Honey Radar: Play-Box Relay EP [Album Review]

Honey Radar
Play-Box Relay EP
Self-Released [2021]

Lo-fi experts Honey Radar released this 8 song, 16 minute 12″ at the end of last year and it ranks right up there with the Philadelphia’s group best work to date. The band of course were originally focused on a follow up LP to their excellent Ruby Puff Of Dust (2019) record and frontman Jason Henn’s 2020 solo outing Jazz Pigs In High School but big surprise – pandemic times had different plans.

Like everyone, Honey Radar adjusted with the release of the Play-Box Relay EP, which shows no signs of cracks in the group’s armor. You can hear its wonder right in the opening track “Flames,” which offers a full indie blast of lo-fi goodness that has a Psychedelic Furs meets Guided By Voices vibe going on. That confident swagger from this now very experienced band continues as each track easily can become your next earworm. Wait till the simple riff that runs in the background of “Jesse Has Chocolate Weed” gets in your head or how “Medium Mary Todd” gets your foot tapping quickly to its groove. “Color The Bank” frontloads the vocals and spirals out of control for a noisy ending that really got my attention while the excellent closer “Rink Damage (Roll Credits)” finds Henn’s vocals just floating above the guitar as the slower-tempo rocker leaves you wanting more.

TFN has covered Honey Radar in the past and the same message can be delivered after hearing Play-Box Relay – Honey Radar is one of the top tier lo-fi indie groups releasing music today. The songs here are well structured, have plenty of replay value and offer the perfect balance of vocals and guitar/drum hum. Let’s hope the band can have less barriers in 2022 to release an LP because they are on a creative hot streak that keeps rolling!

Key Tracks: “Flames” / “Medium Mary Todd” / “Rink Damage (Roll Credits)”

Artists With Similar Fire: Chris Knox / Guided By Voices / The Microphones

Honey Radar Review History: Jazz Pigs In High School (2020) – Jason Henn / Sing The Snow Away: The Chunklet Years (2020) / Ruby Puff Of Dust (2019) / Blank Cartoon (2016) / Giraffe EP (2015)

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Thomas Wilde

Thomas has a wide range of musical tastes as the NYC scene consistently broadens his pallet. Thomas is enjoying the opportunity to write at TFN and in his spare time is always looking for limited pressings of vinyl to add to his ever growing collection.

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