For Honey and Salt, there is immense power in the parts of a whole. This idea has always been in the band’s DNA, from its three members -- each with their own distinct and essential contributions -- to the flurry of interlocking notes and melodies that make up their intricate songs. Now on their self-titled sophomore album, it also extends into their worldview, as Honey and Salt seek to cut through the pessimistic fog of seemingly inescapable sociopolitical unease, and highlight the vital capability of the individual. Where many bands look for commonality amongst its members’ tastes, Honey and Salt revel in their differences, seamlessly blending their disparate influences into a sound that manages to be complex without sacrificing immediacy. The self-titled album deftly utilizes everything from Kinsella-esque guitar lines, to post-rock dynamics, to hardcore ferocity — all while packing an emotional resonance straight out of DC’s Revolution Summer — and finds the band completely comfortable with balancing their intricacies.

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