Easy Honey describes themselves as the “opening band no one’s ever heard of.” Before they opened for Beach Weather alongside Wim Tapley & the Cannons at the Atlantis on Oct. 26, that was the case for most of the crowd. But the energy the band brought to the stage had every head in the pit bobbing along.
The band, based in Charleston, South Carolina, has been releasing music since 2018. Originally formed as a college band out of Sewanee, Tennessee, Easy Honey blends grungy surf rock with a hint of indie folk. Darby McGlone and Webster Austin, the band’s co-lead guitarist/vocalist and bassist respectively, spoke after their performance at the Atlantis on their newest album titled “Cupidity Unlimited.”
Easy Honey’s latest LP released just months ago on July 19, but the band has been on their Surf Tour since 2023. Recording “was kind of starting to feel like too much work,” said Austin. For “Cupidity Unlimited,” the band wanted to return to their days as a college jam band: “Let’s take it back to recording late at night,” Austin described, “like how you would do if you’re sixteen in your bedroom.”
As for musical inspirations, McGlone and Austin credit Big Thief, Houndmouth, and “Parcels, that Australian band.” Houndmouth’s album Good For You was a major influence on Easy Honey’s “stripped-back” sound on “Cupidity Unlimited,” as Austin explained. “We started recording in the fall, so we had that fall, folky vibe. As we moved around and time progressed, it was kind of more rock-influenced.”
Indeed, the quartet didn’t just find inspiration in Charleston. Easy Honey got to work as they traveled up and down the country alongside McGlone’s “middle school friend,” who ended up helping to produce the album. McGlone reminisced on the experience of working on “Cupidity Unlimited” as “really fun.” The guys “rarely get out of town,” and this more laid-back approach to recording “just allowed us to access a different headspace and explore different places.”
But it hasn’t been easy to be on the road for so long; the Surf Tour kicked off in early 2023. So how do the bandmates stay sane while on tour? Austin’s main advice is to “try to keep a routine.” Life on tour can get “chaotic,” McGlone admits, but the guys “have a good enough routine on the road that keeps us stable.”
Of course, the Surf Tour wouldn’t be complete without—naturally—opportunities to surf. McGlone and Austin unanimously agreed that the Outer Banks was their favorite spot to catch some waves, especially since they visited during the storm surges in the aftermath of Hurricane Ernesto. Also during the Surf Tour, the band coordinated with local conservation organizations to plan beach cleanups at several stops around the country.
During his live set at the Atlantis, Wim Tapley called Easy Honey the “nicest band” he’s ever met. As McGlone and Austin joked around with musicians from the other acts and slapped each other’s backs with ever-present smiles, it wasn’t hard to see why. The four members of Easy Honey are just as sweet and easygoing as their name suggests. It’s clear they genuinely love what they do. This passion comes through in their music, and it’s infectious. Let Easy Honey ride the wave into your music rotation—they’re the best indie rock band you’ve never heard of.
A big thank you to Darby McGlone and Webster Austin for making time in your busy schedules for WVAU! Another special thank you to Bobby for all your help. Cupidity Unlimited is available on all major music streaming platforms now.
Feature image by Rowan McDowell