Austin’s Honeyrude are (refreshingly) not out to reinvent the wheel of music, but to revel in the dark majesty of a purely nostalgic sound. The post-punk/new wave influences resonate in every corner of their sound, cherried with Jess Ledbetter’s Debbie-Harry-meets-Dolores-O’Riordan vocals that possess the ability to float on top of or fade into the guitar riffs, sharing centerstage. Touting a degree from Columbia’s audio engineering program, founding member Ian Lund is at the helm of the group’s self-recorded debut EP produced by Austin’s Kevin Butler (Quiet Company, Blue October, Chippr Jones).
“Roger McClain” transports you back in time with the first chord, planting you firmly in the 90s for almost four minutes (something we all long for now and again, am I right?). Ledbetter’s voice glides between being the center attraction and swirling around the nostalgic guitar riffs. If you’ve been searching for something “like the Cure, but also like the Cranberries,” you’ve found it.
“Roger McClain” is available now, via Shifting Sounds, and will appear on the group’s untitled EP, out spring 2017. Honeyrude plays a free show tonight at Beerland.
-Taylor Wallace // host, Saturdays 2-6 p.m., producer, Eklektikos and SoundCheck
