Honey Child Aeronaut Records www.honeychildchoir.com
There are many dilemmas one can have in life. One of the most beautiful I have come across though is Honey Child. Led by opera singer Claire McKeown (alongside Claire Boutelle, Aimee Jacobs, Danielle Mandell, Dayna Richards, Jacquelyn Sky, and Cynthia Zitter) Honey Child was born from McKeown’s feelings of disconnect. Basically, she missed her freaks, so she set out to create a sort of Alt-Opera known as Chamber Pop and, sometimes, Heroine Folk.
As someone who doesn’t listen to a lot of Opera, but does have a love for Symphonic Metal, I find Honey Child quite fascinating. This self-titled debut runs the gamut in styles, from more traditional pieces to edgier ones, yet each is completely driven by the vocals. The minimal instrumentation makes this a calmer affair then that of the operatic singers that rule Symphonic Metal. Because of that though, I think Honey Child has a potentially wider appeal.
“…And So Goodnight” is a favorite of mine here. It almost has a Christmastime feel with sleigh bells in the background and a traditional Yule flare. “Gotta Wait Another Night” has a bouncy, Ragtime edge that reminds me a bit of Ben Folds at his quirkiest. The mildly muddled sound of the vocal takes it to a more Alternative place than much of the album. The beautiful and soulful “Our Last Goodbye” takes the album out on a high note and is my personal favorite track on the album. The vocals are gentle and heartfelt and when the piano and background vocals really start to take shape it becomes a beautiful tribute to love lost.
Overall, this album takes a few listens to wrap your mind around. I would imagine that it’s not quite Opera enough for the Opera crowd, too vocally for the Folk crowd, and not bombastic enough for the Symphonic Metal crowd. So, if you are looking for something that sounds soothing, gorgeous, and intimate then you should certainly check out Honey Child.
#HoneyChild #HeroineFolk #AeronautRecords #ChamberPop #ClaireMcKeown
Out Here All Night 