The BeeKeepers

With a smooth classic sound, the BeeKeepers deliver a beautiful bliss with “Songs from the Hive, Vol 1”. Quite stylish, the BeeKeeper embody the past of dreamy folk throughout the collection. Lyrics possess a poetic poignancy to them. Everything comes together in a glorious blur, from the light emotive percussion all the way to the graceful guitar gestures that adorn the sound. Never moving too quickly, the BeeKeepers opts for a contemplative sound. Elements of folk, dream-pop, and classical merge to create a rich lush sound. Vocals rest at the very heart and soul of the collection, with their honeyed quality guiding the songs forward.

Stream: https://www.thebeekeepers.net/music

Starting the collection off strong is the elegant work of “What a Day”. The slow tempos and atmospheric flourishes recall the best of 70s singer-songwriters. Easily the highlight of the collection the song unfolds in unexpected yet jubilant ways. Opting for a delicate twee pop approach is the sweetness of “Indescision”. A stripped down contemplative sound defines the colorful imagery of “Yellow Flashing Lights”. By weaving a carefully crafted world “Textile Town” has a real personal touch to it. Careful piano work comes into play on the stripped-down classically inclined “Pretty Words” whose doubt helps to give the song a real feeling to it. Ending the collection off on a spirited note is the communal work of “We Both Know”.

https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thebeekeepers2

The BeeKeepers delve into a timeless world on the gorgeous sound of “Songs from the Hive, Vol 1”. - SKOPE Magazine

"The Beekeepers are able to take a whole new spin to folk music, echoing the work of influential artists such as Elliott Smith, Ani DiFranco or Nick Drake, just to mention but a few." - The BandCamp Diaries

"The BeeKeepers's voice-forward production technique is perfectly conceived; their honest lyricality is impossible to resist, and their melodic instincts are well-articulated by the guitar as well." - Akademia Music Awards

"Decisions, decisions and more decisions. This month I had an artist pin point this issue almost perfectly in the next piece. The BeeKeepers are a trio from Connecticut with an incredibly unique sound that I would describe as alternative-blues-folk." - Chaos Corner Videos - ION Indie Magazine Video Feature

​"The BeeKeepers meld jazz and folk with a peaceful tune that's perfect for watching the clouds scud by on a spring day." - Adobe and Teardrops

​"Raw and innocent vocals.... The Beekeepers’ song is easy to sing along to as the attainable vocal range accommodates for every fan. With Indecision’s almost lullaby tune, the accompanying classical-sounding guitar is soothing and makes this folk song an easy-listen." - NZ Film Freak

​“Indecision” explores a tender, gentle folk-infused pop courtesy of the The BeeKeepers’ thoughtful ruminations. Laid-back, the rhythms have a quiet contemplative spirit to them. Elements of chamber pop are utilized to great effect as the song unfurls with such grace."  Beach Sloth, SKOPE - SKOPE Magazine

"The BeeKeepers have mastered of one of the most entertaining and nuanced styles of folk / singer-songwriter entertainment we've come across in recent years, and their new single ‘Indecision’ shows why you'll be hearing a lot more of them.
With undeniable vocal talent and fine-tuned production served straight up, The BeeKeepers are a group that any folk / singer-songwriter music enthusiast will thoroughly enjoy." - Marquis Global Network

"The success of their latest awarding-winning work has not gone unnoticed by the critics, with one recently writing: ‘The BeeKeepers's voice-forward production technique is perfectly conceived; their honest lyricality is impossible to resist, and their melodic instincts are well-articulated by the guitar as well.’ Yet there’s something special about The BeeKeepers that sets them apart from other folk / singer-songwriter acts. In a musical generation characterized by manufactured pop acts, The BeeKeepers' originality and sincerity do more than stand out. They reveal qualities that cannot be engineered in the studio. There’s also an unpretentious realness to this group out of New London, Connecticut and judging by their growing fan base, they may be precisely what the new generation didn't know it was missing." - Marquis TV

Formed just a year ago, New London, Connecticut’s The BeeKeepers are creating a buzz in the bluesy folk music world.

Sometimes, it takes time for a band to break through—to build an audience or secure the support of a record label, be it an independent or corporate one. These dedicated acts often spend years on the road, sacrificing nearly everything for their art, usually with very little to show for it.

In that context, New London, Connecticut’s The BeeKeepers, a band that formed just a year ago, are on an unusually felicitous run. The bluesy folk band’s songs have been streamed more than 40,000 times online while dominating the playlists of more than 60 internet radio channels. This spring, Rotary Records issued The BeeKeepers’ debut EP, Songs from the Hive, Vol. 1, to critical acclaim. They have songs written for the second volume and plans to record them this winter.

In May, The BeeKeepers received an Akademia Music Award, as their inaugural offering earned a Best Folk EP nod. Plus, the classically-trained trio—singer, guitarist, and merlin and mandolin player Amanda Sullivan along with singer, percussionist, pianist, and accordion and ukulele player Phred Mileski and Sylvie Abate, who plays guitars, bass, and banjo—have also been chosen as representatives for the GINA Foundation, which will use The BeeKeepers’ music as the soundtrack to videos asking for information about missing persons.

The BeeKeepers’ lyrics often reflect their New England roots. “Sometimes you’ll hear metaphors about the seasons, and I am not sure I would be putting that in a song if I grew up in Los Angeles,” Abate says. “Nature, in general, is something I use a lot in my songs and that’s because of New England and the seasons.”

“The only place I could imagine myself living is in a cabin in the woods of Vermont,” she adds. “I would appreciate the solitude and when I am creating, I tend to like to be alone. I love the dichotomy of this area. You can go kayaking in Vermont in the morning and hear the symphony in Boston that same night. We have the best of both worlds here.”

Want to hear what’s on Abate’s playlist when she’s not listening to BeeKeepers’ music? Check out our Take a Listen Spotify channel. While you’re there, listen to what other musicians we’ve covered have on their playlist.

“We have experienced a lot of success in short period of time,” Abate says, adding she’s thankful people are responding to The BeeKeepers—especially in New England, where all three women studied their respective crafts. “This whole area just thrives with so much culture and art … musicians to connect with,” Abate explains; The BeeKeepers were all in other bands before finding each other through the Connecticut music scene. “There are towns that are filled with culture and music. People are also progressive here and open, which makes you, as a musician, more open to exploring ideas in your songs. Living here has enhanced my creativity.”

The BeeKeepers’ music boasts beautiful harmonies and engaging melodies. Their songs would resonate with fans of artists like Joan Baez, Ani DiFranco, and Nick Drake. New Englanders will have ample opportunity to catch The BeeKeepers live. On August 18, they’ll play the Victoria Station Café in Putnam, Connecticut, and on September 24, they will take the stage at the Monroe MusicFest in Monroe, Connecticut. - Take Magazine by Chris Harris

The BeeKeepers have mastered of one of the most entertaining and nuanced styles of folk / singer-songwriter entertainment we've come across in recent years, and their new single ‘Indecision’ shows why you'll be hearing a lot more of them.
With undeniable vocal talent and fine-tuned production served straight up, The BeeKeepers are a group that any folk / singer-songwriter music enthusiast will thoroughly enjoy. The success of their latest awarding-winning work has not gone unnoticed by the critics, with one recently writing: ‘The BeeKeepers's voice-forward production technique is perfectly conceived; their honest lyricality is impossible to resist, and their melodic instincts are well-articulated by the guitar as well.’ Yet there’s something special about The BeeKeepers that sets them apart from other folk / singer-songwriter acts. In a musical generation characterized by manufactured pop acts, The BeeKeepers' originality and sincerity do more than stand out. They reveal qualities that cannot be engineered in the studio. There’s also an unpretentious realness to this group out of New London, Connecticut and judging by their growing fan base, they may be precisely what the new generation didn't know it was missing. Independent reporter Blake Wright recently caught up with The BeeKeepers to get an inside look at this exciting new group and to learn what they have in store for fans this year. - Blake Wright

The Beekeepers recently dropped an EP, called Songs From The Hive Vol. 1. And it’s hecka-good! The trio, hailing from New London, Connecticut and Leominiter, Massachusetts, is made up of Amanda Sullivan on lead vocals, guitar, merlin and piano; Phred Mileski on vocals, piano and accordion; and Sylvie Abate on guitar, bass and banjo. Guest musicians on the EP include Billy Klock on drums and Miles Aron, playing lead guitar on “What A Day.”

Stylistically, The BeeKeepers, billed as alternative folk music, amalgamate a variety of stylistic flavors into their sound, including folk, pop, alt rock, bluegrass and blues. This blending of genres, along with gorgeously tight vocal harmonies, results in a hearing-secret-harmonies effluvium that goes beyond delightful and enters the realm of fabulous.

Songs From The Hive contains six tracks. “What A Day” begins with a mellow guitar, resonant bass and a light groove transitioning smoothly into a bluesy pop melody driven by the layered guitars, providing the tune with shimmering sonic hues. The bluesy flavor carries over into the Amanda’s vocals, as she appends a delightful inflection of cause and effect. An innovative guitar solo emanates a translucent piercing quality accentuating the luminous sheen of the melody. The vocal harmonies glow with sonority akin to spectral gestures.

“Indecision” twinkles with sparkling guitars and a wonderful sidestick. An emergent accordion rides underneath the guitars, giving the music depth and resonance. The melody combines folk and pop elements into a measured descant smooth and infectious. Amanda’s voice conveys pensive sweetness, while once again the vocal harmonies are nonpareil. “Textile Town” amalgamates folk and a suggestion of rockabilly. The melody rides the guitars and banjo, with the banjo exuding a tentative country essence that animates the music. Light and airy vocal harmonies throw a mandala of pigmented colors over the melody.

“Yellow Flashing Lights” slows things down a bit, exuding a country folk sensibility, full of rich expressive vocals. Amanda’s voice carries a fragile vulnerability in its inflection and articulation, along with just a touch of tender charming twang. There’s a tremulous, vague threnody flowing from the melody that’s touching and emotionally affective. “Pretty Words” begins with Amanda’s dulcet voice floating above an elegant piano; as a cello joins in the melody assumes gravity, providing the tune with delicious resonance and suppressed intensity. The mirroring of the vocal harmonies, almost like truncated antiphony, sends tingles up and down the listener’s spine.

The last track, “We Both Know,” emanates folk pop elements initially, and then takes on a punchy alt rock flavor subsequent to a single pinging note plucked on the guitar. This singular bridge provides a sudden bright resonance prior to the dynamic discharge of the subdued alt rock refrain. Amanda’s voice alternates between softly fragrant to discharging full-spectrum dominance, allowing the song to shift from satisfyingly honeyed to pungently compelling.

I can say without doubt or hesitation that The BeeKeepers have it going on! The highlights of the EP occur in the pristine vocal harmonies and the effortlessly persuasive melodies, along with Amanda’s inimitably rich, sweet tones. Don’t miss Songs From The Hive Vol. 1. It’s excellent folk pop. - The Huffington Post

"The BeeKeepers are an amazing folk band from Connecticut. This trio of women bring a sense of refreshment to the music industry and have established themselves as Connecticut’s number #1 indie band. Their music is exceptionally brilliant, enough to put them on the road to becoming a household name by some standards." - Warlock Asylum International Arts, News and Culture