HONEY AND THE MONEY

HONEY AND THE MONEY
The Elephant in the Room
(Independent)
Honey and the Money are Leila Harrison and Matt Clarke. She sings sweetly, so must be Honey. Recorded predominantly in Vancouver but tarted up in studios worldwide, The Elephant sounds remarkably cohesive. It’s a bright pop-rock collection with occasional string arrangements (”Never Lonely,” for example) that expand the scope of the duo’s songs, but opener “Still Beautiful” reveals a slight Police influence while “All Good Things,” which follows, has a setting that suggests the Eurhythmics without the melodrama. Jared Kuemper’s production is subtly light but still full and detailed.
– Tom Harrison - The Province (Vancouver)

Local singer-songwriters find their voice

Life is sweet for married singing-songwriting
duo Honey and the
Money.
Having just debuted The Elephant
In The Room, their first fulllength
album, and set to leave on their
latest Canadian tour this month, the
honeymoon is far from over for Matt
Clarke and Leila Harrison.
“You know, people say you shouldn’t
mix your personal life and your professional
life, but I think you should.”
Clarke said.
The Calgary natives moved to Vancouver
six years ago with the intention
of getting into acting.
“Singing kind of snuck up on us,”
Clarke said.
Clarke was performing solo acoustic
guitar sets on the side until a café manager
told him he should consider bringing
in female vocal talent.
“So I asked Leila to sing with me,
and over time I started writing more
songs for her,” Clarke said. “I mean,
she’s got the better voice.”
Harrison does noticeably resemble
Kelly Clarkson, but that doesn’t mean
Honey and the Money is strictly conventional
pop fare.
Their new album sports a mix of
sounds and genres, utilizing everything
from guitar heavy Clarkson-like
ballads to more subdued tracks with
electronic beats reminiscent of the
Postal Service.
“We wanted to break away from
some of the things we’ve done in the
past without completely deviating from
who we are and what we sound like,”
Harrison said. “We’re really, really
proud of it.”
After their chance collaboration,
they began writing what would become
their 2005 five-song EP, Songs From
The Seventh Floor, with Tegan and
Sara producer Jared Kuemper.
Since then they’ve covered much of
the Vancouver music scene, playing
shows at the Media Club, the Backstage
Lounge, and Richards on Richards, to
name a few.
On the 15th, Clarke and Harrison are
scheduled to depart for an eight-show
tour across the prairies.
“I can’t wait!” Harrison said. “I’ve
never seen Saskatoon before. And
we’re stopping in Banff, which is amazing.”
Harrison added that performing together
prevents tours from interrupting
their marriage.
“It’s not like one of us has to disappear
for a month or three months on
tour,” she said.
And conflicts, the couple agreed,
were few and far between.
“I really like him. I think he’s a cool
guy,” Harrison said, laughing. “The
more time I get to spend with him, the
better.”
You can catch them at the Wired
Monk on Fourth Avenue this Monday
before they go on tour. - The Langara Voice

At first they were neighbours who'd arrived in Vancouver at about the same time. Then they became friends. Then they made a video.
Matt Clarke and Leila Harrison came from Calgary and Chris Redman from Toronto. They were making music as Honey and the Money. Redman was developing an acting career. They made an album, The Elephant in the Room. He began appearing in CSI: Miami. They contemplated filming a video. He knew their music. It made sense that Redman would direct them in the Honey and the Money song, "Still Beautiful."
Shot in August, "Still Beautiful" is the latest development of the slow gestation of The Elephant in the Room.
The album comes after Clarke met Harrison six years ago in Calgary, made a few demos and released an EP. Once set up in Vancouver more than a year ago, the duo set about recording. The two released The Elephant in the Room last November independently. Brian Watson of Maximum Music heard it, signed Honey and the Money and reissued the album last month under his distribution deal with major label, EMI.
Tonight's show, with openers Laurell and the Savanna Leigh Band (who also has a commendable new LP), is Honey and the Money's first since the re-release.
"It's more a celebration of the video," Clarke says, observing modestly that "We always intended to have a bigger release than just [putting it out by] ourselves. We never had any intention to keep it to ourselves. Brian seemed to get it. He was excited about it."
It's a polished pop record that establishes a relationship not unlike Eurythmics' Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox. Produced by Jared Keuper, who has worked with Sheryl Crow and Tegan and Sara, The Elephant in the Room is smooth but not slick. In the live setting, it should be even more primal. The duo of Clarke and Harrison already has toured the album three times in Western Canada and will embark on an eastern swing later this month. Tonight's set might as well be a warmup.
"We'll have a full band," Clarke assures. "It'll be the full rock 'n' roll extravaganza."

- Tom Harrison - The Province (Vancouver)

5 Questions for...
Matt Clarke of Honey and the Money

Q: Matt, tell me how you and your partner Leila Harrison got together. How did Honey and The Money come to be?
A: We met when we were living in Calgary. We were doing Shakespeare In The Park. We'd both done some acting and we were cast in the same show. Soon after we became involved. We've been married now for a few years.
I've been writing songs and playing guitar since I was young but Leila had never really sung publicly. She was singing around the house and I thought we should sing together, so we did a little coffee shop gig and it went really well. We thought, we should make this a little more permanent so we formed Honey and the Money.
Q: Your music seems very adult contemporary and softrockish to me, both of which are bad terms to some people. Do you think these genres get a bad rap?
A: Yeah, I think they do. For us, we go for good melodies that are going to hit people on an emotional level. I think a lot of adult contemporary or even country is based in song structure and melody as opposed to some rock music or R&B dance-pop which is really beat and rhythm driven. And I think that stuff gets more street cred. I guess soft rock is kind of a negative term. But James Blunt and Billy Joel probably get more chicks than any of us, so you think they'd be cooler. Maybe everyone is jealous of them. . . .
But we've never been that interested in being cool so much as making the music we want that connects with people. If it's looked at as sissy music, that's not really a big deal for us.
Q: Given your sound I was surprised to read you so passionate about your love of the new Guns N' Roses disc, Chinese Democracy. Honey and the Money just doesn't seem like a GN'R-loving duo.
A: Well, like most people I listen to a lot of different music. I think the world is becoming almost genre agnostic. You look at people's iPods and there's the Wu-Tang Clan and James Blunt right next to each other. You think, 'Are they a bi-polar split personality?' No. Everyone's just into music, period. It doesn't matter whether it's heavy or soft. I'm turned on by David Grey, Damien Rice, Kings of Leon. I'm just drawn to great songwriting.
Q:Why did you and Leila call your album The Elephant In The Room?
A: We really wanted these songs to be something you couldn't ignore. We wanted them to stand out. I think we were feeling cocky when we named the record.
Q: Let's play name association. I'm going to fire off the names of a bunch of prominent male/female duos in pop history and you tell me what immediately comes to mind.
A: (The White Stripes) --Rock and roll royalty. Meg White's a real character drummer and you don't get many of those.
(Captain and Tennille) --I tried wearing a hat like that for a few shows, but it just didn't go over.
(Ike and Tina Turner) --Well, Ike got things done. You have to give him that. He shouldn't have hit her, but those records they made together are awesome.
(Sonny and Cher) --He wrote some excellent songs and he was so self-deprecating. And then she had the great voice and she knew how to put on a show. I really dug their schtick.
(Paul and Linda McCartney) --Never spending a night apart and the way they were with each other . . . it's like their relationship was a mythical thing.
(John Lennon and Yoko Ono) --I think she gets a bad rap. She's this really strong woman and I think that scares the hell out of a lot of people. But at the same time, she really had a hold on him, didn't she?

Heath McCoy, Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, January 20, 2009
- The Calgary Herald

Vancouver-based duo Honey and the Money (Leila Harrison and Matt Clarke) hit all the right marks in their debut album, The Elephant in the Room. After two years of meticulous writing and recording, the duo has woven together different aspects of pop music to create a beautifully fresh sound. What would a pop album be without songs of love and hardship? The poetic lyrics of “Disconnect” and “Never Lonely” are sincere and honest, and they set the precedent for the rest of the album. “Dust Dancin’” is a beautiful piano melody, tickled with the use of a wah-wah guitar effect to make a unique sound. It is these special, highly refined touches that create such depth in the album. The influences of producer Jared Kuemper (Tegan and Sara, Sheryl Crow) are definitely present and help to intertwine the indie beats with the open-air ballads. Harrison’s voice is soothing and seems to come effortlessly, with a soft hint of country. Melted with Clarke’s vocals, the duo has established an album that flows eloquently.
—Ryan W. Woodland - The Peak (Simon Fraser University)

Last night I was lucky enough to attend Honey and the Money’s CD release party at the Media Club on Cambie, in Vancouver. Their lyrics are filled with emotion and their music catches your attention. This is a band that gives you shivers up your spine and at times will bring a tear to your eye.
I urge everyone to check out their website www.honeyandthemoney.com and listen to the teasers from their new album, The Elephant in the Room.

www.polishedpromoter.wordpress.com - Polished Promoter

It was a brisk yet calm night as the moonlight danced upon the waves of the Granville Island waters. Inside the Backstage Lounge, a soft, warm light caressed the stage as I sat in my chair, relaxed but excited. Leila Harrison and Matt Clarke soon appeared onstage as Honey and the Money to perform songs from their debut album, The Elephant in the Room.

My expectations were high — I’ve already praised the band on their studio cuts [CD reviews, February 4], but the mark of a good act is to bring that excitement to the stage. Through the course of the evening, I was definitely not disappointed. The band exploded with their fresh and unique sound, reached out to the hearts and souls of the audience, and brought them in for a closer listen. The audience was intrigued and became entranced by the music. Their set drew largely from The Elephant in the Room and they replicated the songs with the same energy and enthusiasm as on the recording. Most important, though, was the onstage chemistry between the duo. Their confidence was not overpowering, but mature and refined. Emotion resonated through the air from Clarke’s guitar and his voice shadowed Harrison’s beautiful tone. The band seemed genuinely happy and comfortable to be performing with each other.

Honey and the Money was true to its songs and did not need eccentric dance moves or superficial gimmicks to convey its lyrics. To add to the excitement, Clarke’s use of country riffs added a pleasant element and altered the dimension and depth of the music. His presence was rather posh and his playing worked harmoniously with the rhythm section.

Harrison’s heartfelt tone in “Dust Dancin’” stood out as one of the evening’s masterpieces. Its powerful lyrics of frailty and mortality were conveyed sincerely. Clarke’s vocal range in “Happy in the End” was rather impressive and bridged the album with the live experience. The band was highly successful in making songs suitable for the live and intimate nature of the lounge, which is often difficult to achieve. As much as I loved the unique effects and sounds used on the recording, the live music was just as convincing.

Perhaps their album title speaks it all, as this band brings a greatness to the music scene that is unique and special. The songs seep into our hearts and fill them with warmth. Both Harrison and Clarke are quite capable as individual musicians, but it is when they come together that they are most powerful. Honey and the Money have great potential to grow and I expect great things from their future endeavours.

Their sound is not only fresh, but also highly sustainable and can be enjoyed by lovers of many genres. As I ventured back into the cool night, I caught myself humming some of their songs and became aware of the soothing effect that they had on me. These are portraits of love songs, painted in beautiful tones.

-Ryan W. Woodland - The Peak (Simon Fraser University)

“I love this band Honey and the Money. They are a duo consisting of Matt Clarke and Leila Harrison. From the moment I heard Leila's voice I was sold." - John Beaudin - 103.5 QM/FM (Vancouver), smoothjazznow.com

HONEY AND THE MONEY
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Richly melodic pop-rock by Vancouver-based duo Leila Harrison and Matt Clarke. Shimmering vocals and full-band arrangements distinguish the pair from soulless syntho/electro/sample-driven crud of the same genre. Think contemporized mid-‘70s Fleetwood Mac or, for that matter, Buckingham Nicks. Well-conceived and professionally produced. Download this: “All Good Things” (Maximum/EMI) FOUR STARS - TV Week Magazine, Canada

If you're looking for something to do tonight swing by The Purple Crab and catch pop duo Honey and the Money.
The show, which starts at 11:30 p.m., is part of the New Music West 2008 Music Festival and conference.

The Vancouver-based husband and wife team have just released their debut album The Elephant in the Room. "Essentially it's pop music," says Matt Clarke. "It's catchy, appealing to the masses, but at the same time has some certain truth, or real emotional connection. We try to be as honest and as emotionally open as we can."
Clarke and his wife Leila Harrison moved out to Vancouver from Calgary almost six years ago to pursue acting careers. "We came out here initially to follow the acting path," says Harrison. "We were both heavily involved in the theatre scene in Calgary. We came out here to have a go at film."
The couple have both temporarily put their acting careers on hold as their music has taken off. Though Clarke has a background in music, Harrison had never sung publicly until Clarke convinced her to join him for a couple of gigs at local coffee shops while the couple were living in Calgary. Clarke had only ever heard Harrison singing in the car, but he thought she had a great voice and was keen to have her join him on stage. "It partly backfired because she went off and she was way more popular than I was," he says.
Harrison continued to join Clarke on his local gigs and eventually took the lead vocal range. Before long Clarke was crafting songs specifically suited to Harrison's voice.
"What's exciting about it is the response that we've been getting from people right off the get go," says Harrison. "We're really positive about the dynamics of the two of us performing together."
As for what inspires their songwriting, Clarke says just about anything. "For us it's kind of a bit of everything. Things can kind of sneak up on you. It can be something musical, like another song you hear, or it can be something really strange like the windshield wipers. For us it's just kind of trying to be as open as we can to everything. You're always kind of on the lookout for something, 'cause you never know when something is going to kind of pop up."
For this married couple, working together on their music is ideal. "Matt and I are really great friends and we love being together. We love spending time together, working together and travelling together," says Harrison. "We make a great team when it comes to most facets of our life. I love it. I love the fact that when we hit the road we're always together."
Songs from The Elephant in the Room will be showcased in tonight's performance. The album, which is their first full-length CD, was recorded in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver with producer Jared Kuemper.
When the couple first started out they were called Madisen. "We had to make a change because there were 50 other bands with that name," says Clarke.
"We needed to make the change before we released the record," says Harrison. "The record had been such a huge emotional and financial investment for us, we didn't want to bring the record out with the name Madisen and then be confused with someone else. We just thought 'this is the time, let's change our name'."
"I basically stumbled upon it," says Harrison. "I was reading an article in a magazine about a guy who'd been through some tough stuff and came out on top. And the sentence just said 'now he's got the honey and the money."
"To have it all for us is not just about fame and fortune it's about being spiritually in tune, it's about love and life and friendship and everything that is encapsulated in that," Harrison says. "We want to be able to do this for as long as possible, to be able to reach as many people as possible and to live that typical dream," said Harrison.
For more information on Honey and the Money visit their website at honeyandthemoney.com. For tickets to tonight's show go to newmusicwest.com.

- Stephanie Kinnon - North Shore News