The Honeymoon Stallions’ Bona Fide

The latest from The Honey Stallions, Bona Fide, is an overdue but worthy follow-up to 2012’s Moonlighting. It may have been over a decade since their last release but the band hasn’t lost its knack for sharp, melodic guitar-driven songs.

“Stay A Little Longer” opens with a catchy melody, sticky chorus and bright energy that sets the tone. The driving “Kiss Me Quick” sounds as if it must be a great track to hear live. You’ll swing to “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”. And if it’s melodic keyboard driven ballads that turn you on, then “Great Surrender” will scratch that itch.

Unpretentious Rock & Roll

My personal favorite here is “Strong Enough”, a great song for smoky bar rooms – and with a chorus that you’ll want to sing along to. The country twang of “Daily Dose” and “Cure Me” make those close seconds.

The lineup—featuring Charlie Morgan on drums, Dean Basil and Peter Dillon on bass, and Paul Umbach on keyboards—sounds tight and focused. Goldberg sticks to what he does best: unpretentious, well-crafted classic rock that delivers those big pop hooks. Overall, it’s more than we realistically could have hoped for after a decade plus hiatus – reliable, tuneful guitar pop that tempts repeated listens. It’s a winner.

Get your CD copy of The Honey Stallions’ Bona Fide at Kool Kat Musik. If it’s digital you want, look no further than their Bandcamp page.