Lauren Miller
Staff Reporter
I believe I’ll start this review for apologizing to my dorm neighbors who probably heard me blasting this album for the last month and my downstairs neighbors who inevitably heard me practicing my Honor Roll (and the Gayne Wetsky). Sorry Blanche residents.
About a year ago today I made a proclamation on my facebook page. My statement said “Honor Society is probably the best band you’ve never heard of…by next year (2010) I guarantee you’ll hear their name like you hear Jonas Brothers. Just Wait”. I just may be in midst of watching my prediction become true. Maybe I should play the lotto or something.
In May 2009 Rolling Stone Magazine called the New Jersey band a band to watch.
Over the summer the gentlemen won hearts while touring with the Jonas Brothers on their World Tour and concurrently hosting the official after party of the World Tour, the Full Moon Crazy Tour.
If you stayed through the credits of “Bandslam” you may have heard their song “Where Are You Now”.
Now September 15,2009 was the official release date of their debut album “Fashionably Late”. By that afternoon the album had reached the status of one of the Top 10 albums on Itunes, as well as being one of the top five for the Pop albums as well, and selling out at many stores across the country.
While the selfish part of me wants them to stay a small band that’s loved by their small group of devoted fans, the honest part of me is so proud of what they’re doing and how far they’ve come that I can’t imagine not shouting from the roof tops about the gentlemen, duh.
For those who are unfamiliar with Honor Society, here’s a little bio of four of the greatest guys you’ll ever hear of. The band consists of four guys: Michael Bruno(30)-vocals and guitar, Jason Rosen(31)-keyboards, guitars, and vocals, Andrew Lee(29): bass and vocals, and Alexander Noyes(23): drums and vocals.
The band started their journey in New Jersey. Michael and Jason were high school friends who eventually met up with Andrew and Alex to form the band now known as Honor Society. You may recognize Alex from early days of the Jonas Brothers; he played drums for them.
The band spent a year touring small venues throughout New York and New Jersey. Eventually they joined the Jonas tour this summer. The band is currently signed to Hollywood records and is managed by the Jonas Group. Please, don’t initially be turned off by the Jonas factor if you’re not a Jobro fan. Trust me, the gentlemen are a totally different brand of music from the Jonas’s family friendly pop. With lyrics like “I see you walk across my room in nothing but the moonlight Now I love to see you in the dark” (from “See You in the Dark”) and “Is she lonely, is she tired, does she got a man, what does she wear in bed” (from “Why Didn’t I”) Honor Society is a much more grown up version of what you were expecting, no?
Their debut album features the beloved hit “See You in the Dark”, learn the Honor Roll from Katie and Karleigh at www.katieandkarleigh.com , the beautiful love song “Goodnight My Love”, which always gives me chills, and the perfect party song “Two Rebels” just to name a few of my favorites off the album. And the Target version of the CD comes with a DVD from the Irving Plaza show. The dvd really does a good job at showing the energy of the party Honor Society puts on when they perform. It definitely took me back to the first time I saw them live over the summer.
The thing that I really love about Honor Society, other than just their insane talent for performing and song writing, is their likeability. In a world where celebs are more transparent than ever with twitter, youtube, and live chats it’s nice when they’re sweet, genuine and darn funny guys. Seriously check out their next live chat, or even watch a video of a previous live chat on facebook. If you don’t fall in love with the gentlemen, if you don’t laugh hysterically at least once, and if you aren’t just genuinely entertained let me know and we’ll try to find you a better sense of humor.
I feel like after 700 words I should stop gushing about the gentlemen and allow you to just buy or download the album yourself. If you like what you hear Honor Society is currently on their Fashionably Late tour. If my review of Honor Society wasn’t enough to make you want to buy the album, well I’ll let Joe Jonas, from the DVD, have the last words on the gentlemen. “These are nice young men. They smell good. They look good. Honor Society”.