When you name your album Fuck, Marry, Kill there’s an assumption that the contents within will be a continuous rip-roaring affair. In general, that’s exactly what Thelma and the Sleaze delivers on their latest full-length adorned with that eponymous title but we’ve come to expect the unexpected when it comes to anything LG Gilbert is involved with. As such, the latest single from TATS is a surprisingly gentle and introspective number.

Gilbert’s describes “Something I Can Touch” as an ode to what it’s like to “…grow-up poor and stay poor.” It’s a lament for the better life adorned with vulnerable vocals and a saxophone solo that will touch even the most hardened of souls. The video depicts a roller skater finding joy in the act of existing, before LG sets fire to a pile of cash; perhaps insinuating that the simple life ain’t all bad.

Thelma and the Sleaze is known for their raucous live performances and swaggering Southern Rock but, truth be told, Fuck, Marry, Kill contains a number of songs that show the band stretching well beyond that. “Something I Can Touch” is a great example of this and, hopefully, a reminder to give the new album a spin to see just much the band is changing in their delivery.

“Total Abandon” is the A-side to a forthcoming 7-inch to be released by To-Go Records and Cold Lunch Recordings from Heaven Honey. If you didn’t catch the recent Nashville Cream premiere, go check that out for some quality insight into the inspiration and motivation for the track.

Heaven Honey, aka Jordan Gomes-Kuehner, is a name I’ve heard over the past few months as one to keep an ear out for. Being the curious type, I navigated over to their Bandcamp and listened to a batch of demos that had been posted as the latest release. It’s unfortunate those tracks have been removed because they provide a wonderful context for the amount of change that can take place between inception and release. In lieu of that, I invite you to listen back to Head Case, the first EP from Heaven Honey that contains a quality dose of ethereal vocals and tightly wound songs that unfurl over the course of their ~3 minutes – not only for the distinct enjoyment of the songs themselves but to bear witness to the transformation happening with this new track.

The background provided by Gomes-Kuehner in the Cream article cites that Margaret Atwood’s The Robber Bride served as inspiration for the song; specifically an (understandable) expression of frustration with the male gaze and the patriarchal structures women exist in. This driving force seems to have inspired a darker, richer sound for Heaven Honey. The massive wall of guitars mixed with swirling and foreboding keyboards may pique your attention but her vocals and lyrics will demand it. It’s an impressive mixture of frustration and empowerment, all wrapped up in a memorable song.

The 7-inch will be released in April with a pre-order going up in March. Hopefully this is the first of many new releases.