More addictive than a tube of Pringles.
West London based Honey Ryder caused something of a musical stir back in 2009 with their self-released debut CD, ‘Rising Up’. It was essentially a rock record with folk and country influences and its success led to large support tours with both Will Young and Michael Bolton. At the time of its release they were primarily a duo comprising singer Lindsay O’Mahony and guitarist Matt Bishop but have since been augmented by second guitarist Jason Huxley.
Huxley’s musical influences have actually seen a slight move away from the style of the debut and ‘Marley’s Chains’ is a little less rock and a little more contemporary country, a move also reinforced by partly recording songs in Nashville. Opening track ‘You Can’t Say That’ is a glorious Fleetwood Mac/Lady Antebellum/Corrs hybrid and screams hit. O’Mahony’s silky smooth vocals are underpinned by some very Lindsey Buckingham like guitar passages, both in the harmonies and solos (the solo mid song is very 'Gypsy'), the Fleetwood Mac comparisons merely enforced by O’Mahony’s delivery which has a distinct Christine McVie feel at times. The rest of the CD then simply glides along on a sea of instant songs, the melodies are more addictive than a tube of Pringles and the hooks could fill a fisherman’s tackle-box.
In terms of tempo there isn’t really anything on ‘Marley’s Chains’ to match the debut’s punchier numbers such as ‘Coming Around Again’, ‘Numb’ or ‘Rising Up’ but that doesn’t mean that there is any dip in quality. If anything I’d say that the new CD has a greater commercial appeal and should attract a whole new set of fans (Radio has picked up on 'You Can't Say That'). The band have enlisted a whole host of seasoned co-writers including Tonic front-man Emerson Hart (responsible for the album’s title track) and country writers Tom Douglas, Blair Daly and Rivers Rutherford, writers who have worked with the likes of Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Keith Urban. Through the urgency of ‘You Won’t Find Me’, the folksy ‘Beautiful Horizon, poignant ‘Orange Tree’ and the AOR structured but lyrically downbeat closer ‘Remedy’, it really is a case of all killer no filler. The first rate production values should be the aspiration of every album, complimenting the material and simply intensifying the feelings that I have for the songs already.
I’ve always thought it would be great to have more female vocalists at Firefest but that will not be the only reason I’ll be championing the Honey Ryder cause during 2013!
Dave Bott