Midweek Muse: The Little Kicks - John Andrews & The Yawns - Beau + Luci - Línger

The Little Kicks - Don't Get Mad, Get Even.

Background - The Little Kicks first emerged around five years ago, a young Aberdeen band with the wind in their sails. A crisp, upbeat debut album followed, laced with off-kilter indie pop worthy of comparison to early Franz Ferdinand, The Long Blondes, or even Sparks. Then, the band took some time off to reassess, re-jig their personnel, and are now ready to stake their return...

With recent single You & Someone Like Me under their belts – complete with intricate motion capture video – The Little Kicks now officially announce that their long-awaited follow-up album Shake Off Your Troubles will be released on March 3rd through the band’s own Loosen Up Records. The third single to be taken from the album, Don't Get Mad Get Even, is out now. Website here, Facebook here.

'Don't Get Mad, Get Even' is the second track we have feature by The Little Kicks. This is another fresh and refined song, where the melody is driven by the vocals and harmonies, above a quality indie pop soundtrack.

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John Andrews & The Yawns - Drivers.

Background - John Andrews & The Yawns announce upcoming album, share first track and video, and announce tour dates. Throughout his years of traveling, John Andrews has documented his life with his home recordings. His first record, Bit By The Fang, found him living in the amish country of Lancaster, PA. His latest record, Bad Posture finds him waving farewell to Pennsylvania & greeting the wooded hills of Barrington, NH. Sitting on top of one of these hills, coined Mt. Misery, is the colonial era farmhouse John now calls his home. This is where Bad Posture was born.

The songs were written slowly & quietly throughout the winter, usually late at night next to the wood stove for warmth. It was recorded in his barn with the doors ajar, welcoming the springtime. The humble recording gear invites the outside noises in. You can hear the crickets chirping with the occasional truck driving by. The songs themselves lend their hand like slow backwoods Beatles demos covered in a thin blanket of tape hiss. John’s voice lulls us in an earthy calmness as he sits hunched like a scarecrow over the piano.

Andrews’ band, The Yawns, has been crystallized with staples from the New England freak scene; Rachel Neveu & Lukas Goudreault (MMOSS/Soft Eyes) & Joey Schneider. All of who have been playing up in the free country for many years themselves and all of who call the same farmhouse home. Bad Posture is due March 10, on Woodsist Records. Tour dates on our tour page. Website here, Facebook here.

There is a restful vibe running through 'Drivers' that is occasionally given a little surge of energy. The environment in which the song was written and recorded in has rubbed off, giving the track a natural feel, with a good measure of charm and warmth thrown in.

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Beau + Luci - Fire Dancer.

Background - This song is the title track from their upcoming EP Fire Dancer, due out March 3, 2017. Hailing from the swamplands of Southern Georgia, raised on a heady blend of rock-and-roll and blues and classic country, Beau + Luci mine their rich musical heritage to dream up an extraordinarily timeless sound. On their upcoming debut the duo join forces to infuse their earthy yet lushly textured folk-rock with naturally immaculate harmonies that never fail to captivate.

Along with drawing from real-life experience, Beau + Luci weave in elements of visionary storytelling throughout the EP. Inspired by a central character from Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy—a fire-eater named Dustfinger—the intensely charged “Fire Dancer” explores what Luci refers to as “the idea of taking something that could be used for destruction and instead using it to give hope.”

Produced by Dan Hannon (Manchester Orchestra, Aaron Shust), Beau + Luci’s debut EP finds the duo collaborating with a host of esteemed musicians, including guitarist Scott Sharrard and keyboardist Peter Levin (both members of the Gregg Allman Band) as well as keyboardist Rami Jaffee (best known for his work with Foo Fighters and the Wallflowers). Throughout the EP, Beau + Luci show a sharp sense of songcraft honed through their near-lifelong studying of legends like Joni Mitchell and Johnny Cash. At the same time, the two channel pure passion into each track, instilling the EP with a powerful energy. Facebook here.

If the vocals don't get you on their own, then when the music starts on 'Fire Dancer', I have a feeling that lovers of Americana and a good few other genres, will be very impressed. As a reference then, perhaps they might be compared to a young and highly energised Kate and Anna McGarrigle, whatever, more please!

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Línger - Avoid.

Background - In late September 2016, Línger released her debut single ‘Flyon’ and has already proven she is a powerful force to be admired. The single, and EP tuple were recorded in her home in Sydney, Australia, produced by fellow Sydney artist, Xavier Dunn.

Her latest offering from the forthcoming EP is ‘Avoid’, a lush electronic-pop journey characterised by Línger’s signature vocal harmonies. They provide the foundations for an pulsing and dramatic electronic track, all supporting Línger’s beautiful melodic whimsies.

Línger is a collaboration between experience and emotion that has come to fruition through years of feeling, longing and by simply being. Her words, originating in part through the creation of poetry, seek to make sense of the world which at times mystifies us all. Her EP tuple is inspired by the five elements of air, fire, water, earth and space. Attuned to divinity, each of Línger’s songs is able to insightfully capture moments in time that reflect what it means to be human.

Flying on to the Australian music scene in late September 2016, Línger has already proven she is a powerful force to be admired. Línger has been featured on Acid Stag’s Australian artist to watch list, and received glowing reviews throughout the blogosphere.

Línger will meet you in your world and her song will carry you upwards to a sky filled with ethereal beauty that is forever unfolding and everlasting. ‘Avoid’ will be in Digital Stores on the 3rd of February. The tuple EP by Linger will be released 17th of February 2017. Facebook here.

'Avoid' is a fine vocally driven electro pop song. Initially the vocals and vocal arrangements make this a beautiful enough song, however the synthy sounds emerge and the track gently develops in power and richness.

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Genre Wander: The Byzantines - BLu ACiD - King Salami and the Cumberland Three - Locks - HEZEN

The Byzantines - Top Boy.

Background - Hailing from the great South Australian state that brought you two giant balls, Farmer’s Union iced coffee and Cooper’s Pale Ale come brit pop band The Byzantines.

The band share their newest single, ‘Top Boy’ from their forthcoming EP, You Pull It, set to release via Marshmallow Pavement Records on February 17th, 2017. Following the release of their debut EP and a successful European/UK tour in 2014, the boys head out on an east coast Australian tour during February and March in support of the new EP. The tour kicks off at The Karova Club in Ballarat on Friday Feb 24 with label-mates The Montreals, and Melbourne Garage- Rock darlings BATZ. They’ll make their way up the coast on a 9-date tour, hitting Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and other cities along the way.

There’s nothing pale about these Adelaide lads and best mates; vocalist Michael Pietrafesa, guitarist David Zammit, Jose Moucho on bass and Johnny Zervas on drums. Considered ‘Australia’s answer to Kasabian’ The Byzantines have incorporated a varied mesh of sounds and layers, all the while feeling organic and staying true to the British sound that bands like The Stone Roses and Primal Scream made famous.

After polishing off The Delta Riggs’ rider and copping abuse for it from them manager whilst supporting them at their Rolling Stone Magazine Live Lodge event, guitarist and talented engineer and producer Alex Markwell was impressed and a friendship was born. Markwell offered to help produce and engineer the EP so in 2015 the boys decided to hit the recording studio.

Recorded between competing national tours and other commitments, The Byzantines also enlisted the help of friends Dan Crannitch (Love and Other Crimes) to assist with pre-production and Luke Godson (Luke Million/The Swiss) to help capture the more electronic aspects of the band’s sound. Facebook here. Live dates on our tour page.

Featured in December and back again we have The Byzantines and their new song 'Top Boy'. It's a potent rocker that works well with the video storyline, and the gentle switch of tempo for the chorus is clever and adds a good few more hooks.

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BLu ACiD - HCN.

Background - A compilation of BLu ACiD tracks that were released as singles in 2015 and 2016, has been released.

BLu ACiD; two Dutch musicians/producers that joined forces in this production unit. Both of them have more then 25 years of live stage experience and they combine that with 2016 recording and production techniques. Preserving the power and originality of american roots music but at the same time not excluding influences from any other musical styles nor any technology that is available today.

 Like moonshine, the music was slow brewed in seclusion during all-night-and-day marathons attended only by the two members and the ghosts of the past, who were eager to have their voices echo into the modern world.

In February 2014 they released their first tracks on Black and Tan Records and April 2014 their first album production: a new Boo Boo Davis release (What Kind Of Sh-t Is This?) After this succesfull project they did several other projects and these tracks will be released individually on BLu ACiD Records, a subsidary label of Black and Tan. Facebook here.

'HCN comprises of six genre meddling tracks, each formerly released as singles. Put together this is a very strong collection of Americana rooted material, that imaginatively travels into other musical territory adding some extra spice. Creative and pleasing it also makes a good introduction to their material.

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King Salami and the Cumberland Three - Goin' Back To Wurstville.

Background - King Salami & The Cumberland Three: London's Premiere International Party Band Release Third LP. As stars of the BBC Television series, “The UK’s Best Part-Time Band”, King Salami & the Cumberland Three are London’s greatest rhythm’n’blues-punk band – one that truly represents London, being a mongrel mix of Caribbean, France, Japan, Wales and the Johnny-come-lately sax man from Mexico. (plus Canadian Spencer Evoy from MFC Chicken playing sax on many of this album’s songs).

Their repertoire, while hugely influenced by many of the great though obscure tunes of the ’50s and ’60s, are made to sound fresh and new to modern ears. You won’t be able to help but move your feet when the Cumberland Three are blasting out of your speakers. The King howls like Screaming Jay Hawkins with Bo Diddley chasing his coat-tail whilst Andre Williams tries to offer up some of his bacon fat, and the Trashmen do the Surfin’ Bird behind him, shakin’ and twistin’ and groovin’ non-stop. The Cumberland Three rock up a storm with their own branded mix of vintage rockabilly, desperate rock’n’roll and stomping soul, with fire, energy, gusto and, above all, fun!

The band has played pretty much everywhere in Europe (with more trips to the continent coming very soon) where they fill venues in every town, plus Australia, Israel, Turkey, the USA, even in China (from big cities to rural villages, from Beijing to Shanghai and all points between), and of course Japan (where they performed at the World Sumo Wrestling Champion­ship in front of Empror Akihito, who was unable to stop himself from tapping his toes along to the band’s up-tempo tunes). Indeed, the band’s super fun new video for the title track of this album was filmed during a recent tour of Japan in which local people, young and old, readily jumped in front of the camera to join in with the shenanigans. Bandcamp here. Live dates on our tour page.

King Salami and the Cumberland Three are feisty, thunderous and fabulous. 'Goin' Back To Wurstville' is just a little taste of the bands no nonsense, timeless music. Think good time, add some craziness, a slice of lemon and come join the party!

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Locks - The Gin Song.

Background - Locks have now released the EP Rattle Them Bones on CD and are releasing it on Vinyl on 24th of February, to co-inside with this we have another single, The Gin Song. This is a bit more Pogues-esq, however they tell us "we're still sticking very much to our Waits/Cave skeleton-bluesy roots though".

After playing with a variety of different bands including rockabilly, traditional Irish, indie and nu-folk, the three misfits found themselves in a rehearsal room together writing parts for murder ballads involving burying bodies, mythological creatures and dark family secrets. Slowly tracking the footsteps of whatever creature has wandered before them, whilst singing songs about whatever's hiding just under the surface or lingering from the corner of their eye, they are together creeping through London's weird and wonderful musical underbelly. Locks hypnotically types out the lyrics on a vintage typewriter and this focuses you back to the sinister meaning of the story of the song.

Locks are: L. Geary-Griffin - all lyrics, guitars, vocals, Mike Byrne - Double Bass, Marian McClenaghan - Fiddle. Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

From the EP we have 'The Gin Song'. We featured Locks last year and on the strength of just one song were pretty optimistic of the good things to follow. The Gin Song demonstrates they can vary their style, the 'Rattle Them Bones' EP confirms our optimism was well founded. Locks readily admit their influences, however rather than being a tribute band for these, they use those influences to create their own sound and material, and I think it fair to say, they do this extremely well.

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HEZEN – Oil Fire (Stigma EP).

Background - “Music is how I make sense of my experiences. My songs are intimate and cathartic – I hope they can be for others too.”

HEZEN is the creation of London-based French producer and songwriter Sarah Hezen. Her indelible material comprises electronic beats layered with orchestral instruments, tackling themes that explore the body, femininity and the uncanny. Inspired by fairytales and sci-fi, her electro-fantasia soundscape is tender and brutal, organic and synthesised. Her debut EP, Stigma, was released on 27 January, and is a collection of songs about violence and resistance, and wholly conveys the spine-tingling atmospherics that are the motif of electronica’s new sensation. HEZEN will stir something in your heart, and under your skin.

Evoking the sublime unease of Massive Attack and the poignant vocal execution of Sia or Thom Yorke, ‘Oil Fire’ is a downtempo electro masterwork, a redolent digitalist ballad underscored by cool trip-hop grooves. HEZEN sings of resilience, of rolling with the punches, as she produces a beautiful take on the maxim what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Created by HEZEN with her iPhone, a macro lens, and with post-production on After Effects, the striking video captures the singer alone in her room, dressed in clay. The results are raw, vulnerable and claustrophobic, making the body seem reptilian at times, or blistered by flame at others, but also suggesting a tough, protective armour, thus apposite for the theme of this bold and unforgettable track. Facebook here.

Taken from the 'Stigma EP' we have the video for 'Oil Fire'. We also can share the whole EP, a rich collection of material, that demonstrates HEZEN can match her dreamy and somewhat ethereal vocals, to well crafted and creative music.

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Monday Mix: Au/Ra - Aristophanes - KOYO - Ren - The Kate Lush Band

Au/Ra - Kicks.

Background - Following the success of her debut single ‘Concrete Jungle’ - Ibiza born, Antigua based artist Au/Ra has released her second single ‘Kicks’. "What’s dust to you is gold to me, but we’re just different books to read - where every single chapter is another cliff hanger” rings out in the scintillating pre-chorus, with Au/Ra continuing her penchant for surrealist lyricism. Backed up by a spirited rhythm section and thick, brooding bass-heavy production - ‘Kicks’ is an alternative pop song of the highest order, carefully sprinkled with flecks of bright electronics and intelligent synth work.

Au/Ra clearly feels she’s a little different from her peers. Raised in Antigua after moving there from Ibiza at the age of 5 - she’s no doubt grown up to appreciate the small things in life. Not one to go out “chasing dollar bills” - she instead finds the excitement in her songwriting process - “when my thoughts start to rhyme, goosebumps never lie.”

Speaking on the track, Au/Ra has said: “'Kicks' is about accepting uniqueness. I find my thrills when writing songs, listening to good music, being creative or fangirling over a TV series, while somebody else might get a kick out of doing something completely different that feeds their passions. ‘Kicks' is about being okay with who you are and your differences, and owning that." Facebook here. Buy here.

'Kicks' has a deep resonating bass line and wonderfully layered electro music. The vocals add a melodic dimension, in what is a really good alt pop song that oozes feeling.

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Aristophanes - 人為機器 (Humans Become Machines).

Background - Taipei based artist Aristophanes (real name Pan Wei Ju) combines striking verbal wordplay, poetry and forward thinking delivery, which has seen her rise to be at the forefront of new sounds emerging from Taiwan. Discovered by Grimes, who subsequently invited her to collaborate on her single 'Scream' from her critically acclaimed album ‘Art Angels’, Aristophanes fuses elements of Hip Hop, Slam Poetry, Jazz, Soul and Electronica, to create a sound that is truly unique.

Today you can hear a brand new single from this powerful pairing of cutting edge female artists, with Aristophanes latest offering '人為機器 (Humans Become Machines)'. The track, which was produced by and features additional vocals from Grimes, premiered last night c/o Zane Lowe on Beats1 and is taken from Aristophanes forthcoming mixtape, due for release on 24th February on Big Picnic Records. Other collaborators on the mixtape include Jam City and hotly tipped 17-year-old producer Kai Whiston. See Beehive Candy's tour page for live dates. Facebook here. Buy here.

I find the vocals mesmerising in this phenomenal mash of ideas and styles. '人為機器 (Humans Become Machines)' is perhaps not typical Beehive Candy fayre, but there is something about Aristophanes new single that is just so intensely good...

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KOYO - Tetrachromat (Radio Edit).

Background - Named after the Japanese word for colourful autumn leaves, KOYO is also the name of a new group fusing colourful influences to create music of their own. KOYO formed in Leeds in 2015, and are Huw Edwards (lead vocals, guitar), Jacob Price (sampling, synthesisers), Seb Knee-Wright (guitars), Dan Comlay (bass) and Tom Higham(drums). Initially co-founded by Huw and Jacob, the pair gorged on ‘90s grunge and alt.rock (Huw: “I loved the melodies and harmonies of Alice In Chains”), but also their parents’ classic rock and prog-heavy record collections.

Upon moving to Leeds, the duo’s influences soon expanded to include electronica and post rock, ranging from Floating Points to Mogwai, via Brian Eno’s landmark ambient albums. To cope with emulating the soundscape of such influences, the band sound expanded into the 5-piece of today. KOYO’s debut album, tipped for release later in 2017, marries psychedelic and progressive rock with electronic soundscapes. While unafraid to borrow from the past, theirs is a wholly 21st-century sound, drawing on influences such as Tame Impala, Boards of Canada and Live At Pompeii-era Pink Floyd.

First single Tetrochromat further entwines the old with the new. Recorded in Foel Studio in Wales, the band seamlessly merges the sounds of My Bloody Valentine with Slowdive and Ride, whilst showing a catalogue of influences cited above. KOYO will be a name hot on the lips of 2017, and Tetrachromat will be available March 31st in all the usual places. Keep an ear out for more new music as the year progresses. Website here, Facebook here.

As first singles go 'Tetrachromat' is mightily impressive. The production is just right, allowing enough musical ideas to come through, without swamping the overall sound. Vocals are smooth melting into the overall sound to add a dreamy dimension.

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Ren - The Coast.

Background - The eagerly anticipated debut E.P ‘A Calling From The Shore’ from Ren, is scheduled for release on February 24th. Following up on releasing two singles in 2016, Ren sets the benchmark with this wonderfully rich and wanderlust soaked debut release, drawing comparisons to singer songwriting contemporaries such as Roo Panes, Scott Matthews, Foy Vance and Ciaran Lavery. 

‘A Calling From The Shore’ is a luscious mix of Celtic infused storytelling, a classic songwriter feel, with a modern arrangement of both warm stirring string sections and tasteful lead guitar parts. The last song on the E.P ‘Piece Of Your Heart’ was recorded and produced at Jim Abbiss’ studio (Adele, Artic Monkeys, Kasabien)  by his young protege George Chung. Ren and George will continue to work together on future recording projects in 2017. Exciting times ahead. 

Ren is embarking on his first European tour this February with dates in France, Switzerland, Germany and Holland, culminating in a one off gig at Camden’s Green Note in London on March 8th for Time Out Magazine. Website here.

One of five songs on the soon to be released EP 'A Calling From The Shore', I have chosen to feature 'The Coast simply because it's my personal favourite. That said the other four songs are of the same fine calibre, making this a very strong debut EP.

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The Kate Lush Band - Dust My Broom.

Background - The Kate Lush band is taking off into a whole new stratosphere right now with her brand new album Let It Fly being launched in early March. After her #1 album in 2016 & winning The Aust Blues Chain Award for Best New Talent as well as rocking festival stages & venues all over Australia her new album has created enormous interest around the world. Kate is one of Australia’s most outstanding Blues & Soul vocalists. Gritty, soulful & straight from the heart. Think Susan Tedeschi, Sara Bareilles with a dash of Aretha’s Soul & Bonnie Raitt’s harder rock edge. Great original songs, an outstanding band, and that is Kate Lush.

Kate’s first & second albums ‘Don’t Wait Too Long’ & ‘The Wild Captain Radio Tour’ have won numerous awards in Australia & the U.S. Her third & most recent self titled Blues album has just won the Australian Blues Chain award for Best New Talent of 2016. Her first, earned Best International in the Songwriters Assoc. of Washington (U.S.), Best Female in the Int. Acoustic Music Awards (U.S.) and the Aust. Songwriters Assoc. awarded her their coveted Rudy Brandsma Award for Excellence in Songwriting.

With a touted U.S. tour on the horizon, her songs hitting #1 in the Blues charts, festival bookings for Girrakool, Winter Blues, Mitchell Creek, Thredbo Blues festival among others as well as a new album in final production, 2017 is looking to be a big year for Kate who is turning more than a few heads & is certainly one to get out & see live. Website here, Facebook here. Previous album here.

Any band who can perform a cover of a Robert Johnson song this well deserves to be heard. 'Dust My Broom' gives just a tiny glimpse of what's to come with the March new album release. Blues fans might do themselves a big favour in checking out The Kate Lush Band.

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Six On Sunday: Oddnesse - Los Colognes - Dot Dash - No Joy - Winstons - The Forgotten Ghost

Oddnesse - Incoming Call.

Background - Fresh off the success of her first single “Somewhere Somehow”, which was recently featured on Spotify’s “Fresh Finds” and Apple Music’s “Isolation” playlists, Oddnesse dropped her second single entitled “Incoming Call”.

The project began as a studio collaboration between musician Rebeca Arango and producer Grey Goon. The two east-coast expats had arrived independently in Los Angeles plagued by ghosts of old bands, with many gigs at the Cake Shop under their belts and expensive degrees in music on their linked-ins. They both shared a vision for infectious beautiful music with a dark, heavy groove and as friends occasionally dropped by the studio with contributions, the band was born.

Both singles are taken from Oddnesse’s debut self-titled EP that will be released later this Spring via Myster Music. Facebook here. Buy here.

The music on 'Incoming Call' is a swirling, layered and creative feast of sounds. Add in the rhythmic vocals, and we have one very addictive and intriguing song.

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Los Colognes - Flying Apart.

Background - Nashville based Los Colognes have just announced their third album The Wave, out May 12th via Big Deal Media / Thirty Tigers. One of the highest and rarest aspirations in popular music is to reach for the transcendental, to access the spirit. On The Wave, Los Colognes succeeds at this – in breaking through the confines of everyday pop song lyricism to tell a holistic story. It’s not a concept piece, but it’s a brooding and joyful song cycle filled with philosophical rumination, effortless hooks, inspiring musicianship, and expansive arrangements. It’s an album perfectly suited of the current zeitgeist of unease and hope.

Guitarist/singer Jay Rutherford opines in “Flying Apart” - ‘Nobody believed / We’re all just hoping / Floating down streams.” It’s a song that invokes “the wave” metaphor of the album’s title, while churning through its own sonic sea of shimmering keyboards and guitars anchored by drummer Aaron Mortenson. The music evokes any of the best moments of late seventies or mid eighties FM radio while never being weighed down by the specter of influence. Los Colognes are a young band who have managed to forge their own sound while channeling the best sonic worlds of the decades past. Website here, Facebook here. Tour dates on the next page.

The first track from forthcoming album 'The Wave' is the song 'Flying Apart'. After a brief wall of sound intro, we are into a melodic, upbeat soundtrack with vocals adding in some additional feeling. As a taste of what's to come, then it's job done, I'm hooked.

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Dot Dash - 5/5/5 (EP).

Background - Over the last five years Washington D.C.-based Dot Dash has had five albums released, all via Canadian indie label The Beautiful Music. The band have a newly released free-for-download 5-song Dot Dash digital e.p. This comprises of five songs, one from each album.

Dot Dash has played shows with The B-52s, Tommy Keene, The Fleshtones, Ash, The Psychedelic Furs, The Chameleons, The Dickies, Hugh Cornwell, The Monochrome Set, Ian Hunter, Stiff Little Fingers, Glen Matlock, The Bats, Sylvain Sylvain, The Godfathers, Wussy, Urge Overkill, The Drums, The Trashcan Sinatras, Frankie Rose, The Clientele, Drivin'n'Cryin', The Empty Hearts, Matt Pond PA, Jack Grisham, Moon Duo, Chris Stamey, Wax Idols, The Explorers Club, Allo Darlin', The Supersuckers, Stevie Jackson, and lots of other rocking combos.

Washington Post: “Everything we've ever read about Dot Dash plays up the group's collective resume: Singer/guitarist Terry Banks was in St. Christopher and the Saturday People before teaming up with bassist Hunter Bennett in acclaimed indie-rock band Julie Ocean; guitarist Steve Hansgen played bass for hardcore legends Minor Threat and Government Issue, and then the mod group Modest Proposal; drummer Danny Ingram co-founded harDCore band Youth Brigade. Very impressive. But we're more interested in the music, a retro cocktail that recalls the yearning indie-pop of Sarah Records; the '80s neo-Byrds jangle of R.E.M., Orange Juice and other seminal college radio artists, and the tight, throbbing basslines and slashing guitars that evoke the Jam and the Clash."  Facebook here.

The new EP '5/5/5' with one track each from the bands five albums released so far, is a good way to get to know their music. These are no copycats, they consistently create indie rock & pop (and more), of a high calibre, and the comparisons above are at best references of their quality. Checking out who they have performed with along the way, says a lot more.

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No Joy - Califone.

Background - For most listeners, No Joy are a standout from the shoegaze revival, that wall of noise lead by its two female band members Jasamine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd and their long headbanging blonde locks. In a 2011 Blackbook piece on the band’s detached yet visceral live show, the writer coyly commented “they are playing with their backs to the audience…shy girls.”

For years, principal songwriter and lead vocalist Jasamine White-Gluz was that shy girl. It translated onto their albums (her voice was never too high in the mixes, constantly obscured by layers of guitar) as well as their live shows (instead of standing center stage in the shows, she opted to stay hidden in the corner of the stage). With the latest effort Creep EP, (Street Date, February 24th, 2017) White-Gluz is starting to shed those insecurities and bring a revived spirit to who we know as No Joy.

As the principal writer of their past catalog, White-Gluz steers the material on Creep in new directions, drawing on varied influences ranging from Industrial to New Age. With co-writer and producer Jorge Elbrecht (Violens, Ariel Pink, Tamaryn, Lansing-Dreiden), the pair create a soundscape that is both familiar and fresh. Tracked in Montreal at Hotel 2 Tango and in White-Gluz’s Little Italy apartment, the sound is huge. Dynamic juxtapositions of dark and light, feminine and virile are cemented together with their signature earworm hooks. No Joy are challenging themselves by distancing from the traditional rock band formula, creating a new live show to accompany the release.

By taking control of their new direction, it’s the beginning of a new era for No Joy. Facebook here. See out Tour page for live dates. Amazon here.

From the forthcoming EP we have 'Califone', a jangly and melodic track. With the shoegaze vibe a little more understated, the vocals and musicianship really standout, an indicator of the quality and growing confidence to be found on the new release.

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Winstons - Without You.

Background - Winstons have released a new single "Without You". It will be part of a release slated to come out later this year. The band released two EP's in 2015 entitled 'Turpentine' & 'Black Dust'. The new single came out on Friday via Grand Jury.

Winstons is a garage-soul duo out of Virginia, residing in Brooklyn. They do love songs, blue songs, and dance songs with drums, guitar, harmonies, and a harmonica. Their live show is raw and earnest, with a dynamic juxtaposing devotion and depravity. Their sound has drawn comparisons to Screaming' Jay Hawkins and The Cramps. They self-released two EPs in 2015. Website here, Facebook here. Buy track here.

As genre crossovers go, garage soul was bound to be a must listen for myself. 'Without You' is all of that and more. The vocals are just so naturally soulful and genuine, whilst the guitar rock vibes make a surprisingly suitable musical soundtrack. Winston's have got something special going on here.

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The Forgotten Ghost - Too Close To The Sun.

Background - Clown is Melbourne based, Scottish born, James Henderson’s 5th solo studio album and his debut under the pseudonym, The Forgotten Ghost. He composed all the instrumentation and enlisted some very talented friends to assist with the final recording.

‘Too Close To The Sun’ is the first preview of the forthcoming album. Ambitious and beautiful instrumentation characterises the new single, akin to the most lush tracks on Elliott Smith’s XO. James’ delicate falsetto carries a haunting melody through the song, ranging in atmosphere from intimacy to epic strokes.

Clown was recorded over the course of one year and was engineered and co-produced by Peter Camilleri (brother of Jo Camilleri) who has worked with artists such as the Black Sorrows, Jo Jo Zep, Renay Geyer and Paul Kelly. Clown was recorded in various locations across Melbourne including the famous Buckland room in Melbourne’s Arts Centre (home to the MSO) and was mastered by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios. Peter was chosen to master the record due to his work with David Bowie and the Beatles. “I feel very privileged to have been able to work with Peter, his knowledge and experience have added a beautiful sparkle to the finished recording”, says James.

At the beginning of 2016 James set out with intention of moving The Forgotten Ghost from a solo project into a band and slowly amassed a collective of very talented musicians. With the addition of Kirsty Morphet’s stunning voice and beautiful piano, Cam Pretipino’s solidifying bass and Conrad Tracey’s thoughtful drums, the live performances so far have been extremely well received. ‘Too Close To The Sun’ by The Forgotten Ghost will be released 3rd of February 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

'Too Close To The Sun' almost tiptoes into being. James Henderson’s falsetto vocals emerge against a piano soundtrack and we build towards a fuller and delightfully arranged piece. Melodic and refined this is a superb song.

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Seven On Saturday: Redspencer - Lio Nicol - Imaginary People - Tashaki Miyaki - King Ropes - The Weeks - Hannah Lou Clark

Redspencer - Ride It Out.

Background - Redspencer shares a new music video for "Ride It Out". Despite only having a four-track EP to their name, Redspencer have already garnered avid praise from the likes of NME, CMJ, Triple J, Indie Shuffle, and Time Out New York with ‘Ride It Out’ included at #14 in their Best Songs of 2015.

The four-piece’s eponymous debut EP is a hark back to the band’s humble beginnings, evoking images of balmy, mid-summer drives along the coast with the windows down. The sunny, reverb-swathed guitar- pop of lead single ‘Happy Slow Riverbends’ captures that image to a tee, rousing comparisons to the likes of Spoon and Real Estate.

With festival appearances at Brisbane’s Big Day Out, By The Meadow, Camp Casual, and Laneway Festival’s annual Live Music Safari – not to mention tour supports with Guantanamo Baywatch, The Preatures and Holy Holy – to their name, Redspencer are soon to be firing on all cylinders as they gear up for the release of their keenly anticipated debut album. Facebook here. Amazon mp3 here.

Our second feature for Redspencer this time with the new music video for 'Ride It Out'. Musically this is a bright yet peaceful indie song with a bags of melody, the video reflects all of this with a retro "days gone by" feel.

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Lio Nicol - 1 (EP).

Background - Lio Nicol is both sage and sass. With honest yet quirky lyrics, she has found a way to reflect her sense of humor while maintaining her grace, setting her apart from other singer-songwriters.

After a few semesters of studying biology at the University of Montana, Nicol left her hometown of Missoula and relocated to California in 2010 to pursue a career in music. A talented pianist and guitarist, Lio Nicol has found her greatest passion lies within songwriting. Inspired by the legendary Diane Warren, Nicol’s songwriting is a reflection of her thoughts, heartbreak, and love. Her powerhouse vocals and catchy indie-pop melodies have led to her being describes as an early Mariah Carey meets Florence and The Machine.

Lio Nicol has toured and recorded with some of the industry’s top musicians as well as Grammy award-winning producers. She has performed all over North America in a variety of concerts including the Dragon Boat Festival, Durango Expo, House of Blues San Diego, The Mint in Los Angeles and many others. Music fans have recognized her 4-octave range and impressive stage presence and continue to come back to her shows again and again. Website here, Facebook here. Buy EP here.

The new EP simply called '1' features four tracks. We featured the fourth song (Blame) back in early November last year describing the track as "pristine indie pop". Well with another three songs making up the EP, I personally think that was a fair enough observation, with even more variety and style to enjoy.

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Imaginary People - Mr Hesitance.

Background - Imaginary People shares "Mr. Hesitance," a song about an incompetent politician. Following 2014’s critically acclaimed opening volley EP, composed of espionage-themed singles, and their 2015 politically tinged full-length debut Dead Letterbox,  New York’s Imaginary People return with their second full-length release, entitled October Alice, due in April 2017. The album was again produced by Kevin McMahon (Swans, Titus Andronicus, Real Estate), reprising his role from their debut LP.

The band swings for the fences on their sophomore LP, recorded in a barn in upstate NY, via a grittier approach, with an eerie, reverb-laden wall of sound abundant throughout, cannily crafted via the use of a second drum kit inside a silo. It mirrors the morbid subject manner of the album, easily their most disarmingly personal material to date. Imaginary People is Dylan Von Wagner (vocals), Mark Roth (guitar), Justin Repasky (keys), Kolby Wade (drums) and Bryan Percivall (bass). Facebook here.

Once again Imaginary People combine musical power and passionate committed vocals and arrive with so much more. 'Mr Hesitance' is our second song feature for the band and again they impress. Time to check out their back catalogue!

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Tashaki Miyaki - Girls on T.V.

Background - The Los Angeles-based duo Tashaki Miyaki will release their highly anticipated debut album 'The Dream' on April 7 via Metropolis Records. This week the band shares the first taste of the upcoming release with the single "Girls On T.V." "This track emerged out of observing fame culture," Paige Stark explains. "Things like the emergence of reality TV stardom and social media celebrity have elevated fame culture to a new sphere. We are living in Andy Warhol meets Orwellian vision of the future and I find it terrifying. It's all about "likes" and numbers and now our country is being run by a monster who was created by this very machine. The title is playing on the perspective I'm singing from a media brainwashed girl that only wants to be famous like the girls on tv."

The band was born out of a late night jam session in early 2011, when local legend Joel Jerome recorded what would become the band's first original song, "Somethin' is Better Than Nothin" and a cover of the Everly Brothers' classic, "All I have to do is Dream." Within a few weeks of posting the songs to Bandcamp, the band was invited to London where they played their first ever live show to a packed crowd at the legendary 100 Club.

Tashaki Miyaki has spent the past couple years writing and recording their debut LP, The Dream, produced by Singer/Songwriter/Multi-Instrumentalist Paige Stark and engineered by Dan Horne (Cass McCombs, Allah Las). As a writer for The Fader once observed of the band’s hypnotic sound, “It's so pretty I’m afraid saying anything else might diminish it". Bandcamp here, Facebook here. Pre order album here.

'Girls on T.V.' is a multi layered song that is steeped in richness. With melodic chord changes and a powerful soundtrack, the vocals are kept up enough in the mix to add further feeling to the piece.

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King Ropes - Dirt.

Background - On King Ropes' debut album Dirt, frontman/guitarist Dave Hollier writes deeply expressive songs rooted in the highs and lows of human experience.  Layered with sonic textures and melodic hooks, these songs resonate with hard-won insight and timeless emotional struggles while reflecting life's beauty, terror and complexity.

King Ropes—the name is borrowed from a Wyoming saddlery store, generates musical and emotional fireworks throughout Dirt, with such insistent tunes as "Dogleg Boy," "Lurch on Sister," "International Shortwave" and "Shovel and a Pickaxe" exemplifying Hollier's vivid songwriting and the band's infectious punch, maintaining a gritty, organic vibe that underlines the album's title.

"After years of working with my hands, I was at a place in my life with a severe lack of dirt under my fingernails," Hollier explains.  "So I guess that calling it Dirt is a bit of an incantation, hoping to attract more of it back into my life.  Musically, I felt pretty strongly about balancing out the pretty, sweet elements with the raw, gritty stuff, both in the sounds and the lyrics." Website here, Facebook here. Amazon mp3 (album) here.

The debut album 'Dirt' comprises of ten creative and varied songs. The band pack plenty of natural feeling into their music, whilst taking their core sound in a variety of directions. Sometimes full on rockers, occasionally softer and reflective, they are always consistent in imaginative song writing. A very fine album.

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The Weeks - Talk Like That.

Background - 'Easy', the highly anticipated new album from rising Nashville-via-Mississippi band The Weeks, is set for release April 7th on Lightning Rod Records. The new video for “Talk Like That,” the album’s first track, debuts today featuring live footage shot entirely by the band’s own drummer, Cain Barnes.

The Weeks recorded 'Easy' over the course of two weeks at Memphis, TN’s Ardent Studios with producer Paul Ebersold. The band left Nashville to record in order to disassociate themselves from their everyday routines in the city, and to find a halfway point between their two homes old and new, Mississippi and Nashville. "Memphis has always been the capitol of North Mississippi to us", says guitarist Sam Williams. "We went there to be at Ardent. We knew Paul had learned everything from John Frye and John Hammond so we figured that was the spot. It’s important to keep those historic studios alive and not let them become museums."

Of the record, frontman Cyle Barnes says, "We called it Easy because every time I make music with these guys, it’s easy. It feels good. But the other side of it is there’s nothing easy about being in a band. There’s nothing easy about staying together for ten years and still wanting to make music. We have the hardest and easiest job on the planet. But it works for us." Thematically, Easy explores new ground for the band. Bassist Damien Bone explains, "We just wanted to make a rock record. We weren’t as concerned making it a southern rock record. The southern thing is always going to part of what we do." Pre-order here, Website here, Facebook here. Talk Like That mp3 here.

'Talk Like That' is a punchy, full on rocker, with powerful vocals supported by some feisty musicians who clearly want their share in matters. The video kind of underlines all of this, and with some good old rock'n'roll hooks thrown in, I cannot help but like the song.

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Hannah Lou Clark - Don't Sweat It.

Background - Hannah Lou Clark has announced her brand new EP ‘The Heart And All Its Sin’ will be released through Quatre Femmes Records / PIAS on March 24th. Hannah has also unveiled the first single, ‘Don’t Sweat It’, which was premiered on Huw Stephen’s BBC Radio 1 show. 

‘The Heart And All Its Sin’ has been mixed and co-produced by Tarek Musa from Spring King and is a collection of songs exploring the complexities of love and loss. Hannah has laid her soul bare in these songs in a way that others would never do.‘Don’t Sweat It’ bravely addresses the yearnings of the heart in times of turmoil; with lines like “champagne takes the edge off me” she can see that whilst giving into our vices can’t help the heart heal, it can be a welcome distraction.

Recorded in Urchin Studios, ‘The Heart And All Its Sin’, focus has been on giving space to the guitar, creating emotion and drama by exercising restraint. With the encouragement of Tarek and appreciation of artists such as Steve Reich, Hannah has also developed the drum machine side of things, creating her own loops from a variety of recorded sounds.

‘The Heart And All Its Sin’ points to a painful understanding of what drives and degrades real love. Having shared stages in 2016 with the likes of Ezra Furman, Thurston Moore and Gaz Coombes as well as headlining her own tours, Hannah Lou Clark is excited to announce details of her 2017 tour (see our tour page). Facebook here. Amazon mp3 here.

Hannah Lou Clark is another artist receiving a second feature on Beehive Candy this time with the new song 'Don't Sweat It'. Guitars and vocals both pack plenty of energy, each teasing out some more hooks and melody.

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