Over 2.5 Million Streams: Vancouver’s Honeybear, The Band Drops Blues Revival Debut, “I Was Improper“
Honeybear, The Band, steps into the highlight with a compelling self-titled album that speaks the language of blues with sincerity and vigor. Fronted by the charismatic Ian Beaty on vocals and bass, with Colin Brumelle’s guitar reducing by way of the combination, Mike Kenney’s keyboards coloring the soundscape, and Tim Watson’s regular drumming locking the groove, Honeybear affords a refreshingly sincere blues expertise for at present’s listeners.
From the primary notice of their single “I Was Improper,” it’s clear Vancouver-based Honeybear isn’t retreading previous floor however charting a brand new course. The track’s lyrics — penned by Beaty and Brumelle — evoke the common journey of reflection and development, balancing vulnerability and power with a bluesy authenticity that’s each timeless and speedy. “There have been occasions once I was fallacious / And I didn’t realize it / There have been occasions once I was fallacious / And it knew it effectively,” Ian sings, with a voice that carries the load of onerous classes discovered and the grace of acceptance.
Produced by Jeff Zipp and launched on their very own Playmor label, the album showcases the band’s tight interaction and dynamic vary. The music strikes effortlessly between heartfelt balladry and upbeat grooves, with a sound rooted in traditional blues custom but unafraid to embrace up to date nuances. Honeybear invitations listeners right into a world the place every track is a narrative, a confession, and a celebration.
The band’s Vancouver roots run deep, and their dwell reveals are a testomony to their dedication to connection and authenticity. Whether or not taking part in the intimate corners of native venues or bigger festivals, Honeybear’s power is palpable, and their musicianship impeccable. Their sound bridges generations, inviting longtime blues aficionados and new followers alike to rediscover the ability of the style.
“I Was Improper,” the lead single set for launch on June 20, 2025, is already producing buzz on Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube, capturing consideration with its uncooked emotion and catchy melodic hooks. The track’s lyrical honesty resonates extensively, reminding listeners of the redemptive energy of proudly owning one’s errors and transferring ahead.
The band describes their artistic course of as deeply collaborative.
“We write what we dwell,” says Ian Beaty. “Our songs come from actual experiences, moments that stick to you — the form of tales that belong within the blues.” Colin Brumelle provides, “We would like the music to really feel alive, one thing that makes folks really feel they’re a part of the story.”
Honeybear’s lineup reads like a blueprint for fulfillment in fashionable blues: Ian Beaty’s soulful vocals and commanding bass; Colin Brumelle’s expressive guitar work; Mike Kenney’s wealthy keyboard textures; and Tim Watson’s stable, tasteful drumming. Collectively, they create a sound that’s sturdy and nuanced, commanding consideration with out overpowering.
With their new album poised to make waves, Honeybear, The Band is hitting the highway with a tour that brings their compelling blues to audiences throughout British Columbia and past. Tour dates embrace:
- July twelfth – Bowen Pub
- July seventeenth – Vibrant Vines, Kelowna
- July nineteenth – Starbelly Jam, Crawford Bay
- August fifth – Concord Arts Competition, West Vancouver
- August seventh – The Drake, Canmore (w/ help from Colleen Rennison)
- August eighth – Ironwood Stage, Calgary (w/ help from Colleen Rennison)
- August ninth – Wapiti Competition, Fernie, BC
- August eleventh – The Richmond, London (w/ help from Sandra Bouza)
- August twelfth – Mills {Hardware}, Hamilton (w/ help from Sandra Bouza)
- August thirteenth – Horseshoe, Toronto (w/ help from Sandra Bouza)
- August 14th – Howe Island Barn, Kingston
- August fifteenth – Previous Church Theatre, Trenton
- August sixteenth – Rainbow, Ottawa
- August twenty ninth – Fox Cabaret, Vancouver (w/ help from Colleen Rennison)
- September twelfth – Barnside Harvest Competition (7:45-8:30 set)
- October eighth – Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver (Metropolis of NV Presents)
Honeybear, The Band’s arrival indicators a second for blues lovers and music seekers alike to embrace a band that blends roots, coronary heart, and a contact of modernity. Their music is sincere, deeply felt, and destined to carve out its personal place within the wealthy tapestry of blues custom.
“I Was Improper” appears like each a confession and a launch. Are you able to share the story behind that track and the way it took form within the studio?
Most of our songs are collaborative in nature, however this one got here just about full from bassist/singer Ian Beaty. The repeated refrain was a snippet of music that he had sung to himself for years whereas out and about, or round the home each time he bought known as out or in any other case found he’d been incorrect. Ian’s two children knew the chorus effectively sufficient to mimic him singing it lengthy earlier than it became a “actual track”. Such a full-throated admission of imperfection did certainly really feel like a joyful launch. The jangling piano and bass line to Blueberry Hill performed in his thoughts because the background.
To document it, we merely arrange and performed it dwell simply as we had been doing on levels. The one factor we added to the dwell quartet sound have been the background vocal “echos”, singing “he was fallacious” within the third particular person, because the Jordanaires do for Elvis in (Let me be your) Teddy Bear.
The combo of great and darkish regrets with humorous musical components continues to make it a track we are able to actually dig into, and take possession of its titular chorus like a motto.
The chemistry between you all actually comes by way of on the album — what does your collaborative writing course of appear like, and the way do you retain it sincere and ego-free?
I really feel very lucky that we’re a reasonably tight group of buddies. I’ve grown up with bass participant/lead vocalist Ian Beaty, and have recognized him for the majority of my life. We now have completely no filter and no concern telling one another when our concepts are actually horrible, or squealing in glee after they work out higher than anticipated. Usually, our songs come from a guitar lick, chord change, or these scraps of lyrics that appear to simply stick in your head. Ian and are prodigious voice memo customers on our telephones, and we’ll textual content little scraps forwards and backwards. Considered one of my favourite issues ever (and this occurs usually!) is receiving a midnight voicemail from Ian. He could be out of his home, perhaps strolling the canine on a heat summer time night or one thing, when inspiration strikes! Since he has no instrument with him, he does this beatbox factor together with his voice the place he “sings” drums, bass traces, and lead vocals all right into a singular take. It’s hilarious. But additionally – it really works! I’m like, “Oh yeah, there’s the track”. As soon as we take the songs into the group as an entire, everybody has their say. Keyboardist Mike Kenney may add just a few extra chord adjustments to maintain issues fascinating. Drummer Tim Watson may counsel a distinct drum really feel – “What if we tried this as a rhumba!”. Some songs simply immediately work, others require rethinking and revamping till they both click on or don’t! The voicemail and voice memo graveyard is massive.
Blues can usually be seen as a style rooted up to now — how do you keep true to its custom whereas protecting the sound recent and related to at present’s world?
All of us grew up listening to numerous blues and previous soul, however this present day when you could have – roughly – the complete musical output of humanity at your fingertips, I feel you may’t assist however have all these different influences seep in, so I feel that helps preserve it recent. We, as a bunch, have fairly huge and eclectic musical tastes. Ian, for instance, is a large music connoisseur with an encyclopedic data of latest pop. Mike loves Publish Malone. I’m a fan of The Meters and Patsy Cline equally. However I feel the factor that retains it sounding like us is that, in the end, our data are the 4 of us taking part in roughly dwell in a room. That’s how the music we love was made, and I feel this method helps preserve the music grounded in these blues traditions, albeit with just a few additional colours from the palette thrown in. We’re actually simply making an attempt to make songs that mix all the weather we like collectively, and we’re actually overjoyed that different folks appear to love the tunes too!
For listeners discovering blues for the primary time by way of your album, what do you hope they stroll away feeling — or questioning — after listening to it?
If a listener is discovering blues for the primary time by way of our album (they usually’re having fun with it!), my speedy response can be to say “STOP LISTENING TO OUR ALBUM”, and go hearken to Freddie King, Etta James, Lou Rawls, T-Bone Walker, Solomon Burke, et. al. We owe a terrific debt to those artists.
The blues, at its core, is simply 3 chords and 5 notes, however its simplicity is misleading. Most of our tunes are admittedly “easy”, however my hope is that perhaps there’s a line in a track someplace that sticks and makes somebody chuckle, or assume again on, in a second of reflection. There’s one thing in regards to the simplicity of the taking part in and storytelling in all our favourite previous blues albums that retains drawing me again, and if we are able to accomplish that very same trick for a brand new listener, that might be a tremendous victory for us.
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