This is the second album from Seattle's National Honor Society, as the title To All The Distance Between Us implies it was recorded on zoom etc with lots of isolation rather than as a band together in a studio. National Honor Society is Coulter Leslie, Jerry Peerson, Andrew Gaskin and Will Hallauer. I won't be using the band's initials as that will only cause confusion on this side of the pond. This albums release has been timed to come out on the first birthday of Queen Elizabeth II since she passed away, so they can form an honor guard on the 21st April.
The album opens with As She Slips Away that sounds like a 60's infested college rock song from the mid 80's, with good harmonies, lots of layers to this almost preppy pop song with echoes of Three O'Clock mixed with Prefab Sprout.
Control is a speedy panic-stricken burst of indie pop as you figure out how to gain back some element of self-control, as the whole world changes around you, the drums never let up as the guitars burst out of the speakers around you.
The Following is what the National Honor Society hope the bands fan describe themselves as, hopefully arranged in fashionable knitwear and slacks looking chic, in an 80's Haircut 100 kind of way, as the members of The Following look longingly at each other, as the strings build the tension, they all mutter at each other The Following in recognition they have joined up to the cult.
In Your Eyes feels like 80's college rock bands trying to sound like Love and coming up with a delicious alternative, this is lovelorn as they hope to gaze into Your Eyes while hopefully you gaze back at them with the same affection you can hear in the music.
It's Killing Me is a song hoping for change, to a government and society that acts with honesty and honor, rather than thievery and deceit. The message is encased in sweetly meshing guitars and dappled drumming.
Jacqueline will always get to me as it makes me think of my mum, but of course this isn't about the bands dear departed mums, but a lover they would like to return to, having one more go with them, they miss her terribly on a song that reminds me a bit of Ace or Sailor or similar early 70's pop bands.
Remember The Good Times is a perfect follow on for me after Jacqueline, as I always try to remember the good times with mum before Alzheimer's took over, this wistful tune however is about going back to simpler pre-covid times when you could do loads of things with much less worry.
The Trigger is something most Americans hope is pulled an awful lot less than it is, in this case it's a woman who is threatening to kick them to the curb and move on without them, as the guitars build a wall of protection this reminds me of the Luxembourg Signal.
Used To Be is full of longing for the good old days when we were happy and having fun, before everything fell apart, be it the world before Covid or the love we once had for each other.
The album closes with When The Lights Go Down hopefully a good film will begin, that has a happy ending and isn't full of regret for how things turned out, on a tune that owes a little bit to Something In The Air, whatever that might be, with some nice chiming guitars to welcome the kids home once more.
Find out more at https://thenationalhonorsociety.bandcamp.com/album/to-all-the-distance-between-us https://www.facebook.com/thenationalhonorsociety
