Review of debut E.P. by HONEYDUST entitled “California Sunshine” By: James West
Rock and roll isn’t dead, it’s just been sharpening its’ knives out in the hills of west Marin ready to slice open the grey clouds and let the California sunshine in.
Hailing from the rolling hills of west Marin, just north of the Golden Gate, HONEYDUST has captured a sound that is unmistakably their own in this debut E.P. aptly titles “California Sunshine.” It truly is a bright beam of light in this ever so gloomy world of modern rock. With riff ridden grooves, sweet southern harmonies and modern song craftsmanship they’ve developed a perfect niche in American rock and roll.
Darren Nelson, the founder, front man and primary songwriter describes the sound of this record as a snapshot into the HD catalog. It has the ‘70’s influenced, guitar soaked numbers like “Blocked It Out” and the opening track, “I’m Alive” that remind us that there are bands out there making records that don’t have to follow the cookie cutter formula to make great songs. It has the powerful ballads like “Morning Glory” and “Christina” that demand a lighter in the air and a loved one to dedicate them to. It even has a splash of country, like “Pistols to Pesos” in which it tells the story of a renegade cowboy searching for a killer that murdered his love. Chilling lines like, “I know this wont bring you back, but I know for a fact, you can rest in peace my sweet. I swear upon my life, by the blade of my knife, he’s gonna bleed ‘til he bleeds no more,” paint clear pictures of passion and thought provoking subject matter. On the other hand, when the song “Best Day of My Life” starts; it feels precisely like its’ title. The warm guitar hooks and harmony vocals provide everything you need to crack a smile and your favorite beverage and enjoy the day.
HONEYDUST is looking to distribute their C.D. internationally and get out on the road here in the states to generate revenue for their second record, which according to Darren; is all ready written and ready for the studio. If you’d like to contact, learn more or hear their music you can check them out at: www.myspace.com/honeydust
Darren Nelson
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