Press play on The Bridge, the debut album from The Honesty, and you will notice two things very quickly; 1. “This band hits hard!” And 2. “My head will not stop bobbin’ to this!”
The first track, “Tell All Your Friends (feat. Hit the Lights)”, is an instant bop, full of life, sick beats, and an epic B major pop-punk vibe. The song, according to Mike Davis (The Honesty), “is a reflection on not being satisfied with not following your dreams.”
Literally referencing pop-punk/emo legends The Starting Line and 2005, Tell All Your Friends invites the listener to “Get up, get up, come on, come on, wake up”, encouraging us to follow The Honesty along on this emo-brick road to the land of pop-punk Oz!
It is a love letter to the nostalgia of what this listener would consider a very tumultuous time in the music industry; when prominent record labels were folding, and the mainstream was reflexively moving away from the fun-loving yet cynical pop music of the early 2000’s, and heading toward a more earnest yet desperate landscape that was the late 2000’s. More importantly, this was a time when any teenager with a black band tee, shaggy bangs, and a dream could pick up an sm58 microphone, and sing/scream their heart out.
Another stand out on The Bridge is the blink-182-esque “Silence Is Violence”. Davis mixes wave after wave of plush guitar distortion with a simple yet poignant message to “just stand up cause silence is violence!” There’s a lot of motion on this album, so much that I find it hard to sit still. These band instantly transports me to my 1999 station wagon, where I’ll drum on the steering wheel and sing out the open windows as loud as I can on my way to class, or just driving around my boring town, a town I can’t wait to leave, but I still have to finish school.
If you’re a fan of bands like Direct Hit!, Saves The Day, Midtown, or Motion City Soundtrack, The Honesty’s album ‘The Bridge’ is a must-listen! The songs are catchy, punky, and a whole lot of fun!
Songs like “Counting”, “Stay”, and “Next In Line” add a very robust flavor to this dish, garnished with singable riffs and bombastic drums, brought to a simmer, and served with a side of “heck yes!”, this album will go down smooth every time, and leaves you wanting more! Seriously, run, don’t walk, run to the streamer of your choice, and give this album the spins it deserves! Don’t sleep on this one, it’s a solid romp!
“‘The Bridge’ was recorded and mixed over the course of five weeks in the summer of 2022, in acclaimed producer Sam Pura’s studio in Fremont, California. Written and performed by Mike Davis, ex-drummer of The Bigger Lights, the record is full of optimistic, ridiculous and anthemic songs. The recording process allowed Mike to push further than ever before, enabling him to craft the songs sonically in a way he was unable to in the past, and incorporate new instruments like piano, synths, and more for the first time. Though made in madness-inducing isolation, The Honesty were remotely joined on the album by Nick Thompson of Hit The Lights/Thief Club. The result is not just the first The Honesty record, it’s the best The Honesty record.”
“Tell All Your Friends” is available now on major streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.
Derek Evry, a prominent singer/songwriter in his own right, has been a recurring guest on podcasts such as Cover to Cover with Matt Tarka, The Circus Life, DC Music Rocks, and Merlin Public Media. His unique perspective is reflected through entertainment journalism and by hosting his own productions, such as “MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM.”
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