Black Honey — A Fistful of Peaches — Album Review
Indie | Rock
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
It was shortly after the release of their self-titled debut album in 2018, that I discovered the Brighton-based indie four-piece that is Black Honey. After making that debut album part of what I believe to be my first ever week of Last Minute Reviews, I was wowed by the versatility that this band brought to the table. And fair to say, I became a pretty fast fan.
2021 would serve as the year that I was once again wowed by Black Honey, with the release of their sophomore album Written & Directed, which correlated with the title musically, with the band carving out their own aesthetic all the better. On top of that, the sophomore record had a very empowering feel, and a good amount of energy throughout.
With all of this in mind, I was both excited and apprehensive about the release of Black Honey’s brand new album; the third in their discography. Titled A Fistful of Peaches, this was one of those album where I went into it with a blank canvas of expectations. Nevertheless, my enjoyment towards the previous two albums still felt like enough to go by, and did set my expectations pretty high.
In what was (once again) a very busy week for new music, I will admit that I didn’t have an awful amount of time to get fully engrossed in the sound of A Fistful of Peaches. But even with the couple of listens I had, it’s unfortunate for me to admit that this third instalment feels like the band’s most generic album to date.
While the band certainly made an effort to up the ante in the first segment of the album, remnants of the bands style that they had spent the last two album cycles building upon, was way too few and far between. In other words, this album felt like it could’ve come from most indie bands in brighton, as the energy still felt typically indie, and lacked uniqueness.
Where I feel that Black Honey has truly shined in previous instalments is atmospherically. But with the most current record, much of the instrumentation and vocals alike felt very one-dimensional and shallow, leading that atmosphere that I enjoyed so much to be significantly detracted.
It’s not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, and did still have a sprinkle of enjoyable moments with tunes like “Rock Bottom”, and “I’m a Man”, all of which brought quite the festive feel. However, when looking at the album as a whole, I would have to admit that its grip and memorability felt extremely slippery.
I only hope that with whatever Black Honey bring out in the foreseeable future, that they continue to give us more Black Honey and less indie tropes. Alternatively, something completely new would not go amiss either. The band have reached a point where it is their time to truly leave their mark. And unfortunately, A Fistful of Peaches does not achieve that goal for me.
By all means, the albums warmth and little nuggets if enjoyment mean that it will still be an album that I will continue listening to (once everything becomes a little less hectic); and hey, it might eben be an album that grows on me in time. But as it stands now, A Fistful of Peaches stands as the weak link to what would’ve otherwise been an extremely strong triad of albums.
Favourite Tracks: Rock Bottom | I’m a Man
Least Favourite Tracks: Up Against It | Nobody Knows
Foxfive Records
