First Rodeo

honeyhoney | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ironworks
• ASIN: B001HADF7C
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,813 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very promising debut., December 5, 2008

By 

Jazzy V. - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Rodeo (Audio CD)

After their critically acclaimed 2007 five songs LP Loose Boots, the indie pop/rock duo make their first full length solo album debut with "First Rodeo", an enjoyable concoction of well crafted and delivered pop-rock tunes, a mix of jazz, Americana, alternative country and rock.

Suzanne Santo and Ben Jaffe are helped by a brilliant bunch of musicians : Jude Cole (guitar, mandolin, keyboards, bass guitar, percussion, background vocals), Doug Pettibone (guitar), Mark Goldenberg (guitars), Mike Bolger (horns), Aaron Embry (keyboards, bass guitar), Patrick Leonard, Patrick Warren (keyboards), Paul Bushnell (bass guitar) and Brian MacLeod (drums).

The quality is assured when your afore-mentioned guests support you on such an enjoyable project.

I tried to pick my favorites in reviewing the CD, but "First Rodeo" is one of those albums you just put in and let it ride.

"Black Crows" is a good opener with a good beat and some clever hooks.

It gets the listener in the right mood and has a certain catchiness that carries on throughout the song.

Suzanne's vocals are as strong and well-timed as ever and the drums have an interesting interaction with the subtly composed keys that works out really well for this song.

Also the first single "Little Toy Gun" and the ironic "Give Yourself To Me" are effective and vibrant.

"Slow Brains" has quite a different nature than most of HoneyHoney's songs, but the band eases it all into an alternative rock & roll song that gets very pleasant and remarkably soulful.

Some tracks have great hooks and are catchier, but all of them are extremely well executed: every single time I hear the album , it draws me in until it completely convinces me.

It's mostly the captivating, distinctive vocals by Suzanne, who reminds a lot of a young Chrissie Hynde with a hint of Nancy Sinatra , and the excellent, creative and original "ensemble" songwriting by the Californian duo that make this album worth it.

Certainly, we will hear about Honey Honey very often in the future, they are not going to disappear soon.

Best tracks: "Black Crows", "Little Toy Gun", "Give Yourself To Me", "Bouncing Ball" and "Slow Brains".

All in all, a very promising debut and one od the best 'indie' pop/rock albums of the year.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this album, August 4, 2011

By 

Frederick R. Loney III - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First Rodeo (Audio CD)

I will leave the detailed comments to those who know more about the music scene and have an academic knowledge of the science and philosophy of music. This is for everyone who just likes listening to music because it sounds good.

Buy this album; buy multiple copies of this album and give them to people you like, love, or adore. 'Like' the band on facebook and follow them on twitter. When their next album comes out in the next couple of months (Billy Jack) buy that too. Go to their concerts and be prepared to have your jaw hit the floor. Tell everyone you know about them. After that if you feel I have exaggerated in any way write me and give me a piece of your mind. I'm not expecting many emails.

Enjoy!

Thank me later.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Album, May 26, 2011

By 

Loser Dave - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First Rodeo (Audio CD)

This is a really good album and that is saying something these days. Sure there are a lot of albums out there with good production and this is certainly one of them. I'm sure Jude Cole had a lot do with that, but still. Very nice arrangements and dynamics in the songs and interesting instrumentation. Well done!

But what sets this record apart for me is the lyric writing. Compelling songs with fresh word usage, clever rhyming and compelling images. In other words, songs that make you want to pay attention and listen! Bravo Honey Honey!

My only knock on this collection would be that it is very heavy on ballad-type tempo songs and it would be nice to have some more up-tempo tunes like "Little Toy Gun". But when you have wonderful twisted songs like "David' I can live with a slower pace.

Fantastic vocals throughout, this is one CD that you will enjoy over and over.