Clothesline From Hell’s debut album, SLATHER ON THE HONEY, is a restless thing, veering from glitched-out pop confections to moments of genuine tenderness with the erratic energy of a caffeinated hummingbird. One track sounds like it was recorded inside a microwave at a rave; the next feels like slow-dancing in a blizzard. The hyperpop influence occasionally gets a bit thick for my taste — there are passages, like during “ON ICE” where the vocal tricks get so aggressive it starts to sound like the vocals are being squeezed through a vice. But, Adam LaFramboise, aka Clothesline From Hell, does know when to dial things back before the song completely dissolves into sugar.
The production has this fascinating quality where everything sounds both impossibly crisp and somehow underwater. Tracks like “DRUG OF CHOICE” and “GIRL MUSIC” demonstrate a real knack for creating sonic spaces that shouldn’t exist, rooms with too many corners and staircases that lead to an impossible ceiling.
Is SLATHER ON THE HONEY messy? Absolutely. Does it know exactly what it wants to be? Not exactly. But something is charming about hearing an artist throw every idea at the wall and then lick it to see what sticks. SLATHER ON THE HONEY is a debut that tastes like potential—sticky, sweet, and just strange enough to make you want another bite.
