From the very first guitar notes of this album by The Honey Badgers, I knew I was going to like it. Call it artful folk or contemplative folk or orchestral folk… by whatever genre name, it is beautiful. The harmonies on the opening track “She Awakes” are sure to win over a lot of fans. I know it caught my attention and I’m happy to support this new album from the accomplished folk band The Honey Badgers.
The second track “Looking Forward” is about focusing on “living again.” It’s a song ultimately about moving on after a terrible situation. “Everything changes and everything ends.” It’s a great tune with a toe-tapping folk rock energy to it along with an accessible message. It reminds me a bit of mid-70s folk rockers like Tom Petty.
There’s a jovial energy to “Morning Person” that connects right away. The lyrics are layered and complex, like the type of story you have to hear a few times before you fully understand from the message. There’s ultimately a message about seeking out love and blessings even if it doesn’t feel natural; it’s important to be flexible in the complexity of relationships. “Darlin if you don’t give then you won’t gain.” Amen.
“Rose of Jericho” has some grandiose production elements to it. The horns really put it on another level. The layers of production make it seem almost theatrical in its styling. While it doesn’t quite fit the folksy ethos of the rest of the album, it deserves mention as a unique track.
The fiddle solo on “Desiderium” is breathtaking and worth mentioning as a standout performance on the album. It also begs the question; what is the difference between a fiddle and a violin in this context? Speaking of quality fiddle, “Chestnut Hill” has a beautiful fiddle introduction and some wonderful vocal harmonies. The song feels so classic that I searched to see if it was a traditional folk song. It’s really well done and highlights the quality of the two vocals when they are really clicking.
The traditional energy on “Bring With You Nothing” reminds me a bit of the early career Nickel Creek music that made me fall in love with newgrass music. Hearing this blending of past and present along with a quality vocal makes for a wonderful listening experience. I also appreciate the simplicity of the lyrical concept; let’s just sit together and BE together. A lot of times when I think back to quality times with my family it’s not because we were doing anything specific; they were times around a fire or on a porch just chatting. This song did a nice job of bringing those memories to light for me.
There are a lot of good songs on the album, but the last one I have space to highlight here is “Blueberry Wine.” While it’s about a wine that’s too sweet (not possible, by the way). It’s a song about loving your partner the way they are. It’s got a quaint familiarity and a toe-tapping energy to it.
All told, this album by The Honey Badgers has a nice range of songs in the traditional, folk, and Americana worlds. I appreciated the quality of the bluegrass elements here. The vocals, the writing, and the overall skill is evident on a range of songs here. Usually I like to point out my favorite song on an album, but I’m not sure I have one here. They all have elements for fans of traditional, folk, and Americana music. It’s an album well worth your time and consideration.
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