It’s mid-Summer and I am sitting stretched out on the banks of a lazily meandering River Thames in the Royal Borough of Kingston. Saxon Kings were anointed here. There is a waft of honeysuckle on the gentle breeze as I watch a dragonfly buzz past. I’m sipping on my nicely chilled pint with the only distraction being the Kingston Running Club jogging along the towpath. Sounds idyllic? What could be better? Well, a night of hot, sweaty bopping, at the album launch party for top Indie Rock band Black Honey of course!
I thought I was coming to see Black Honey at the famous Pryzm venue, but that is being refurbished and so I am off to Kingston College for the Banquet Records party for the new album ‘Soak’, released this very day.

This isn’t the first time I have seen Black Honey fronted by the impressive force majeure of Izzy B Phillips. The live performances are full of energy with a quality sound expanding the recorded versions. I am excited and expectant - I was not disappointed!

First off though is the support band of Jeanie and the White Boys, fronted by Jeanie Crystal with her shock of blond curls supported by Bleu Otis (Warmduscher) on drums and Aiden Clough. They are a gritty Punkesque trio who certainly pushed the temperature up in a rather poorly ventilated college hall.

As they walk onto the stage though, I have a sudden deja vu moment. On the trundling train from Waterloo to sunny Kingston, I thought I would take the opportunity to familiarise myself with Jeanie’s latest tunes on Spotify. Sat next to me were a young woman with a shock of blond curls and a trendy man with a guitar carry case. They were chatting excitedly and we then we had a case of “after you, no after you” moment, as we moved together to leave the train. As they came onto the stage, I suddenly realised that I had been listening to Jeanie and the White Boys on my earphones as I was sat right next to them and now I was going to listen to the same thing live!

The band has a big personality and some great gritty tracks such as ‘Queen Bee’ and ‘Big Udder Blues’. They announced that they are working with Edwyn Collins on their debut album, so I will be keeping an eye on them for sure (unless I see them on the 18.43 out of Waterloo again of course!).

But onto the reason why I have travelled down to South-West London - to hear the new Black Honey album, ‘Soak’ live! This is their fourth album. Their previous records have been drawn from the cinematic worlds of Quentin Tarantino (‘Black Honey’, ‘Written & Directed’) and Wes Anderson (‘Fistful of Peaches’), so ‘Soak’ is decidedly Kubrickian. Steeped in retrofuturism, unsettling geometry and eyeballs forced to bear witness to the uncomfortable. The album cover art work is a troubling visage of an eye forced open by speculum.

There is no speculum needed here though. Watching Black Honey is always a pleasure never a chore! It is super-hot however, and the only respite is chilled cans of lager from the rather limited options at the bar. In this heat, even Kronenbourg 1664 is welcome right now (although I thought I might and did suffer from that rehydration method in the morning!).

The previous albums have produced some excellent and catchy songs. Izzy produces melodic songs with her velvet noir voice and the knack for delivering a whole range of ear-worms has made Black Honey one of my most prized discoveries of recent times. The set list travels across those top rate melodies, such as ‘Heavy’ and ‘I Like The Way You Die’ but opens up with ‘To The Grave’ from ‘Soak’, it is a great start.

The gig is treated to the singles from the new album - ‘Psycho’ - “Have you ever kissed a psycho, it could be kind of fun though”, ‘Shallow’ supported by its 60s throwback video and ‘Dead’ an anthem of dissociation with gloriously scuzzy, do-your-worst chorus taunts, evoking the visceral eyeball torture of “A Clockwork Orange”.

Speaking on the vision for the album, Phillips shares: “Soak is me processing a decade of touring and creating music and art as an addict. It’s me picking at the layers of messy, romantic, confusing, woozy, beautiful and f*cked up things. Who I thought I was, who I was supposed to be and who looks back at me now are all so different but I’m kind of here for it.”

A greater depth to the new album is introduced with the live performance of tracks such as the Gothic tones of ‘Insulin’ (which explores the harrowing lived experiences of sexual assault) and ‘Vampire in the Kitchen’ “I think I want to dance with him”.

Black Honey is a melting pot of Alt-Rock and Dark-Pop who have continued to expand their exceptional list of really strong songs from their eponymous debut album in 2018.

A further treat was in store for me as the band of guitarist Chris Ostler, bassist Tommy Taylor and drummer Alex Woodward were there to sign my CD and poster before I wandered back through the medieval streets of Kingston town!

The band continue their tour throughout August and September, I recommend checking them out for a great and fun gig, although beware, you will wake up humming along in the early hours of the morning for weeks to come, trust me, I know!

Review and Photos: Chris Bourlet