Violet Bell

Honey In My Heart

Rainbow Woman, 2019

8/10

Listen to Honey In My Heart

A North Carolina duo with a penchant for folk ideas, Lizzy Ross and Omar Ruiz-Lopez make use of every second on this debut album where their song craft resonates with a timeless, intimate delivery.

The title track gets the album off to a warm start with soft, expressive vocals from Ross, as the agile, acoustic instrumentation unfolds with sparse beauty, and “Elephant Heart”, with Shana Tucker and Rissi Palmer, follows with gorgeous Americana sounds and strategic horns.

In the middle, “Smoke In The Night” brings Carter Minor in for a harmonica friendly and rich delivery of gentle singing, while “Howl” offers some pop influences amid the lush song craft.

Near the end, “Juliana” picks up the pace on a rural rocker packed with fiddle fun, and “Mountain Song” continues their back to basics approach with dual gender vocals and strategic flute. “Path You’ve Never Seen” ends the listen with ambience and some of the vocal work from Ross, as the listen exits with a stirring highlight.

A record cut live in single takes, there’s an impressive spontaneity here as the pair illustrate a chemistry where rhythm and grooves are present across influences that embrace jazz and blues, too. An excellent first album, this is an outfit to keep tabs on.

Travels well with: Blue Yonder- Rough And Ready Heart; Bill Bloomer- Bounty