ALBUM REVIEW: Listen to the Mad by Healthy Junkies -15 January 2025

Words and images by Johnny

Healthy Junkies are Nina Courson(vox), Phil Honey-Jones (guitar, keyboards and vox), Dave Whitmore (bass) and David Gaut (drums).

Based in London, the band formed when Nina and Phil met at a club, Nina having come over from France to enhance her musical career. According to sources, the band’s name is “a reflection of the mental health epidemic currently spreading like wildfire through the very core of western society”. However, a little birdy informed me that the reason is closer to a healthy smoothie that Phil likes to drink and the following conversation he had with Nina. I will leave you to decide, always good to have a little mystery in our lives!

The band’s debut gig was supporting Goldblade and Viv Albertine back in 2010, the rest they say, is history. Many many gigs and fests later, they are a regular sight at venues across the UK and Europe, smashing out their own unique style of garage/grunge punk rock, sublime guitar work from Phil, drums and bass from the two Daves, and of course Nina’s exceptional vocals with her native French lilt added to the ambience.

I think I first saw the band at Mello Mello in Liverpool back in the mid 2000’s where they played to a packed venue, it was evident then, that these would go far. Over the years, their style, although remaining in the above remit, has altered very subtly, I recall them at Nice N Sleazy, where the sound seemed more like verging on dark goth rock, yet keeping in touch with their punk roots, probably one of the best sets I’ve seen them do, totally blew the “roof” off the marquee, amazing set.

The list of support they have done is endless, including Rezillos, Sham 69 and The Buzzcocks to name but a few. A highly rated, respected and professional outfit. So, here we are with their latest 14 track album, Listen to the Mad

Listen to the Mad

A subtle 1-minute noise intro to the album

Favourite Place: Trying to find our favourite place through can often be struggle for many. For a musician, the obvious (in most cases, I’d suggest) is the world of music. Being good at what you do, feeling the energy of your words and sound, uplifts the spirit and allows the freedom to express our desires, the favourite place to be, on stage “I’m lost in vision, and I’m lost in sound.

Self-Conscious: The never-ending fight to fit in to what people often believe to be the norm. living up to expectations, more of ten that not, those of others. This track shows that we are basically what we are, time to make that acceptance “this time I’m taking it to you, I’ll take it out of the frame”, laying your cards on the table, opening your heart and saying “look, this is who and what I am, like it or lump it.

Desire: I get the impression this is a love song of sorts, feeling the desire between two people, being in the fire and soaring above the world as one. “Can it get any better?” is the question intimating that it’s not as good as it could be, or it is so good, it’s not possible to get better. Bit of cryptic wordplay here. “je disparais dans la foret”

Julie’s got a Job: The need to escape the humdrum boring life that you exist in. The dream of stardom, fame and celebrity can often be a recipe for disaster, yet many seek that fame and fortune. Quite often that dream ends in tears, whether you make it or not. Typical human desires of us all, to want, and not necessarily need riches. How many times do wee se the rich and famous crash and burn, not always their own fault. I could name a few, as I’m sure you can.

Dead Souls: The dreaded scourge of mental ill health destroying the fabric of society is a rising plight on humanity. Wherever we turn, there is some kind of psychological event taking place in someone we know, if not ourselves. The saddest part of this track are the lines “ive lost my mind, I was unkind, ive lost my way, do what you say”. This appears to be a common trait of mental illness where the “victim” takes the blame and sole responsibility for their affliction. Yet, we know that is rarely the case, outside influences play the biggest part, social and peer pressure, financial, abuse can and often do cause the issues.

Son and Daughter: The challenges of growing up from being a child, never knowing what you should be, how to act, behave and general problems with gaining maturity with the pressures of life. Almost all the time when listening to lyrics of mush younger musicians, I see the telltale pattern of how things have changed from when I was a kid, to what they have to deal with today. It was so much easier “in the old days”. Sad representation of today’s society.

Media Whore: Harking back to Julie’s got a Job, this is a carry on, where we see the person gaining that fame, and the problems that come with it. Being owned by the media, the managers, the agents. The realisation that you are not that “toy”, but your own person, time to take control of your own fate and not be led and controlled by others. “burning in your own fire”

Solitaire: Who doesn’t want their own space. The time to get away from it all and fly to the clouds, for that yearned for silence and solitude away from “the madding crowd”.

Take me to the Moon: The heartache of losing a loved one, wishing that life would carry on as it is. “with you all I celebrate this magic”. Not only in death, but the end of a relationship, losing your loved one’s heart perhaps to another. “maybe if we’re gonna crash, it would be better later than soon”.

Now or Never: Opposite end of the scale to “take me to the moon”. Being with someone who isn’t sure whether they should be there or not. Not wanting, or unable to make a decision to cut ties and finish it all for the good of all involved. “the need to settle down has gone away, but you still hang around me every day”. Ive seen this happen where a person, although may not want to be with someone, they don’t want the other half to be with anyone else. Narcissistic behaviour?!

Baroness: Bit of a difficult one this, I see it as the entitled making bad decisions through rose tinted glasses that potentially affect others lives. The ones with power and wealth not realising the hardships of those less fortunate than themselves, not having lived that life. And in the end, the only person being “made a fool of you, Baroness, such a mess”

Tinnitus: Throughout life we come across different events that can affect us deeply. We don’t always know how to deal with them, but there will always be that nagging feeling that something isn’t quite right. Often called a sixth sense or the voice in our head telling us to run. The failing love affair, the one we hold dear, where ya have a feeling of dread, but can’t quite put your finger on it. “theres a voice stuck inside my head, that’s telling me to run”.

Lion in a Circus: An analogy of being trapped in your own mind. The lion being your psyche, the cage being your own self. Unable to escape the chains of life in a modern age where the stresses and strains finally start to wear you down to a pint where the feeling of being trapped is all consuming, screaming at the world in silence for release.

World on Fire: Keeping the vilest of secrets, unable to tell anyone of the abuse you have suffered. Following on from “lion”, being caged by your own “shame”, a shame that isn’t your, but that of the abuser in your life. The lost childhood, the scars, both physical and psychological ripping your soul apart into a thousand fragmented pieces, until finally your soul is broken.

An album, as the name suggests, dealing with our mental states, a current theme in this day and age where so many appear affected by this life of ours. Sad times for those afflicted, especially with huge waiting times for diagnoses and treatment. A well-produced album, by a prolific band who get the message across in their own way, using music as the medium to the soul. This is another band where a CD does not paint a picture of just how good they are live, but I guess that is generally the case. Live, Healthy Junkies are a visual band, just as much as they are vocal, some might say more so. Certainly, an outfit I will never tire of seeing. Til the next gig.

All songs written by Healthy Junkies, recorded and mastered at Audiohaus studios by Jonathon Jacobs.

Links:

Web: www.healthyjunkies.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthy_junkies/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HealthyJunkies1

X/Twitter: https://x.com/HealthyJunkies

Email: bananacastleltd@yahoo.co.uk

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