I was delighted to see this week that it appears there might be a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel we find ourselves in and for once I’m beginning to believe it’s not an on-coming train. While we all need to exhibit caution, perhaps even an abundance of caution, we might actually have a summer this year. I can’t believe it was a year ago this very weekend that we realized “the shit has hit the fan,” to quote Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money.” It was one year ago this weekend that my daughter and her beau came back to Kansas City for our annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration, a big deal here in town. We’d all heard of the dreaded Covid, but nobody clearly understood what was happening. At the last minute they cancelled KC’s famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which was a painful, personal blow to me and I’m not even Irish, not an ounce. Despite that, St. Patty’s is the only religious holiday I still observe. Wearing green and drinking in the streets is a critical “Rite of Spring.” That Sunday, a year ago, is when the news broke that we needed to start distancing ourselves and that we had a real problem on our hands… I quickly retreated to my attic, where I have remained ever since.

As 2020 passed into the history books I couldn’t help but reflect on what a great year for music releases it had been (B&V’s Best of 2020: New LPs And Live/Vault/Archival Releases, Bad Year/Good Music). But in truth my focus even as 2020 waned was on the future. I was banking on the fact that 2021 was going to give us a slew of new releases. All of these bands couldn’t tour, I was hoping they were writing and recording. I think we’re beginning to see some of my hopeful thinking confirmed with some strong vault releases from Neil Young and the Black Crowes, reviewed in earlier posts. I know those particular releases were scheduled for 2020 but who knew what would happen with the delays. As we shrug off the brutal winter and ease into spring, I’m starting to see some new releases popping up for us. Just a few weeks ago Cheap Trick dropped a single “Light Up The Fire” from their new upcoming album. We loved their last LP (not counting live stuff or that Xmas LP) ‘We’re All Alright’. 

I discovered last weekend while I was listening to Petty’s new vault song “You Saw Me Coming” that a band I stumbled across in the depth of the pandemic Dirty Honey has released a new single, “California Dreamin’.” And no, this is not a Mamas and the Papas cover song. Last summer when I was never leaving the house, I finally ran out of reading material and convinced myself to risk a trip down to Barnes & Noble where I found something called ‘Classic Rock’ magazine. I was attracted to the the magazine because of a cover article on the Black Crowes. As I poured over every page, I stumbled upon this L.A. based band Dirty Honey: Marc Labelle on vocals, John Notto on guitar, Justin Smollen on bass and finally, Corey Coverstone on drums. I don’t why drummers always get listed last… I’ve gotta work on that. These guys are an old school guitar rock band. You just don’t hear new bands playing this great kind of music any more. They’ve got a real Guns N Roses or Aerosmith feel to them. I was absolutely knocked out by their EP released in 2019, which I quickly snapped up after reading about them, simply entitled ‘Dirty Honey – EP’. I had heard they were recording a new LP for 2020 but I’m sure they were forced to slow their plans up like, well, the rest of the planet did.

I’ll admit right off, a new LP from Dirty Honey is one of our most anticipated LPs down here at B&V. And, it appears last week they’ve dropped their new single, “California Dreamin'” and it’s another, great crunchy rocker. This L.A. band really takes me back to the Sunset Strip. “California Dreamin'” starts with a small drum roll and then the riff kicks in. I really like Labelle’s voice. The guitar solo reminds me of Slash, Notto shreds here. I think the lyrics capture the existential angst we all feel, “I’m California dreamin’, and it’s tearing us apart, it’s paranoia season, it’s in our minds and our hearts.” Amen, brother. And besides, who isn’t dreaming of travel right now… I’d love to jump in my car with the top down (if I had a convertible), crank up this tune and tear across a desert only to end up in California. While Dirty Honey get compared to Aerosmith, I get a real GnR vibe from these guys. It might be the trippy video they’ve released for the song which reminded me of GnR’s video for “Estranged.” Well, if “Estranged” had been made by happy, well adjusted people. As the band rocks out, we follow a fetching young woman through a magical doorway…

While this song didn’t grab me as hard as “Dirty 7s” or some of the other stuff on their EP, it did grab me. The more I listened to this the more I like it. I mean, who doesn’t love good ol’ guitar rock n roll. The album doesn’t come out until April, so we’ll have to just crank this tune as part of our B&V spring soundtrack until then. I would also tell you they’ve recently released a pretty faithful version of Aerosmith’s “Last Child” that is also quite tasty! I urge you all to check this tune out and turn it up!!

Happy St Patrick’s Day and stay safe out there! Rawk on!