Hunny’s SPIRIT! finds them in a transitional place. The record has the same punky indie-rock sound as their earlier material. Lineup-wise, though, singer-guitarist Jason Yarger has essentially dismissed the rest of the band and is continuing as a solo project under the same name. Despite this, Hunny’s now-former drummer Joey Anderson plays drums on SPIRIT!, while the ex-bassist Kevin Grimmett serves as producer and is credited as co-writer on just over half of the tracks. It feels like this change must have been entirely amicable.
Yarger notes in the press materials that he’s happily married with a child, so he’s mostly writing songs about things other than romantic angst. That is clear in a track like “Spam Calls”, where the chorus is literally Yarger complaining, “I hate these spam calls / I miss my landline,” and name-checking random towns the calls are coming from. Yet the melodies, both in the vocals and guitar, are absolute earworms, and it’s very easy to start singing along to “Bridgeport, Connecticut / Twin Falls in Idaho”.
That is how it goes on SPIRIT! Yarger’s songs are short and punchy, yet also incredibly catchy. He’s a fan of noisy guitars and drums, but an even bigger fan of musical hooks. “Sidewaze” has moments of chaotic punkiness, yet the chorus, “You’re driving me sidewaze / You’re texting me wrong directions”, is the thing that gets the repetition and focus in the song. “POV Ur Dead and I’m Checking My Hair in Ur Sunglasses” changes up this basic style by using disco-style rhythm guitar and drums. Yarger is joined in the shouty chorus by female backing vocalists, where they all yell, “POV you’re G-O-N-E!”
“POV” is the second track, and the backing vocals are something of a holdover from the opener, “Title Track”. It begins the record with shouting, as cheerleader-esque voices encourage, “We got spirit / Yes we do!”, before Yarger comes in as the lead vocalist. A strong, buzzing guitar riff drives this song. Under the guitar, though, Hunny supports the riff using a melodic synth.
While loud guitars are generally Yarger’s instrument of choice, those synths show up periodically in essential roles throughout SPIRIT! “Tired of U” features chirpy, modular synths in its chorus, giving the song a sound highly reminiscent of the Rentals‘ first album from the mid-1990s. The mid-tempo “Somebody Else” essentially functions as a ballad, with Yarger singing in a sweeter-than-usual tone and somewhat burying his vocals under the drums and synth melody. “Catalina” combines the guitars and synths in the chorus, creating a big wave of catchy noise. He then drops both out for the verses, using just bass and drums under his voice. It’s a very effective contrast.
Even on the songs that aren’t using clever arrangement choices, Yarger’s knack for big hooks makes basically everything a catchy earworm. “Horse w/Curse” features a main guitar riff so good that he ends up singing along to it with “Do do do’s”. “Xing Guard” is one of the few concessions to a love song, with a quiet piano section and significant noisy sections. Yet the chorus is an awkward metaphor that could also be taken at face value: “Crossing guard / Do you wanna let me cross or not / ‘Cause it’s confusing me.”
“Waterfalls” again doubles the hook in guitar and keyboard. It also incorporates arrangement tricks, employing both an acoustic guitar and programmed high-speed synth lines in the final verse. “Paintball” closes out the album with some of SPIRIT!‘s most pointed lyrics. A slower tempo and chunky guitar set the scene, and the pre-chorus hits pretty hard: “If we can’t be honest without electronics / We can’t be honest at all.” Yarger’s vocal tone is subdued and sad here, and it’s very effective. Of course, there’s also a big, loud chorus to follow, but that’s par for the course for Hunny.
SPIRIT! is instantly fun, but with its somewhat silly tone and short songs (most under two minutes and 30 seconds), it may feel a bit slight at first. Give it a few spins, though, and Yarger’s knack for hooks starts to reveal itself. This isn’t just fun and catchy, it’s also sneakily well-written. Sometimes it’s more challenging to be a little silly but still be this good. Hunny deserve those extra listens to let Jason Yarger’s hooks fully sink in.
.png)
