Bacchanalia Magazine

by Reb Jordin

HUNNY BUZZ, a Bristol based indie band, recently released their debut EP ‘Welcome to Our Garden’ on May 2nd to the excitement of their ever-growing fanbase.

The EP begins with the electric single ‘Love Me Like You Used To’ which paints the heartbreaking picture of realisingyour person is falling out of love, so you are living in desperation for the light they used to bestow upon you. A shredding guitar and pounding drums accompany the gut-wrenching lyrics, ‘wish you would love me like I’m brand new’ which present the longing to go back to the days of newfound love and excitement before your relationship began dying before your eyes whilst nobody else seemed to recognise that it was burning out. Although the lyrics are fuelled with sadness and loss the single is upbeat and irresistible so listeners can’t help but move to the music.

Listeners are soon graced by the single ‘Girlfriend in the band’ which is driven by a relentless drumbeat. This single is perfect for the girls who are sick of living in the shadow of a man even if that man is someone they love. This song is also perfect for the girls who read Daisy Jones and The Six and related wholeheartedly to Karen. ‘Girlfriend in the band’ shines a beacon of girl power, guiding listeners away from the corrupt idea that women are nothing but the man they’re with. Front woman Lyd Read breaks through the glass ceiling with the lyrics, ‘and oh God, I hope I never lose you but please just let me say I don’t wanna be the girlfriend in the band.’ This moment portrays how women are wild and talented, but history constantly fails to remember their names and how their skills contributed to the world. Instead, they just factor women in with the man they love and say they hid behind him until they become a rockstar girlfriend rather then the rockstar, HUNNY BUZZ urges listeners to not let this male-dominated society shape you into a groupie when you are clearly meant to be the star.

Next listeners are introduced to the beautifully bitter world of ‘Not Your Place’ a single which uses heartbreaking lyrics with a playful delivery to explore a relationship not working out. The upbeat song with its pelting drums and killer electric guitar unfolds into the lyrics, ‘and I hope that you think about her, think about her the way you thought about me.’ This moment conveys how their ex-partner had a lot of love to give but the love affair didn’t work out so they hope he can give that love to another. They don’t need him or the toxicity of his life and the people that live in it, so they wished him the best and got out of the relationship.

The EP then calms into the serious subject matter of mental health through the song ‘Palpitations’ which delves into living with an all-consuming mental health disorder like anxiety. Although listeners are faced with an important and sombre theme, ‘palpitations’ opens with a satisfying guitar riff and only continuous to grow as if mimicking the building up of a panic attack. Lyd Read sings the standout lyrics, ‘I don’t wanna die’ accompanied by delicate harmonies to create a truly gut-wrenching moment which allows listeners to reflect on their own battle with mental health issues.

‘Welcome to Our Garden’ picks up again in a cacophony of light-hearted, danceable music through the song ‘Short Black Skirt’. This song spins the tale of a newfound love and the night these two lovers met but is also laced with the terror ofthem losing each other. ‘Short Black Skirt’ is sure to fill listeners with serotonin through the lyrics, ‘everything’s ok it’s like I always knew your face’ which convey a love so true that they don’t know how there was a time where it didn’t yet exist. 

The EP ends with the single ‘Now I can get over you’, a song which presents the relief that comes with recognising that you were never meant to be each other’s person so you can move on and find the right person whilst old wounds heal. The single begins more low-key than the other songs on the EPrefreshing the listener with a slightly different sound before exploding into the electric sound HUNNY BUZZ does best. The lyrics, ‘now maybe I won’t see you in every boy in the club’ present being free from the ghost of a past relationship that has been haunting you as you have gotten the closure your younger self desperately craved. ‘Now I can get over you’ ends the EP on a high note filling listeners with a sense of euphoric catharsis. 

So go and give ‘Welcome to Our Garden’ a listen now and enjoy the whirlwind journey of growing up through love and heartbreak to controlling anxiety and being sure of yourself and the talent you possess. HUNNY BUZZ truly empowers listeners to be their true selves and reminisce on their own stories. Also be sure to check out HUNNY BUZZ at one of their upcoming gigs to experience their talent live.