Holly Serio Music – Honeysuckle Valley

Holly Serio Music – Honeysuckle Valley – Album Review

Ohhh boy…here we go…brace yourselves – I’m about to become the unpopular opinion in the room, as usual.  Let’s muddy the waters first though – I’ll be entirely upfront about how I feel about this new record by Holly Serio Music and tell ya that I think she’s got a great album here.  What a jerk I am, right?

It’s just not necessarily a children’s album, as it’s intended to be, that’s all.

Ha!  Shots fired!  Take that kids section!  Let the controversy begin!

Look.  Y’all know me – I just call things like I hear’em, that’s it, that’s all.  If this is a kid’s album, then perhaps I’m still a kid, just at age forty-three.  Is that such a bad thing?  I guess my point is – where do we draw the line?  What’s a kid anyhow?  Is there any reason to label a record like Honeysuckle Valley a children’s album?  If so, then what stops 50% of the rest of what’s out there from doing the same?  How young is the target market supposed to be?  Are adults supposed to feel guilty about enjoying these songs if they do?  I don’t have kids myself – let me be clear about that – but yeah…this seems advanced for below say like, eight years old, and above that, I mean, they might have already decided they like Metallica or Lil Wayne by then.  Holly Serio Music is demonstrating better values & I certainly appreciate that – but why that would need to necessarily labelled for the kids and not everyone is truly beyond me.

I guess my point is that half the adults I’ve encountered in life would benefit by listening to what Holly is singing about on Honeysuckle Valley, and given that the music sounds more geared towards adults than it does kids…I’m just saying – pigeonholing the potential of where this album could end up seems weird.  I’m a music critic – I naturally listening to everything because that’s what I do.  But when you’re calling an album a kid’s record, unless you’re a parent that is being subjected to the endless repeat of plays that music and shows tend to get, you’ve probably cut off a whole bunch of potential listeners out there.  If pointing all this out makes me the villain, so be it y’all – I’m simply saying Holly’s music would appeal to a whole lot more than any one demographic would be able to lay claim to.  There are a couple of tracks on Honeysuckle Valley that I suppose I could argue would appeal strictly to children, but not THAT many – the majority of the tracks on this record have a much broader, all-ages sound & songwriting to them.  Like, let’s take the opening track for example – you’re going to tell me that “Honeysuckle Valley” is built for only those haven’t graduated from elementary school yet?  Then WHY do I like it so much?  Don’t get me wrong – I get it, I get it – Holly Serio Music is looking to provide an alternative to the traditionally over-the-top tunes that pander to children – I promise you, I understand that – but isn’t that ALL other music to a degree?  What separates Honeysuckle Valley from a lot of what’s out there simply comes down to the values it’s promoting and the positivity it projects – but if we’re talkin’ about sound itself, I gotta stand on the soapbox I’ve hopped on already and tell ya that she’s rockin’ with a vibe more suited for an older audience.  I might not have kids myself, but I am a proud uncle…and I’m having a hard time imagining that my young nieces would have the attention span for what Holly Serio Music is creating on a track like “Honeysuckle Valley.”  But they are pretty young, in both their and Holly’s defense.  If we’re talking about older kids, sure, it’s possible…but like I said, so too is all music – it would be about whether or not they identify with the core values that Serio is singing about.  If something like “Honeysuckle Valley” is part of a larger conceptual project, with visuals included, then all kinds of things could change about the potential span of its reach and a song like this one’s ability to connect with the younger kids.

Honestly, both the music and the musicianship are essentially flawless.  I listen to a track like “Your Own Best Friend” and can’t help but acknowledge the catchiness it has along with the craft it comes with.  In case anything is getting twisted in the message I’m sending here – let me be clear – Holly is a remarkable artist and songwriting when it comes right down to it.  She’s such an obvious talent that I’d be way more surprised if someone didn’t hear that as opposed to the countless many that will, you follow me?  Anyhow.  This feels like a bit of a strange comment to make on what’s intended to be a kid’s album, but, I’d be looking at “Your Own Best Friend” as a potential single.  And in comparison to the title-track of this album, sure, I’d listen to the argument that “Your Own Best Friend” would likely be able to reach a bit of a younger audience.  I mean, if it’s got the space to clap along, then clearly we’ve got something that the kids can connect with, right?  I genuinely find it interesting that Holly has chosen to go in the direction that she has, and I’m certain there’s a reason for it that exists beyond wanting to fill a place in music that isn’t overly crowded…but yeah…I mean…she could clearly conquer Pop stuff like Rodrigo is currently making, or perhaps even be on an artistic level like Feist is if she wanted to be.  Why the kids section gets to lay claim to Serio’s music, I do not know.  I completely enjoy listening to “Your Own Best Friend” and the self-empowering advice she’s imparting on the youth through this tune.  Again, I think her wisdom is truly more universal than any particular age demographic, but I think you get that by now.

So…yeah…like I was explaining at the start – what defines a kid’s record and what age group does that apply to?  I listen to a track like “Spin Doctor” and think to myself that, if you’re five years old and can follow along with the cleverness of the vocal melody AND lyrics like “I’m here to help you make that mental shift” and what that would mean…then you should probably be in the advanced class of just about everything from here on forward – most twelve year-olds would still have to think about all this to put it all together.  You end up having to look at this objectively as an adult as you listen, and recognize that even Holly would have to understand all this, which would then make the mission she’s on one more built around the concept of osmosis…the theory that we can be taught without even realizing it.  If that’s the case and that’s what she’s REALLY doing here, then my cap is off and I salute this fine lady – that’s a wonderful thing to do.  I like the dramatic & theatrical nature of a song like “Spin Doctor” and think that Holly has sung the living daylights outta the main chorus hooks.  Make no mistake, I think Serio is as cool as all get out y’all…but I am having trouble just letting her disappear into the kids section.

Even a song like “You Can’t Keep A Doodle Down,” which is definitely more geared towards the children than the majority of the tunes on this record are sound/concept-wise – I’d be willing to bet that most adults out there have no problem at all connecting to the sweetness she puts on display here.  I’ll put it to ya this way – if you’re a dog lover of any age, you’ll certainly appreciate what Holly’s singing about here.  The most you’re gonna find me conceding to ya when it comes to this particular track is that as an adult, sure, it’s tough for me to get into the main chorus hook of this tune because that’s where you really do feel that designed-for-kids type of writing at work, but hey – if that’s what Serio has been going for all along, then you have to acknowledge that she gets to the heart of what’ll connect with the kids out there more so on “You Can’t Keep A Doodle Down” than most of these tunes.  It’s an illustrative type of tune that’s built with imagery and storytelling, personalized further by Holly relating her own experiences with her dog Larry…you can visually see how a track like “You Can’t Keep A Doodle Down” would work with the kids out there listening.  So if creating a children’s record was truly what she was aiming for, I think we all have to acknowledge she gets closest to that goal with songs like this one here.

To be entirely fair, from what I understand, she’s looking to create an album for kids AND family – and that’s a much more acceptable definition of where her music would fit in.  Like I said earlier, it’s really just about what you consider to be a kid is all – there is going to be an age that is too young to grasp what Holly is singing about or the more mature sounds of a song like “Out!” – but if we’re talkin’ about tweens or older, I think she’s really on solid ground.  I’m much older, and I’ve done nothing but enjoy listening to this record – Serio’s one heck of a songwriter and musician, and it’s been a pleasure to listen to what she’s come up with on Honeysuckle Valley.  PLUS – I would absolutely advocate on behalf of her teachin’ the kids out there, she continuously displays tremendous values throughout the course of this entire album.  “Look out for the little guy – help out someone who needs it!” – I mean…you see what I’m saying?  Holly is good people y’all…a great example of our finest humans on this planet, and like I’ve been explaining in my own roundabout & rambling way, this is the exact kind of person you’d want to be imparting her wisdom to today’s youth & beyond.  I dig the extra layer of drama on “Out!” and how that speaks volumes on behalf of the versatility and diversity you’ll find on Serio’s album.  I don’t know that I’m here to say it was my favorite of the bunch…I’m probably more inclined towards more lighthearted and melodic vibes like you’d find on “Your Own Best Friend” I guess on a personal level – but I really do think that the extra tension and drama of “Out!” gives its message a sense of urgency that benefits the song.  It makes for an interesting moment on Honeysuckle Valley, where Holly is joined by a full band of guest stars…she’s practically shoutin’ at ya on this tune, but hopefully that helps get the message across.

“When you allow yourself to be you can find the beauty the ordinary has to offer” is an amazing line on “Be” – and it’s one of many you’ll discover throughout the course of listening to this album overall.  But for real dear readers, dear friends – have a good look at that line, read it again & again, and really take a moment to appreciate what Holly’s singing about on one of her records most down to earth and gentle tunes.  She’s singing about acceptance and the beauty of all that surrounds us daily…she’s reminding us about the fact that all the flashy toys and things we want in life will never compare with what we already have.  “The peace that’s inside” – that’s what she’s singing about here.  Finding your way to being comfortable in your own skin and being content in this world…it ain’t easy for everyone, but Holly has written out the blueprint for your pathway forward here.  Listen to that transition around the 2:25 mark too will ya?  Incredible!  She’s joined by a family member here too…not sure what the exact relation is or how the duties are split up in the performance, but you’ll find Charlotte Serio lending her time and talents to “Be” & the two songs afterwards as well.  “Be” reveals the remarkable connection that Serio has to music…you simply can’t fake the kind of sincerity that she sings with, and there’s an argument to be made that she’s never sounded better than what you’ll hear from her on this very song.  I also think that it should be noted that, while I tend to be about as resistant to learning as anyone you’ll ever meet in this lifetime – I never once felt like Serio was preaching at us from the pulpit or coming at us from a place where she’s way up there and we’re way down here, you know what I mean?  You want to listen to the words she’s singing, because you know she believes in what she’s written.  The values that she’s singing about should be shared universally among us, and in a perfect world, they would “Be.”

A track like “Peacemaker Dance” is a stellar example of a track that would be much more suited for the kids out there.  And right on – Holly was looking to create stuff that would resonate with them, and this track should have no problem doing the trick.  It’s probably the song that has the least for myself personally, or for folks that are outside of that whole family-life thing, but I’d still be the first to tell ya that it’s as well-made and executed as any of the other tunes you’d find on this record.  As far as the more dedicated kid-friendly material you’ll find on this album, I’d say I’d probably side with “You Can’t Keep A Doodle Down” as my favorite of those type of tunes – but I can certainly appreciate how a song like “Peacemaker Dance” opens up the door for a larger degree of interaction with its mapped-out choreography inside the song.  I don’t know much about kids and I’m cool to keep it that way for the most part, but I do know that they like to get their dance on – this track should have no problem at all in making an impression on them in that regard, and as far as the positivity you’ll find in Holly’s message and words, you know she’s got that covered in here too.  It’s a unique tune on this album when it comes right down to it – “Peacemaker Dance” is practically tribal in a way, but in a fun way that kids will enjoy.

“Future Self” might be one of the most important songs on this album overall in terms of what’s being communicated to the youth of tomorrow.  Think of it this way…old folks like myself, we grew up in that last generation that could get away with a whole lot – we didn’t have a camera on us at every moment or phones in our pocket to document everything live on the Gram – so really, there was a freedom in that we probably all took for granted, but also, we didn’t end up living in a world filled with residual consequences as a result.  Now, I’m not saying that if we did something bad it wouldn’t be remembered – of course it would be – but that’s a whole lot different than having a bad moment visually documented for the rest of time for you to relive day after day after day.  In today’s world, where everything is online and we can see our history anytime we want with the click of a mouse – think of how important it becomes to act right, and learn the kind of good behaviors that Holly Serio is singing about as quickly as you can – it’s crucial!  “What you do today, it matters tomorrow” as she’ll tell ya – and she’s completely right about that…perhaps more-so now than ever before.  We’re all gonna make mistakes, we’re all gonna stumble, we’re all gonna fall down or fall apart at some point – and we know that – all Holly is sayin’ is to “be kind to your future self” and give yourself the best shot at having the life you deserve.  Whether that’s eatin’ healthy or actin’ right, all of this stuff matters at the end of the day, and the more that you flex those muscles for good, the stronger you’ll be in this life.  It’s also a heckin’ catchy tune too – not really all that far off from something you’d find on a Better Than Ezra album in the later parts of their career, or the kind of natural sweetness & sentiment you’d find on Jack Johnson’s Curious George Soundtrack.  And that’s where you wanna be in terms of that all-encompassing vibe everyone will dig.

“Cleaning Underwater” fits closer with tracks like “You Can’t Keep A Doodle Down” and “Peacemaker Dance” that are geared towards the much younger side of the whole kids and family equation.  Again, I ain’t hatin’ on it personally, because I know what Serio’s intentions were in creating this record and songs like this prove she’s more than capable of hitting the mark she’s aiming for.  Do I think the older kids out there are gonna have a tougher time with tunes like this one?  Probably.  But I also think the younger ones are gonna have a tougher time with tracks like “Out!” or “Take A Beat” too – so there’s a mix of who each track might appeal to most on a song-by-song basis, which is what branches this album out to reach the whole family as opposed to just a certain age demographic.  Ultimately, I look at a record like Honeysuckle Valley from a lyrical perspective, even with as good as the music has been from the moment it started – I can definitely appreciate how parents out there would want their kids to really listen to what Serio is singing about.  “Cleaning Underwater” has that like…old-school Sing-Along Songs vibe to it – anyone out there remember those?  Obviously I’m dating myself here, but my younger brother would have these VHS Disney compilations and they’d be like, a half hour long, and we’d sit there and watch them ten times over from beginning to end.  “Cleaning Underwater” reminded me a lot of those tunes…this is a very family-friendly type of song, and dare I say, pun intended – super clean fun.

You end up looking at Honeysuckle Valley like an audible guide to life that manages to capture so much of what’s essential to learn, and you’ll find many lessons that crossover, overlap, and tie things together in a way that’s important.  Like, I listen to this last track “Take A Beat” and the first thing I was thinking about was how much you need to absorb a song like this to somewhat understand what Holly is singing about on a track like “Future Self” earlier on, you know what I mean?  If you don’t, that’s okay – you’ll get the idea when you listen to this album for yourself, but for now, what I’m basically saying is that the message of how important it is to “Take A Beat” and calm yourself down in order to “be kind to your future self” are very much linked together in today’s world.  If you end up taking steps like these, you’ll end up being “Your Own Best Friend” as a result of the good choices you’ve made – you see what I’m saying, or more accurately, what Holly is singing about?  Sure, any of these tunes will reinforce some great behaviors, but having them all together on an album like this with its range of concepts, sounds, ideas, and different styles of music…it’s engaging stuff, and bound to resonate with anyone out there listening.  She’s one heck of a musician, and clearly a human being with a great head on her shoulders – she could be as successful as she wants to be in her music career whether or not she gets relegated to the kids and family section – Holly Serio is fantastic to listen to at any age, and she’s got a great record here without question.  Lots of character in the songs, lots of energy from track to track, her positivity is relentless, and her communication skills are second to none – people of all ages will truly dig this album.

Find out more about Holly Serio Music at the official website:  https://hollyseriomusic.com

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