak will be making their North American debut at this year’s SXSW on March 16, 2012 at St. David’s Bethell Hall at 9pm.
Beehive Says: A gentle brooding song which flows and then kinda abruptly stops to remind us how we have drifted into the number.
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Gills. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: Time and good karma have a funny way of repeating themselves sometimes and coming full circle. Here and now is one of those times, as we tell you the tale of Paper Garden Records’ first ever release and the Lovely Hearts Club’s newest addition – former Eagle Seagull front-man, Eli Mardock.
Eagle Seagull was the inspiration and jumping off point behind Paper Garden Records‘ entire existence back in 2005. The town of Lincoln, Nebraska brought the two together, and from there both parties grew into their early adulthood years, quickly gaining international critical acclaim. With their debut album very much at the forefront of the new indie-rock sound (think Arcade Fire and Handsome Furs), Eagle Seagull began to see shows and tours flow in from the likes of The B-52′s, Tokyo Police Club, Gnarls Barkley, Blonde Redhead, The Faint, and more. In the wake of this immediate success the big, bad major labels came calling, and needless to say, won the signing battle over the humble Paper Garden Records. After enduring nearly every major label cliche known to man and numerous setbacks to to release of their follow-up album, Eli and the band eventually decided to go their separate ways.
In the two years since the band’s demise, Eli has been hard at work recording and producing his first solo LP, “Everything Happens for the First Time”. Mixed in Brooklyn by Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend, The Strokes), the record is set for release in Summer 2012 and marks a new beginning for both Eli Mardock and Paper Garden. We are so excited to be working with Eli on his solo record and just couldn’t be happier about this phenomenal family reunion. Eli will be making his way down to SXSW this year as well, playing the Paper Garden/My Old Kentucky Blog party @ Uncorked on 3/15.
Beehive Says: The Arcade Fire similarities have been mentioned above and elsewhere, so what, there's plenty of room for great music and for Eli to influence others. More please!
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Everything Happens for the First Time. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: The Lake Effect is a music collective comprised of some of the most prominent artists established during the wildly mad yet glorious punk scene in Ottawa, NYC, Dublin and UK in the late 1970’s. Fast forward to 2012, and core members of The Lake Effect and respected industry veterans Phil Hogarth and Dave Bignell have rejuvenated their passion for music as well as reinvented their sound and image to create a fervent band that emotes sonic landscapes of loss and longing, redemption and love. The Lake Effect will be releasing their inaugural EP on March 13, followed by the release of their long awaited debut full-length album due for Summer 2012 release. The Lake Effect proves that musical prowess has no expiration date, as their forthcoming EP release presents a fresh collection of indie pop-rock tracks that lightly treads on psychedelic folk.
Bringing together some of the most celebrated veterans of the Canadian music scene, The Lake Effect sings transcendent tales that are pain stakenly candid and unfeigned. With songs that were built on decades of empathetic real-life experiences and revelations, The Lake Effect has revealed themselves as a sound comparable to The Acorn and Bob Pollard …yet their incredible story of dedication to their craft puts them in the realm with fellow artists Ray Lemontagne and Leonard Cohen, whom have also been there and back a few times.
The story of The Lake Effect is basically a story of commitment, and the roots of the band’s core members, Dave Bignell and Phil Hogarth, stretch way back into the glorious murky madness of the late 70’s punk scene in Ottawa, New York, Dublin and the UK.
Bignell’s first band, the infamous Red Squares, released one of Canada’s first DIY singles in late 77, were quickly named as a ‘pick to click’ by British DJ John Peel, and subsequently went on to share the stage with the likes of Ultravox, John Cale, and XTC. The Red Squares’ dedicated fans were legion, and rare copies of the band’s seminal Transmitter single are still trading for hundreds of dollars on record collector sites and eBay.
Around the same time the Red Squares were dissolving in 1980, The Lake Effect’s lead singer Phil Hogarth was recording his first EP with Bugs Harvey Oswald at U2’s Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland. Returning to Canada in ’82, Hogarth released a follow-up disc and spent a number of years playing high profile stages in NYC and elsewhere with like-minded bands the Fall, Bauhaus, 10,000 Maniacs, and the Ramones.
Since the 80’s, Bignell and Hogarth have dedicated themselves to many interesting art and music projects in Canada and internationally, but they have always remained committed to the same personal, political and poetical goals that inspired them in the first place. They may be older now, and much water has passed beneath the proverbial bridge, but that is clearly a good thing. Stripped of all pretension, they have finally come together, cracked the shell and found the glistening pearl within.
The Lake Effect’s songs are unique in their strength and beauty, and the band’s live performances are quickly earning them a host of enthusiastic new fans. Refreshingly relaxed, candid and chill, The Lake Effect rules the stage with an easy humor and professional grace that reflects their extensive experience as major players on Canada’s national scene. They’re smart, they’re soulful and they’re sexy, and that is what the best music is really all about. Dreams may fade and empires fall, but the beautiful songs of Lake Effect fly sky high above them all.
The Lake Effect’s highly anticipated premiere EP will be released on March 13, 2012, and digital review copies are currently available on request.
Beehive Says: As we grow older and hopefully wiser, its always a joy to hear artists with a pedigree such as these guys. Comfortable in doing what feels right musically without the need to live on past glories, and why not when the current ones are this good?
Web: Tumblr HERE. Listen: Fallen From The Sky. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: Dan London is a singer-songwriter-guitarist-bassist (currently with The Longwalls) living in the town of Jamaica Plain, MA. Written over the course of several years in between Nashville and Boston, London's debut Happy to See Me is a record about changes—-lots and lots of changes. A smart mix of Ray Davies and East Coast cool, Happy to See Me is a midnight run through the trials and tribulations associated with becoming comfortable in one's own skin. Better late than never.
The LP features old friends Mike Quinn (Moontower Studio / Q Division) and Longwalls bandmate Kurt von Stetten.
Quoting Dan himself - "I remember hearing Ben Folds’ "Underground" for the first time, realized he was singing about the American suburban experience, and thinking, “damn, he beat me to it.” The American suburban experience is where I come from, it’s where I made my bones, it’s where I cut my teeth.
When I was 13, I wrote my first song. It was the first thing I was ever really good at. I first heard a Bob Dylan song on the local classic rock station and it changed me. True stuff. The words kept coming. I bought his book of lyrics and carried it from room to room.
I grew up in New Jersey listening to Dylan, Pink Floyd, The Dead, The Stones, The Who and the Beatles. I loved Lou Reed and found it hard find other people who did that also didn’t scare me.
I went to college for songwriting. I moved to Nashville. I played in bands and went to open mic nights. I worked in bookstores and got taken out to dinner by crime fiction publishers.
I toured for a few months with a cover band. We kept getting fired, but I got to eat fried chicken in the Savanna Holiday Inn and play volleyball on a beach overlooking a nuclear power plant in Crystal River, Florida.
Sometimes I think music saved my life, other times I think it ruined it. It depends on the day. Just don’t ask me in the morning.
I moved back to Boston. I recorded a record with a band called Nag Champa. I worked in more bookstores. Eventually I went to grad school for Library Science. I started playing bass in the Longwalls. With their help I rediscovered a love of music and a desire to—finally—make my own record".
Beehive Says: This is good old 'no nonsense' music that feels just right. Enough said already.
Web: Official (label) HERE. Listen: Little Bit About Me. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: Violens' forthcoming album, 'True', finds the Brooklyn three-piece further amplifying their innovative songwriting with a palette of exquisitely crafted sound. The band's music eludes classification, expertly blending percussive guitar work and silky harmonies, seeking the silver lining yet to be discovered between the sounds we know and love. With a wash of 90s sonic pop drawn from artists like Pale Saints, Cocteau Twins and McCarthy, Violens paint soft watercolor notes across their compositions, adding crucial emotional depth via layered vocal harmonies.
Violens was formed in 2007 by Jorge Elbrecht (a producer, multi-instrumentalist, and founding member of the art company Lansing-Dreiden). Their debut album 'Amoral' was self-recorded, self-produced, and is best understood as digital collage; a dark, guitar and synth-pop voyage of melodic and rhythmic collision.
'True' shifts course towards a more subtle and desaturated sonic landscape. The album's first single, "Totally True," demonstrates this with its stone-washed, semi-improvised feel, celebrating bands like The Chameleons and Martin Newell's Cleaners From Venus. As the writing process for this second album began while traveling together on tour, it also showcases Violens as a more collaborative effort. Band members Iddo Arad (backing vocals, synths, guitar) and Myles Matheny (backing vocals bass, guitar) had a much larger influence on the songwriting and the album's sonic direction. Framed by Will Berman's distinctive drumming, 'True' shows the band interacting and reflecting in ways both promising and exciting.
Throughout 2011, Violens kept up a virtual songwriting diary on their website, posting musical sketches as part of a continuous dialogue with their fans. In keeping with this practice, Violens will be premiering a song from 'True' each month leading up to the release of their LP.
Beehive Says: A few comparisons above, I would add Hawkwind without the synth and acid but that might confuse some. It's a good number that fly's by and needs a second listen just to remind yourselves of what you heard first and I love it!
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Unfolding Black Wings. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: Coke Weed is indeed an exotic specimen, an indie band that lays garlands at the ruins of rock and roll. This is psychedelic music with nary a trace of the blown out vocal or endless digital soup that is in vogue for this moment in time. Rather, Coke Weed lives in the essence of that perfect instance when the early hippies put down their beloved folk music and fixed their restless gaze on the possibilities of electric rock and roll.
For their upcoming release Nice Dreams, the band enlisted producer Nick Stumpf (former front man of French Kicks and producer of Caveman's CoCo Beware). The album was recorded completely live in ten days, and as a result, there are no overdubs. The first featured track from the album is titled "Magpie," which Coke Weed's founder Milan McAlevy explains, "is almost like the surrealist practice of automatic writing, it just came out and we had something haunting and beautiful that I can’t quite understand the meaning of."
McAlevy formed the Lil’ Fighters with Walter Martin (future member of The Walkmen) in 1999, which sparked an exchange of ideas that would take them both in very unexpected directions. Fast forward a few years and McAlevey has left behind the New York music scene to follow Coke Weed chanteuse Nina D. to Bar Harbor, Maine, the quintessential New England island tourist town. Nina and Milan quickly found guitarist Caleb Davis, young drummer Peter Cuffari and bassist Zach Soares, thus giving birth to the Coke Weed family.
In late April, the group will join fellow Maine constellation Micah Blue Smaldone for a string of ten dates along the East Coast. After that, Coke Weed will hit the road in support of The Walkmen on their North American tour in September 2012.
Beehive Says: This is one fine song where the guitar and vocals complement rather than challenge each other and yet are both standout in the mix (and the rest of the band are disciplined enough to carry the whole thing off with a gentle rhythm) .
Web: Official HERE. Listen: Magpie. (mp3).
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BACKGROUND: In advance of their debut full length album, Isle of Dogs (April 9, 2012), east London indie poppers Tigercats are releasing a free MP3 download of "Full Moon Reggae Party".
"Full Moon Reggae Party" was written in one day after an enforced absence from the studio, and recorded just a couple of days later. It's about going on the run ("I heard you stole a van, we've got some fake Gaugin's, let's go and get the cash, dance to Two Sevens Clash") but it's also the most direct love song they've ever done.
A lot of Tigercats' lyrics are constructed out of fleeting, disconnected
imagery, but "Full Moon Reggae Party" speaks straight to it's subject. Unlike
earlier songs, it was written by Duncan with Laura's voice in mind: the exuberant verses that he sings solo contrast with the richness of the chorus.
"We love to play it because it's fast and it's about breaking the law."
Catch Tigercats touring UK (March) and Spain (April). They have also just been confirmed to play the Indietracks Festival at Midland Railway in Butterley, Derbyshire in July. Tigercats' album launch for Isle of Dogs will be March 30th at Power Lunches in Dalston.
Beehive Says: Come the summer this will be perfect partying out of doors music, right now it just lifts me way up.
Web: fika (label) HERE. Listen: Full Moon Reggae Party. (mp3).
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