Honeyblood
14 July 2014
Fat Cat
4 stars out of 5
Glasgow’s Honeyblood have released some killer singles (“Bud,”
“Killer Bangs,” “No Spare Key,” etc) en route to their eponymous debut LP, and
while it was clear from the start that these two dudettes worship the lo-fi
indie scene of the ‘90s, now there is absolutely no doubt about their agenda:
make incredibly catchy tunes that will have Murderecords aficionados
salivating, and make lots of them.
“Fall Forever,” “Killer Bangs,” and “Super Rat” is the best
one-two-three statement of indie pop intent you’ll find for miles and miles.
And things don’t drop off after that: “Biro” and “Bud” are both strong tracks
that stand up on their own. “Choker” is the highlight of the album—a chilling
first-person narrative of an abusive relationship (“I don’t think he would hurt me / I know he would”), punctuated by beautiful
two-part harmonies and some delicious guitar noise reminiscent of Helium’s early
work. “No Spare Key” showcases singer/guitarist Stina’s incredibly expressive
voice against a backdrop of jangle and clang that will have K Records
obsessives breathless by the end of its three and a half minutes. “All Dragged
Up” sees the Glaswegians rocking out a bit, and then the closer “Braid Burn
Valley (Blink, Now You’ve Missed It)” brings some serious grunge-y noise to the
proceedings, propelling the angst of the song (“another fucking bruise / this
one just like a rose”) to catharsis.
Honeyblood is a
very sophisticated and nuanced take on a genre that was celebrated for its
simplicity, but have no fear, as Honeyblood’s sophistication only adds to the pleasure. The duo’s
dark mood permeates the music, giving the catchy vocal hooks a dangerous slant
that makes them all the more appealing. Highly recommended.
reviewed by Richard Krueger
No comments:
Post a Comment