By Molly McCowan
To classify The Honey Gitters’ music as “just bluegrass” would be to tell a giraffe it’s a jaguar just because it has spots. The Honey Gitters play much more than just bluegrass. These guys fuse jam rock and Americana together, goodheartedly poking fun at both genres while avoiding the cheesiness that plagues so many Americana-fusion bands.
The album is eclectic, drawing from many influences and displaying the talent and range of the band as a whole. One song, “Le Proscrit,” is sung entirely in French, and exudes a gravelly reverb steeped in a Montreal gypsy-jazz sound.
“Wet Cigarette” could be a lost track off of the debut album of ‘90s pop group The Presidents of the United States of America. Its lyrics echo a similar kind of offbeat humor, and it showcases The Honey Gitters’ overall philosophy of combining catchy, fun music with laugh-out-loud lyrics.
One of the most intriguing songs of the album is “Pork Butcher.” This gritty song combines biker bar riffs with a riveting storyline, and further displays the band’s genre-crossing abilities.
With banjo, electric guitar, electric bass, drums and even some accordion and mouth harp thrown in, Poor Gitters’ Almanack is brimming with diverse instrumentation. Even though you shouldn’t take these guys too seriously (there is a song about doing terrible things to groundhogs, for instance), their combined musical prowess is undeniable. Almanack wholly showcases The Honey Gitters’ talents and sense of humor, and it’s an album that you’ll want to put on repeat.
honeygitters.com
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