The CANDY BEAT CAMP around Singer- Songwriter Candy (Wolfgang Kanduth) has found its main residence in Vienna and will release their 4th studio album called “Lust & Anger“ in December. After the 2012 release “Stay Okay“ (Las Vegas Records), Toni Meloni Loitsch was yet again responsible for the recording and mix at his new studio in Dornbirn, called Nautilus. The band had already started the creative process in 2016 in L.A., though.
Where else would you go to write a few sunny punk songs? Exactly. On the spot, the former Carinthian Candy and bass player Walter decided to go on a trip to California, in order to hang out with friends and work on new material in their studios. Together with Rob Columbus and Mike Beliveau at their Melrose Recording Room and Johannes Umlauft at his Sweet Spot Hollywood, they came up with 14 songs, 11 of which made it on the album.
The title relates to the time, place and lyrics of the title song “Anger & Lust“. Fascinated by
the themes of anger and lust in the work and life of Van Gogh and driven by intense nights of thrill and frenzy in Los Angeles, this song literally jumped off the neck of their guitars in the heat of the moment. A song that gives an idea of the kind of routine they acquired in bringing dynamics and power to their verses, choruses and bridges. It became a piece that would define the sound and feel of the whole album.
A-Side
“Lust & Anger“ starts off with the track “Cheater“, a trademark “Candy” pop-punk song, that opens the album on a typically cheerful-cynical note and deals with substance abuse in the broadest sense. On the roof, unimpressed by the altitude. “Bear Trap“ digs a little deeper and considers the dark, heavy passenger, that won’t let you make any headway. “This Love (in a Quiet Place)“ is a requiem to his hometown, that’s followed by a short and sweet “I Wanna Love You“.
The last song “On A Roll“ is a bonus track on the first side. It came together in the rehearsal room of Candy’s long-term 60s-garage trash band THE INCREDIBLE STAGGERS and their gear, which you can’t overhear. Together with his ex-colleagues it became a CANDY BEAT CAMP feat. SADO MASO GUITAR CLUB co- production – a true garage-fun-punk-rocket.
B-Side
The other side goes right into the up-tempo punk songs “On Call“ and “Heirs of Infidels“. Stylistically inspired by The Replacements or Jawbreaker, it becomes clear, that this genre is one that the Camp knows particularly well. It also reminds of their debut “Passersby“ from 2004. “Fix Me Up“ thus scores with a
complex beat, intricate harmonies and a somewhat exotic lyrical topic: trepanation (google it!). The next one delivers an alleged peak: “Whiskey & Codeine“ is a dedicated song about two that really get along well but shouldn’t hang out too much after all.
The B-side includes a bonus track as well: “Rebel Game“, a rather exceptional 90ies-rock ballad by the Beat Camp, features guest singer Laura Baruch of the California based group KARMIC and L.A. based musician Blake Straus on guitar. It is the repenting tale of a convicted felon who swears to her partner that she’ll never slide back – a worthy, infernal closing to this versatile record.