Recorded early in the year, Futura was initially intended to be a solo effort by Hillary Burton, who garnered accolades as one-half of the Southern California based Nushu, which also included Lisa Mychols. But shortly after the project was completed, Honeychain ballooned into a full-blown band, cemented by guitarist Milan Mandic, drummer John Borack, and Emma Jenson on bass and background vocals.
A five-track EP, Futura (www.honeychainmusic.com) is a power pop connoisseur’s passport to utopia. Boasting a thick and compact sound, the disc rocks like an earthquake to a vibrant rhythm charge.
Fired by sugar-ingested energy, cuts such as “Two Fools,” “Easy To Forget,” “The All-About-Me Girl” and “Lucky One” (featuring Lauren Doran and Christina Ownby on harmonies) kick the listener in the head and in the gut first time around. Buzzing guitars intertwined with hills of hooks and fresh and fluid vocals make the songs immediately memorable. The final tune on the record, “Than You” is performed at a slower tempo, but still retains a fetching edge.
All songs, which speak of challenging relationships in a most emphatic manner, were written by Hillary. She further sings lead on all the tracks and plays all the instruments, allowing Futura to share her numerous talents.
Forceful, lively and pop rocking to the core, here’s a disc sure to satisfy those appreciative of a good beat. Shades of the Ramones, Blondie, and the Knack regularly rise up through the grooves, but the attitude and delivery of the songs rest in the present.
The only problem with Futura is that it’s only an EP, giving us just a quick earful of greatness. But that will soon change, as we can certainly expect more cool stuff from Honeychain in the days to come. Utterly excellent!
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