normally icepicks is for an up and coming artist. a “hey, check these guys out” kinda thing. having come through dallas recently, we had them covered. now dirty honey releases their best effort yet with “can’t find the brakes”.
released this month, we’ve got 11 songs to get through and see what these guys have been up to since their self titles 8 song album 2 years ago. to date the songs i’ve gone back to for my own listening pleasure include “when i’m gone”, “another last time” and “heartbreaker”.
in a quick review, this seems to be their most solid/complete effort yet. a sure sign of growth and learning how to keep improving their craft. what the band has always had covered was the high energy and unique vocals of marc labelle. having seen them twice so far from the photo pits of dallas, their live show is simply amazing. for a review of their most recent dallas set at the studio at the factory, go here.
what i was looking for at times was a change of pace. keep that energy but in a more introspective feel. scream in a whisper, if you will. well, in can’t find the brakes, they do this time and time again.
and i love every one.
they even capture some middle ground between the 2 extremes quite well with “don’t put out the fire”. you’ve got the high energy with the “won’t take me alive” and the title track “can’t find the brakes” to name a few.
and then you have the ones that to me can define a band. pull me in with the story and melodic sound. bring the lights down to a spotlight and shine just as bright.
“coming home (ballad of the shire)” is one of several on this release that do just that. this incorporates so much growth to do something different but within your own wheelhouse. you’ll hear “dirty honey” to be sure. but you’ll hear some classic rock, zepplin style. now to me, any band can simply “be” a led zepplin. several examples out there.
but who can take that feeling and make it their own? tell it their own way? make you feel “new” dirty honey with thoughts of a past long gone for most all of us. to me, this is their best song to date.
now there are several others on this release that can do that for you also, but i don’t like to talk about each and every song. let me tell you about some that stand out and let you go do some discovery of your own.
that’s what makes music so much fun – finding that song that moves you. in more ways than one, can’t find the brakes will move you in the best of ways.
see them on tour, get this release, and add dirty honey to your playlists . “can’t find the brakes” is one of the best releases so far this year in rock and roll.
the band:
Marc LaBelle – vocals
John Notto – guitars
Justin Smolian – bass
Jaydon Bean – drums
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