Honeypie "Fields Don't Disappear" Review

                 Artwork by Trisha Smith, Ryan Radcliff & Jake Melham  

            Throughout the mix of compositions encompassing the 35 minutes of Honeypie’s newest album, Fields Don’t Disappear, it is obvious to me that these songs are creations blooming from personal experiences direct from band-staples, Trisha Smith (Vocals) and Ryan Radcliff (Lead Guitar, Lap-steel, Keyboards, Bass).  As any good artist knows, the translation of excellent music comes in the projection of honest and deep emotion from within.  Smith and Radcliff, joined by a few of the finest fresh-faced accompaniment the Orange County music scene currently has to offer (Jake Melham - Bass, Tony Cupito - Drums, Darren Carr - Drums, Brian Wardell - Drums, Felipe Arroyo - Rhodes, Lauren Salamone - Rhodes, Spencer Askin – Vocals/Trumpet, and producer Jon O’Brien – Keys/Bass/Percussion), Honeypie succeeds in the construction of a truly professional record from start to finish.

            Opening track, Miss Me, sets an image of the spirited Smith as a wholesome female laced with an air of sweetness about her, but also possessing an underlying hint of boldness and seductiveness. Throughout the record, her personality fluxes between these ends of the spectrum as each song plays.  Meanwhile, to the untrained or unfocused ear, Radcliff’s musicianship is almost missed from time to time due to the gentleness of his playing—a difficult trait for some composers to possess.  In each piece, Radcliff provides the perfect mood for the sweet duo, sometimes through an involved fuzzy electric Gretsch guitar solo, found on songs like Leaves Are Falling and Tyler, sometimes with a pluck and bend of the lap-steel like on No Difference and Fields Don’t Disappear, sometimes a mention of a guitar chord to harmonize with Smith’s vocals, a deep blending of bass, or touch of keys to fill the sonic holes and complete each song, like on Naturally and Pocket.  Other textural sounds supplemented by Salamone, Wardell, Arroyo, Carr, Askin, Cupito and Melham help fill in the final details, giving the feeling of completion that otherwise would not have existed.

            The cornerstone of this album is undisputedly Jon O’Brien, who was able to tame all the layers of this in-depth piece of work, mixing each frequency to complement each other, rather than contend.  O’Brien was able to take the influnces of Smith and Radcliff, like Regina Spektor, Spoon, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, as well as M. Ward, and create a working combination of Folk, Pop and Indie styles into one collaboration that encompasses the musical entity that is Honeypie.  The standout song of the album is indisputably Della, a composition that O’Brien proposed Smith and Radcliff to create late during the final recording process in order to build the body of the album to a completely mature size.  While each song has it’s own attributes that make it memorable, Della is haunting, and aching with a melancholic vibe that radiates from the breathy vocal projections of the mesmerizing Trisha Smith.

Listen to the album and download for free at http://honeypie.bandcamp.com/

Songwriters: Echo Echo

You guys have played almost 350 shows since your conception in November of 2003, how do you keep the music you’re writing fresh?

Steve Carson (vocals): We don’t really play the old stuff anymore. After we recorded the first two EP’s, because we were playing so much, when we did get together, we didn’t really have to rehearse because we had so many shows. It gave us an opportunity to write. So filtering in new songs with the 10 songs on the first two EP’s allowed us to keep adding material. I think at one point in time, we had a 22-song set that we could play. Not all of those songs got recorded, but it kind of led up to Fall Like You're Flying. We were able to continue putting songs together, and then we did our own recording. Part of being in a band is playing those same songs over and over again, because that’s why people go to shows. At least with the 14 songs we released in September, I’m not tired of those songs. And some of those songs were written two years prior. I don’t know if it’s the way they’re written, or the quality of song, or what I feel about them. But now we’re writing again, and we’re working on three new songs tonight.

Jameson (guitar): Every time we play a song live, there is a strict structure, but there might be a different energy of that song each night.

Bruce Yolken (bass): And the crowd is different every night.

Jameson: People respond to different ones.

Yolken: Sometimes they just change on their own. Darren and I strive to repeat ourselves everytime and create a framework. But then watching Steve and Jameson on the more creative side night by night, you definitely feel a shift. Their energy changes, and their approach will change a little, and our newest member, Andy, frees Steve up from the keyboard, and now he can connect with the audience more.

Darren Carr (drums): To be honest, I hope to have to the opportunity to play the same group of songs for 10, 20, 30 years. I’d love to be playing these songs forever.

What is it about these songs that are just right?

Carson: I think, for me personally, the first EP we recorded in 2004, I had written most of the songs, and I think we wrote one together as a band. And then the second EP, Jameson and I started collaborating a little more, and everyone started to get their hands in the writing mix. Once we got beyond 2005 and into 2006, a lot of the writing happened in here (the studio), like it was the fifth member of the band. It was where we collaborated as a band, and it was an opportunity for everybody to bring different things in. At different times, Jameson would come in and work things out with Bruce or Darren. Or Jameson and I would meet. Or I’d bring something in. At that point there was a shift towards a more collaborative unit, where we were all writing together. Not necessarily not all four at once, but at some point, we definitely started influencing each other.

So it’s not just one of you handing out parts of a composition to the others?

Carson: What’s cool about the writing process now, and definitely during writing Fall Like Your Flying, was that everybody was interested in what the other person was doing. Or we cared to ask, ‘What do you thin about this? What do you think about that?’ Some of the melodies would work off of certain riffs that Jameson was playing. Or a vocal melody that would maybe moves things. Or some songs Darren had a drum beat he wanted to use. At this point in the evolution of the band, it’s not about saying, ‘You do 70%, you’re doing 10%.’ It doesn’t matter anymore. Most important thing is that we’re collaborating and that, for me personally, is what makes me love the songs more. It’s not just about me writing a song with an acoustic guitar, and then people are adding what they do as musicians and artists into that song. Even listening to the record, I still can listen to it, and wonder, ‘Where did that come from?’ I had nothing to do with that, and how amazing is it that now I’m a fan of something we do, because somebody else in the band took it upon themselves to say, ‘I’ve got a cool idea.’ All right, great! I would have never thought of that.

Jameson: Until we all decide the piece is finished, everybody has creative freedom, up until that point of, ‘Ok, now this is it.’

How do you determine when it’s over? At what length do you feel comfortable cutting a song? Artists like Billy Kernkamp talked about staying within the 3:00 minute pop structure. Where do you stand on that?

Carson: There was that mentality in the beginning; let’s get in and out, and nobody gets hurt. And there are still songs that that works for. There’s no doubt. One of our new songs, I Can’t Be Trusted, is definitely that. Let’s just get in, and get out. So we worked out a lot of these songs, and then when we met with our producers, especially Rupert Hine, he kind of brought this new light about songwriting and the journey. We used to look at the journey as the set, or an album, or the ‘machine.’ We used to talk about the ‘machine’ as a whole set of songs, not the individual pieces. He came to us and said, think about every song as a piece, that can be it’s own journey. I don’t know about you guys, as soon as that transformation with Rupert occurred, and then starting to record the album, I kind of let go of time. I don’t think about time anymore. I think about feeling. Ever since that happened, I never feel like, ‘Man, this is dragging.’ It’s almost like it’s been instilled in us, we just know, it feels right. It’s too short, it’s too long. It’s not a number anymore. Probably in the beginning, especially for young writers, it is a number. Like, ‘Oh man, this is five minutes long.’ But it’s not about that. Does it feel five minutes long?

Yolken: We don’t formulate anymore. Occasionally we’ll write a song where we try to break the rules a little bit consciously. And I think maybe that’s the next step; we’re gonna push for something longer and more vibe oriented that doesn’t go in traditional sections that you would find in all the hits that are on the radio. So it’s more a matter of, we just don’t care. We want to do what’s right for the song, what we feel. And if it makes the cut, great. If it doesn’t, then at least we had a good time.

Carr: Based off of Rupert’s guidance, it’s become more and more apparent that if the listener doesn’t feel anything at the end of the song, or feel different than they did at the beginning of the song, then it’s all for not, you know? If you can make somebody feel something in three, four, or five minutes, that’s different than the way they felt in the beginning; mission accomplished.

Jameson: The goal is to make someone feel something. Not finish the song as soon as possible.

Carson: And if they feel something within three minutes, then that’s great. Some songs are perfect for three minutes.

Some people like melodies, but lyrics aren’t that important to them. Are you as obsessed with the message of the lyrics as the emotive music you’re producing?

Carson: I think I can speak for everybody when I say, we’re not obsessed. I don’t think we’re obsessed with anything as far as that goes. I don’t think it’s something we consciously think about, like, ‘We need to make sure that this song has a melody that’s a hook, and that the lyrics mean something to somebody on this planet (at least 4 million), and that they wanna sing this song over and ov…’ No it’s not about that. I don’t ever consider what I’m singing about. I think because of what the lyrics are based upon, my own personal experiences or the way I feel, it’s obvious that I’m going to relate, because I’m not that different from you. So I could sing a song, and if you’ve had an experience similar to mine, then it’s like, ‘yeah, I totally relate.’ There’s never a situation where it’s like, ‘I need to relate to somebody today.’ It’s not about that.

Jameson: The best and the worst part about Steve as a lead singer, his best message or lyrics come out when he’s not thinking about it, and just singing with the band. As far as Steve sitting down and thinking about what the message is or should be, I don’t think that exists.

Yolken: We’ll play a song live for a few months before the lyrics are locked down. And the first time we play a song live, we typically have everything else close. Sometimes it comes quick, sometimes it doesn’t. But it’s always meaningful, it’s just never calculated.

And some bands like to have it completely calculated, but do you think that takes away from the feeling of the song? Like trying to push it into a little box?

Carson: I don’t think so. Everybody is different, and I think there are plenty of artists or bands that can sit and write, and then they can take those words and they can find their melody and their own way, and it’s all the same. The amazing thing about live performance is that there’s really no specific way it’s done. Everybody does it different. And the reality is that, we could do something different tomorrow. We don’t have a formula.

Songwriters: Honeypie

So where did you guys start as musicians?

Ryan Radcliff: I feel like I’m different because I didn’t come at things from a writing point of view. I started as a musician just ‘cause I wanted to play guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Writing wasn’t something I even thought about. I started playing in 1999, and even until about 2003, and I would have friends ask me to play one of my songs, but I just wouldn’t have any. And it got to a point where some friends would make fun of me for that, like, “You don’t you write any songs, what’s up?” Then in 2004, I had a girlfriend I broke up with, and started a project with Pavla (Dlab), who sings with Jameson. We started a band, and we were presented with having to write songs. It was the first time that I thought, this is gonna be mine and hers, and we have to write. So I drew from that experience, and I started using my first influences like the Police and Fiona Apple. During that time, those were the first songs I wrote. My first period of time writing was with Pavla. We would always write together as a team. Then Steve (Carson) kind of met up with us after the band had been going. We had written songs, but he took me to another level of arranging, and showed how important it is to take a second look at a song. When you write it, you have to step away, then take a look at it again. After that, it was realizing the place I need to be in to write, like emotionally and in my mind, and where my head needs to be at, because I think it’s a very different place from where my head needs to be at to play guitar. So realizing that those are two different places is important too.

Trisha Smith: It’s similar for me, because I’ve always loved to sing since I can remember, but I never wrote songs. I’ve written here and there, but nothing I actually gave to any band. This is the third project I’ve been in, and in every one, I hadn’t had the desire to write for the band. I just love to sing and I love the songs that someone else was writing. My first band was a rock/funk/reggae band called Wildcard Friday, and the drummer wrote all the songs. In Venus Infers, Davis (Fetter) wrote all the songs. And it’s funny ‘cause people would be like, “You don’t write the songs and you’re a singer?” But it didn’t bother me because I just really wanted to sing, and I loved the songs I had and got to make little changes. Now it’s a lot different because I have learned to enjoy writing and I love to feel accomplished from it. Ryan and I will work together, and it’s a different feeling to be able to create something and then to share it. When I’m singing it, to have that passion—I feel and really mean this song. It’s finally like, this is my project. I’ve been learning a lot about writing and become a lot more confident to present a lyric or melody to Ryan.

So a lot of artists write a song, package it all up, spit it out, and then once it’s out there, it belongs to the audience. Do you feel the same way? Is that how you transition from writing a song to playing a song on guitar?

Radcliff: I feel like I’m in a completely different frame of mind. Guys like Billy (Kernkamp) and Steve, I think they got into being a music maker for a completely different reason than I did. I think they got into it to be songwriters, and that’s not why I got into it. I got into it, first and foremost, just to play guitar. And I have this theory that everybody takes melody, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics, at different levels. For me, lyrics have never been something I’ve been into, and that’s just how I am and how I’m made. But something I’ve always been into is harmony, melody, and rhythm, but lyrics—not at all. A good song, to me, doesn’t have to have good lyrics. It could have terrible lyrics. I think that lines up with coming at music from a technical guitar player point of view. I’m not really listening to lyrics, because I’m not a singer either. I’m in this mindset of writing, I feel like you have to bring your ego way down, and you have to be able to take everything in and be influenced and be open to hearing things. But then when you’re on stage, you’re confidence has to be at a certain point to be able to play live. And realizing how different that is. I would get into an environment where I had to play, and I wouldn’t be able to because I’d been writing all the time. So you almost feel like you have to be this schizophrenic, and you have to go back and forth, and it’s tough. I can’t write everyday. I’ve been playing a lot and I haven’t been writing. And if I’m gonna be writing, then playing for me if gonna be tough, ‘cause I have to cram into that other mode.

So how do you feel about the importance of a harmony between band members when writing and playing?

Radcliff: A big thing I’ve realized is that every musician, in their own different way, uses something different as an outlet. I’ve been thinking lately that I’ve never really been a lyrics person, but I’m always thinking about stuff, just like everyone is. Everybody’s brain is always going, and you’re always reacting to things. I’ve asked myself, why am I not a prolific lyricist like Billy, who is constantly writing words down. I think for me, I gravitate more to my outlet being playing, rather than writing a lyric. For Billy, his outlet is in writing a song or in writing a lyric, and mine isn’t naturally like that. I have to make it like that. That goes with getting in that zone. I have to turn my outlet from playing, and turn it into writing.

Smith: I’m really big on lyrics too. He’ll write something and he might not think it’s that great, but I’ll let him know when I love something and I think it’s amazing.

Radcliff: That’s why Honeypie stays so small. It comes down to the basis of it--who inspires you to want to work? Otherwise, what’s the point of having these bands that don’t get along? It’s not even worth it.

Smith: I’d rather have a band of just us two, where we just get along and inspire each other and it’s great. It’s better than having someone in the band who is dragging their feet and not that into it.

I think a lot of people get held back because they think musicians either have it, or they don’t, but a lot of it is a learned thing, right?

Radcliff: I think that’s an important thing. No matter what you’re comfort zone is, you can go out of that comfort zone, and if you practice anything, you’ll get better at it. If you practice lyrics, you’ll get better at them. It took me years to finally write songs, because I thought that if I couldn’t write a song right away, that I couldn’t write. But no one ever told me thats it’s just like guitar. You just have to do it. Tell yourself to write 20 songs this month. Force it out, because you have to. The only way to learn is to gain the experience.

Do you find yourself stuck in a moment of emotion when you are attempting to write, or is it a broader? Do you like to stick with storylines, or just a good melody?

Smith: I think for me it’s a little broader arena. I try to think of things that really affect me, or what I’m passionate about, whether it’s a story, or just my view on something. I like storylines and melodies both, and I like to experiment. I would love to write a song that maybe has no lyrics, just sounds.

Radcliff: I think the best places to write are in the car and in the shower. It’s places where a part of your brain is being occupied, and it’s such a crucial part. If you just sit in your chair and you try to write, then there’s too much of your soul being focused. If you’re driving or in the shower, then a part of you is occupied, and you don’t realize it because it’s something that you’ve done so many times. Melodies and lyrics are the easiest in the shower. I could never sit down at my desk and write lyrics out, like if you can imagine any great songwriter. The funny thing is that they are such great practiced songwriters, and I bet they can just go to that part of their brain without going into the shower. That’s what they do

How much do you think is technique with those professionals?

Radcliff: I think they are inspired and they have experience on their side. It’s those two things. If you write constantly, you’re bound to put out good stuff. If you listen to enough good music, you’ll regurgitate something good. A great thing is to just constantly listen to music. I’m very systematic, and so the big thing with playing guitar is studying your scales and you study the mechanics. When it comes time to play, that stuff is in your head and it comes out, but you’re not regurgitating. With songwriting, you have to just listen to music.

When you’re getting ready to write, how do you prepare yourself?

Radcliff: When I’m writing, I’ve got my cluster of music that I listen to that inspires me, like Elliott Smith, Ryan Adams, and Wilco, and I’ll only listen to that stuff. I won’t listen to the latest Indie band, and I won’t listen to something that won’t inspire the direction that I want to write. You keep a certain mindset. I don’t write all the time, so I do it in chunks. It would be great to do it all the time because I love writing. When I write something new, it feels like this cursed puzzle. When you write something and you know you’ve got something good, and you’re like, ‘I have to finish this and do it justice.’ Otherwise, if I play it for Trish for the first time, then she’s not gonna like it, and it’s gonna get wasted. So it becomes like this curse where this great thing you’ve made and you’re proud of, you not have to finish. You have to come up with other great parts that go with it. The high point for me is in the creation of it, and the puzzle is being complete. Everyone is a little different.

Smith: I like to write in parts too. I’ll write a verse, then another, but it kind of depends on what comes out at the time. I usually don’t start at the beginning and then write through the whole song and then end it—which would be a cool thing to do. I think I’m better at writing everything separately in parts, and kind of rearranging lyrics. A lot of times, I’ll write things, and then it will make better sense to put them in a different order. I don’t know why, but sometimes I write backwards. We’ll move lines as a second look.

So how do you know when you cut it and what the length is? Is it determined by storyline, the feeling of the melody, the guitar parts? Is there something about it that makes it a longer song, or short and sweet?

Radcliff: There’s no right answer. It’s what you were feeling with the song. You don’t have to follow all the rules, you can do whatever you want, ‘cause who else are you doing it for? There’s always gonna be someone that likes anything.

Photos courtesy of Jenavieve Belair