New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Finding the sweet spot in the nexus formed by Patti Smith's loose-limbed punk swagger,
Grace Slick's inviting psychedelia, and the throaty blues-belting of a Janis Joplin, not to mention the full-throated howl of a
Grace Potter or Brittany Howard, Vakili Band have launched the pre-order for the upcoming album, Honey, with the new single, "To the Park."
The fiery five-piece rock band is fronted by Lily Vakili, a savvy street poet who also produced the forthcoming album.
Honey exemplifies the collaborative bacchanalia of lead guitarist Ben St. Jack, harmonica player extraordinaire Joel Dorow, and the four-on-the-floor rhythm section of bassist Matt Jovanis and drummer
Gordon Kuba.
Vakili explains that "To The Park" was written to combat the claustrophobia of the pandemic. "Back then, the smallest gestures of friendship - just hanging out together - were out of reach," she elaborates. "Walking one morning into an abandoned park, I was overcome with sadness, and the only thing I wanted was the company of friends. The first half of the song is all about that long loneliness. The second half of the song breaks free, and sets stakes to freedom and love, in the car, in the park - let's go!"
The driving goal of this album was to capture the electric feel and sound of the band's live performances, accomplished by recording everyone in the same room other than Kuba, who sat in a glass-doored isolation booth visible to the rest of the band. "We set the bar for ourselves. It's what I've worked for these last 10 years and the direction I wanted to go in," Vakili, who also sat in on the mastering sessions at Sterling Sound with the renowned Greg Calbi, states. "We're taking responsibility for our sound and not leaving it to anyone else."
Honey is the sweet result of all that time in the hive for Vakili Band. On
September 8th, it's time to share that buzz with the rest of us.
