Most start-up musical outfits often feature the wide-eyed attitude of young… Read Full Bio ↴Most start-up musical outfits often feature the wide-eyed attitude of young musicians, who see the world as their oyster, ready to tackle their seemingly infinite futures with a libertine viewpoint that can only be held by those with little experience in the game.

But for the members of central Illinois-based What’s Fair, they know that their time and place in the realm of music has its limitations. With members having spent nearly a decade in the business, their understanding of what’s reasonable and possible—and what’s improbable—is more sharply defined than most upstarts. Yet that doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to make What’s Fair their most important musical effort to date.

In fact, according to Timmy Costello, What’s Fair might possibly be the most prominent musical undertaking he’s been involved in, since his years as a bass player in the emo-rock band Park with guitarist Justin Valenti. The genesis of What’s Fair actually stems from their involvement in Park, as Valenti had approached Costello—who had left Park in 2005.

The pair headed into the studio and began writing new material. After seeking a new sound, the pair asked keyboardist Faith Wheaton to join them in their collaboration, who had never been in a band before.

The project hadn’t located its voice, so Costello and Valenti turned to their Park roots, tracking down a female vocalist who had sang as a guest vocalist on a Park album. “She had a beautiful voice,” Costello says, “so we decided, why don’t we just give her a call? She might or might not want to be involved.”

Fortunately, their decision paid off, as vocalist Jo Pollock was very interested in being involved. “Turns out, she ended up loving the music, came in the studio, laid down one vocal take and that’s where it started,” Costello says.

Immediately, the band’s focus shifted to that of Pollock’s lead vocals carrying the weight of the material that they’d composed, which was admitted more mainstream and straightforward than their previous efforts. “We wanted to write something that everybody could love but most of all, the vocals were the main part that people could identify with and love too,” says Costello. In preparing for the recording, Costello realized that he had hit a brick wall creatively. Seeking a change of pace and scenery, he once again tapped his background with Park by contacting Southern California-based producer Cameron Webb (Kelly Clarkson, Social Distortion, Weezer) for some recording assistance, who had recorded his previous outfit. Webb was unavailable to help with the What’s Fair album, but suggested that Costello contact producer Sergio Chavez (Alien Ant Farm, P.O.D., Isles & Glaciers).

“I’d never met the guy or talked to him,” says Costello of Chavez, “and the next thing I knew, we were on the phone and we went to California and started recording this album.”

To solidify the recording , Jarrod Alexander was enlisted to play drums on the album (Dead Country, A Static Lullaby, Dead Sara). The resulting album is a collection of beautifully crafted tracks, topped with sparkling melodies, expansive harmonies and compositions filled with both intriguing depth and a fresh spirit.

This female-fronted indie pop-rock act exhibits all the best qualities shared by some of its influences, which include Fiona Apple, Tegan and Sara, Feist, Meg and Dia and Coldplay.

Now with the album completed, What’s Fair’s aim is to ensure that their hard work, efforts, talent and creativity can be shared with the rest of the world, either in recording or on stage. In fact, the band has already received a licensing deal with MTV Networks for television placement before the album’s even been released—it’s an immensely promising start, to say the least.

“The hope is to shoot for the stars and see what happens,” Costello says. “And just go for it—it’s kind of ‘all or nothing’ at this point. Just go headfirst and see what happens. I’m really happy with the outcome so far, so we’ve just gotta keep rolling with it and hope that everybody else loves it too. It’s a dream of mine.”

honestly
What's Fair Lyrics

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Honestly, honesty
hardly gets a hold of me
Lately your giving me
Too much too soon
But I can never tell you
It's not enough
but you assume
the truth is what I'm telling you

Tell me more
(Say it again)
Tell me how
It should have been
Tell me I'm missing out
Remind me again
'Cause I'm not convinced

Certainly, certainty
Has got to count for something
This mood your showing me
It doesn't show me anything
The way you keep on pushing me
It shows me how things shouldn't be

Tell me more
(Say it again)
Tell me how
It should have been
Tell me I'm missing out
Remind me again
'Cause I'm not convinced

Understand, this circumstance
was never really meant to be
The way you look at me
Everything you're missing
It's not enough, but you assume
I've got the world to give to you

Tell me more
(Say it again)
Tell me how
It should have been
Tell me I'm missing out
Remind me again
'Cause I'm...

Tell me more
(Say it again)
Tell me how
It should have been

Tell me I'm missing out
Remind me again

Overall Meaning

The song "Honestly" by What's Fair is a powerful and emotional reflection on the complexities of relationships and the struggle to communicate honestly with one's partner. The opening lyrics, "Honestly, honesty hardly gets a hold of me" suggest a struggle with honesty, with the singer acknowledging the difficulty in expressing their true feelings to their partner. The chorus, which repeatedly urges the partner to "Tell me more" and "Say it again," suggests a desire for deeper connection and understanding in the relationship, while the line "Remind me again / 'Cause I'm not convinced" conveys a sense of skepticism or distrust.

The second verse explores the tension between certainty and doubt in the relationship, with the singer questioning whether the partner's unwavering confidence is rooted in reality or simply a façade. The line "The way you keep on pushing me / It shows me how things shouldn't be" suggests that the partner's behavior is causing anxiety or discomfort for the singer, perhaps pushing them further away instead of bringing them closer together.

The final verse acknowledges that the relationship may not have been meant to be, and yet the partner persists in their efforts to win over the singer. The line "It's not enough, but you assume / I've got the world to give to you" highlights the partner's unrealistic expectations and the pressure they are putting on the relationship.

Overall, "Honestly" is a poignant and heartfelt song that explores the challenges of navigating complex emotions and difficult conversations within a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Honestly, honesty
I want to be honest, but it's hard for me

hardly gets a hold of me
I struggle to be truthful

Lately your giving me
Recently, you have been providing me

Too much too soon
An excessive amount of information or feelings too early on

But I can never tell you
Despite this, I cannot share my true thoughts

It's not enough
What you're giving me isn't sufficient

but you assume
However, you presume that it is

the truth is what I'm telling you
Despite hiding some of my feelings, what I say is true

Certainly, certainty
Having certainty is important

Has got to count for something
It should be beneficial in some way

This mood your showing me
I don't understand why you are acting this way