Stripped of the noise, the lights, and the labels, what remains is the music that truly matters. The Lifeboat Playlist is a raw, deep dive into the sonic DNA of the artists we love, forcing them to choose the ten definitive tracks they’d carry into isolation. It’s a survival kit built on gut-level resonance—a collection of anthems, heartbreaks, and high-octane riffs that define a lifetime. From stadium-sized roars to vulnerable late-night confessions, these are the songs that keep the fire burning when the horizon feels endless.
This week, we hand over the keys to Henry, the driving force behind Honeybuzzard.
For Henry, these ten tracks aren’t just influences—they’re blueprints. They represent the standards honeybuzzard measures themselves against and the exact kind of songwriting that made them want to start a band in the first place. Each selection captures something essential—whether it’s boundless ambition, haunting atmosphere, undeniable melody, or sheer conviction. Together, they form the very foundation of how Henry approaches writing and performing today.
W: Karl Watson
1: Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
This is one of the first songs my Dad introduced me to, and was the first time i realised how much a guitar solo can move you. Knopfler is a genius, and this track means everything to me.
2: Karl Jenkins - Benedictus
I started out in Brass Bands, not very rock and roll but I remember this was a piece we would play occasionally and every time it would choke me up, one of the most beautiful compositions.
3: John Mayer - Covered in Rain
I’d always say that if Mark Knopfler is the reason I picked up a guitar, John Mayer is the reason I never put it down. There’s no artist whose discography I know better, and this song is a hauntingly beautiful example of everything that makes Mayer one of the greats.
4: Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
This is what sold me on Jeff Buckley. It’s ethereal. I genuinely feel that his voice has the ability to take you to another place entirely. I was introduced to ‘Grace’ when I was 16, I make time to listen to that record at least once a week, it’s transcendent.
5: Radiohead - Everything in it’s Right Place
I love the hypnotic nature of this song. Even more though, I love the way that this was a song that helped Thom Yorke break free from crippling writer’s block. It took me a few tries to understand ‘Kid A’, but when it did click it changed everything for me.
6: Neil Young - Cortez The Killer
This is a sweaty song, and I mean that in the best way possible. Such a brutal jam that carries so much weight, Neil Young’s Crazy Horse guitar tones are proof he invented grunge.
7: John Martyn - Small Hours
This is such a beautiful, ambient track. The guitars swell and fade across the whole track, Martyn’s vocal doesn’t demand your attention, it just adds to the atmosphere in such a hypnotic way. There are these otherworldly effects that come and go throughout the song, the kind of stuff that in isolation would never work, but it all comes together to create this stunning tapestry.
8: Wunderhorse - Aeroplane
I love how live this track is, there’s no frills or extra fat. It’s a brutal recording, I think some people get turned off by the rawness of a live record, but in my opinion music needs more of that right now, nothing comes close to that kind of energy.
9: Ryan Adams - Dear Chicago
When I first heard this song, I listened to it in complete silence, then played it again at least 20 times back to back. It’s a real deepcut, I don’t hear anywhere near as many people talk about this song as they should, but everyone should listen to this song once. It’s so painfully honest and vulnerable.
10: Pearl Jam - Jeremy
I had to include a grunge song on this list, and this is THE grunge song. A tragic story set to the backdrop of distortion, that’s what grunge is all about. Always gets me singing along when Eddie Vedder comes in with that falsetto towards the end.