It’s not death, black, doom, sludge, metalcore, or thrash; it’s just blues-informed, stoner-tinged, ass whippin’ hard rock, so move on over to the side if you’re a metal-only type of guy (or gal). In fact, “Super Texas Boogie” is how Honky describes itself and most folks would be hard pressed to come up with a better one, based on the 110-degree Lone Star hotness of 421.  If you like your guitars smokin’ and your boogie ballsy, then you best pay attention.

Honky injects 421 with loads of big guitar firepower and lathers much of it with some fierce blues chops. Opener “WFO” (as in “Wide Fuckin’ Open”) is the album’s blistering pedal-to-the-metal highlight and one of a few examples that reminds of the raucousness of bands like Lecherous Gaze. It also happens to be most demonstrative of Honky’s lead guitar prowess; in this case highlighted by dueling channel-to-channel soloing. Fuzzed out stonerisms and a rhythm section that features fat, pulsating bass and tempo-commanding drums give 421 its oomph, as exemplified by the aforementioned “WFO,” as well as “Just a Man,” “Handful of Nails,” “Riddle Cap,” “Erson,” the bumpin’ Clutch-esque “Walton County” (inclusive of a thunderous bass/drum break), and the bluesy rock steadiness of “Woke up Dead.”

Variety is the spice of life though, and on 421 Honky drives that point home. The sleazy, flame engulfed blues of “Over Easy” is one example, as is “All for Nothin,’” which offers more than a hint of potential commercial appeal in the form of a straight ahead rock number that wouldn’t be out of a place on a Brand New Sin record. Along similar lines, “Black Joe’s Bitch” could be a rock radio gem, assuming that a chorus of “Bitch, you know I love you” wouldn’t ruffle any corporate feathers. Finally, a little slide guitar goes a long way on mid-tempo instrumental “4:21.”

Given all of the above, few would be shocked to know that 421 was recorded at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio. Even fewer would find it surprising that Honky runs hotter than a two-peckered goat and that 421 is highly recommended for fans that just can’t enough of the loud, the righteous, and the boogieing.

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