Black Honey release 'A Fistful of Peaches'
British indie-rock band Black Honey is back, and they come bearing a melancholic gift in the form of “A Fistful of Peaches” their 3rd studio album, and by far their most vulnerable body of work to date. .Lead singer and guitarist Izzy Baxter Phillips, an always daring artist, takes it up a notch, giving listeners a window into her struggles with mental health. With Chris Ostler on guitar, Tommy Taylor on bass, and Alex Woodwards with the drums, the foursome have mastered an eerie and desolate sound, even with the hefty instrumentals evident throughout the project.
They kick it off with Charlie Bronson, two years after their Tarentino inspired album “Written and Directed.” The album itself seems to be a journey Phillips goes through while trying to understand her mental health. The first track introduces an unstable character within Phillips, “big smile just like Harley Quinn” is just one example of lyrics within this song that represent a woman gone mad, a persona many find uncomfortable, and Black Honey are saying “deal with it”.
Heavy is the second track, a much calmer piece in comparison to its predecessor, but there is a lingering aura of the angry women that occupied Charlie Bronson still evident here. The guitar is stealthy, and lyrics like “Serotonin let us down” are some of the first that hint towards the lead singer's personal struggles.
Up Against It is the more acceptable song in comparison to its counterpart Weirdo, which appears later on. A sort of anthem for lost souls, “it’s not your fault and you need to hear it” is still affirming to all of us. Later on in the song, Phillips begins speaking the words, as if to make a statement and get through to listeners the importance of forgiving yourself. If this album was a journey, Up Against It is the promise of the longing destination.
The band then brings in the shadow of another person, Out of My Mind speaks on the feeling of going down, but having your person there while it happens. It is in no means, a love song, but of a willowing person who is appreciating the presence of someone else, “Wasting, I’m wasting my life/ so take me by the hand”. In comparison with the other songs on the album, there isn’t much distinction in sound, and in artistry, and while this may be a fault, it reflects on the difficulties of finding yourself and understanding what's wrong, a theme that's consistent throughout the project.
Rock Bottom is the continuation of the story Phillips is telling, the moment when it feels like it truly might never get better. Her voice is hollow and distant, creating that feeling of falling and dwindling away. The song carries pieces of early 2000’s music, more so than any other track; highlighting the range that Black Honey can offer.
The drums are the star of the show on Cut the Cord and we see the lyrics shift from self-hatred to anger projected onto another person. Yet, this song continues to fade into the rest of the album, nothing that distinguishes it from the rest, and while it is a good body of work, individually the songs in the first half play into a sort of “formula” overdone by every artist.
OK is one of the most distinctive pieces. With Cut the Cord and Out of My Mind, the lyrics depict a hatred or distance between the character and others, while OK offers the possibility of a lover, but the always difficult journey of holding onto them, and giving a Lana Del Ray lens of feeling as though with love, there must be a downfall- “I’m Romeo until the end”.
In the eigth track, Phillips places herself into the role of a predator. I’m A Man speaks on the front-womans personal experiences with sexual assault, and the song is a dig at the male gaze. “I’ll do what I want cause remorse isn’t my thing” and “Cause I’m a man/ Because I can '' are equal parts emotional and potent, showing Black Honey’s worthy penmanship. Near the end, Phillips is accompanied by a soft piano, something we haven't heard much of throughout the project, and I’m A Man is the perfect song to introduce it. It offers more emotion, and the fragility of her incredible voice, and then quickly goes back into a harsh static guitar that all too well resembles a certain vexation.
A sprint of some sorts, or a quick beating heart, are what opens up the already mysterious ambiance that the title Nobody Knows gives off. Feeling an auditory journey of the difficulties of depression, anxiety, or pure loneliness, the listener is immersed into Phillips’ jumbled feelings. As the beat picks up and she questions “When will I feel like myself?” Nobody Knows becomes A Fistful of Peaches more strenuous encounter of dealing with mental illness; a statement on its own about the vulnerability that the band had to show.
“A song for the weirdos” sings Phillips, a line more bearable than the rest of the lyrics in Weirdos. It is every artist's attempt at telling listeners to be themselves, but done in an almost grimacing way. It is not what Up Against It offers which is a subliminal message of grace. Though, it is a brief intermission from the soft tones of Im A Man and Nobody Knows, back into the wild persona present throughout the album.
Black Honey has mastered an idyllic point of view through the imagery they create with their lyrics, and while the title of the track Tombstone may not reflect it, the song plays on the idea that while they may have lost some love, they have found tainted happiness through their material earnings. With the consistent heavy guitar, this time Phillips doesn’t care about the hurting, and “I just want to be somebody else” is a big juxtaposition to the lyrics in Nobody Knows
The group finishes off with Bummer, a matrix-esque-Amy Winehouse-influenced tune. It continues the strong guitar and drum intro they have worn out, but it’s one of their most emotionally stripped down lyrics. It's the point of the story, when Phillips would rather be “high like a bummer” than have to face the reality checks of life.
A Fistful of Peaches' relatability holds value in the albums overall performance, but the highlight is Phillips' ability to capture such personal feelings into lyrics that are not as obvious as some other sad indie tunes that feel robotic. Black Honey had solidified their place in the indie scene before this album, but now the band has shown their continuous maturity of artistry, and no doubt have their fans excited for what is next in store.