Hospitality - Hospitality Review
Posted by C.A. Bell on 02.10.2012
The professional debut of this jaunty indie pop band on Merge Records puts them to the test. Is Hospitality something special, or just another chewed up Belle & Sebastian cover band? Join C.A. Bell for an in depth look at the new record.
Release Date:Jan. 31, 2012 Running Time:32:58 Label:Merge Genre:Indie Pop Drug of Choice: Cheap Wine, Poppers Key Tracks:
"Eighth Avenue"
"Friends of Friends"
"The Right Profession"
"All Day Today"
Hospitality are a Brooklyn three-piece that have released their first LP on Merge after a highly acclaimed untitled EP in 2009 that garnered national attention (thanks to Pitchfork and Stereogum). This self-titled release is a fun jaunt through indie pop that is reminiscent of groups like Stereolab and Camera Obscura. Like the album released this week from veteran label-mates Imperial Teen, Hospitality never take themselves too seriously and don't wear out their welcome, with the record coming in at just over a half hour. The songs here are sweet without traveling into the realm of cheese. I think what I appreciate the most here is the vocal performance from lead vocalist Amber Papini. With a slight similarity to Nico (though a much happier version), Papini's voice functions perfectly within these arrangements as any good instrument should. She is also a fantastic storyteller, making these stories about New York seem much more endearing than they probably were in real life. Too many female pop vocalists fall into the category of 'cute'. Papini evades that pitfall and I have absolutely no idea why or how. In short, I might be in love.
The key word for Hospitality is catchy. The album is anchored by two of the catchier songs I've heard in some time, "Eighth Avenue" and "All Day Today". In between is a variety of ditty's to please even the coldest heart. "Friends of Friends" is reminiscent of those great early Bell & Sebastian songs that had your feet involuntarily tapping for an entire day. The slower moments here, like "Julie" and "Sleepover", aren't as strong as the happier ones, but they work well to break up the record a bit and keep interest high. Another impressive note about Hospitality is the overall quality of the sound. This doesn't sound like a band that is making their first professional LP (though multi-instrumentalist Nathan Michel has released a few solo records previous to his work with Hospitality). The songs are tight, the production quality is pristine, and nothing here sounds as if it has been overly fussed over. Altogether, this is a very strong release from a promising new band. I'm looking forward to what they will do next, but if this band never makes another record Hospitality will be enough to keep me happy for a good long time.
The 411: Brooklyn's Hospitality release their first LP on Merge Records. This is a fun record that improves upon the sound of their untitled 2009 EP. The head nodding is automatic from beginning to finish. This may not be a record that is trying to fundamentally change the world, but it does make the place a little bit nicer.
