The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.

In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Shayne Reed of Almost Honest (New Cumberland, Pennsylvania)

—

How have you been you dealing with this crisis as a band? As an individual? What effect has it had on your plans or creative processes?

As a band we have been taking the time to learn new skills. Some of us having been learning new scales, how to play banjo and overall just improve ourselves musically. For me personally I have been reading a lot which I hope will give me inspiration for lyrics. I have also been practicing my vocals and messing with different pedal combinations. Our plans have all been cancelled just like everyone else. We had a New England/Canada tour get cancelled along with our June tour. We were also supposed to start recording our new album in March. I will say that this has given us more time to work on the songs we were going to record. I think that once we are able to finally get back into the studio they will be the best they can be.

How do you feel about the public response to the outbreak where you are? From the government response to the people around you, what have you seen and heard from others?

At first I think in our area they were handling it very well. Even though we had to keep apart I felt like there was a unity and people knew what they had to do for the betterment of others. Now I feel like people are sick of being inside so in my area you have seen a lot of defiance and I fear that it will only get worse. At the time writing this we are still on full lockdown until June 4th. I’ve started seeing more and more people go out without a mask. Where I am that is required. It is going to be very interesting to see how people around here start reacting by June.

What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?

They have responded with compassion and hard work. People have been collaborating on music, buying merch, doing live streams, offering free services, and so much more. I don’t know what the future holds for the music industry or live concerts but I at least know that I will be surrounded by great people. I personally am ok. I have been working from home and spending more time with my family. It has been very hard to get inspired during this time but I have been reading a lot of books and hiking which is helping.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything? What is your new normal? What have you learned from this experience, about yourself, your band, or anything?

I am lucky enough to be in a band with people I can call my best friends. They are both hard working and I know that this time off is only going to improve the album we are going to record. I don’t think anyone in this band is used to there new normal but it does make us appreciate what we had and we are itching to get back on the road. We don’t want to rush it because we want to be responsible but as soon as it is safe to do so we are taking our van, hitting the pavement and playing our favorite cities. This has been a journey and though unfortunately I think it is far from over I have learned a lot. I am very lucky to be in the band I am in. I am also lucky to have the fans we have. People are still streaming our music through all of this and have continued to throw their support behind us. There is nothing more humbling than people supporting your music. We will all get through this together and once it is safe to do so we will see you on the road.

https://www.almosthonestofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AlmostHonestOfficial/
https://www.instagram.com/almost_honest_pa/
https://almosthonestpa.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/65vNU7jxsZhy5B2W57cA6O
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuSry0azmLaXA8uyiwYQs7w

New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, trio Almost Honest release their sophomore full-length, Seiches and Sirens, through Electric Talon Records on March 22. There’s riffs and shenanigans a-plenty on the 10-track/45-minute album, and from the sharp-edged opening gallop and chug of “Fools Gold Flesh,” they toast elements of heavy rock, progressive metal, and the odd bit of thrash for a blend they call “groovy sexy Viking funk doom rock.” The cumbersome genre designation could be taken for what it is, but it’s also emblematic of the tongue-in-cheek vibe that a lot of Seiches and Sirens — which was produced by Gary Conahan at Dynamo Audio in Lancaster — carries across in songs like “Interstellar Executive” or “Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus,” or “Call of the Mothman.” And the self-awareness extends as well to their imprint, Electric Talon Records, as some of their fuzz could easily be traced to a Valley of the Sun influence. These are all catchy, mostly uptempo heavy rockers reminding a bit of some of what Howling Giant or Bloodcow bring to bear in terms of nerd-meets-riffs sensibility in storytelling. Helping distinguish Almost Honest — even their choice of Megadeth songs to name themselves after kind of forces one to ask if they’re serious — from that set are the triad vocals of guitarist Shayne Reed, bassist Seth Jackson and drummer Quinten Spangler, who fluidly split off during verses and effectively make use of trades like that in “Fools Gold Flesh” or “Stonecutter,” where the melodic singing gives way to almost Scissorfight-style narration.

I’m honestly not sure where the “Viking” part comes in, but as Reed, Jackson and Spangler careen and crash through songs like “Whale Bones” and the penultimate “Wiwadvhv” — for which I’d love to see a lyric sheet — Seiches and Sirens derives an all-the-more varied identity from its shifts in vocals, and much like New Cumberland itself is situated west of Philadelphia and still a good distance east of Pittsburgh, so too do Almost Honest‘s brand of heavy draw aspects of punk and metal and rock into its fray. “Jenny Greenteeth” is the longest inclusion on the album at 6:43, and it gives over to militaristic snare near the halfway point only to embark on a particularly engaging and plus-sized bounce riff in an instrumental section that in turn ends up back in the chorus with keyboard accompaniment. One could call that a show of craft and structure, but by the time they’re that deep into the tracklisting, Almost Honest have long since demonstrated their mettle in that regard, and whether it’s the early Giraffes-style swagger of “Keystone” or the sheer WTF-ery of “Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus,” their gleeful weirdness never comes at the expense of songwriting. You’ll pardon me if I avoid the “some of these songs are goofy as hell but the band is serious” cliché, but in the balance between the two sides, it’s character put to use in making songs and not the other way around.

“Stonecutter,” which you can hear premiering below, emphasizes that well. Bursting to life from an opening gong hit, the track makes good use of its vocal variety, with a melody following the guitar in the chorus and lines spoken both by the title character and the spirit itself he’s speaking to, while holding itself together instrumentally and building momentum toward a faster payoff later. It’s immediately catchy, and so represents Seiches and Sirens well in that regard, and also shows off the personality very much at play throughout the entire record. Good fun.

Almost Honest will be touring weekender-style throughout the Spring after the arrival of Seiches and Sirens on March 22. You’ll find those dates, as well as some comment from the band about “Stonecutter,” beneath the player that follows.

Please enjoy:

Almost Honest on “Stonecutter”:

“The song was inspired by a Japanese folktale about a stonecutter who was tired of living an average life. What is different in our version however is that it features a funky doom-ridden twist on the tale. I love the groovy jams, angry spirits, and a chorus that you can sing along to as you work. They don’t call us a groovy sexy Viking funk doom rock band for nothing.” — Quinten Spangler

“I enjoy the fact that we have all been assigned different characters or roles during the song. Quinten is the mountain spirit, Seth is the narrator, and I am the stonecutter. Doing this makes the song feel alive and it gives it more story. I also like to refer to it as Almost Honest the musical. Hit us up Broadway.” — Shayne Reed

Seiches and Sirens by Almost Honest is officially released on 22nd March 2019 through Electric Talon Records.

Pre-order the album here – https://almosthonestpa.bandcamp.com

Almost Honest live:
Mar 22 JB Lovedraft’s Harrisburg, PA
Mar 23 The Pinch Washington, DC
Mar 30 Black Forge Coffee Pittsburgh, PA
Mar 31 123 Pleasant Street Morgantown, WV
Apr 13 Gold Sounds Bar Brooklyn, NY
Apr 26 Cherry Street Station Wallingford, CT
Apr 27 13th Floor Music Lounge Florence, MA
May 17 Westside Bowl Youngstown, OH
May 18 Rosen Krown Rochester, NY

Almost Honest are:
Shayne Reed – Guitar/Vocals
Seth Jackson – Bass/Vocals
Quinten Spangler – Percussion/Vocals

Almost Honest on Facebook

Almost Honest on Instagram

Almost Honest on Twitter

Almost Honest on Bandcamp

Almost Honest website