Ahead of the band’s new album ‘Venom & Faith’, which is released on November 9, Nashville-based sister duo Larkin Poe have released new single “Honey Honey”.
Larkin Poe build a villainous atmosphere on “Honey Honey”, with the sinister slide guitar recalling the sound of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds before it transitions into the melodic poetry of the song’s chorus. “Honey Honey” toggles back and forth between these sounds, eventually connecting the two with the determined rhythm of marching percussion leading the path to it’s suspenseful ending.
Larkin Poe’s Rebecca Lovell explained exclusively to Billboard Magazine, “It was so exciting to play around and build a section that would complement the song. I love how the start is; We were talking to our engineer as we recorded the song and he was blown away by how spare we wanted it to be, just with an upright bass sound. We stuck to our guns with that and we stumbled on the idea that made the song stick together.”
As the follow-up to their critically acclaimed second album ‘Peach’, which was nominated for a Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist Album, ‘Venom & Faith’ was produced by the band and engineered by their long-time collaborator Roger Alan Nichols. Those who pre-order the record will receive “Honey Honey”, “Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues,” Sometimes,” and “Ain’t Gonna Cry” as instant free downloads.
Larkin Poe follow the album’s release with a headline European tour, starting in London at Islington Assembly Hall on November 21 and taking in dates in Germany, Austria, Italy and Spain.
Recorded in Nashville earlier this year in between headline shows, festival dates such as Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, and a featured guest performer spot on Keith Urban’s Graffiti U World Tour, Larkin Poe approached ‘Venom & Faith’ with fierce independence. From Rebecca’s powerful vocals on “Ain’t Gonna Cry” to Megan’s sultry lap steel on “Good And Gone,” the sisters weave their talents into the fabric of their experience and a picture of the American South. “Blue Ridge Mountains” harkens to the sisters’ hometown, “drinking sweet tea every day” with stomping percussion and churning riffs.
Still, the sisters maintain an outlaw mindset in a traditional genre. Unbound by tawdry embellishments, Larkin Poe infuse pop sensibilities into their sound, blending old-school elements of rock and soul with drum samples, hip-hop production values, and resonant lyrics like “California king-sized dreams in a twin bed.” ‘Venom & Faith’ redefines what it means to make emotionally resonant music while also maintaining boundary-pushing musicality.
‘Venom & Faith’ will be released via Proper Music on November 9, 2018.
Headline European Tour:
Wed 21 Nov London, Islington Assembly Hall
Fri 23 Nov Berlin, Musik & Frieden
Sun 25 Nov Cologne, Luxor
Mon 26 Nov Munich, Strom
Tue 27 Nov Vienna, Flex
Wed 28 Nov Bergamo, Druso
Sat 01 Dec Madrid, Cool Stage
Sun 02 Dec Barcelona, Razzmatazz 2