Wet Hot Honest Summer: Things Heating Up for OHR

Summer in New England this year has certainly been one thing, wet. Well, over here at OHR HQ we’ve been dipping, ducking, diving, and dodging the raindrops to bring you some of the best new music out there! Our artists are continuously adding to our ever growing label catalog, but the last few weeks have been incredible! Now, we’re giving you the inside scoop on what we’ve been up to.

Kicking off Summer with a bang!

The wild run we’ve been really started at the end of May. This is thanks to a couple of killer singles, the first of which is from big riff rockers Recent History. Long Road Home dropped on 5.25 following up their previous single What I Need. The track kicks off with some signature RH guitar riff-age. The drums soon join with serious determination and then things blast off! This is new age, modern arena rock that mixes elements of the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s. This takes everything in a full sounding, somewhat mysterious direction. Long Road Home rocks, grooves, grows, and evolves; it’s got what rockers crave!

Only six days later, on 5.31, Haunting Titans released their follow up to Care For You, a new single called Opium. This one marks a gritty and experimental chapter in their history. The song takes the listener through several different areas within the HT sonic universe. From a defiant start the song swells into guttural rage before blasting off into space. After the journey, your power pop/new wave/punk rock trip sitters tuck you in with a gentle goodbye. It’s a raw and rockin’ masterclass on dynamics in songwriting.

Keeping it going into July!

Jonah Siegel, one of the newest members of our roster kept things flowing with the release of Tease of 6.11. This catchy, authentic, and unapologetic single served as the lead off for the corresponding album, So Kind! This full length album was released on 6.30 and is perfectly suited for those interested in gentle, honest songwriting of the indie persuasion. The songs are teeming with beautiful harmonies and guitar that’s just shy of twang or jangle, but smart and well played. Fans of Elliot Smith, Iron and Wine, Joshua Radin, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, and even Modest Mouse would find value in these recordings.

As we entered July, we encountered perhaps the biggest genre shifting surprise yet. Our own folk warrior, Lisa Lawrence, known for her powerful and exquisite voice and strumming an acoustic guitar, released a …pop single?! Lisa has self recorded her last few releases and that time spent in the producer’s chair has found Lisa taking chances, and trying different approaches. Man, did it pay off! Summer I’m Doing Better Than You is more than your typical pop love gone wrong song. It’s sleek and chic, yet playful and with a air of darkness that is just shy of sinister. Long time fans will be glad to know that Lisa’s signature vocal harmonies make up a big part of the song’s mojo.

This brings us to our latest OHR release, Derek Smith‘s Obscura. The album dropped on 7.12, but we got our first taste a month earlier when Smith put out the lead off single, Everyday. This album delves deeper into the sonic territory that Derek has been developing over the last few years. His sound is tough to nail down exactly, but draws influence from 60’s/70’s singer-songwriters, yacht rock, prog, and alternative sounds. Somehow Smith manages to be honest, mysterious, raw, lush, casual, and intimate all at once. It’s mellow, catchy, and hypnotic.

Still to come!!

Oak Honest Records is one of New England’s fastest growing labels! After listening to the material above, it’s easy to see why. Now, we’re only just entering the second half of the year. You can rest assured that we have more developments in the works. More info on those will arrive shortly. Until then, get your listening ears on, and be sure to get out and support your local music scene