Fancy Mice Band

The mother-daughter duo of Fancy Mice Band has been a victim of ADOLESCENCE. Now that our vocalist/songwriter/guitarist/pianist (basically all the talent) is in junior high, she does not need her mom to be the emotional support bass player for her anymore. Plus Fancy Mice is now "cringe". Completely normal for this age. So here is her solo song under the name Sarah B. Ocean! Enjoy!

Ocean (Piano Version) Provided to YouTube by DistroKidOcean (Piano Version) · Sarah B. · Sarah Bussing · Sarah Bussing · Dana BussingOcean (Piano Version)℗ 5967524 Records DKRelea...

Bumblebee still sleeping under the Joe Pye this morning in my garden.

Wow, what an amazing review! Thank you so much Whiskey Club and Whiskers.

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Link to playlist at bottom of post
*********************************

Much enjoyment was had in making the final selections for this week’s edition of Whiskey’n’Whiskers. The Indie scene is such a rich source of musical creativity and talent and we are all fortunate that it is so much easier to discover than ever. I contend that there has never been a better time for Indie music; let’s take a look at the evidence:

Ric Gordon is opening for us with his brand new song ‘Too Young for Dyin’’ and in so doing is dipping into the ever-popular post-punk pages of his extensive catalog. Or is he? I’ve heard Jack White mentioned by some and also Bruce Springsteen as comparisons whereas I hear Paul Weller influences. At the end of the day though its pure Ric with a well crafted song, a driving riff, kick-ass drums and, to my ears, one of his strongest vocal performances. Another sure fire hit.

Ric hands over to Dogs Vs. Children with a song from their amazing album ‘Extinction’ from which it is hard to choose a favourite because we love the whole album. We’ve gone for the title track this time; highly accomplished indie rock with superb instrumental work, that signature light drawl, occasional grit in the vocal and a set of profound lyrics reflecting on the relationship between our species and the rest of the planet. It is brilliant, engaging listen-again-and-again work.

Shannon Darcy has blown us away this week. In fairness that happens often but the new song ‘To Understand’ has really raised the bar. The song leans toward the pop end of Shannon’s repertoire with memorable melody and emotionally engaging relate-able lyrics. The melody is gorgeous, the vocals smooth. Listen to it against e.g. ‘Snakes and Ladders’ side by side and notice that the vocal has a little less attack; it is so controlled with effortless precision and the vocal treatment has been given a subtle modern presentation but not in a way that the beautiful timbre doesn’t shine through. The production is amazing and on a set of monitor speakers the vocal just floats ethereally, kind of hangs in the air. I’d say it’s the best vocal of this genre that I’ve heard.

Speaking of female vocals, if I say that the next song is from the benchmark for high-energy melodic punk, you probably guessed already that next up is the new release from KTO. Kathleen Turner Overdrive, ‘I Want To Believe’. You know the way many male rock vocalists dream of a pure perfect delivery in their passaggio. I guess that’s because the C4-B4 range sounds so perfectly balanced against modern rock instruments. It may well explain why female-fronted rock and punk seem to show up often in playlists like ours; the sonic texture is just so engaging and it just gets no better than KTO. This song has that powerful searing yet sweet vocal that you’ve come to expect, a catchy melody a driving beat and some top guitar too - there’s a funk rhythm in there most of the way through that adds so much interest to the song. We’ve been spinning this a lot and I can’t see that stopping.

If you want tried-and-tested harmonic cadences and predictable hooks that you can complete in your mind even the first time you hear them begin because there’s an obvious resolution in the making, then Dashing Skull Club might not be the answer. However, if you prefer surprising changes in direction, twist and turns that shouldn’t work but they just do because they have been constructed by highly skilled songwriters and musicians with their own unique vision, then the album ‘Dirt Flood’ is for you. Our favourite from the album ‘9’ is presented here with its whistling, microtonal bends, quirky interjections and complex rhythms all wrapped in a tight musical performance that is a joy to listen to (I suggest loud).

After the bolt of energy from KTO and the cerebral magnificence of DSC it is time to chillax. Barry White might be the perfect solution but the Indie scene’s very own Dukestorm has a modern twist instead with ‘Meditation Of Love!’ a guided meditation to a beautiful place where love and relationships take their rightful position centre stage, all delivered by a rich soothing vocal against a beautifully constructed sequence of loops and beats. After the darkly energetic first song from Dukestorm, this one came a surprise and a delightful one at that. Love this song.

Whiskers, who did the song sequence this week, put her current favourite Whiskey Club next up and this leads on to a warm welcome back to one of the most exciting artists we’ve discovered this year - Wolf's Fangs. ‘Beautiful and Bizarre’ is another example of their almost peerless ability to fuse genres together… Metal, Rock, Pop, Punk, Prog… into a musical journey that has the cohesion of a sonata and the appeal of hook-driven Indie rock. They always put me in mind of symphonic rock à la ‘Within Temptation’ but with a more modern set of sounds. I’m a fan of their music and of their approach to it.

Next up is Brother Dynamite with their new song ‘The Girl’s In Love’ and, unless you’ve been on some nature retreat with no internet, you already know this song. In fact you might even be singing it spontaneously as you go about your daily business. I know I am. An Indie rock duo, Brother Dynamite produce a power-pop sound that is seriously infectious. The tunes, the vocal layering, the production, those sweet guitar vibes, the way the song builds dynamically into that reward when the song title is first mentioned, the sheer feel-good factor that jumps from every bar. Indie alt-pop perfection!

If you are ready for something more reflective we’ll change the mood with Streetside Philosophy and the truly exceptional song ‘Shadows’ from the new album ‘Fools Gold’. We’ve listened to this song at least a dozen times and I’m still rolling the lyrics around wondering if the battlefield is real or metaphorical but either way I’ve rarely been so drawn into the story that a song paints. The guitar is lovely; it has a folky pattern but holds the & of 2 in a cool way that creates a tension that suits the haunting nature of the song. But, lets be honest, its those vocals that make us swoon every time. Where else do you hear words just float out freely as if no breath were being used and yet with such a rich texture? Leonard Cohen maybe; perhaps Ray LaMontagne? It’s ultra-cool without trying to be and we love it. Many thanks to Harro for drawing our attention to this artist.

And so from a new discovery to our favourite post-punk duo, the ever-brilliant Distance From Zero with the classic ‘Sick’. Tuneful but Punk AF this is where punk all began for me: Angst, politics, social commentary, here presented with melody and musical appeal - just listen to the way the vocals are sometimes harmonised and sometimes handed off so deftly. Marvellous stuff. The insertion of media clips from politicians whose voices will be instantly recognised by Brits adds both humour and edge to the whole package. Wherever you are in the world though, this song maintains its appeal and relevance especially at this stage in the election cycle of another quite important country. All that said, there is never a bad time to dig some Distance From Zero!

From a long time favourite then, we move to an artist we first heard just a few weeks ago although Ron Friedland - Music himself has been writing songs since he was a child. Ron is a talented multi-instrumentalist with extensive performance experience under his belt and a deep understanding of music theory that shines through even in ostensibly simple songs such as ‘Today I Woke Up Old’. He truly is a master of melody. His catalog has much to offer but I chose this song because it speaks to me musically, through its wry humour and (admittedly) because I can relate so strongly to the lyrics. Like many of the songs in his catalog, it is a gem!

Another artist, brand new to us, is Andy Carr Music and I can’t get enough of his song ‘Wake Up Drunk’. This is a singer/songwriter sound that’s up with the best. I hear Tom Petty and I hear the vibe from Ed Sheeran’s first album - the rap sections are so well executed and the whole vocal delivery is the epitome of cool Indie. It took a while to realise that there was little else going on but voice and guitar, the song just has so much going on melodically and dynamically that it could fill a stadium. Here’s an artist we would dearly love to see in live performance. We’ll be following his music closely.

‘Helpless’ by Fancy Mice Band is up next and despite the serious nature of the lyrics this song makes me as happy as it did the first time I heard it and every time since. It’s been on our favourites rotation for months now. It’s from a mother-daughter songwriting duo who offer beautifully open and authentic music here. The vocal always seems to be held on the edge of a break and the fragility is mesmerising to me as is the whimsically controlled tuning. Paired with the simple closed chord keyboard stabs it’s impossible not to think of my first time hearing ‘Smile’ from Lily Allen and ‘Helpless’ from Fancy Mice certainly makes me smile today.

What better choice then for a grand finale to this collection than ‘Cry God’ from Orion Stars. Interestingly this song is often the closing song to their set when they play live too and you’ll hear why; this must be one hell of a crowd pleaser. How they’d be allowed off the stage after this though, I don’t know. It’s female-fronted rock again (I know, It’s just a sound we love). Orion’s Stars call it rock with a psychedelic twist. I’m calling it prog that is the equal of the prog super-groups I grew up with. This is as much composition as it is song-writing; every riff, every solo every motif has its place in the musical journey and the hand-offs between voice, instruments, riffs, beats and solos is exquisite. Truly ‘Indie music from the top shelf’.

I hope you enjoy the musical journey as much as we do (just don’t tell Whiskers if you play it on shuffle 😅).

********
Playlist:
********
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/54X5EIXSXiY2blpUmVIN12?si=jVmcSSDjR2eAITpTua_UiQ&pi=e-BIDhkus8TBeH

We are so excited to be included in this playlist, it is so good!! Thank you so much for the beautiful review of our song, Helpless.

*********************************
Link to playlist at bottom of post
*********************************

Much enjoyment was had in making the final selections for this week’s edition of Whiskey’n’Whiskers. The Indie scene is such a rich source of musical creativity and talent and we are all fortunate that it is so much easier to discover than ever. I contend that there has never been a better time for Indie music; let’s take a look at the evidence:

Ric Gordon is opening for us with his brand new song ‘Too Young for Dyin’’ and in so doing is dipping into the ever-popular post-punk pages of his extensive catalog. Or is he? I’ve heard Jack White mentioned by some and also Bruce Springsteen as comparisons whereas I hear Paul Weller influences. At the end of the day though its pure Ric with a well crafted song, a driving riff, kick-ass drums and, to my ears, one of his strongest vocal performances. Another sure fire hit.

Ric hands over to Dogs Vs. Children with a song from their amazing album ‘Extinction’ from which it is hard to choose a favourite because we love the whole album. We’ve gone for the title track this time; highly accomplished indie rock with superb instrumental work, that signature light drawl, occasional grit in the vocal and a set of profound lyrics reflecting on the relationship between our species and the rest of the planet. It is brilliant, engaging listen-again-and-again work.

Shannon Darcy has blown us away this week. In fairness that happens often but the new song ‘To Understand’ has really raised the bar. The song leans toward the pop end of Shannon’s repertoire with memorable melody and emotionally engaging relate-able lyrics. The melody is gorgeous, the vocals smooth. Listen to it against e.g. ‘Snakes and Ladders’ side by side and notice that the vocal has a little less attack; it is so controlled with effortless precision and the vocal treatment has been given a subtle modern presentation but not in a way that the beautiful timbre doesn’t shine through. The production is amazing and on a set of monitor speakers the vocal just floats ethereally, kind of hangs in the air. I’d say it’s the best vocal of this genre that I’ve heard.

Speaking of female vocals, if I say that the next song is from the benchmark for high-energy melodic punk, you probably guessed already that next up is the new release from KTO. Kathleen Turner Overdrive, ‘I Want To Believe’. You know the way many male rock vocalists dream of a pure perfect delivery in their passaggio. I guess that’s because the C4-B4 range sounds so perfectly balanced against modern rock instruments. It may well explain why female-fronted rock and punk seem to show up often in playlists like ours; the sonic texture is just so engaging and it just gets no better than KTO. This song has that powerful searing yet sweet vocal that you’ve come to expect, a catchy melody a driving beat and some top guitar too - there’s a funk rhythm in there most of the way through that adds so much interest to the song. We’ve been spinning this a lot and I can’t see that stopping.

If you want tried-and-tested harmonic cadences and predictable hooks that you can complete in your mind even the first time you hear them begin because there’s an obvious resolution in the making, then Dashing Skull Club might not be the answer. However, if you prefer surprising changes in direction, twist and turns that shouldn’t work but they just do because they have been constructed by highly skilled songwriters and musicians with their own unique vision, then the album ‘Dirt Flood’ is for you. Our favourite from the album ‘9’ is presented here with its whistling, microtonal bends, quirky interjections and complex rhythms all wrapped in a tight musical performance that is a joy to listen to (I suggest loud).

After the bolt of energy from KTO and the cerebral magnificence of DSC it is time to chillax. Barry White might be the perfect solution but the Indie scene’s very own Dukestorm has a modern twist instead with ‘Meditation Of Love!’ a guided meditation to a beautiful place where love and relationships take their rightful position centre stage, all delivered by a rich soothing vocal against a beautifully constructed sequence of loops and beats. After the darkly energetic first song from Dukestorm, this one came a surprise and a delightful one at that. Love this song.

Whiskers, who did the song sequence this week, put her current favourite Whiskey Club next up and this leads on to a warm welcome back to one of the most exciting artists we’ve discovered this year - Wolf's Fangs. ‘Beautiful and Bizarre’ is another example of their almost peerless ability to fuse genres together… Metal, Rock, Pop, Punk, Prog… into a musical journey that has the cohesion of a sonata and the appeal of hook-driven Indie rock. They always put me in mind of symphonic rock à la ‘Within Temptation’ but with a more modern set of sounds. I’m a fan of their music and of their approach to it.

Next up is Brother Dynamite with their new song ‘The Girl’s In Love’ and, unless you’ve been on some nature retreat with no internet, you already know this song. In fact you might even be singing it spontaneously as you go about your daily business. I know I am. An Indie rock duo, Brother Dynamite produce a power-pop sound that is seriously infectious. The tunes, the vocal layering, the production, those sweet guitar vibes, the way the song builds dynamically into that reward when the song title is first mentioned, the sheer feel-good factor that jumps from every bar. Indie alt-pop perfection!

If you are ready for something more reflective we’ll change the mood with Streetside Philosophy and the truly exceptional song ‘Shadows’ from the new album ‘Fools Gold’. We’ve listened to this song at least a dozen times and I’m still rolling the lyrics around wondering if the battlefield is real or metaphorical but either way I’ve rarely been so drawn into the story that a song paints. The guitar is lovely; it has a folky pattern but holds the & of 2 in a cool way that creates a tension that suits the haunting nature of the song. But, lets be honest, its those vocals that make us swoon every time. Where else do you hear words just float out freely as if no breath were being used and yet with such a rich texture? Leonard Cohen maybe; perhaps Ray LaMontagne? It’s ultra-cool without trying to be and we love it. Many thanks to Harro for drawing our attention to this artist.

And so from a new discovery to our favourite post-punk duo, the ever-brilliant Distance From Zero with the classic ‘Sick’. Tuneful but Punk AF this is where punk all began for me: Angst, politics, social commentary, here presented with melody and musical appeal - just listen to the way the vocals are sometimes harmonised and sometimes handed off so deftly. Marvellous stuff. The insertion of media clips from politicians whose voices will be instantly recognised by Brits adds both humour and edge to the whole package. Wherever you are in the world though, this song maintains its appeal and relevance especially at this stage in the election cycle of another quite important country. All that said, there is never a bad time to dig some Distance From Zero!

From a long time favourite then, we move to an artist we first heard just a few weeks ago although Ron Friedland - Music himself has been writing songs since he was a child. Ron is a talented multi-instrumentalist with extensive performance experience under his belt and a deep understanding of music theory that shines through even in ostensibly simple songs such as ‘Today I Woke Up Old’. He truly is a master of melody. His catalog has much to offer but I chose this song because it speaks to me musically, through its wry humour and (admittedly) because I can relate so strongly to the lyrics. Like many of the songs in his catalog, it is a gem!

Another artist, brand new to us, is Andy Carr Music and I can’t get enough of his song ‘Wake Up Drunk’. This is a singer/songwriter sound that’s up with the best. I hear Tom Petty and I hear the vibe from Ed Sheeran’s first album - the rap sections are so well executed and the whole vocal delivery is the epitome of cool Indie. It took a while to realise that there was little else going on but voice and guitar, the song just has so much going on melodically and dynamically that it could fill a stadium. Here’s an artist we would dearly love to see in live performance. We’ll be following his music closely.

‘Helpless’ by Fancy Mice Band is up next and despite the serious nature of the lyrics this song makes me as happy as it did the first time I heard it and every time since. It’s been on our favourites rotation for months now. It’s from a mother-daughter songwriting duo who offer beautifully open and authentic music here. The vocal always seems to be held on the edge of a break and the fragility is mesmerising to me as is the whimsically controlled tuning. Paired with the simple closed chord keyboard stabs it’s impossible not to think of my first time hearing ‘Smile’ from Lily Allen and ‘Helpless’ from Fancy Mice certainly makes me smile today.

What better choice then for a grand finale to this collection than ‘Cry God’ from Orion Stars. Interestingly this song is often the closing song to their set when they play live too and you’ll hear why; this must be one hell of a crowd pleaser. How they’d be allowed off the stage after this though, I don’t know. It’s female-fronted rock again (I know, It’s just a sound we love). Orion’s Stars call it rock with a psychedelic twist. I’m calling it prog that is the equal of the prog super-groups I grew up with. This is as much composition as it is song-writing; every riff, every solo every motif has its place in the musical journey and the hand-offs between voice, instruments, riffs, beats and solos is exquisite. Truly ‘Indie music from the top shelf’.

I hope you enjoy the musical journey as much as we do (just don’t tell Whiskers if you play it on shuffle 😅).

********
Playlist:
********
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/54X5EIXSXiY2blpUmVIN12?si=jVmcSSDjR2eAITpTua_UiQ&pi=e-BIDhkus8TBeH

Responding to these like this never fails to make me giggle.

Don’t miss out on new music from Berlos Band. Stephen Anderson has the best blues voice I have ever heard. Beautiful guitar accompaniment. Enjoy!!

https://open.spotify.com/album/6iB3bQBx3uTQoW1te6fYDG?si=yCydk3mIRHCULo3gjZWDJg

Doorstep Berlos Band · Single · 2024 · 1 songs.

Whoo hoo!!! Our celebration of bumblebee bottoms has been listened to 1016 times on Spotify. Just in time for spring when all the bumblebees are coming out. Perhaps they will celebrate with me in the garden today. Thank you everyone for listening! Link to the song in comments if you need it to get you in the mood to do some yard work today 😀

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2v2846Ln8WzDeUfFqte0yu?si=c872e9ef4d6a40cd

Check out our new 11 song playlist. 39 minutes of talented indie artists!

It starts out celebrating fuzzy pollinator bottoms, with our indie folk “Bumblebee B***y”!

“Song 5 Never Dies” by fellow Swifties, Feminoise. Dreamy, alternative rock with great harmonies.

The Flying Beets “Radio Song” brings us melodic rock with an anthemic chorus that gives fun 90’s alternative rock vibes.

“Hangman” by Reign of Fire. Tight, well arranged hard rock with a hell of a vocalist and awesome guitars. Slightly morbid, ends with “get a rope” 😳.

Next comes our soulful ballad, Helpless, about being unable to help someone you love.

“Smile” by Lily Allen is there because Whiskey Club told us our vocalist sounds like an early Lily Allen—a huge compliment! So going to run with it.

Berlos Band (and his amazing voice) will get your foot tapping with “I’ve Got the Blues”—a quintessential blues track.

“Say Something” from Distance From Zero is their punk response to misleading UK news media. Ethereal vocals in the bridge blew me away.

Redial Destination covers Judas Priest with a reggae/ska version of “Breaking the Law”. Pure genius!

“Time” by Mechanic A brings us back to hard rock. Driving bass line, high energy, and just one hell of a great track.

Brian Meulen Music “Heaven in the Country”. City girl who succumbs to charms the country lifestyle and a country man. Beautiful song and musically it is reminiscent of Garth Brook’s “Rodeo”.

Fancy Mice & Fellow Travelers Fancy Mice & Fellow Travelers · Playlist · 11 songs · 3 likes

Bumblebee B***y has almost hit 1,000 streams! Take a listen to this acoustic ode to fuzzy bumblebee bottoms and help us get to that milestone! “Call it a t**h, rump, kiester or rear. That bee-hind is a cute derrière”. 🐝🐝🐝. https://open.spotify.com/track/6L4YUvxvuRufQZ4mWSSBjD?si=9T7mwuLcSRq6nwjUIiDlJA

Yep!

Discover some great new indie artists and give this playlist a spin. We are so honored to be included.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5GM81zHAsvNXoDmelzgm2c?si=d5b5c033f3f14eaf

Cousin Ray starts us out with a rock alternative track, “Another Day”. Brings me back to my college bar days in the 90’s—get me some Natty Light!

“Ring Your Bell” by Subtlety combines gorgeous vocals, inspirational lyrics and just the right amount of accompaniment. Love the harmonies.

Another great song by To Die In Beauty, “Stumble”. I feel cooler after listening to this song, that is how cool it sounds. Pop with a Talking Heads vibe.

“Carousel” by Cam Patterson Music is a beautifully arranged instrumental that is much more sophisticated that carousel music (at least the music I heard on the zoo carousel as a kid!).

KTO. Kathleen Turner Overdrive kicks things into a higher gear with “Robot Girl”. Tight, fun and makes me want to jump into a mosh pit (except now I am way too old and would get injured).

Bruce Edwards gets us more contemplative with “White Lights”. Insightful lyrics and gorgeous vocals. “Taking sadness by the hand..”

“Bumblebee B***y” by us, Fancy Mice! Acoustic, folksy ode to fuzzy bumblebee bottoms. “Call it a t**h, rump, keister or rear. That bee-hind is a cute derriere.”

Berlos Band brings us “Our Love”. Can not get enough of his voice. Everything he sings just has a gravitas to it. Similar to listening to Morgan Freeman talk. Classic blues style song.

“Worn Out Shoes” by The Mid-Watch Music takes us to another troubled relationship with a country/rock ballad. “Walk a mile in my shoes and you’ll see how I try”.

“Brighton Rock” by The Fraz Band is a tight, catchy rock and roll track that will get you on your feet.

More rock and roll with “Empty Pockets” by The Oakwood Collective. Classic rock anthem that is reminiscent of Springsteen.

Sweet Boosted Travelers Sweet Boosted Travelers · Playlist · 11 songs · 78 likes