ALBUM REVIEW: Loving And Losing – Honey Revenge
It feels like a disco is about to begin from the moment you press play on HONEY REVENGE’s second album Loving And Losing. It’s the kind of record that was made to be played way too loudly, preferably while you’re driving around whilst pretending you’re in your own music video. Packed with 14 tracks of new funk, pop punk, and the perfect blend of nostalgia, this record feels like a modern classic.
Since exploding onto the scene in 2023 with their album Retrovision, HONEY REVENGE have grown in success and skill on each tour and show they have played. By honing their craft, they have taken the best parts of their previous album and given it a glow up. It’s emotional and ridiculously catchy, while still having enough going on underneath the surface to make you want to come back for another listen.
Opening with Technicolor, you are immediately hit with the classic whirlwind of synth-pop riffs and angsty lyrics HONEY REVENGE are known for. The album continues with this ride infusing essences of reckless youth and growing up through Run Your Mouth with the lyrics “fingers in my ears going la la la”, leaning into the playful nature that the band exude.
Sunday Scaries feels like a quintessential HONEY REVENGE song with a flair of noughties club tracks thrown in. Reflecting on self sabotage mixed with a youthful “I don’t care” attitude, it feels like a youth once lost weaved within a song. Poison Apple Baby feels like a synth fuelled revenge story, exposing toxicity and fakeness in others. A catchy song that will absolutely go viral soon enough.
Devin Papadol’s vocals are a huge part of what makes the album work. They have so much personality, and versatility. Their delivery switches from playful and confident to much more emotional without feeling forced. Complimented by Donny Lloyd’s guitar work, the songs have that perfectly polished, bright sound HONEY REVENGE are known for, but there’s still enough edge to stop everything from feeling excessively clean or predictable.
Whilst Hot Commodity feels like a transformative track about self discovery laced with sexy riffs whilst Jealousy Monster feels like a self reflective track that tells the story of self comparison. Both tracks show the true versatility of the band and highlight exactly why they have fans in the pop world and alternative sphere. By the time you hit the mid album with Trust Issues and Sorry Much you realise that this album has hit after hit that work as both an album but also standalone tracks. Sorry Much is a standout track that is nothing short of toe tappingly infectious.
The production of this album feels bigger that the previous and there seems to be more confidence in what HONEY REVENGE want to sound like as a band. The album still has the fun, slightly chaotic personality that made their music stand out in the first place, just with a bit more maturity behind it. Risk and Superstitious really hit the maturity mark with reflections on adult life mixed with guitar riffs and dance beats to create slick, self-reflective songs.
By the time we reach the final track, Loving And Losing, the rollercoaster has truly reached the final point. A beautifully poignant acoustic song that is a love letter to those that have departed from our lives in a bittersweet sound ending with a voicemail from Devin’s dad. A true juxtaposition from the previous tracks that are full of energy to reflective of the end of a night when you start thinking too much.
Overall, Loving And Losing is a fun album that manages to make growing up sound strangely exciting. It’s catchy without feeling shallow, emotional without taking itself too seriously in parts, and feels like a natural next step for the band. If you already love their sound, there’s a lot here to enjoy, and if you’re new to them, then this album is an exciting start.
Rating: 7/10
Loving And Losing is out now via Thriller Records.
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