Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies – Honesty Box

Now here’s nice surprise! This unassuming CD, its plain white sleeve with four people pictured on it, turns out to be one the best things I’ve heard this year!

I was expecting something rather quite Folk or quite Celtic, but Honesty Box is neither. It’s a bit of both, but it goes a lot further than that. At times it reminds me a lot of old Chris De Burgh material. The best of De Burgh, that is.

Definitely amazing songwriting, but the CD also showcases a very good bunch of musicians. Never going overboard or being too technical, they just do what they do incredibly well with great results.

This album is quite different from what I usually listen to, but I know I’ll be listening to it a lot in years to come. Although it may look plain, it isn’t. It picks you up and keeps you wanting to listen over and over again. I’m hooked; it’s that simple. But not hooked by catchy, simple, ultra-commercial songs; hooked by great music!