Honey
delivered one of 2016's most enjoyable rock albums with their debut
Love Is Hard
, an update of garage, punk, stoner rock, and psych-rock that sounded like the epitome of rock & roll without ever feeling too indebted to the band's influences. On
New Moody Judy
, the trio hones its sound but, crucially, doesn't refine it. If possible,
sounds even more driven and raw the second time around, and even if there's nothing quite as captivating as
's "Monk," their songwriting and energy are more consistent. They kick off
with a truly impressive trio of songs: the fiery opener "Wage Agreement," "Dream Come Now," which invokes rock & roll's pure magic when
Dan Wise
sings the chorus, and the brooding title track, which evokes
Iggy Pop
even before
Wise
sings "I was your passenger."
incorporate their wide-ranging influences more organically than they did on
, possibly because of the jam sessions that spawned the album. In the best possible way,
sounds like the band just threw a couple of mikes into the fray to capture their wild yawps and wilder solos. Where
's tightest songs were the highlights,
combines the hookiness of
's debut with that jammy spontaneity on standouts like the storming "Hungry" and "Peggy Ray," both of which showcase
's formidable guitar skills. Thanks to the band's fearless, committed performances,
finds
coming into their own. ~ Heather Phares