Reviewed by Mike O' Cull

Stonehoney is an outstanding new country/rock band out of Austin, TX and is the best band in this style any of us will probably encounter this year. Comprised of four veteran musicians who are all excellent singers, Stonehoney makes the kind of music that would have burned up the charts in the 70’s heyday of The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, and other exponents of the California Cowboy sound.  If given half a chance, the sound could very well do the same thing in today’s market. The band’s debut album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, is an impressive listen upon its first spin and it is even more impressive when it the listener learns that the entire album was pretty well recorded live in the studio, without significant overdubbing. Wait you mean these guys actually play and sing?  Yes they do sing and they can write songs too. The album is full of twang and jangle, wrapped in smooth vocal harmonies that convey lyrics worth listening to and absorbing.

Even with the high level of musical skill displayed by the band (Shawn Davis, Nick Randolph, and Phil Hurley on guitar and vocals, David Phenicie on bass and vocals, plus a few special guests, including ex-Uncle Tupelo drummer Ken Coomer), the songwriting is what really makes this record fly. From the opening cut “Two Years Down”, the tunes are coherent, inviting, and communicate instantly with the listener.

Especially effective is “Good As Gone”, which takes a hard-eyed look at where a particularly bad decision can land a person. None of this is the type of housewife fluff from which Nashville makes it bacon. Rather, this is storytelling art that rides on top of electric guitars and backbeats, the kind of music that reminds all of us what is greatest about the country music tradition. In a perfect world, Stonehoney would be where Zac Brown is these days, blowing up all over country radio and television. Want to make the world a bit more perfect? Buy The Cedar Creek Sessions and show some love for a bunch of players that can make you remember why you fell in love with music in the first place.