B and the Honeyboy: Forgotten Books

B and the Honeyboy formed in 2006 and have been gigging throughout the country ever since. “B” is Wexford native Aileen Mythen, while the “Honeyboy” is Dubliner Kieran McEvoy and their second Gavin Ralston-produced album is a considerably more polished affair then their debut.
With a stellar backing band making all the right noises, the pair’s easy-going voices are to the fore. The title-track is a country murder ballad that recalls Mark Lanegan’s similar outing with Isobel Campbell or even Nick Cave and Kylie’s one-off, ‘Where The Wild Roses Grow’. The theme may be dark, but it’s an infectious tune which showcases both voices at their best.
‘I Got You’ is anothery appealing ballad with an even more infectious melody, which cleverly gives a nod to the Sonny & Cher song of the same name. ‘Now & Then’ boasts twangy guitar and a more country-ish feel; ‘So Many Tears’ is more Fleetwood Mac style West Coast pop; while ‘Pillar Of The Community’ is on a par with anything that the likes of say, Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash have done in the past. Elsewhere, the bare-boned ballad, ‘Far Away From Love’, is a definite highlight with B taking the lead vocal. They rock out a little harder on the edgy ‘True Believers’, but there is nary a dip in quality.

Key Track: 'Far Away From Love'