Honeybees, The
Hive Jive
El Toro Records (2007)
Stars rating given by author:      
Possible Styles: rock'n'roll, rockabilly, jump'n blues
Submitted by: kitti.
Publication date - 07-02-09
Copyrights: Rockabilly Bash


Are you a bit tired of this energetic sound and tearing up voices? Do you need some warm and cosy feeling which only a woman can bring in rockabilly music? Then I have here something for you. The Honeybees with their last album “Hive Jive” will surround you with a special “honey” sound and dip you in their thrilling world. The cd contains 14 tracks, most of them are self penned by two girl vocalists Barbara Clifford (one of the founders of the band) and Rachel Decker.

Their voices are not the same, some of you gonna like more soft singing of Barbara and maybe somebody else will prefer something stronger like voice of Rachel, but personally me, I enjoy their combination. Then it sounds ideal and very pleasant for ears. While listening to the cd you will discover one more person who is also playing “frontman” besides those two mentioned above girls. Here she is – another original band member – Theresa Drda, the drummer. She is opening the songs, she is participating vigirously in them and quite often she is making the endings.

Without any doubts, even without singing a word, I would call her the third lead vocalist. The rest members of the band, to make it equal, are three guys. As it happens in life the men are beside the girls to give them support and opportunity to shine. Hiding in the back they make the base. Michael Hogeorges (bass guitar and husband of Theresa), Manny Guevara (electric and acoustic guitars) and Mark Braun (baritone, electric and steel guitars) are those three heros, who make the sound full.

Running through the songs, I would like to mention some of them. My favourites, Sweet Sweet Baby (where steady rockin’ beat gives a great opportunity to enjoy the special playing of two voices); Drama is a beautiful slow composition with a special effect to make your heart beat faster (not because that electric sound that somehow becomes here more obvious than in other songs, but probably because of lovely lyrics and special feelings in voices to make those words really alive); I Was Your Dream (very good rhythm, smooth sound and tender touch of steel guitar makes this song brilliant and in my opinion, the best on this cd.

Also another funny thing, this sad story brings a smile on your lips… and I have not any clue why… probably it's a magic); What a Bee – should be the Honeybees hymn… it sums up everything and everybody, which makes it “big” and buzzy, but also a bit noisy. Bonus track is also worth mentioning. Here the girls are backing up the singer and guitar player Shawn Koch in a song “Good Times Here, Better Down The Road” (performed in a-la Stray Cats style).

Well, anyone can like or dislike something on this cd, but the final opinion will always be positive. And yes, those girls have proved one fact – even staying sweet you can sound rockin’.
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The Honeybees/Hive Jive

El Toro ETCD 7021

                            The Honeybees

Chicago's Honeybees posses a highly recognizable sound and style, making them stand out in the Rockabilly scene. Driven by the vocal harmonies of front women Barbara Clifford and Rachel Decker the six-piece combo combines classic rockabilly sound with other roots music elements. The fine opener, one of many Barbara Clifford originals, "Sweet Sweet Baby" is one of the highlights of this 14 track CD produced by Austin's Billy Horton. Many songs rock and roll, some with sizzling bluesy guitar riffs like "Cheat", others swing in a sweet fashion like "Do I Dare" with Doo Wop style vocal harmonies accentuated by drummer Theresa Drda switching to brushes on this tune. Their vocal style on "Headstrong" in particular reminds me of the Everly Brothers. There is an early 60s feel to several songs like the original ballad "Drama". "I Was Your Dream" features prominent steel guitar by guitarist Mark Braun in a galloping Western Swing style, great! "Long Distance" is a cool rocker with twangy guitar and the catchy "One Bad Habit" (written by Ken Mottet) is another winner. "Star Above" has a vintage Hawaiian flair with a rumba beat while "What A Bee" rocks Hillbilly style. There's a toe-tappin' Western Swing style hidden track too, with vocals by guest musician/writer Shawn Koch. rachel and in particular eye-catching Barbara are really fine singers, the band is solid. Fans of vocal harmonies and Rockabilly roots music, add HIVE JIVE to your collection! Eltororecords.com


-GMB

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The Honeybees/"Around Here" Band Reviews May Issue 2005

The Honeybees
Allright, I wont bother you with a long introduction, you've got plenty to read below with Rachel and (especially) Barbara, singers of the Honeybees. Let me just tell you this girls can sing. They'll have a new album very soon on Spanish label El Toro. As if it wasn't enough, both of them sing in the great Rhythm'n'blues band The Wuannabees (you'll find some of their recordings on the "Lake Rattle And Roll" compilation album and it seems there's an album in the pipeline). Barbara even finds time to team with Mars Attacks to perform a Johnny Cash / June Carter tribute. And what does she do when she has spare time? She sings backing vocals in The Vincent Black Shadows. She even finds time to answer interviews... This is the digest version, now read the details below, don't hesitate you're in good company with this two lovely girls.

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If you would like to read the full article, go to

http://www.jumpingfrom6to6.com/itv_honeybees.htm

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-- by Fred "Virgil" Turgis

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The Bee Sides CD Review by Shaun Young
(High Noon, Thunderchiefs)

The Bee Sides
The Bee Sides
Folks you know I dig great hillbilly harmony singing. I'm a sucker for it, The Everlys, The Louvins, The Delmors. And when the Gals get involved It really sends me. The Carter sisters, The Davis sisters etc.. Well up step the Honey Bees and I'm on cloud nine! Barb and Rachel aren't sisters (then neither were the Davis's) But their sweet (bad pun intended) voices blend like they should be! I love the vocal interplay on "Seeing Green"! Just Great! This along with Theresa's swinging drumming put the Honey Bees on the fore front of this great tradition!

-- Shaun Young January 2006

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The Honeybees/"Around Here" Band Reviews May Issue 2005

The Honeybees
Local twang merchants The Honeybees throw down a way-gone rockabilly sound on their debut, The Bee Sides. Their trademark is the harmony vocal sound of singers Barb Clifford and Rachel Decker, which is something not often encountered in this genre. The rest of the band has a great feel for this kind of music and helps to make The Honeybees one of the more interesting roots acts in town. (Contact www.rockabilly.net/honeybees.)

-- Mike O'Cull

 

The Honeybees/"The Bee Sides" #69 Winter 2004/2005

The Honeybees
Blue Suede News
The Honeybees hail from Chicago and are fronted by lovely vocalists Barb Clifford and Rachel Decker, a talented team and very much fun to watch. You just have the feeling they are the sweetest gals ever and have the time of their lives on stage. That feeling persists throughout the CD - it's a serious mood lifter. Five of the twelve songs are cover version but none are just copies, in fact they hardly ever bring the originals to mind (with the exception of the Elvis' "Just Because" version maybe). Their approaches are different with great harmonies and duet approaches on others. "Hip Shakin' Baby" still rocks, the R&B "Teardrops From My Eyes" swings nicely. The other four Bees provide superb backing, occasionally helping out Barb Clifford with the song writing, too. The opener "Sugar & Spice" is a driving Rocker with Blues-tinted guitar work, "Cherries Jubilee" is a swingin' Rockabilly, "Little Jonah" a lively Swing-Rocker, "A Fool Like You" a beautiful Western Swing with fine steel guitar and again great vocal harmonies. Think 40's and 50's acts like The Miller Sisters or even the Andrew Sisters or Holland's Ranch Girls. Another highlight is Jimmy & Johnny's number "I Aint Worried About Tomorrow" with it's Caribbean flavor and the unlisted all a capella version of "Got You On My Mind" is a welcome addition, too. Check out the Honeybees live or treat yourself to this CD.

-GBM (Gabby Maag-Bristol)

 

16th Annual Shake The Shack Rockabilly Ball in Seattle, Sept. 25-27th, 2003 #65 Winter 2003

The Honeybees
This year the festival was off to an early start on Thursday night with an all female line-up. ........The Honeybees from Chicago made their debut here next, fronted by two lovely girls (and backed by one fabulous female drummer and a male crew) they rocked and rolled and delivered great harmonies to boot with a repertoire spanning from 50s R&B and R&R to hillbilly boogie and vocal group sound.100% Fun to watch and listen to.

-GBM (Gabby Maag-Bristol)

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The Honeybees/6 song Demo-CD #60 Fall 2002

The Honeybees
The 5-Piece band has three lovely girl singers. It starts with a fine version of "Hip Shakin' Baby", followed by a hillbilly rocker with nice vocal harmonies a la Ranch Girls. "She Ain't No Good For You" rocks in a honky tonk style and "I"m On A Gas" is a furious guitar rocker. They transform the R&B rocker "Teardrops from My Eyes" into a swinging Andrew Sisters like number. This CD is an excellent introduction to the Honeybees, a sweet appetizer for a full length album.

-GBM (Gabby Maag-Bristol)

 

 

The Honeybees - Sweet As Honey - 12/23/99

The Honeybees
The Honeybees
As the calendar turns to the new millennium, music took a wistful glance to the past on Saturday night at the Filter Inn when Chicago's Honeybees took the stage. Mixing rockabilly, country, swing, hillbilly and jump blues, the band transformed the jaded 1990s rock scene into a hoedown highlighting covers by such trailblazers as Patsy Cline, Roy Brown, and the collins Kids as well as modern roots rockers such as the Derailers.

Lead vocalists Barb Clifford and Lisa Frye's different styles contrast well for the most part: Clifford's is crisp and piercing; Frye's is rich and mellow. In "Crazy Arms", Frye provided the meat of the vocals and Clifford backer her with high harmonies.

Drummer Theresa Drda, rhythm guitarist Mark Linday, lead guitarist Todd Longfellow and stand-up bassist Phil Rainey took a back seat to the singers, keeping the decibels low. The Honeybees plan to record within the next year after they work on more original songs.

Look for the Honeybees over the next few months. If you enjoy roots music and want to practice your swing and jitterbug moves on the dance floor, this band won't disappoint.

-Sara Filzen - Shepherd-Express Milwaukee, WI.

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New City - 10/06/99

This Chicago band, particularly the lead singer, is somewhere between Ruth Brown and Patsy Cline on the roots-music spectrum. Their choice of cover versions represents this dichotomy, which run all the way from "Hip Shakin' Baby" (Roy Brown's vintage masterpiece of black rockabilly) to "Jackpot" (a recent, rocking honky-tonk number by the Derailers).

The band defines rockabilly more in the slightly cleaner Buddy Holly-Eddie Cochran vein, rather than the hellfire Charlie Feathers way. Some modern-day rockabilly bands, particularly those with female vocalists, play up the cuteness factor more than they need. That's what sunk Kim Lenz's first album (her new one is light-years better),but the Honeybees were smart enough to avoid this problem from the gitgo.

Their music is truly where rockabilly/country and R&B collide, with reverbed guitar on top of a boppin' rhythm section. They haven't played quite as often in recent months, but hopefully the slowdown is only temporary. Leave those musty poodle skirts in the closet-The Honeybees play the music right, without the kitsch factor.

-- James Porter, New City Chicago.

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