Album Review Black Honey - A Fistful of Peaches

Following 2018’s self titled debut and ‘Written & Directed’ three years later, ‘A Fistful of Peaches’ - Black Honey’s third album - is one to cement the group’s place as a cult indie rock act. It kicks off in lethal fashion, ‘Charlie Bronson’ propulsive and energetic, already begging to be a future live favourite. ‘Up Against’ similarly shows real energy, while ‘Heavy’ lives up to its name with a more aggressive sound. ‘Nobody Knows’ takes from goth and grunge, a new palette for the band, but one they appear to slip into seamlessly. These moments are balanced out with some more melodic, stripped-back numbers: ‘Out Of My Mind’ is built around Izzy B. Phillips’ vocals, ‘Rock Bottom’ is driven by a lively, propulsive bassline, while ‘Cut The Cord’ shows a more pop-tinged outlook. A key part of the record, too, is Izzy’s lyrics - being even more open than on the group’s previous releases - lending it a greater intimacy. It marries the group’s sound to great effect; “Lay me down with Marilyn / Rest in peace and rise again,” she sings on ‘Charlie Bronson’, while ‘Heavy’ admits “I feel so heavy / Don’t think I can fake it anymore.” This openness reaches its zenith on ‘Out Of My Mind’: “I blame myself, all I want to do is get out of my mind / Keep wasting my life.” On ‘A Fistful of Peaches’ Black Honey have doubled down on what’s worked for them to date, while offering a glimpse at potential future directions.