Sacramento rockers The Honesty mark their arrival on The Bridge, an ode to punkish aesthetics and catchy melodies.
The Honesty have released their debut studio album The Bridge, a seven-track collection that reads like a love letter to pop-punk.
Written in the summer of 2022, the album is spearheaded and performed by The Honesty bandmate Mike Davis, with assists from Nick Thompson of Hit The Lights and Thief Club.
Our first step on The Bridge arrives with the aughties punk energy of Tell All Your Friends, a euphoric album opener that flits between rock and pop with finesse, in a similar vein to Blink-182’s pop-punk staple What’s My Age Again?
Seemingly ripped from the opening credits of an angsty teen movie, the track is anchored by the infectious wail of Davis’ vocal delivery, and features a harmonic bridge with a belting serving as the moment of head-banging catharsis.
Slowing on Silence Is Violence, Davis opts for more melodic guitars to signal a deeper message of the dangers of political or social inaction.
With a subtle throughline of glistening hi-hats, the singer pleads with listeners to “just stand up,” before glitch-like electronic keys offer an ear-catching flair.
The simplicity of the songwriting forefront The Honesty’s message, and underscore a depth of lyricism in addition to thrashing tunes.
Elsewhere, rustic, almost-acoustic guitars open Stay, where Davis remains equally focussed on instrumentation to soundtrack his lyrical themes.
There’s multiple wordless moments on Stay, which allows room for tutti sections of drum rolls and electric solos to steal the spotlight, even as Davis pleads with a lover to not give up when “things get hard.”
“Know that I will stay,” he sings in a shining moment of vulnerability, pairing heartfelt tenderness with punk-rock aesthetics.
View this post on Instagram
After the Land Mines interlude, The Honesty continue to their mastery of garage ditties on Next In Line and Continue, the latter of which waxes existential on the future of a relationship alongside the album’s most mesmeric drum work yet.
We reach the end of The Bridge on lead single and album highlight Get Better, a fitting closer that culminates the band’s effortless blend of gritty instrumentals and catchy melodies.
The track ends on a note of near-optimism, questioning if things will get better alongside summery call-and-response backing harmonies.
You might expect such a clear sonic direction from a band with years in the game, but The Bridge is doubly impressive given that it marks The Honesty’s debut. Get caught up with the Sacramento rockers with their full The Bridge album below.
