Label: Lesser Known Records/Thirty Tigers
Released: 27th March 2020
Rating: ★★★
A conscious step away from the world of rock, Brian Fallon’s latest record is a mellow self-reflection from a man that is reaching middle-age and appears perfectly comfortable with it. Whereas on previous records he has usually cast a nostalgic eye at a past full of romance and cinematic moments, ‘Local Honey’ instead exists purely in the small moments of the present and is all the more interesting for it.
Whether it is growing up, growing old, growing apart or growing more in love, there is no doubting that this is a record that deals squarely and truthfully with the onset of middle-age. The questions and fears that run through a parents’ mind as he watches his children play on opener ‘When You’re Ready’ hit hard, as does the deep river of regret that runs through ’21 Days’. Indeed, an air of sadness lies over the whole record, but Fallon retains his unerring ability to hurt then heal hearts with his trademark soaring melodies. Fans of The National will recognise the power of songs that are perhaps more muted, but made all the more haunting for it.
To say this is a simple record is to understate its power. It may well signify Fallon distinctly turning his back on ‘classic rock’ for now, but there is so much here to savour in the quiet moments that it doesn’t appear to suffer for it. Unashamedly a record for the smaller rooms and intimate settings, it marks the entry point into a whole new territory for one of America’s most interesting singer-songwriters.
