• COVERED IN BEES are doing their best to plan ahead: They've got the date set for the release of their fourth album, Holy Crap! It's Covered In Bees: September 25. Where's the party? Geno's. Where else?
• We're kind of bummed we missed it, but Mainer-in-LA JOHN PAUL was in town this past weekend, playing Slainte and then the Down East Country Fest with MICHAEL PETERSON. He was pimping his new EP, Combination, which he recorded with JONATHAN WYMAN along with backing band the COURTSHIP. The word is John Paul has now gone "arena rock," a move back toward the radio rock he left behind to record his debut solo disc, Belmont Boulevard, which was all Ryan Adams.
• Flute fans should be on the lookout for NICOLE RABATA, a Cape Elizabeth grad who's a rising star in the traditional folk music world. She drops her debut disc, Armorica, a collection of tunes from Ireland, French Canada, Brittany, and Scandinavia combined with original compositions on the wooden flute. Featured on the CD are SEAMUS CONNOLLY and ELLERY KLEIN (fiddle), NATALIE HAAS (cello), DAVID SURETTE (guitar and cittern), MATT SHIPMAN (guitar), CHRIS STEVENS (accordion and concertina), OWEN MARSHALL (bouzouki, guitar, and harmonium), and DANIELLE LANGORD (harp). There will be an open session after the release show at the North Star August 26.
