Heartbreak and Honey

The alt-country duo HoneyHoney may seem like a basic pair of guitar-wieldin’ country youngins, but after a decade of jamming together, the two have cultivated a dark dynamic that keeps you hooked on their gritty yet graceful sound. 

Suzanne Santo (vocals, guitar, fiddle, banjo) consistently sets a classic scene of whiskey, heartbreak and unlucky lovers with her lyrics. Her voice sways between sultry and callous, while she carries her hell-raising ways with swagger. 

HoneyHoney’s other half, Ben Jaffe (vocals, guitar, piano and percussion), chimes in alongside Santo with more subtle and velvety vocals. He’s the sidekick providing necessary balance to Santo’s scheming ways, creating a powerful back-and-forth energy between their sounds. 

The duo met in the early 2000s when Santo was building an acting resume and Jaffe was recording music for television. Their combined pasts in the entertainment industry clearly show in their quirky creativity. The “Angel of Death” video showcases Santo’s praying-mantis appeal to past lovers: She woos, gets her own and introduces them to an untimely fate — in some cases, via machete (amen to that, honey).

Since the June 2015 release of their fourth album, 3, HoneyHoney has steadily picked up momentum. According to their band blog, Roadloaf, they haven’t met with this much excitement and support from fans since their humble beginnings in a beat-up tour van.

Check out their performance 9 pm Sunday, Oct. 23, at Sam Bond’s Garage; $10.