Black Honey “A Fistful Of Peaches” Album Review

A Fistful of Peaches

Black Honey

• Genre: Alternative
• Date: 17 Mar, 2023
• Content: explicit
• Region: NGA
• Track(s): 12
• ℗ 2023 Foxfive Records

Black Honey, a Brighton-based group fronted by the fascinating Izzy Bee Phillips, rose to prominence in the British indie scene after their self-titled debut EP was released in 2014. Before ultimately releasing their debut album in 2018, the trio spent years touring extensively and supporting well-known artists like Catfish and the Bottlemen and Royal Blood.

The group has continuously shown an aptitude for creating music that mirrors a vibrant visual environment, drawing inspiration from artists like Quentin Tarantino and Lana Del Rey. Black Honey’s second album, Written & Directed, debuted at number seven in the UK Album Charts in 2021, solidifying their status as indie music icons. The group released A Fistful of Peaches, their most personal record.

A Fistful Of Peaches, the third L.P. from Brighton’s Black Honey, is now available on major platforms. Izzy Bee Phillips, the band’s fiery frontwoman, is joined by Alex Woodward on drums, Tommy Taylor on bass, and Chris Ostler on guitar, “Cut The Cord,” a brand-new highlight from the album, is released after tonight’s performance at London’s Rough Trade East, the group will tour the UK for 15 dates to support the new album, with the final event at London’s KOKO. Next week will see a run of additional in-store performances as well.

Album Art

The album art takes the form of a story-telling picture as a lady(Izzy) is seen lying down on her face with an outstretched arm where it looks like a peach rolled out. Peaches can also be seen on the side of the sofa as the room resembles something set in vintage style. This story-telling image hints at so many eventualities (that the band will be in a better position to explain), including that the peaches were probably poisoned and the lady was dead following her posture. This can be interpreted as the band warning critics who would write them off or try to take advantage because of their “seeming sweetness.” “They may be sweet, but they are not to be taken for granted” will be the ultimate message.

Tracks And Features

Black Honey’s third album, “A Fistful of Peaches,” is one to solidify the group’s status as a cult indie rock act after their self-titled debut in 2018 and “Written & Directed” three years prior. The 12-track album begins threateningly, with “Charlie Bronson” propelling and energizing, demanding to become a future live favorite. While “Heavy” plays up to its name with a more muscular sound, “Up Against” similarly exudes genuine enthusiasm. The band’s new stylistic direction for “Nobody Knows,” which draws from grunge and goth, fits them well.

These moments are countered by a few more melodic, straightforward songs: “Out Of My Head,” which centers on Izzy B. Phillips’ vocals, “Rock Bottom,” which is propelled by an upbeat, powerful bassline, and “Cut The Cord,” which has a more pop-influenced approach. In addition, Izzy’s lyrics, which are a significant component of the album and are even franker than on the group’s prior recordings, give it a more intimate feel. Moreover, it effectively blends the sounds of the ensemble; on “Charlie Bronson,” she sings, “Lay me down with Marilyn / Rest in peace and rise again,” and on “Heavy,” she confesses, “I feel so heavy / Don’t believe I can fake it anymore.”

The album’s worst tune, “Weirdos,” which borrows a page from YUNGBLUD’s playbook on how to write cringe-inducing lyrics about not fitting in, follows. However, it is considerably more bearable than anything he has ever released. Although if the lyrics “This is a song for the weirdos, the antiheroes/ Won’t fit in if you try/ A song for the oddities and the scumbags/ Nice kids gone bad” have a nice note, you can’t help but cringe when you hear them.

In the song “Out Of My Mind,” this openness reaches its pinnacle when the singer sings, “I blame myself, all I want to do is get out of my mind, keep wasting my life.” About “A Fistful of Peaches,” Black Honey has maintained their current course while revealing potential future directions.

However, the hard-hitting, arena-filling “Tombstone, the album’s penultimate track,” helps Black Honey earn their stripes. The band’s bravest work may be “A Fistful of Peaches,” as Phillips’ lyrical honesty is admirable; many listeners will undoubtedly find comfort in her words. Unfortunately, however, the album falls short of the sonic heights of their first two records, frequently descending into repetitious, uninspiring melodies. But that doesn’t mean Black Honey hasn’t produced some incredible indie-pop songs that will undoubtedly be played on festival stages this summer.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	Charlie Bronson	3:24
2	Heavy	3:23
3	Up Against It	3:06
4	Out of My Mind	3:32
5	Rock Bottom	3:21
6	Cut the Cord	3:29
7	OK	3:44
8	I’m a Man	3:42
9	Nobody Knows	3:25
10	Weirdos	3:35
11	Tombstone	2:39
12	Bummer	3:16

Album Summary

Their third album retains the same musical sass that helped them easily land a spot on Academy and Arena stages nationwide. Still, it also carves out a new territory less dependent on outside influence — a sort of cultural mood board of their inspirations — and more about their lived experiences. A Fistful Of Peaches is Black Honey’s most significant record as a “portrait of a person” and a band that is constantly evolving.

Stream