Juniper Honey have released their emotionally-charged new single, “Stone Me” today. The new track finds the indie rock band wearing their heart on their sleeve in a performance that is reminiscent of early to mid-2000s bands. Following the immediate aftermath of a breakup, the track embodies the distance between two people within emotional vocals and lyrics.
“Stone Me” makes it clear that Juniper Honey knows a thing or two about heartbreak and its inevitability as part of human experiences – how it cannot be avoided, but often simply needs to be embraced, and felt to the brim. Abandoning himself to this acknowledgment, lead singer Jake Hesse opens up about regrets shared by himself and the other band members, turning the bleak nature of heartbreak into an impetuous fervor that has the track glowing with emotional intensity. The track was written by Hesse “on a very rainy night sitting on [his] bed in [his] dorm room,” in a fitting moment of pathetic fallacy which saw emotions flooding through with the catastrophic intensity of a calamity, but with the knowledge that he would emerge on the other side.
“Stone Me” was produced by Stefan Mac, who is best known for his work with Wallows, Palaye Royale, and Young the Giant, and developed collaboratively with the whole band into a layered sonic and emotional experience.
Jake Hesse (lead vocals, guitar) and Donovan Hess (drums) started playing music together in multiple projects in 2020, performing at shows all over California before their lineup expanded in late 2022, adding Cason LeSueur (guitar) and Josh West (bass), forming what is now Juniper Honey. Drawing inspiration from classic rock and folk-rock from the 60s and 70s, Juniper Honey fuses the hazy whimsicality with bright, energetic elements of alternative rock bands. Eclectic in their themes as they are in their influences, the band touches on the confusions of coming-of-age, romance, and heartbreak, prioritizing vibrant and authentic storytelling at the center of their music projects. After having entirely home-recorded their self-titled debut album which was released earlier this year, Juniper Honey is looking to step into studio-produced music and bring their quintessentially indie breezy, expressive vocals, and animated storytelling to new stages and audiences.