Tag: dirty honey

This is album number two from California’s latest exponent of retro rock grooves. Now, Dirty Honey has class oozing through every note and in Marc Labelle they have one of the best rock n’ roll vocalists around.

Don’t Put Out The Fire has a Stones feel to the proceedings with a very simple riff and that voice drifting over the whole piece. Won’t Take Me Alive is a funk tinged beauty, with hints of old school Aerosmith. That funk continues (albeit with a slower groove) with Dirty Mind until the hook and pre chorus rip it up. Roam is essentially a blues ballad and I love just the hint of a Hammond in there to add to the atmosphere of the song, and the clean tone solo is cool. Get A Little High is taking a lot of pointers from a few Zeppelin tunes, but that voice just makes them their own. A total change of vibe with the acoustic Coming Home that closes out Side 1.

The title track opens up Side 2 and it is my favourite tune. The tempo is high and the groove is rockin’. Satisfied is next up and I’m feeling a touch of the Steve Marriott and Humble Pie vibes here. Ride On has a cool, loose mid-seventies rockin’ groove that reminds me of so many bands. You Make It All Right has huge Zeppelin vibes, and the fade out track Rebel Son is pure old school rockin’ R’n’B.

Now, when you play this old school retro music it’s inevitable that songs trigger memories and nods to other bands and that’s not a bad thing, it shows respect to what came before. Very cool record!

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Dirty Honey are the latest band to hang their flag on the retro rock bandwagon. Unlike most of them however, who go down the Zeppelin route, Dirty Honey are putting their own stamp on heavy 70’s grooves with a modern twist. They recently completed a co-headline tour with Mammoth WVH, and they showed what a killer live act they are. In fact, both bands just relied on killer tunes with no stage gimmicks.

California Dreamin’ opens up the album in kick ass style with a heavy melodic monster that should get the groove muscle throbbing. Mark Labelle has a stunning voice and The Wire sees him really letting it rip with his unreal range, and John Motto’s guitar adds that little spice. Tied Up has a deep Southern fried riff and groove with a funky undertone. Take My Hand has the biggest retro vibe so far with a killer monster riff and hook. Gypsy is my favourite track as it has an infectious riff and groove that will have your toe tappin’, couple that with a monster hook and chorus and we have a winner winner chicken dinner. The funk returns with No Warning and this is the only track with a hint of Zeppelin, but mostly Black Crowes vibes. Simple big fat chords announce the arrival of The Morning, and the guitars remind me of AC/DC somewhat. Last track Another Last Time is thick southern blues goodness with a killer vocal. There you have it, rock n’ roll is alive and well in young bands like this, and everything is looking good for the future.

9/10 from the Grooveman.