Locusts and Honey Accord Article

Driving through downtown Montevallo on a warm Tuesday evening in September 2007, I thought about the changes this year would bring. As a somewhat shy teenager entering his freshman year at the University of Montevallo, I worried, like most new students, about making new friends and leaving behind old ones. However, my destination, Eclipse Coffee and Books, and the event at said destination, the uniquely titled “Locusts and Honey Accord,” gave me hope for new beginnings.
The eclectic front porch of Eclipse, decorated with Christmas lights, immediately caught my attention, drawing me in with its cozy hospitality. After passing several rooms containing books of philosophy, world literature, and physics, I stepped into the great room where fellow students were drinking coffee, relaxing with friends, and furiously finishing last-minute papers.
I approached the front counter, guitar in hand, and asked the barista what time the Locust and Honey Accord started. I received a bewildered stare and shrug of the shoulders. This shrug left me feeling rather awkward and wanting to leave quickly before anyone else noticed my mistake. Fortunately, my friend Zach Williams, who had invited me to the meeting, called me over to a side room.
After the members of the group set up for the night by throwing out the table and arranging the chairs in a circle, they pulled out their guitars and began the tedious process of tuning to each other. When they finally finished this exercise, Williams asked if I had any songs, old or new, that I would like to share. Though I had played several times

throughout that summer, the idea of sharing my songs with a small audience of musicians intimidated me. However, I quickly settled my nerves and played the opening chords of “Impressions”, a song I had written my first week at Montevallo. As I began the chorus, I heard an explosion of musical fusion as each of my fellow songwriters complemented the song with guitar, bass, djembe, and tambourine. In that moment, I encountered an entirely different view of songwriting. After I finished my song, we continued clockwise around the circle, jamming for the next hour and a half. Needless to say, the experience left me awestruck.
In the months following that first meeting, I have learned more about the founders of Locusts and Honey and their intentions behind its inception. Williams, a sophomore studio art major, and Jordan Barrios, a sophomore accounting major, came up with the idea in August 2007 to provide the songwriters of Montevallo with a creative outlet. “I actually got the idea from Andrew Osenga and the Square Peg Alliance, which is 9 independent singer-songwriters from Nashville. The Square Peg Alliance is a chance for musicians to share music with each other in a small setting. I just thought it would be neat for us to have something like that here. The musical combination of Locusts is weird. I named the group after John the Baptist who was also weird and indie,” says Williams, who is known for his afro as well as his innovative songwriting.
The pair originally wanted Jazzman’s to be Locusts’ central location, but eventually gravitated toward the popular Eclipse. “Jazzman’s closes at 9 pm and Eclipse
has a more mellow feel,” Williams explains. The decision proved successful and was
evident in the responses of Eclipse employees and customers. “Many times, [the employees] will peek their heads in as they walk by to get a quick listen before heading to work,” said Barrios.
The blend of various lyrical and musical styles also aids in Locusts’ image. “Well, the LHA is really a melting pot of good music. Pi is an ambient, progressive rock band. It is awkward at times when everyone has folksy songs or pop gems and you're the only one playing the crap out of an acoustic because you are used to the loud volume of an electric. But I do have to say that we put in our two cents,” said Evan Mullins, a freshman and frontman for the Birmingham-based group Pi.
Subsequently, Mullins draws influence from alternative bands such as Muse, Coldplay, David Crowder Band, and the Shins. Barrios’ influences include singer/songwriters Matt Costa, Louis, and his friends. Finally, Williams finds inspiration in alternative folk artist Sufjan Stevens, reflected in his own use of the banjo.
Not to be confused, Locusts is not an official band, but a collection of singer/songwriters who are willing to collaborate with each other when necessary. Williams believes that the ability of Locusts’ members to play multiple instruments allows them to provide backup for any show in which the various members perform. “We are basically each other’s band,” he said.
As far as the future of Locusts, the members hope for expansion with more Montevallo students attending. Barrios is optimistic “Of course we hope for an expansion. I think this thing has the potential to reach many people,” Barrios said. The members of Locusts played a show for a packed house in the main room at Eclipse on February 26th, 2008, a sign of increasing popularity.
For aspiring musicians, members offer this simple advice: be creative. As Williams says: “A major obstacle most songwriters face is sounding like everything else or sounding too far out there for anyone to catch it; it’s a balance that must be learned.”