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Backhand

Backhand | Kiki Alarcon | 3hive.com
Backhand | Kiki Alarcon | 3hive.com

Orem, Utah’s “Team of Winners”, Backhand, are like the Tasmanian Devil, leaving mass destruction in their wake. They’re like the biker gang from Hell in Weird Science, who show up to crash your party and destroy your mom’s Three Dog Night record collection.

Take the title track from their debut EP, Kiki Alarcon, it starts out like a nice indie rock song and as soon as you start to get comfortable the brass knuckles are out and you’re picking your teeth up from off the floor. Most of the EP is this way – which is FANTASTIC – and I highly recommend the beat down.

Kiki Alarcon is out now on cassette and digitally via UPHERE! Records. If you live in the Salt Lake – Provo area you can swing by the 3hive Record Lounge and snag yourself a copy. I am looking forward to lots more from these guys. Enjoy.

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Lia Ices

Lia Ices | Family Album | 3hive.com
Lia Ices | Family Album | 3hive.com

Lia Ices has one of those voices that leaves a mark on your soul. A voice you can’t forget. A voice that makes you want to put her albums on repeat and let them take you away.

Her fourth album (and first on her own label Natural Music), Family Album, is no exception as motherhood and relocating to California has served Ices well because Family Album is her strongest album yet.

Give the equally excellent “Young on the Mountain” and “Beauty Blue” a listen (below) for a sample, but I highly recommend listening to the entire album from start to finish over an over again like I’ve been doing.

Family Album is available now via Natural Music and Bandcamp. Enjoy.

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Fox Face

Fox Face | End of Man | 3hive.com
Fox Face | End of Man | 3hive.com

Milwaukee 4-piece Fox Face punch you in the mouth and then kick you while you’re down with their blistering, heavy (à la early Sleater-Kinney) brand of punk rock on their newest album, End of Man.

Check out the title track below. Their label PR calls it the “best song Black Sabbath never wrote”. That description nails it!

End of Man is available now via Dirtnap Records. I highly recommend it.

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Nicole Canaan

Nicole Canaan | Wherever | 3hive.com
Nicole Canaan | Wherever | 3hive.com

Nicole Canaan’s newest EP, Whererver, is 19 minutes of dreamy pop goodness featuring five tracks packed full of lush instrumentation and shoegazy vocals. Check out the EP opener “Lose Yourself” (below) for a taste.

Wherever is available now digitally via UPHERE! Records and will be released on cassette in early 2021 which can be preordered at the same link. Enjoy.

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Nathan Womack

Nathan Womack | Eastern Rain | 3hive.com

Eastern Rain, the newest EP from Nathan Womack (who is also one half of 3hive favorite Paces Lift & Ben Bounce), is inspired from Womack’s many years traveling and living in Asia and collecting music while there. Eastern Rain is 4 tracks of music sampled, recorded and produced in Kunming, Yunnan, China. It features hand-pan drummers, local Guqin instrument players as well as additional synths and beats from (another 3hive fave) RUMTUM.

Eastern Rain is a relaxing trip abroad even though it only lasts for 14 minutes. The best part of this trip however, is you can take it over and over again any time you’d like. Eastern Rain is available now via Nathan’s Bandcamp and Wax Thématique. Enjoy.

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Landscaping

Landscaping | Picturesque | 3hive.com
Landscaping | Picturesque | 3hive.com

I am a sucker for a solid groove and Landscaping’s (new solo project of Andrew Petersen) new album, Picturesque, is packed full it. From the Schroeder-like piano and programmed beats and clicks on “Woke Up On The Shore”, to the almost hidden (but way groovy) bass line on “Vacation”, to the full on 80’s vibe of album standout “Full Moon Lovers”, Picturesque is 26 minutes of wall to wall groove.

Give “Full Moon Lovers” (below) a spin, you’ll be glad that you did.

Picturesque is out now and available on CD or digitally via new label UPHERE! Records’ Bandcamp page. Enjoy.

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Polytherian

Polytherian | Role Play | 3hive.com
Polytherian | Role Play | 3hive.com

Polytherian is the new Dylan Tidyman-Jones (FRONDS, Sonny & The Sunsets, The Mallard) project. His debut album, Role Play, is a dreamy and haunting pop album, full of thought-provoking themes of self-discovery.

We are thrilled to debut Polytherian’s new video (directed by Hannah Burhorn) for “Adventure” the peppy glam/gaze-pop track that is packed with groove for days. It’s my favorite track on the album. Check it out below.

Role Play is available now on vinyl via Gold Robot Records and digitally from Polytherian’s Bandcamp page. Enjoy.

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The Resonars

The Resonars | Disappear | 3hive.com
The Resonars | Disappear | 3hive.com

Matt Rendon has been cranking out the garage-pop jams under the moniker The Resonars since 1997. His newest album, Disappear, is another 14 solid tracks, including covers of The Mamas & The Papas’ “Even If I Could” and Herman’s Hermits’ “Don’t Go Out Into The Rain, You’re Going To Melt”. Check out the burner “Let’s Bring It Home” (below), it’s a good one.

Disappear is available for a mere $7 from The Resonars’ Bandcamp page. I suggest you buy it right now. I slept on this album for way too long, do not make the same mistake. A vinyl release will be coming in early 2021, I can’t wait for that. Enjoy.

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Magister Ludi

Magister Ludi | Deep Fakes | 3hive.com

We are pleased to bring you the world premier of “Polecat” the hell-raising new single (and video) from Harrisonburg, VA rockers, Magister Ludi. It’s a quick minute and forty-eight seconds of pounding drums, heavy-sludge guitar riffs and some harsh gravely vocals (I hope this dude’s throat is okay). Check it out below.

Magister Ludi’s debut album, Deep Fakes, is out later this month via Funny / Not Funny Records. It’s a pretty nutty release that continues to grow on me the more I listen to it. Enjoy.

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Bananagun

Bananagun | The True Story of Bananagun | 3hive.com
Bananagun | The True Story of Bananagun | 3hive.com

Melbourne five-piece Bananagun bring their brand of funky exotica meets psychedelic rock goodness on their debut LP The True Story of Bananagun. This is a head-nodding, rump-shaking 11 tracks (including one with birds singing over the top of a killer bongo beat) of nothing but groove, it is safe to say this album has groove for days. Check out “Mushroom Bomb” and “Taking The Present For Granted” below, they will hook you for sure.

The True Story of Bananagun is out now via Full Time Hobby. It’s a good one. Enjoy.