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The Hotelier is one of my favorite band and I was introduced to them because of newspaper article about saving emo. Years later the lyrics mean the world to me. I would even say they have written one of the best albums to listen to from start to finish.
In this episode we explore the introduction to the album and my favorite song. Also find out how I accidentally found this band at a noodle shop.
Show Notes
“Show Notes” are my raw general thoughts about said artist and usually how I roughly structure the episode. An episode may or may not include all of the following details.
Episode 5: Hotelier
In this episode I’ll talk about how going to noodle restaurant and local newspaper introduced me to one of my favorite bands Hotelier.
In 2015 I felt like I lost my hardcore roots. I stopped going to concerts mainly because my best friend and I stopped talking and for whatever reason I got sick of “punk” music. It was all starting to sound the same to me. I was dating a girl who wasn’t too down with that kind of music but we was tolerating american folk, so that’s where my ears were at. During this same time, I was starting to be a little more independent for whatever reason and started enjoying eating dinner alone. I’d go out to Whole Foods, Moes, whatever alone and just eat and if the place had our local news paper I’d usually grab it.
Around this same time, I was really getting into Noodles and Company, a noodle restaurant that just had a bunch of vegetarian flavors. Plus it was near the college so I felt less alone with kids who looked like me. I’d usually order the penne and a root beer and sit outside. My greatest memories are sitting outside eating, something more alive when you’re part of the elements. In any case, I had did this today, grabbed the “Independent” Raleighs local indie run newspaper and flipped through. Nothing really stood out most days for me. Seeing what art exhibits are coming to down or what bands that I usually didn’t know were my usually readings.
https://indyweek.com/music/features/hotelier-modern-baseball-helping-emo-grow/
For whatever reason, Modern Baseball and Hotelier had an entire article written about them and how they were brining back a new wave of emo. Which I had already known Modern Baseball and dug them, but never heard of Hotelier. I was actually kind of annoyed that it wasn’t Modern Baseball in the headline photo but I thought it was awesome an article about emo and these guys were written. I took the newspaper home.
I had been living my of girlfriend at the time but it was my apartment. She just always stayed over it felt like. Because of this, all the furniture and Nik-naks were mine. In the bedroom, I had a huge wall were the TV went (a TV I bought for like 75 USD after the TV my Dad bought me after I first moved out of the house was mysteriously broken), and under the TV was a bookshelf. It held all my Sci-Fi, Fantasy and manga. I miss those books. But beyond the media that stood infant of my bed, was a wall of art, articles, stickers and everything in-between hung. So I cut out the article, posted it to the wall and never really bothered with Hotelier again for a bit.
I was getting really into Joyce Manor which they had their full album up on youtube. Then one day, thanks to youtube recommending full albums (which was a thing for a bit) the 2014 album, “Home, Like NoPlace Is there” caught my eye and I listed to it start to finish. I was blown away. I kept listening to it for about a week and every time the song Dendron ended the album, I felt like I was released of all my past worries and problems. Maybe it was the losing of my best friend, the fact I don’t have a close relationship with my mom or that I was in a relationship I didn’t want to be in, It was a song of emotional release.
I think what really impressed was how literally from start to finish, the album is a wonderful composition and journey of post-hardcore emo music. With the start of “An Introduction to The Album” which is probably the best introduction song of all time. The focus of vocals in the first part to the explosive energy after that “fuck” it’s an awesome experience.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to see them in concert but just to prove this album was top notch, The Hotelier played the entire album @ The Fest in 2014 which as of the episode almost has 100k views. I can’t tell you how many I’ve listened to that live recording on youtube. It’s one of the few concerts I wish I had experienced first hand because the energy, the community the crowed had and the performance might be their best.
So after 4 years of The Hotelier, I’ve given their new and old albums a chance but just like taking a long vacation, “Home, Like Noplace is There” I keep coming back and to the confort of that album. I think this song really as well with all the songs on this album, it’s a massive emotional undertaking you can feel in the singers voice. And the melody to match it, it feels like you’re living and feeling the same emotions. Even reflect and hear your own life in the lyrics, like all good music should. That’s why I love this band and the album, I really hope their next album does it for me the same.
