Band To Watch: Candy Bars

Terrible band name and confounding album title. But Stereogum is making a concerted effort to hear all the never-heard-of-'em CDs making an unwiedly pile on our desk, and this ended up on the iPod. While it's not our style to post more than one track per album, Tampa-based Candy Bars are something special.

Lead Candyman Daniel Martinez exercises whisper-to-a-dream vocals to paint visceral narratives that take multiple listens to sink in. But you'll immediately fall for his astral guitar licks that meld with Melissa Castellano's tasteful orchestration and Ryan Hastings' restrained percussion. This trio knows exactly what it's doing. Think Eric Matthews fronting the Wrens.

New Granada has two MP3s for download:

Candy Bars - "Enough To Choke A Cold Air" (MP3)
Candy Bars - "Violet" (MP3)

Both great. But I need you to hear:

Candy Bars - "The Flood in Your Old Town" (MP3 Link Expired)
Candy Bars - "The Birthday Song" (MP3 Link Expired)

"Oh my god! / It's somebody's birthday AGAIN." Who can't relate to that?

Buy On Cutting Ti-Gers in Half and Understanding Narravation at New Grenada and be the band's friend on MySpace.

Posted at 12:40 PM in Band To Watch
Tags: Candy Bars

10 Comments

I'm definitely diggin it. Thank you scott :)

Posted by: alexis at 03/24/06 12:51 PM | Reply
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Good to see some love for the Tampa scene.

Posted by: Rommie at 03/24/06 5:45 PM | Reply
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Yes, not all of us down here in Central Florida (e.g, Tampa and Orlando) are into Metal...

The Candy Bars are a great band.

Too bad there's so much metal around them.

Posted by: Justin at 03/24/06 6:16 PM | Reply
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it definitely gives tampa a good name for indie...which i didn't even stumble upon into recently.
keep it up new granada and friends.

Posted by: evan at 03/24/06 11:31 PM | Reply
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These recordings never quite reach a level of awesome. They could, but I think they need a little more balls to them.

Posted by: paid critic at 03/25/06 4:58 PM | Reply
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Ryan Hastings is my hero.

Posted by: Michael Fusco at 03/25/06 7:30 PM | Reply
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i never was

Posted by: liver at 03/26/06 2:16 AM | Reply
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wow Danny is a close friend of mine, I swung by stereogum to do my usual check up on what is worth a listen and BAM! there is candy bars! I can't wait to congratulate him!

Posted by: Pedro at 03/26/06 3:38 PM | Reply
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The actual new best band in the world is Animandible
www.myspace.com/animandible

Posted by: Anifandible at 03/28/06 10:40 AM | Reply
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"Central Florida, e.g. Tampa and Orlando"

Where's the Gainesville love? No Idea Records is the PLACE!

Posted by: nbomb at 03/28/06 1:12 PM | Reply
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