BEEHIVE CANDY

Meter Bridge - It Was Nothing. Background promo - Canadian synthwave duo Meter Bridge are releasing their latest single ‘It Was Nothing’ through WEATNU Records. Comprised of two tracks, this is being offered as a free download via Bandcamp. In this thoughtfully arranged and sparkly composition, moogs whistle and rhythms click into the night, as these two voices blend into a sound that is part Human League, part Blade Runner, and 100% Meter Bridge.  Meter Bridge, who are Richard Kleef and Jill Beaulieu, have a distinctive and unmistakable sonic identity, unique from anybody else on the current electronica scene. This is led by their trademark multi-layered boy / girl melodic vocals, melded with minimalistic groove-infused alternative dance melodies teetering between retro and futuristic. "It Was Nothing is about a public figure spreading lies that play on peoples' heartstrings... for the purpose of getting millions of people supporting a false agenda," explained fr...

Woods - Sun City Creeps. Promo bio - On April 8, Woods will release its 9th LP, City Sun Eater in the River of Light on its own Woodsist label. This week the band shares the album's first single "Sun City Creeps", plus full album details (see below) and its first batch of tour dates in support of the album, most of which will include openers Ultimate Painting (see full list of dates below). "Woods have always been experts at distilling life epiphanies into compact chunks of psychedelic folk that exists just outside of any sort of tangible time or place. Maybe those epiphanies were buried under cassette manipulation or drum-and-drone freak outs, or maybe they were cloaked in Jeremy Earl's lilting falsetto, but over the course of an impressive eight albums, Woods refined and drilled down their sound into City Sun Eater in the River of Light, their ninth LP and second recorded in a proper studio. It's a dense record of rippling guitar, lush horns, and seduct...

The Chemistry Set - The Splendour Of The Universe. Extensive promo words - Cult London Psychedelic band The Chemistry Set have quite a history. Founded by Dave Mclean and Paul Lake in 1987, the band are veterans of the alternative Manchester label “Imaginary” and cassette only label “Acid Tapes”; they helped pioneer the late 1980’s neo-psychedelic boom.   The Chemistry Set counted Factory Records boss Tony Wilson amongst their fans (they appeared on his TV show). They also received regular airplay on the legendary John Peel’s show (Peel even went so far as to sending the band a hand-written fan letter!).  The Chemistry Set have been championed by mainstream media such as The Times Sunday, Record Collector, XFM, 6 Music and Classic Rock as well as underground fanzines like Bucketful of Brains and Freakbeat in the UK, The Bob in the USA, Ruta 66 in Spain and Sound Effects in Sweden).  Their numerous releases (The Chemistry Set’s discography currently stands at 42 rele...

Jim Wellman - Probably Good (Radio Edit). Promo Bio - In Autumn 2014, ex Brand New Heavies Jim had no intention to work in music again. However with world events and in particular the western support of fascism in Ukraine, together with ensuing propaganda from the mainstream media, he felt he had to do something to express his dissent. Over a year in production, the result is a new Jazz/Funk/Disco concept album from Jim entitled Dawn To Dusk. He considers it to be his best ever work. The album is social commentary, but viewed through perspectives of human psychological evolution, and analysis of mass communication and propaganda. The core of the work is the understanding that Man lives in a world of amazing technological development, but is still encumbered with medieval forms of government by representatives who serve mainly the interests of the elite. With the net, and a completely new concept of two way mass communication for all, the ability of the oligarchy to manufacture cons...

David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie... Plenty has been written and said about David Bowie today, I cannot add much more. Musically his work has been exceptional. As Beehive Candy is just about music, a few personal words on David Bowie the singer, composer and musician. Many years ago a friend managed to get me a ticket to see David Bowie at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon (UK). The following concert at Hammersmith, London, was sold out, the concert where David Bowie 'retired' his Ziggy Stardust persona. I can still remember that Croydon concert, the excitement, atmosphere and being right up the front for the encore and being totally absorbed in the moment. I went on like so many growing up with David Bowie's music. Musically he became some sort of reference point for me, I didn't always find his work to my taste, but I could not go without giving all of it, a fair listen. There are very few others that fall i...

Adam Stafford - Atheist Money. Background promo - Adam Stafford returns with his first album in nearly three years following the widely acclaimed Imaginary Walls Collapse in 2013.  Taser Revelations was recorded at The Happiness Hotel, Song by Toad's newly aquired warehouse recording space. Utilising the warehouse's natural room reverb to great effect, the album features producer and multi-instrumentalist Robbie Lesiuk performing a variety of instruments including steel drums, organ and piano. Greggor Douglas plays the Roland Juno/omnichord and ex-Maple Leaves Anna Miles provides harmony vocals.  Continuing Stafford's trajectory into electrified alternative pop, Taser Revelations begins with some of the most melodically catchy songs he has ever written, before taking a swerve down a dark alley midway through the album, venturing into industrial syncopation, samurai-guitar attacks and some unsettling, vivid imagery. Album available ( here ). 'Atheist Money' m...

The Wealthy West - I've Got To Go. Background bio - Brandon Kinder may not be a household name but there's a good chance you've heard his songs or voice somewhere over the past few years as front man for Austins anthemic rock group The Rocketboys.  As a solo singer under his own name and his Wealthy West moniker Brandon's music has been used in an enormous array of TV shows, indie movies and commercials.  On 'Long Play' his debut LP as The Wealthy West he lets his fancy fly free and sets of on a grand journey. Themes of travelling, searching and seeking, tie many of the songs together. The Wealthy West becomes a character looking for something he may never find... or has already found and has to convince himself of that. Ultimately there is an honesty to the music. There are no wasted lyrics to fill space. Where The Wealthy West is clear on his road there is a sense of joy. Where he's confused or foundering there's a feeling of hope and experience to...

My Fury Darling - Satisfied. Background & promo words - There is a bruised elegance, razor­sharp wit, and quirky theatricality about the music of Richmond, Virginia-based band My Darling Fury. With a name that evokes thoughts of vulnerability wrapping its arms around unbridled rage, the indie pop trio of Todd Matthews, Joel Hollister and charismatic frontman Danny Reyes, defies genre limitations with songs that celebrate the unpredictability of life and love. Following the release of their debut album Licking Wounds in 2013, the band returns with A/O/K, out this Winter; a record that continues to push their singular aesthetic in new and exciting directions. My Darling Fury’s affinity for complex rhythmic structures, operatic­-sized dramatics, and chamber music intimacy should surprise no one, considering that Reyes and Matthews both come from classically trained backgrounds. With a pliant, strikingly beautiful voice that recalls Freddie Mercury, Andrew Bird and even Na...

Third Ear - The Ghost Road. Promo words - Third Ear engage the senses and offer an exquisite arrangement of themes and mood, designed to gently guide you as you embark upon a shared journey. Sometimes breezy, laid back and cool, sometimes taut, explosive and rollicking, Third Ear’s musical works are textured throughout with depth, imaginative flair and a soulfulness that seeks the heart.  Having well served their “live music apprenticeship” by travelling and performing extensively across the country supporting various headliners, Sunshine Coast based act Third Ear have released their debut single “The Ghost Road.” Produced by Mark Paltridge and recorded at Spark 1 Studio’s Maleny, The Ghost Road displays a captivating mix of classic American 60’s surf beat and Jim Morrison style dark lyrics and overtones reminiscent of The Doors.  According to Third Ear, “‘The Ghost Road’ is written from the perspective of a person attempting to conquer psychological torment, depression...

Cabin Cults - Lights Out. Background promo - After sharing stages with the likes of The Jungle Giants, The Cairos, North East Party House and more, Adelaide’s Cabin Cults are now gearing up for their headline launch show for new single ‘Lights Out’ January 16 at local watering hole The Hotel Metro. Taken from their just released EP ‘Riot Is The Watchword’, ‘Lights Out’ is an energetic slice of synth driven post-punk with an urgent lyrical desperation of disbelief that’s all wrapped up in a Pixies inspired pop sensibility. Teaming up with producer Badcop (Tkay Maidza, Mio), the band have craftily captured their jam room instincts while ultimately shaping their material with an electro inspired sound. The fraternity of Cabin Cults is made up of brothers and friends and indeed hails from the city of churches where the myth of purity amongst the reality of depression is evident throughout the city. The habitus that shapes them plays through them and through this body of work reveals ...

Bad Reed - EP. Background Bio - Brantford, Ontario pseudo-rockers Bad Reed channel a multitude of popular and obscure influences into unique snapshots of passion. Bad Reed released their first professional studio EP last year,and it's available on line for free ( Here ). Bad Reed is Costa Chatzis on percussion, Austin Sharpe on bass, Sydney Sollazzo vocals and keyboards, and Graham Walker on guitars. Hailing from small towns and diverse backgrounds, Bad Reed consists of members with varying music tastes. The group emerged in March 2015 from the ashes of their previous acts to forge a new, focused force of nature. Strip-searching music's history while fusing modern zest, they are likened to acts from Alt-J, Hozier, Jack White, and The Black Keys to Snarky Puppy, The Mars Volta, and Esperanza Spalding. Bad Reed is engaging and danceable. Bad Reed is happiness and strife. Bad Reed is harmony and dissonance. Bad Reed is overcoming the odds and getting even. Expect to hear ...

Gooch and the Motion - Coming Home. Artist, Ryan “Gooch” Nelson and his band, Gooch and the Motion, are preparing to release their debut album, “Comin’ Home,” on February 19th 2016. Background - Ryan “Gooch” Nelson is an inspiring quadriplegic cancer survivor from New Jersey, who hasn’t quit since his paralyzing 2004 auto accident, with an infectiously upbeat attitude and an ability to write and perform equally infectious blues-based rock. His producer, nine time Grammy winner Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo (Billy Joel, Cypress Hill, Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, Boyz II Men, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince), thought enough of Gooch to make him the first artist on his new record label, Blacbird Records, distributed by Universal . On his Facebook page Ryan 'Gooch' states - I am a quadriplegic, musician, writer, & a man of many hats. I am living my dream and want to inspire others to never give up on theirs. The Washington Post carried an article on Gooch and can be found...

Mind The Journey - Rose Colored Glasses. Background promo - Raised on a tranquilising shoreline in Connecticut, Spencer Sabo spent his youth learning the drum set, making crazy films with his brother, and exploring his creativity. In high school Spencer found like minded peers and started playing drums in a band. Here he began his journey of learning the ins and outs of audio production, recording and mixing the songs they created. It wasn't until the age of 17, when Spencer began experimenting with an old keyboard, that Mind The Journey was born. He made sure that what was in his head was the exact way his creation came out. This lead to Spencer releasing his first dreamy 8 song EP, of which gained buzz both on line and locally, with him playing shows in the New England area. Years later in Boston, a now almost-man and adrift introvert, Mr. Sabo is releasing his first 12 track album, entitled Colour In The Gray Machine, which was entirely created in his makeshift basement stu...

Housemate - Wild Gardens. Background promo - Housemate has never been one to conform to musical genres and "classification". A self-taught disciple in the craft of genre-splicing, "Wild Gardens" embodies the contrasting influences and conflicting diversity personified by his Stop Out Records back catalogue and live shows. 'Wild Gardens' coolly dissolves from its eccentric outset into a backdrop of acidic jazz trombones and cinematic melodies to disclose a calculated trapstep killer ominously lurking underneath its kooky leftfield exterior. From the opening notes 'Wild Gardens' was one of those pieces of music that gained my total attention. Different, and yes a little eccentric, however immensely pleasing. With so many directions being taken, they somehow come together as a strange, but wonderful piece. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atlanter - Jar...

From the Internet Archive (IA) this is the New Riders Of The Purple Sage live at the Fillmore East, New York, USA back on the 28th April 1971. Back in 2009 we featured the band live at the Fillmore West from the same tour, (that feature has now been updated with Internet Archive streaming and download links). The Fillmore East gig is such an excellent performance and recording, that I just could not resist featuring this to. The background for the band below is the same as, that we provided with the 2009 feature. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco in 1969, and its original lineup included members of the Grateful Dead. After a few warm up gigs throughout the Bay Area in 1969, the New Riders (for all intents and purposes John Dawson and David Nelson) began to tour in May 1970 as opening act with the Grateful Dead. This relationship continued on a regular basis until December 1971. Throughout much of 1970, the Dead would open with an acoustic set th...

Radiohead - Spectre. And we quote - Last year we were asked to write a theme tune for the Bond movie Spectre. Yes we were. It didn’t work out, but became something of our own, which we love very much. As the year closes we thought you might like to hear it. Simply wonderful, enjoy Radiohead and their interpretation of a Bond theme for Spectre. In my opinion, better than.... but hey ho, I'm an unashamed Radiohead fan. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Southern End - Lost Girl. Background promo - Newcastle band Southern End, formed in early March 2014 with members Patrick McBeath on lead vocals/rhythm guitar, Aidan Liddle on lead guitar, Duncan Brown on Drums/percussion and Andrew Gray on bass guitar and backing vocals. After getting together in high school through similar influences, they decided to jam out a few of their favourite songs and have since then written and recorded many songs.  Lead singer Patrick McBeath brought ‘Lost Girl’ to the band’s rehearsal the day before their scheduled recording session at Trackdown Studios with producer/engineer Evan McHugh. Impressed by the songs potential the band quickly stuck the pieces together and recorded it in the studio the next day. “We had heaps of originals to go in with, but after we finished it at rehearsal we all knew it was the right song to use” says Southern End.  The finished product was a track that took an atmospheric pop approach to blues. Southern End are...

Joseph Sant - Nor'easter. Background promo - Joseph Sant is a musician living in Brooklyn, NY, hailing originally from Seattle, WA. He deals in lush, green, mountainous musical textures hewn out of his Pacific Northwest. He composes with angular shapes, the noise of subway brakes, off-kilter grids, and the encroaching sea. His debut, Sea White Salt, is influenced by New York’s coasts, imperilled as they are by climate change, reshaped in an instant by catastrophic storms, and prey to wolfish markets. These songs explore the connections and analogies between forces of nature, impassable social barriers, and the gravity of all-consuming love and persistent dreams. For Sea White Salt, Joseph collaborated with his good friend and producer Gabriel Galvin, erstwhile proprietor of Four Foot Studios in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They recorded Sea White Salt in a few overnight marathon sessions in the dead of winter, just before Four Foot Studios was evicted, casualty to the overh...

Twin Ages - Outlaws. Background promo - Formed in Melbourne’s inner South East, from the ashes of original angry, young band Junk and Jill, that featured various musicians and produced a couple of independent releases, Twin Ages has come a long way conquering everything you could throw at a band, from a broken hand in a broken down van to dating every Yoko in Melbourne.  Their passion is now supported by an arsenal of stories presented to you in the form of cut throat rock and blues. Twin Ages have played some of Melbourne’s most prestigious venues, (Espy, Cherry Bar, The Vineyard, The Hi- Fi Bar, The Brunswick hotel, Revolver, etc, etc) to large crowds. The unique sound these guys produce is unlike anything else coming out of this generation, combining a throwback to traditional Blues, a lot of rock and even some heavy undertones. Their style is one of a kind and marks them for future fortunes. ‘Sabertooth’, their 2nd release is already receiving airplay in Melbourne, and the...

Zaflon - Nightmare Division (feat. Gilan-Music). Background - An ambient and sinister down tempo, LDP 1 is the debut EP from South London innovator Zaflon. Two songs featuring Zaflon’s latest collaborator Gilan_Music among the cyclonic sub-bass, abstracted guitars, harmonic piano and crooked percussive breaks. The featured track is described as follows - ‘Nightmare Division’ (feat Gilan_Music) – is the first of two tracks featuring Gilan (both the low male vocal and high female vocal are sung by her). “This track uses a lot of samples of river noises that I recorded on the Thames riverbank, including the hull of a big old barge being hit with a stick. There are flies, doors and breaking watermelons in there, too, among plenty of other things. Abstracted guitars and an outro consisting of an old piano and a 909 drum machine play out as a modern nocturne. The river driftwood vibe is a theme that runs throughout LDP 1.”  'Nightmare Division' is the second of four tracks ...