British indie rock band Black Honey are soon preparing to deliver their sophomore album, Written & Directed, the follow-up to 2018 debut, Black Honey. Their first record was a memorable introduction to the band, incorporating a wide range of genres and impressing critics with its slick production and inescapable hooks. Black Honey even managed to reach number 33 on the UK album charts without the backing of a major label, an impressive accomplishment. Written & Directed is another superb release from Black Honey, with earworms aplenty and more diverse production for the listener to enjoy.
The album opens with the rousing ‘I Like The Way You Die’, a stomping anthem with a gritty sound, more coarse than most of the tracks found on Black Honey. It grabs the listener’s attention from the start, and establishes a high level of energy that dominates the opening half of the record. ‘Run For Cover’ is a no holds barred type track, unleashing a catalogue of cataclysmic imagery: “Ice cold kisses / Scented on your lips / Burning bridges / Postcode apocalypse.” These tracks make for a dramatic opening to Written & Directed, and establish from the getgo that this will be a more immediately accessible record than their debut.
On ‘Beaches’, Black Honey treats us to an early summer anthem, raising the tone of the album after an intro filled with attitude. Lead singer Izzy Baxter Phillips’ half-rapped vocals are a cross between the playful poutiness of early Lana Del Rey and the carefree party attitude of Kesha. The lyrics are playful and provocative, as Phillips longs to frolic on the beach: “Lights up to the beach where we can have fun.” The horns are a welcome surprise, bringing some levity to the record, creating a party atmosphere.
Despite the impeccable production, there are a couple of tracks on Written & Directed that don’t quite hit the mark. ‘Believer’ and ‘Fire’ are a little too repetitive, with unimaginative refrains and noticeable lack of lyrical variety. There’s no denying that the melody and production is there, but it feels as though the songwriting was phoned in. Although Written & Directed is an eclectic mix of genres, ‘Disinfect’ feels a bit too left-field and experimental for the record, jutting out at the wrong angle. The song features a strange, monotone chorus that is more off-putting than intriguing, and it fails to compare to the hooks of the other tracks.
These tracks could possibly have derailed the latter half of the album, but luckily there are some more gems to keep the listener hooked. ‘I Do It To Myself’ opens with twangy vocals and a solo guitar, giving the track a hint of MTV Unplugged Nirvana. The song tackles feelings of worthlessness and confliction, with the lyrics capturing the struggle of contradiction The production is stylish and suave with the horns returning once more, now being an established part of the record’s signature sound. ‘Gabrielle’, the closing track to Written & Directed, is one of the band’s best songs to date. It’s bluesy and cinematic, and would be right at home in a Tarantino picture. Phillips’ vocals have a beautifully haunting quality, as she positions herself as a modern day Nancy Sinatra. ‘Gabrielle’ is a fabulously understated closing track to the record, letting the band’s torch singer shine without any distractions.
Written & Directed is a strong successor to Black Honey’s phenomenal debut, and although it’s not perfect, the band are to be commended on the effortless style. It’s an impressive sophomore album, and with two superb records under their belt, Black Honey’s musical prowess is undeniable.
