Music Review - 'Threadbare` by Honey Don't (lz)
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Honey Don't -- Threadbare (click on image to watch )
15 February 2022
”I’m threadbare, worn out too, broken down, showin’ through, Showin’ through my love for you, Threadbare.”
This confessional lyric from the infectious title track of their new album offers all the insight needed into Honey Don’t’s decidedly down-home MO. Helmed by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bill Powers and singer and upright bass player Shelley Gray, the group share an archival sound that brings in elements of folk, country, bluegrass, swing, and various other old-time additives perfectly suited to a back porch gathering or the comradery of a campfire. It’s music of a vintage variety, but played with an exuberance and enthusiasm in accordance with today’s populist precepts.
That ebullience is apparent in every track on the new LP, from the giddy vibe of “Big Water Ahead” to the obvious infatuation shared in “Denver Ramble” — with the easy, ambling “Anything for You” and “Wine, Whiskey, Beer and Gin,” the rousing revelry found in “High Country News Girl” all sharing that celebratory sensibility in-between. The fact is, the majority of these songs exude that feel-good attitude courtesy of an upbeat delivery that rarely falters throughout. That said, “Red Mountain Pass” conveys a sense of urgency in the intent, although here again, the interplay of fiddle, mandolin, guitar and dobro keeps the energy intact. The sorrowful ballad “Ain’t No Damn Up On the Yampa” and sweet sensitivity of “For the Roses” and “The Wrong Way To Run” bring other emotions into the mix, altering any impression that this is strictly a one-dimensional ensemble.
Far from it.
Credit Honey Don’t with maintaining loyalty to a bluegrass tradition and the willingness to carry it forward towards the future. And given their sprightly approach and eager attitude, they’re perfect candidates to carry it on. There’s something to be said for maintaining a reverence for the roots, tapping tradition and ushering in an appreciation of all they have to offer. With Threadbare, they make it clear that the past can provide all the fresh finesse needed.
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