Album Review — Dirty Honey

Dirty Honey — EP

There’s a lot of music out there, and even though there isn’t as much rock/metal as there once was, there’s still enough out there to miss something good. Especially when it’s a new band that releases a five song EP. But L.A. band Dirty Honey has done things the old fashioned way. They’ve found their way as an opener on a tour (with Red Sun Rising), got a little lucky to open one night for The Who and they’ve played early slots at some festivals to get their music out there. So it may have taken 5 months for me to find out about them, but it was worth the wait.

The band has a cool sound. Vocalist Marc LaBelle reminds me of a cross between Robert Plant and Chris Robinson. Musically, I hear a little southern rock, a little Zeppelin and a little 90s Mr. Big (Kotzen years). Actually, if I’d compare them to a band that’s released anything in the last ten years, The Winery Dogs seem like the closest comparison.

The opening track and lead single, “When I’m Gone”, has a classic sounding riff with LaBelle’s Plant-esque vocal. The chorus has a little more melodic feel to it. The band’s name is very appropriate. There’s a “dirty” sound to their riffs and the slightly bluesy feel to some of their songs. But they are smooth like “honey” in the choruses. LaBelle’s vocals fit in both styles and they mix them together well. “When I’m Gone” is a great opening track.

“Rolling 7’s” is a little more on the “dirty” side of things. It has a slower bluesy feel until LaBelle’s kicks into a higher gear in the pre-chorus. Good song that shows their versatility.

“Heartbreaker” is where the Winery Dogs comparisons really kick in. Big chorus, lots of layers with bluesy undertones. LaBelle’s voice isn’t quite as multi-layered as Kotzen’s, but it does the job quite nicely. I really like this song.

The band takes it down a bit with “Down The Road”. Again, slightly bluesy but plenty of melody. This one also reminds me of Winery Dogs or even Kotzen-era Mr. Big. Another really strong track.

The EP ends with a little more on the “dirty” side with “Scars”. There are a few bands that have that groove and this band has it. Some high quality musicians that have written some really strong songs.

This is some impressive stuff. There’s something familiar about them without sounding too much like anyone else. The songs are high quality. Cool riffs, high quality musicianship and enough melody to keep me listening. LaBelle’s vocals are excellent and they have that groove that I really enjoy.

The only negative that I can think of is that there are only five songs. My only question about this band is do they have more quality songs in them? If they can write a full album like this there’s no telling how big this band could be. I’m officially a fan.

95 out of 100

Track Listing

01. When I’m Gone *
02. Rolling 7s
03. Heartbreaker *
04. Down The Road *
05. Scars

*Best Songs