John Mayer once referred to a budding alternative rock vocalist as “the great orange hope” in reference to her hair color at the time of the Riot! album cycle; Mayer was nodding to none other than Paramore’s eccentric powerhouse, Hayley Williams. It can’t be a coincidence that those who hit the ground running don fiery locks that set the stage ablaze – LA’s pop-rock duo Honey Revenge has poured the gasoline and they’re holding a lit match.
Lead vocalist Devin Papadol and guitarist Donovan Lloyd have proven their fortitude with their songwriting abilities. While half of a good act is catchy riffs and vocal hooks that ooze into one’s head and stay there, their lyricism brings them full circle. The lyrics are incredibly introspective, relatable, and honest, with topics like being strung along, or having the best intentions that always seem to go awry, to watching a friendship crumble, and trying to navigate self-worth.
Listeners seem to agree since a couple of their songs have amassed more than 2 million streams on Spotify. The buck doesn’t stop there; their TikTok channel is littered with clips of live shows where they dominate the stage and immerse the crowd into their set. Papadol turns into a pink, orange, and yellow-haired whirlwind with her high kicks and jumps, just soaking up the space. The wildest part? This is their first official tour as a band.
Honey Revenge’s debut album Retrovision (Thriller Records) kicks off with the powerfully written ‘Airhead’. Clapping and start-stop guitar strumming grabs the ear of the listener before Papadol instantly showcases her vocal control singing “Damn, I’m such an airhead, no strength in my spine, with the best intentions, I can’t make it right, man I’m really braindead, I don’t see the signs, I’m stupid I’m unconscious, too high up, no stopping”. The duo wasted no time commanding someone to stop and listen to their message.
‘Favorite Song’ is shaping up to be another crowd favorite. Its playful, consistent metaphor and Papadol’s demonstration of vocal range shapes up this anthem about being hung up on a person and nearly wanting to force things to work out.
The album maintains a consistent pace but still offers variety in delivery, from the heavier guitars in ‘Sensitive’ to the somber pace of ‘Scapegoat’. If the album opener ‘Airhead’ was the gun, ‘Worst Apology’ is the bullet. It strikes into the heart of betrayal and frustration with lyrics “Don’t care what you think of me, I wish that you wouldn’t, the world’s worst apology, you said you’d change but couldn’t”. The song structure stands out and adds satisfying heft to the tail-end of the album.
Honey Revenge has tossed the match and a fire has begun. It’s only a matter of time before it becomes an inferno.
Buy the album here:
8 / 10
JESSIE FRARY