REVIEW: Honey Revenge Delivers Endless Melody And Fun With ‘Retrovision’

Based straight out of LA, pop-rock duo Honey Revenge have delivered us their debut album entitled ‘Retrovision’. They’re a newer band to come out of the scene, and they certainly have made quite a mark already with this record. If you’re a fan of fun and catchy songs that have a carefree attitude to them, then this record is absolutely for you and just in time for summer. I’m a sucker for when a song is catchy and it feels so easy to dance to, and I feel like ‘Retrovision’ hits all those marks to an impressive level honestly.

The record opens with what feels like the best single and one of the best tracks to come out this year, with “Airhead”. It’s a great way to introduce the record and it sets the tone perfectly for how fun this album is. It’s also not afraid to tell the listener that Honey Revenge isn’t afraid to go out of the box at times here. Easily one of the best choruses I’ve heard in a long time too. It continues with “Seeing Negative (Disappointment)”, which instantly feels like it belongs on an early 2000’s teen movie in the best way. The pop elements feels very well incorporated here, something that’ll continue on the rest of the record. It contains pretty solid lyrics too, one of my favorites being “I’ve been needing a change of pace, if I keep begging then I might get a taste”. It’s followed up with one of the singles, being “Are You Impressed?”. This track in particular takes me back to the neon pop-punk days of the 2010’s, something I’ve missed from a lot of the bands nowadays so it’s nice to get a little taste in 2023. It feels like such an easy song to dance to, especially during the chorus which is infectious. The lyrics feel relatable too about wanting to please people, but also feeling like you’re trying too hard in retrospect. The record marches on with one of my favorite tracks from the record, appropriately titled “Favorite Song”. This song in particular gives me insane The Band Camino vibes, with an absolute banger of a chorus and the melodies are endless. It’s a fun little love song that I feel like pulls off the poppy vibes so incredibly well, and giving other bands a lesson just on how to pull off this kind of sound.

We continue on with “Habitual”, which continues to pull off that pop-rock sort of vibe so well. It’s giving off early Demi Lovato vibes and I’m so here for it. Like it feels like such a throwback to those Radio Disney but in an even better way that fits for the present. The songwriting here just shows off how carefree and fun spirited this band is, something they execute very nicely. It’s followed up with one of the singles off this record and this band’s now staple song, being “Rerun”. It’s got such an iconic chorus that really cements just how important this track will be for the band going for. It dives into lyrics about wanting to break the never-ending cycle of things not working out the way you want them to, something we can all relate to at any given point. We lead that up with once again, another well done pop-rock song with “Fight or Flight”. It’s definitely one of the more dance-y songs on the record, but it also mixes with just how nice it can be to relax and chill out to when it comes to the vibe it’s taking you. It’s definitely one of the better choruses on the record for me, and I fuck hard with the guitar during the bridge delivered by Donny Lloyd. The record keeps up with “Murphy’s Law”, which admittedly is my least favorite on the record if I had to pick one. That being said, it’s still a solid track so that just goes to show the quality of this record being very on point and delivering so well. The pre-chorus is definitely a standout for me, and shoutout to a really strong pre-chorus since it doesn’t get enough love. 

We’re on the home stretch of the album, starting with “Sensitive”. It delivers yet another insane chorus, and I truly think vocalist Devin Papadol shines quite bright here. It flows pretty well throughout, and it delivers a very reminiscent sound from the early 2010’s. If there’s anything to criticize here, the instrumentals feel a bit programmed during the chorus but tis’ only a minor one since this is still a banger. The record slows down with a more laid back track, with “Scapegoat”. The guitar once again delivered by Lloyd once again comes through so naturally here, as well as the bass. It makes me appreciate how spread out and eclectic this album is, it doesn’t put itself in a box and it feels consistent throughout still. We reach the one of the two last singles, with “Worst Apology”. I feel this track has the most of a Paramore influence here, being incredibly fun and funky throughout. Shoutout to the bridge being a standout from this whole album, this band really knows how to pick singles from a record full of singles. The record leaves off with easily one of the best tracks this band has delivered, with “Distracted”. The guitar once again is delivered wonderfully throughout, especially in the second verse and bridge. The chorus feels so seamless, it’s magical even like it’s gonna be easy putting this one on from now on. It also perfectly encapsulates who this band is and what they’re about in one song, it would be the first one I would show to a random person who has no idea who this band is. 

In conclusion, Honey Revenge have delivered an impressive and earworm of a debut record with ‘Retrovision’. This album shows just how fun the genre can be, and implementing elements of pop-rock and pop-punk into one. This is already a highlight of the year for me and I’ll be jamming a lot of these tracks for the rest of the summer. Honey Revenge is one of the best up and coming bands out there in the scene right now and they deserve your attention with this incredibly solid record. 

Check out the video for “Habitual” below.