Genres: Indie-pop and Indie-rock
When Brooklyn based indie-pop band Hospitality released their self-titled album in 2011, the band enjoyed moderate success. Hospitality’s unique rhythm, warm acoustic guitar, bright electric guitar, and friendly tone made the band’s first LP 2011’s hidden gem and cemented the underrated group as one of my favorite indie bands. Now, after having matured and learned from their past, the band offers bold new flavors in their second full length album Trouble, released on January 28 by Merge Records.
Change:
Hospitality has changed over these
past three years, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise since the band has been hinting at their transformation for quite some time now. The arrival of Hospitality’s 2012 single The Drift/ Monkey (a side and b side) signaled a drastic rhythmic and lyrical shift, and on October 31, 2013, Merge Records released a fantastic and artistic trailer for Trouble, which seemed to boldly declare, “We are the new Hospitality.” This trailer, although bold and new, managed to escape the trap of being pretentious and caught my eyes and ears within the first seconds. With this in mind, I listened to the new album, and from the very first track that seeped into my ears, I began forming my thoughts on Hospitality’s latest efforts.
The Introduction:
The album’s opener “Nightingale” succeeds in setting the new tone. The slow, heavy drums and twangy guitar make it clear you’re in for something new and exciting. Then, the synthesizer and vocals kick in, and it’s clear that hospitality hasn’t abandoned their sophisticated sound for heavy guitar sounds. The song unfolds and introduces some cello work. By the end, all of these instruments combine to produce something truly special.
The Body:
Although, the first song truly succeeds in delivering some memorable music, the body of the album suffers from some inconsistency. The second song “Going Out” uses most of the same instruments from the first track to create more rhythm. It’s very good. Next up is “I Miss Your Bones,” and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a loud, catchy, and fun song, and it’s vocals recapture the charm from the first album. The album’s fourth track “Inauguration” isn’t quite as loud as the previous track, but it’s still solid. The fifth song “Rockets and Jets” transports the listener into the 1980’s with synthesizers, a drum machine, and some nice bass. This track marks the end of first segment of the album.
The next track “Sullivan” doesn’t match the tone the others songs successfully established. This song simply doesn’t fit in with the other tracks. This doesn’t mean the song is bad. It’s actually quite good, but placing it right behind a louder and faster song doesn’t do it justice. Next, Hospitality takes you back in time to the 70’s with a warm piano and lyrics that focus on ending a relationship with an unfaithful boyfriend. I really enjoyed this song. It helps to send the listener through the album’s progression. It changes the ideas and sounds. Next, Hospitality sunrises with another 80’s inspired song with “Last Words.” The synthesizers, piano, darker lyrics, and simple electric guitar make this Hospitality’s best song yet. The group reaches its lyrical peak in this song with biblical allusion and ideas not typically found in indie-pop music. This peak precedes two more songs that, like “Sullivan,” just don’t fit.
The last two tracks, “Sunship” and “Call Me After,” are both good tracks, but they don’t bookend the album effectively. Hospitality abandoned the electric guitars and synths, and instead uses an acoustic guitar to deliver the song. The addition of a trumpet in “Sunship” changes the sound and places “Sunship” at the top of my favorite song list for Hospitality, but this shift makes the listener feel as though the album has fallen off a cliff. It drains the energy and leaves the listener with an incomplete album, but wait! There’s hope.
The (Bonus) Epilogue:
The closing track “Bet” comes in the form of the bonus track, which is only available on the digital version. This song finds itself in a good middle ground between the louder, faster songs and the calmer, slower ones. It definitely completes the album, and leaves the listener satisfied. It reminded me that this is still the band I fell in love with in the album.
The Verdict:
Trouble offers a new look into Hospitality, and it largely succeeds. It’s easy to dismiss the band’s new louder sound, but it’s truly something special. Hospitality can never lose its indie-pop roots. Trouble would reach into the realm of incredible albums, but I still love every song on this LP. The problem was in the placement of these songs. Once Hospitality learns to produce an album that smoothly transitions through its different acts, the band will be able to produce a masterpiece. In the mean time, we’re left with a great offering from a great band.
Score: 8.2/10
