La Honda - I See Stars

by Malcolm Carter

published: 3 / 12 / 2013

Label: La Honda Music
Format: CD

Excellent 1960's-influenced pop on debut album from La Honda, which features the young Sarah Joyce who is now better known as Rumer and while recorded in 2001 has only just been released now

Review

There was a time when as soon as an artist made it their early, often inferior, work would be rush-released by greedy record companies eager to cash-in on the artist’s new found popularity. It happened to Hendrix, Bolan, Bowie, even the Beatles. Although keen fans would snap up these early examples, it often left a bitter taste in the mouth. Usually the music unearthed would bear little resemblance to what the artist was doing currently and ultimately would disappoint. One of the founder members of La Honda gained worldwide recognition just three years ago, but ‘I See Stars’ is one of those rare albums where an artist’s initial forays into music easily matches their later acclaimed work. The music on ‘I See Stars’, recorded by La Honda, was recorded twelve years ago and while the production and performance of these ten songs hasn’t dated at all, the whole album has a timeless quality to it and the songs definitely have a late 60's/early 70's flavour to them. While the majority of the songs were written by La Honda guitarist Malcolm Doherty (there is also a cover of the Flaming Lips ‘Moth in the Incubator’) who obviously knows his way around a captivating melody or two and the production and playing (drummer Dave Roberts and Mark-George Brown on bass are the other musicians featured here) are faultless and are certain to blow the clouds away on the dreariest of days, what really shines throughout ‘I See Stars’ are the vocals. The name Sarah Joyce might not sound familiar to you, but as soon as Sarah starts to sing on the opening song ‘Take a Look Around You’ you’ll recognise, despite that picture of Karen Carpenter forming in front of your eyes, that what you are listening to is the pure, perfect voice of a singer who these days is better known as Rumer. It’s not the first time since Sarah found fame and started using the stage name of Rumer that a record company has released her earlier recordings. Last year we were treated, through Sudden Hunger Records, to an album aptly titled ‘Close to the Sun’ by a band called Stereo Venus. Most of the album was co-written by Sarah, and the 2008 recordings displayed a more playful, sunnier side to Sarah’s music than the music that was to prove to be her breakthrough two years later with the ‘Seasons of My Soul’ album, Sarah’s debut under the Rumer name. Although predating the songs on ‘Close to the Sun’, the music on ‘I See Stars’ sounds like an amalgamation of the ground covered by Sarah on the Stereo Venus project and the first Rumer album. That 60's/70's influence is apparent on all of Sarah’s so far issued work, and she has been fortunate to work with musicians who bring out the best in her vocals. Brian O’Shaughnessy had a hand in producing both ‘Close to the Sun’ and ‘I See Stars’, and, although Steve Brown took over that role for the two Rumer albums, both producers create a lush setting for Sarah’s vocals while still allowing her vocals to breath and emit that controlled emotion that makes Sarah’s vocals so special. While the obvious 70's summery feel of ‘Close To The Sun’ isn’t so apparent on ‘I See Stars’ (there’s even a Black Box Recorder spoken word part on the lyrically sharp ‘Music For Girls’) and there’s more texture displayed throughout, the fact that the band was named after the ranch where Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters hung out and the ghost of West Coast 60's pop floats heavily over these songs shows where the band where coming from for this project. That said it’s not all inspired by the 1960s. The band display a beauty in the Flaming Lips' ‘Moth in the Incubator’ which was overlooked in the original before fading the song out with a mini ‘Hey Jude’ ending. ‘Rich Man’s Wine’ is a highlight on an album where every song deserves to be on heavy rotation on the radio, yet another pretty Doherty tune, and the vocal duet between Sarah (and Doherty?) is superb, a less gravel-gargled Lee Hazelwood maybe while shades of the Motorcycle Boy’s ‘Under The Bridge’ also surface. ‘Tokyo Ladyboy’ is another song where it all comes together so effortlessly, so much so that despite Sarah’s current popularity with her music under the Rumer name one wonders why the musical partnership of Malcolm Doherty and Sarah Joyce came to an end. Recently mastered at Abbey Road Studios a great deal of care has gone into this music both over a decade ago and now, Sarah and Doherty both had a hand in remixing the songs with producer O’Shaughnessy; this is a collection that all concerned with should be immensely proud of. In closing although not featured on this album I have to take this opportunity to mention Rumer’s version of the little known (until she took it into the charts) Jimmy Webb song 'P.F. Sloan' on her ‘Boy’s Don’t Cry’ covers album. Despite sterling covers over the years by a number of bands/artists the Rumer version is the definitive one, but don’t just take my word for it. Maybe the fact that Webb invited Sarah to sing ‘Still Within The Sound OF My Voice’ on his latest album of duets going under the same name says all you need to know to get your hands on a copy of ‘I See Stars’.

Track Listing:-

1 Take a Look Around You (feat. Rume
2 Tokyo Ladyboy (feat. Rumer)
3 I See Stars (feat. Rumer)
4 Solid Gold (feat. Rumer)
5 Rich Man's Wine (feat. Rumer)
6 Where Does It Go? (feat. Rumer)
7 Music for Girls (feat. Rumer)
8 Maybe Sunshine (feat. Rumer)
9 Moth in the Incubator (feat. Rumer)
10 The One That Got Away (feat. Rumer