Beekeeper’s soccer soundtrack, L.A. Edwards’ dark heart, Blue Largo’s chart position, Flogging Molly’s Anthem tour, Scott West’s Christmas single

“We were just hired by a soccer magazine-slash-media-outlet to write metal songs for the World Cup series,” says Beekeeper drummer Dylan Marks (who has also served as a music instructor at Music Speaks Studio). “The songs bring to light different issues at this year’s competition, like the human rights problems and the corruption that we tackle with semi-humorous ideas, with several music videos dropping.”

Singer-songwriter L.A. Edwards (Luke Andrew Edwards) is a multi-instrumentalist from Julian, backed by his band of brothers. Their new single “Let it Out” drops December 9, in advance of their full-length Out of the Heart of Darkness, due January 6. They’re currently opening for The White Buffalo on a tour that wraps up at Observatory North Park on December 16.

The new Blue Largo CD Got To Believe, debuted at number 26 on the Relix/Jamband radio chart. The album features ten original songs, plus a cover of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” A video was produced for the album’s lead track, “A World Without Soul.” They’ll appear Sunday, December 18, at Tio Leo’s in Bay Park.

Celtic punk rockers Flogging Molly are fronted by accordion player Matt Hensley, who didn’t pick up his instrument until he was 24. The band announced that they will be returning to the road early next year with a new round of dates to promote their latest album, Anthem. The six-week trek will feature support from Anti Flag and Skinny Lister and is set to kick off on February 2 in Austin, Texas.

“I wrote a melody, music and an arrangement for the classic Christmas poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ many years ago, and have been walking around humming and singing it every holiday season ever since,” says singer-songwriter Scott West of his newest studio recording. The track features Brazilian guitar hero Breno Machado. “I sent him recordings of me humming the guitar parts I wanted, and he recorded them and knocked them out of the park. Since my go-to and favorite in the world guitarist is Frank Hannon from Tesla, Breno had some very big shoes to fill.”