Album Review: Home, Like Noplace Is There by The Hotelier

Photo from Pitchfork

Words by: Emma Comeaux

The Hotelier is a band that is new to me, although I’ve certainly created an interest just from this album. I’ll definitely be looking into them in the future. The Hotelier appeared on many “Top Albums of 2014” type pieces I’ve seen. I was very excited to review some of their work.

“An Introduction to the Album” – From the title I was expecting dull chords and melodies, but what I got was so much more. It’s a gentle song, but it’s a beautiful sort of chaotic mess as well. The vocals draw you in, the words are thrown out as the music draws in. It’s a push and pull type situation. Chris Holden, who takes care of the vocals and bass, did a great job with this song. It is flowing and enticing.

“The Scope of All This Rebuilding”- The guitar and drums for this song were the most important detail in this song for me. This piece is all emotions and putting the blame on yourself. You lose people, you hate yourself, and you feel guilty. This song embodies that cycle, the cycle of losing everything.

“In Framing” – The vocals for this song are less intense, but the lyrics have packed in more meaning and resonance. I really must commend the drummer (Sam Frederick) for his amazing work, of the many times I’ve listened to this album the drums are always one of my favorite parts. They’re really showcased in this song

 “Your Deep Rest” - “I called in sick from your funeral.” These lyrics definitely pack a punch. This song has been my favorite so far on this album, and I couldn’t wait to write this part, but now that I’m here it’s hard to describe. All you can really do is feel this song. The way it pulls you in and opens you up.

“Among the Wildflowers” – Songs that tell their stories this well are ones that stay with you. It’s hard to let go of songs like this because they’re truly something you can fall into line with. You feel in sync with the music. It’s a human symphony that shows you something, it teaches and sculpts you.

“Life in Drag” – Probably the loudest and most reckless song on this album, it’s certainly one of the best. Creative lyrics, intimate vocals, and everything comes together in that insanely beautiful, messy way.

“Housebroken” –This song is a song of pulling someone to safety, but they don’t want to be safe. They feel the situation they’re in will do, change is something they could never want. This song describes a lot of the people in my life, they’re just broken and scared. But it describes me too, and there’s no escaping the fact that everyones worried about where they’ll end up.

“Discomfort Revisited” – Watching someone fall apart is always hard, especially when you’re part of the reason they’re splitting at the ends. You keep everything down, push it out of the way, but you explode eventually. “You felt buried from the start. Tearing you apart. Constricting the free beating of your heart.” Sometimes things can’t be salvaged, but this song certainly makes it okay. It’s alright not everything/everyone can be saved.

“Dendron” – Finishing an album is like watching it die every time. You have to find closure, and start over. You have to build around all that you gained from this album, and this album gave me a lot. This is the end of an era, the start of a new, and it’s a beautiful one.