Customer Reviews

First Rodeo

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Great, infectious stuff. I've had it for over a year, and still listen to it all the time. I'm regularly asked who it is by those who hear it, and I'm only too happy to spread the HoneyHoney love!

I first saw honeyhoney play live at the Old Town School of Folk music annual festival in Chicago Illinois, i bought the album right there and is now one of my favorites, smart, funny, Ben Jeff and Suzanne Santo make a great team, sweet honeyhoney.

I first met up with 'honeyhoney' @ The Record Bar in Historic Westport, KC, MO. They were doing a soundcheck for their show later that night and I just had to get up and dance. I wish I could have stayed but I bought the CD and that was the next, best thing. The CD has me and they are simply hot, "live and in person"!
First Rodeo Loose Boots

I discovered Honeyhoney when they were an opening act along with Matt Nathanson for a Lifehouse concert and was pleasantly thrilled by this two-person band. The lyrics and vocals are so sweet and easy on the ears. Watching them perform was just as nice. Great CD.

I heard the song "Little Toy Gun," on our local AAA station and that the band was from Venice, CA. Being one who likes to support local talent (I consider LA local since I go there at least once a month), I shopped on line and found the album. As is often the case with a new/local band, the song getting the airtime was the best on the album.

It's all originals and reminiscent of Adele (love, love, love), however the songwriting strength is just not there yet. Weak lyrics largely dependant on the liberal use of profanity mar some otherwise promising tunes. I'm not conservative by any means and have been known to drop the f-bomb myself but I actually found it distracting.

That being said, honeyhoney shows promise and I will definitely give a listen if they come out with a new release. I'm crossing my fingers that their vocabulary grows before then.