BEEHIVE CANDY

The rules are simple, anything we like, no particular order, as and when we can, so here's our first 2015 round up, of new or very recent material received. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chanel Samson . Chanel Samson's 'The Beginning' EP is inspired by this Californian girl's time in Liverpool, the men in her life, her friends, and one particular doomed relationship with Matthew. The track 'F U Matthew' documents the doomed love affair but it's as cheerfully upbeat and irreverent as Chanel herself. Her lyrics are biting yet playful, and her delivery is tongue in cheek and knowing, allowing her to explore the darker aspects of relationships without ever losing that Californian sunshine smile. 'The Beginning' EP was recorded and produced by Felix Hagan, lead singer and songwriter of Felix Hagan and the Family. Chanel met Felix last year and was initially dr...

Some more recent new music that I wanted to share, again in no particular order and genre hopping, however I was reliably told many years ago that 'variety is the spice of life', shame I had such a misspent youth as all that 'variety' seems to have come back with a sting in the tale. Anyway down to business... Alborosie Meets King Jammy is a historic pairing of one of Jamaica’s most pivotal dub legends King Jammy with the modern day Italian-born dubmaster Alborosie. Last month they released 'Dub Of Thrones' a mostly instrumental collection of material and very fine music we think. If you like Dub or reggae or anything remotely in that direction this is for you! Mixed by Alborosie at his Shengen studio and King Jammy at his studio in the Waterhouse district of Kingston, this old-school meets new-school clash delivers an authentic dub reggae listening experience. With speaker-shaking, neighbor-waking and no-prisoner taking bass, this is designed to be pla...

This is a fascinating selection of Gram Parsons rehearsal tapes from 1972, and I will quote a little from the liner notes that accompanied this CD version which surfaced on 'Golden Eagle Records' in the USA in 2003. I have included a separate file with the artwork and notes as these are well worth a read. The record companies holding Gram Parson's material have more or less exhausted what material there is from his sadly short life and as Chris who provided these recordings to me pointed out (by the way, thanks Chris) a lot of the bootleg material for Gram Parsons is of fairly average audio quality. The five audio tapes that this CD was compiled from, were included in an auction lot at Christies that was bought by one of Gram Parsons biggest fans and were part of a selection of Gram's personal belongings that went to auction. The five cassettes dated from 1972 and include Emmylou Harris and others on some of the tracks that were most likely recorded through a ...

Playing catch up here on Beehive Candy does have it's upside. Today I was going through getting on for 100 artists and their music, playing a little piece from each and deciding whether to feature them, delete & move on, or play again and see if my mood just didn't fit the music at the time. Well I must have been in a pretty good place because as I have around thirty artists I have short listed to feature and that's in addition to the many that deserve a mention still, whilst we were 'sleeping'. Joni Fatora was a real stand out artist amongst the many I listened to today, taking nothing away from the rest, she just grabbed my attention the most. I remember the first time I heard First Aid Kit singing Cross Oceans a good few years ago, I am certain I was not the only person who thought they would reach greater heights back then. Well I'm not directly comparing the music, rather the freshness and distinct charm of Joni Fatora's music, and that feeli...

Get in there quick folks, here's a chance to download a free copy of a really great song from Dioni Sydney’s Sweet, Soulful, Sassy Chanteuse - Australian Pop Singer! (someone else's words after 'Sydney's' - but hey they work).  You only have a few days and I have to say if you love Dusty Springfield or Sandie Shaw, this is a must. Quoting elsewhere - "Blessed with a heavenly voice and showing her masterful use of a huge range while incorporating warm beautiful lows and powerful honey dipped highs." -O Kosmos Her promo tells us that -  Dioni has traveled extensively throughout Greece, performing in ancient theatres and stadiums in support of bands such as Faithless, Soft Cell, and The Chemical Brothers. She has also collaborated with many other respected European electronic artists. Dioni has performed as a solo artist in Australia, France, Germany, Greece, and Qatar. Dioni is an extraordinarily versatile artist who has a multilingual repertoire ...

I'm sat in front of my computer screen wondering where on earth to start. I could be clever here, do a month by month catch up of all the new music, that has come Beehive Candy's way since the beginning of 2013. I'm not sure who would be put off the quickest by that idea, you or me? The idea (I think) is to try and get Beehive Candy going again, however two years on and the world of web music coverage has moved on considerably. There are (as you know) some really professional music sites around and as previously mentioned You Tube seems currently, to be a good first port of call for live concerts both official and unofficial.  So I think Beehive Candy will for a while at least, just do it's own thing and see how some new ideas can fit in. It was and still is the new music promos that have made me feel like getting Beehive Candy up and running again. Therefore, for a while and most definitely in no order whatsoever, 'Whilst We Were Asleep' will feature some ...

Following an enormous sleep, it would appear that Beehive Candy has started to wake. This could be a good thing, or this might be a dangerous set of circumstances. There may be life in the old dog yet, and reports of our demise may well be premature. Planet Earth may be in a bad way, it's occupants happily marching off to oblivion, therefore a little light entertainment may ease the pain. As it has taken this long to think about doing Beehive Candy again, may we suggest you check out the real meaning of life whilst we get our act together, that said something may well be stirring in the depths, let's hope it ain't the Kraken. With a few new ideas knocking about, a mountain of new music arriving weekly and, some surprisingly decent music and songs hidden amongst the inevitable pile of   'can I be rich and famous' well no, not really   material, Beehive Candy has cause to think, shall we, well shall we? The message then is don't hold your breath quite ...

Beehive Candy would like to offer our apology for everything, but we reckon a lot of the worlds problems are not specifically down to us. We are however clearly 'missing in action' at present. It is our hope and intention to be back in action sometime in March. We plan to respond to all requests for missing rarities to be re-uploaded where appropriate. Thank you to all the artists and their representatives who continue to send us many hours of new music. We will listen to all submissions, we intend to feature everything we enjoy. We are currently relocating, suffering a shortage of helping hands and having to focus on boring stuff like earning money. Our passion for Beehive Candy remains, our ideas for making it even bigger are growing by the week, our ability to deliver is stretched to the limit, so please be patient and pop back soon, we look forward to your continued support. Mike Editor Beehive Candy

RE-POSTED JANUARY 2013 -   This is the fabulous Be Good Tanyas live at the Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario, Canada back on the 11th April 2002. Formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, The Be Good Tanyas first played together at tree planting camps in the Kootenays region of British Columbia. They eventually played their first concerts in Vancouver in the late 1990s. They got their name from a song by music pioneer Obo Martin ("Be Good Tanya"). After the release of the first two (of three) Be Good Tanyas albums, Trish Klein collaborated with Alison Russell under the band name Po' Girl, a project that as of April 2007 has resulted in three albums (Po'girl, Vagabond Lullabies, and Home to You). Also 2007 saw all members of the band pursuing their own projects. As of 2008, the band was on hiatus to unwind from the stresses of touring. This now appears to be a permanent split. Frazey Ford released her debut solo album, Obadiah, this year (2010). So lets hope that ...

RE-POSTED JANUARY 2013 -   This is Gillian Welch and David Rawlings  live at the Jefferson Theater, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, on either the 5th May 1998, or the 21st May 1998, depending on which version of this recording you have. Feel free to elaborate if you can confirm which one is right. I became an instant fan of the music of Gillian Welch upon my first hearing of the incredible 'My Morphine' and would thoroughly recommend the studio version as well the live version within this set. Dave Rawlings has been a long time 'live' partner for Gillian, and deserves equal billing, his musicianship is excellent, and without bothering to check it out, I think he has produced some of her studio output. Source: Stereo soundboard direct recording. Sound Quality: Very good MP3 @192kbps. Genre: According to Wikipedia (wait for it), bluegrass, neo traditional country, Americana, old time, folk, American Primitivism. Set: Full content from the nights first set....

RE-POSTED JANUARY 2013 -  This is Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard live in concert at La Zona Rosa, Austin, Texas, USA back on the 3rd December 1997. This is a reasonably well circulated concert bootleg and is highly regarded for the superb audio quality, the musicianship, and the respect that both Willie and Merle have for each other, the songs and the band. This concert just oozes quality the distinct lack of ego and the warmth and camaraderie that you pick up on between songs just adds to the overall splendour of this gig. I read elsewhere that "This is the first time ever they do “Pancho and Lefty”  together live and that its fitting that Merle forgets a few lyrics, seen that he didn’t even remember recording the song when they did it years ago". The word legend is so over used in the music business, it does however go without saying that here we have two musical legends who have both lived life on the edge and lived to tell the tale. OK enough cliche's just e...

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