Black Honey’s sophomore album, ‘Written & Directed‘, is a confrontational, yet varied record. It’s a punky and often mellow mix of distorted guitar and playful brass, switching from saccharine to sour in a heartbeat.
This Brighton-based band are known for their versatility. The band is comprised of Izzy B. Phillips (vocals, guitar), Chris Ostler (guitar), Tommy Taylor (bass) and Alex Woodward (drums). When they released their self-titled debut in 2018, DIY Magazine described it variously as: ‘Faded Hollywood glamour’, ‘industrial pop’, ‘Scissor Sisters-esque’ and ‘Americana-tinged indie rock’.
This album is hard to pin into one genre, but it definitely feels like it has less of that pop sensibility, despite all of the tracks fitting into radio-friendly 3-minute bites. It’s also less feisty than I expected, after reading the quote from Phillips featured in the band’s Spotify bio: “Album Two is about having a fire in you to kick ass. Girls are well overdue a perspective where they can be the protagonist, and the boss bitch with a complex narrative”.
It’s definitely a confident, enjoyable album, but more often than not, it inspires you to self-reflect rather than smash the patriarchy.
Track one and single ‘I Like the Way You Die’, however, certainly falls into the smash the patriarchy bracket. It begins with a drumbeat that is incredibly reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s ‘…Ready for It?’, but make no mistake, this is definitely a rock track. That strong beat pounds insistently throughout, the lyrics are distorted and defiant, and it is the perfect opener to get hearts racing. ‘Run for Cover‘ likewise features a familiar pop riff, despite being about as far away from girl band pop as you could get: Girls Aloud’s ‘Sound of the Underground’. It’s another punchy, assertive rock track, coupling low, growling, distorted guitar and half-shouted vocals with occasional injections of sweetness.
‘Beaches’ is the third single in a row on this album, although it offers a slight change of tone. There’s clapping, there’s spoken word, and there’s our first taste of brass, which adds a touch of the band’s bombastic nature. It’s not got quite the same energy level as the first two tracks, but’s it’s still feisty and fun. Track four, ‘Back of the Bar’, is the first non-single of the album, and it’s significantly lower energy is probably a reason for it not being released before the full album. However, the track is still fresh. The husky vocals in the verses are somewhat reminiscent of The Pretty Reckless’s Taylor Momsen, although the sudden switch to sugary sweet in the chorus is all Black Honey, and it’s that contrast, along with a strong bassline, which keeps this track alive.
‘Believer’ continues with this more mellow vibe, although the return of the brass and the collective harmonic vocals again keeps this track lively and a little triumphant. It’s warm and lovely to listen to, with religious symbolism aplenty. ‘I Do It to Myself’ sees the return of those husky vocals from ‘Back of the Bar’, and the similar low tempo vibe helps you better absorb the story of self-destruction and overthinking. Phillips really draws out the lyrics, and coupling this with an acoustic opening and more brass from the first chorus onwards really helps paint a picture of someone who’s struggling with their own identity.
‘Disinfect’, however, is a much-needed return to noise: this track is loud and aggressive. The verses rely on a single bassline, and the choruses are heavy, distorted and wailing. Everything clashes in just the right way, and it’s just a shame that the track isn’t longer than 2 minutes and 49 seconds. Still, at least you’re rewarded with ‘Summer ‘92’, an undoubtedly summery, indie rock track. It has a touch of nostalgia, but it’s not overly sensitive and was made to be in the soundtrack of an off-beat romance movie. I’m not sure which one, but I do know that Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You would be in love with this band.
‘Fire’ begins with a really positive message about consent: “It’s my body, I make the rules“. Although, I can’t decide whether the no-nonsense lyrics might have worked better in one of the punkier tracks. Still, it’s uplifting, with an eminently singable chorus. Finally, closing track ‘Gabrielle’ gives big ‘Jolene’ vibes – not so much in sound, but in spirit. I’m not always a fan of ending an album on an acoustic track, but it’s warm and inviting, and the lyrics are interesting enough to keep you hooked. It finishes quite abruptly, however, and when the album finishes, you feel like you wanted to be let down just a little bit gentler.
‘Written & Directed’ is a cohesive, competent record, and none of the tracks are skips. It mixes gutsy, punky anthems with mellow soft rock, and the brass really adds a theatrical, triumphant twist. It’s probably a good thing that you’re left wanting more, but I couldn’t help but wish, on occasion, that they’d break out of the three-minute format, and give me just a little bit more to cling onto.
