Dirty Honey's 'Can't Find the Brakes' - Album Review

Whilst lots of attention has been given to a certain young American rock band who often drawn comparisons to Led Zeppelin in recent years, in my opinion the most exciting new classic rock-style band to come out of America recently is the California-based four-piece Dirty Honey. Without wanting to dismiss the achievements of Greta Van Fleet (the band I was initially referring to), as what I have heard of their output has been enjoyable, in my opinion Dirty Honey are heads and shoulders above the Michigan act. I am not exactly sure when I first came across Dirty Honey, but I think it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. I listened to a lot of music during that time for obvious reasons so, more than ever, I was always on the hunt for new things. I first listened to the band's self-titled EP, which was released in 2019, in either 2020 or 2021, then, but, at the time, I do not think that any of the band's music had officially been released here in the UK - other than on digital platforms. I ended missing their 2021 debut album, which was also self-titled, for this reason - but, due to a growing profile, both of the self-titled releases were released physically in the UK last year as a double CD set. I think this possibly coincided with the band's tour with Rival Sons, which included their first visit to the UK. Unfortunately I could not make any of the dates on that tour, but I did finally pick up the debut album - and I spent quite a lot of the back end of 2022 listening to both it and the older EP. What struck me about both releases was, despite how retro Dirty Honey's sound is, how fresh the songs sounded. There are lots of retro rock bands out there currently, many of whom are very good, but not many sound as energetic or as vital as Dirty Honey. Given the glut of UK-based new rock bands, too, it was good to hear something distinctly American. Dirty Honey certainly borrow plenty from Aerosmith, both from the band's raw 1970s output and the bigger hits of the 1980s, but there are also influences taken from the 1980s hair metal era - as well as some British blues rock influences. I am not sure that Dirty Honey exactly evoke any one band in particular, then, despite Aerosmith likely being the closest comparison - and that helped both of the self-titled releases stand out. Clearly many others thought so, too, as all of the band's UK shows on their debut European headline tour at the beginning of the year sold out. I went to the Nottingham show and the band rocked the small room they had booked - and it was clear that they would not be playing rooms of a comparable size in the UK again. This has proven true, as larger rooms have been booked for next year's UK tour, and it is great to see Dirty Honey getting some real traction here. It was time for the band to capitalise on this success, then, and last month they released their second album Can't Find the Brakes - their first with drummer Jaydon Bean who replaced Corey Coverstone earlier in the year. The album shows quite a bit of growth since the 2021 release, with the 11 songs here being more diverse in sound than those previously released. There are plenty of old-school hard rock moments here, but this is an album which feels more grown up overall - with a number of more textured and layered compositions to broaden the band's palate.

I think that the slightly different approach taken throughout this album is evident from the off, with Don't Put Out the Fire going for a slightly smoother overall sound than anything heard from the band previously. It opens with some effects-heavy clean guitar melodies from John Notto, over which frontman Marc LaBelle croons in a wistful, distant manner - before Bean's drums kick in and the track becomes a mid-paced bluesy rocker led confidently by Justin Smolian's walking bassline. The song rocks, but it is certainly not as raucous as the band's core sound up to this point - and there is a strong Free vibe throughout thanks to the simplicity of the arrangement. The bass provides the main groove, with Notto adding bluesy depth, whilst LaBelle sings in a slightly cleaner manner than is typical - until the chorus briefly up the heaviness to add a little more grit. This chorus is memorable, with soulful backing vocals adding plenty of depth, but the groove of the whole song makes it stick in the brain - and it is great to hear the band sounding so bluesy and raw here despite the song's overall smoothness. It might not kick off the album with a bang as might have been expected, but Dirty Honey sound powerful here - and show from the off that they want to explore some different strands of their core sound. Speaking of their core sound, Won't Take Me Alive very much harks back to the previous album. Following the more stripped back arrangement of the previous song, Won't Take Me Alive is an out-and-out hard rocker - reminiscent of many of the fan-favourites of the band's past. Notto's busy riff drives everything and it is likely one of the catchiest in the band's catalogue yet - with pulsing bass and Bean's snappy drumming keeping the pace up. LaBelle sounds grittier here, ever the rock frontman, whilst subtle bluesy slide guitar melodies are added into the mix as the song progresses. The band have always had a knack for choruses and the effort here is excellent - with a slight hair metal edge adding to the tough riffing to create something catchy. An excellent guitar solo tops off what is a great example of commercial hard rock - and the swagger of the piece is firmly rooted in the 1970s classic rock heyday, with the song likely to become a live staple as a result. Dirty Mind slows the pace somewhat, but it still rocks pretty hard - instead going for a much bluesier sound. Whilst the first track channelled Free somewhat, this song is much more American sounding. The main riff is quite Aerosmith-inspired, whilst the sparse bass playing adds a strong counter groove as the raw drumming sets the pace. LaBelle shines in such an environment and his raw verse vocals are full of character - whilst a more involved chorus injects a soulful side with some harmony vocals and some additional guitar layers. Due to the slower pace the subtle funkiness of Smolian's bass playing, the song is another with plenty of groove. Dirty Honey have always nailed that side of classic rock and this track is no different - with the bass playing coming to the fore during Notto's fluid solo to ensure that the overall strut is retained.

After three varied harder rock songs, the album then slows down with Roam - the first ballad here. Dirty Honey have done ballads before, but there are a few examples here which show that they have focused on this side of their sound a bit more this time. The band's previous ballads are more harder rocking affairs, but Roam is much more subtle - with a shuffling drum groove, gentle guitar chords, and a Hammond organ backing. Despite his grit, LaBelle can also pull off ballads really well. His emotional delivery during this piece, particularly during the chorus, is impressive - and the soulful harmony vocals used elsewhere are also utilised during the choruses here, with wordless harmonies adding to the organ to create a great bed for LaBelle's heartfelt crooning. Notto delivers an aching solo, too, which is fitting given the song's slower pace - and it is really the only significant guitar moment in the song, which generally sees a more textured, chord-based approach utilised. Get a Little High is much more of a hard rocker, with the early work of The Black Crowes channelled here. It is not a jammy piece, but the Shake Your Money Maker sound is referenced - with a strutting riff kicking the album back into a higher gear following the previous ballad. As has been the case previously, as the song progresses some subtle slide guitar accents are added to the mix - but generally this is a punchy hard rocker with a tight main riff driving everything and a gritty LaBelle vocal which is easy to latch onto. Another of the album's best choruses is found here, too, which takes on a slightly bigger overall sound when compared to the rest of the song. The band have really gone for that aforementioned soulful approach in quite a big way here - and the chorus of this song is very uplifting with strong harmony vocals and an up-tempo groove thanks to some busy bass playing. The album's most stripped back song follows, meaning that Get a Little High is bookended by two ballads - as Coming Home (Ballad of the Shire) is a delicate acoustic piece. Notto and Smolian team up on the acoustic guitars here, over which LaBelle sings in a surprisingly full bodied way. He does not sing as delicately as might be expected, but he is not exactly going all out. He dominates the piece as a result, though, with the snaking acoustic guitar melodies just a backing for his expressive vocal delivery. The song never really grows in stature, although some simple percussion is added into the mix as it moves along, whilst a light keyboard backing also adds a little atmospheric depth. These additions are very low key, though, and do not take anything away from the core vocal and guitar arrangement - allowing the song to be a genuine slow-burner. The band get back to their riffing ways, though, on the following title track - and it is another song which feels like a bit of a hark back to their previous work. It is a no-nonsense hard rock track which has a hair metal commerciality to it - but the riffing is very much rooted again in Aerosmith and the blues. Notto is a great modern guitar hero, but his playing is a bit more understated than might be expected. I like that about him, though. It would be easy for him to show off at every opportunity, but he lets his riffing and the overall arrangements speak for themselves - whilst giving it his all when he solos, with one his best and speediest appearing here. Given the energy of the song, this shredded effort fits nicely - and it is a welcome kick following the acoustic tones of the previous number.

Satisfied is more of a mid-paced, groovy track - and it feels very much led by Bean. His drum beat here is surprisingly busy and, given the sparse riffing from Notto, the verses are very much characterised by the heavy shuffle laid down. This allows the song to have a raw, old-school sound - but it is a track which does develop as it moves along, with each verse getting a bit more involved as each evolves. Notto's riffing does get a bit more pronounced, but the song is still very groove-based, and the chorus is bit more 'produced' overall with more harmony vocals and more of a keyboard backing. Ride On is the last of the songs here which sounds like a real throwback to the previous album. It was premiered on tour earlier in the year and I remember enjoying it at the time - so it fits nicely on this album as a shorter rocker before two lengthier closing pieces. It opens in unbridled fashion, with some busy lead guitar playing - before another tight riff takes over, sounding like many of the band's old favourites. It is one of the shortest pieces here so it does not develop in a significant way, but it does not need to. It is a great example of the band's trademark, riff-heavy sound - with a great raspy LaBelle vocal which brings a simple, yet anthemic, chorus to life. The album's last two songs are a bit longer and more involved, with You Make It All Right the final ballad here. Like Roam, the song is generally based around some simple guitar chords and LaBelle's emotional vocals - but there is a larger sound here, with much more of an organ presence along with some shuffling from the rhythm section. The overall arrangement is looser, though, which allows for a bit more stretching out from the band. This is a track which sees a lot more from Notto and he regularly takes the opportunity to throw in a bluesy lead over the simple chords. Guitar leads sit between each part of the song - with his main solo being his most emotional on the album, and channels Slash tone-wise which is a bit of a surprise. The organ is busier, too, with proper organ melodies injected rather than just atmospheric swells - which allows the piece to feel fuller and more arranged than the other ballads here, showing the band's development as songwriters over the past couple of years. Rebel Son brings the album to a close, then, with the relatively lengthy rocker taking on a more expansive sound. The progressive tinge of Led Zeppelin is certainly on display here, but the core Dirty Honey sound is very much evident - with a spacey Notto riff driving everything, whilst the groove from the bass helps LaBelle's vocals to pop. The song is a rocker, with the riffing and hard-hitting drumming sounding big, but there is certainly a more atmospheric approach taken - and the song feels bigger arrangement-wise than anything else here. The constant keyboard presence helps and the piece just feels more cinematic overall - with more soulful vocals bulking out the chorus and the occasional guitar lead cutting through. Additional percussion adds to the song's grooves, whilst piano is added to the fray towards the end - leading to a false ending as the song seems to fade out, before the piano returns in a big way and the final couple of minutes morph into a proper Black Crowes-esque jam with the boogie piano underpinning everything. Notto lays down some excellent guitar leads here whilst LaBelle ad-libs vocally - and the song comes to a smouldering and busy close, letting the band really cut loose as the song ends. Overall, then, this is an album that shows a clear development from the band's debut. The band's core sound is very much intact, but there is a lot more variety here - and the maturity on show is encouraging. It took a few listens to fully appreciate, but the songwriting here is strong and the melodies throughout do stick in the brain after a while. Those expecting a repeat of the first album may feel initially disappointed, but the development of the band on show is welcome - and I am already looking forward to seeing them live again next year.

The album was released on 3rd November 2023 via Dirt Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Won't Take Me Alive.