Honeyblood (2014) [FLAC]

  Genre: Rock
  Styles: Indie, Garage, Lo-fi
  Source: WEB 
  Codec: FLAC
  Bit Rate: ~ 1,000 kbps
  Bit Depth: 16
  Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz

  01 Fall Forever
  02 Super Rat
  03 (I'd Rather Be) Anywhere But Here
  04 Bud
  05 Killer Bangs
  06 Biro
  07 Choker
  08 No Spare Key
  09 Joey
  10 Fortune Cookie
  11 All Dragged Up
  12 Braid Burn Valley

  Review

  At first glance, Honeyblood seems tailor-made to embody as many indie rock trends from the late 2000s and early 2010s as possible: they're an all-female guitar and drums duo playing noisy pop heavily indebted to the '90s, right down to their compound word band name. Yet Honeyblood's moniker also reflects the fascinating duality of Stina Tweeddale and Shona McVicar's self-titled debut album, on which they deliver equal amounts of sugar and grit -- as well as a surprising amount of nuance -- with their guitars, vocals, and drums. Tweeddale's voice is so ringingly clear that it's a pleasure to hear, whether she's singing sullen surfer-girl pop à la Best Coast on "(I'd Rather Be) Anywhere But Here" or about bruises that look like roses on the closing track, "Braid Burn Valley." Sometimes they're more sophisticated, as on the delicate, almost jazzy drum work that graces "Fall Forever"'s breakdowns; sometimes they're more rambunctious, as on the snarling "Super Rat" or the irresistible "Fortune Cookie." However, the duo's most knowing songs may be the most winning. Honeyblood's debut single, "Bud," is still a standout, with Tweeddale giving Jenny Lewis a run for her money in the wryly gorgeous and heartbroken sweepstakes as she sings lyrics like "Tender bloom of doom/Like a nursemaid to a battle wound." "Choker" presents the duo's darker side, evoking University-era Throwing Muses with its stabbing riffs and deceptively catchy angst, while "No Spare Key" captures the vulnerability of being so in love that there are no other options. While there's a small but significant gap between Honeyblood's outstanding songs and the rest of the album, it's still a debut full of moments of depth and moments of instant gratification -- as well as lots of potential.

  Artist Bio

  Glaswegian noise-pop duo Honeyblood formed in early 2012, consisting of Stina Marie Claire Tweeddale on guitar and vocals and Shona McVicar on drums. The two took inspiration from dark and cloudy '90s indie rock luminaries like PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, and Throwing Muses, and filtered it into a gorgeously murky, home-recorded sound of their own, quickly growing a profile locally and eventually opening shows for the likes of Sleigh Bells, and even performing at bigger festivals. The group's grassroots two-song demo cassette quickly caught the attention of FatCat Records, who signed the band in 2013 and issued their first single, Bud, later that year. A full-length release was planned to follow.