Stonehoney

Stonehoney

With its lush, four-part harmonies and layers of ringing guitars, Stonehoney sounds like 1974. The locals' country rock would fit nicely next to radio staples of the time like Poco, Firefall, and especially the Eagles. Not many acts today capture that sound with Stonehoney's accuracy, and, to a certain degree, that's commendable. The former California quartet's downfall comes through its collective songwriting chops. Spread among Shawn Davis, Phil Hurley, David Phenicie, and Nick Randolph, not one of them seems to have experienced anything deeper than "She's everything I've ever dreamed" as they intone on lullaby "Little Angel." Such lyrical clichés are piled high throughout The Cedar Creek Sessions. With no attempt to break beyond the formula of heart songs and a little hard livin', pretty harmonies and tasteful guitar solos can only take them so far.