The Hotel Year
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The Hotel Year

Charlton, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE

Charlton, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE
Band Pop Punk

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"Recently reissued on Mightier Than Sword Records, the album’s nine tracks are a hybrid of angry punk, heartfelt ballads, and dark indie rock guaranteed to catch listeners’ ears and never let go."

Even though …it Never Goes Out is only the Hotel Year’s first full-length record, the Massachusetts quartet has already reached the point of defying strict genre conventions. Recently reissued on Mightier Than Sword Records, the album’s nine tracks are a hybrid of angry punk, heartfelt ballads, and dark indie rock guaranteed to catch listeners’ ears and never let go.

The raucous opening track, “Our Lives Would Make a Sad, Boring Movie,” sets the stage for …it Never Goes Out with an energetic drive and anthemic, socially conscious lyrics. The song is made up of call outs to various ills of society, and bassist/vocalist Christian Holden’s passionate delivery sells the emotions of the song perfectly. But the most impressive part of the song is that it manages to be catchy and memorable without relying on a repeating chorus. That quality is greatest strength of the Hotel Year’s songwriting, and it’s even more apparent on the alternately nostalgic and tragic “An Ode To the Nite Ratz Club.” The song follows the breakdown of a friendship, and tone of the music twists and turns right along with Holden’s lyrics, the last two stanzas of which are the most powerful on the album.

While the rest of …it Never Goes Out maintains the combination of stylistic diversity and solid songwriting that makes those two songs stand out, it never reaches quite the same level of excitement. That’s not to say it’s a boring album in any way. Songs like “Lonely Hearts Club” and the one-minute burst of energy that is “Holiday” would be standouts on records by many of the Hotel Year’s peers, and the fact that here they sit in the shadows of even better songs is a testament to this band’s talent.

For a record that was initially self-released, …it Never Goes Out is a particularly accomplished work, and the rerelease should serve as great jumping-off point for the Hotel Year’s almost certainly bright future. If they can continue to write incredibly catchy songs and blur genre lines in the process, they will be a band to watch out for in no time at all.

SCORE: 8/10 - Late Night Sing-Alongs


"Over the past year or so I can’t even count how many songs are about being the outcast and whatnot, so it was a hit of an inhaler to be introduced to “Our Lives Would Make A Sad, Boring Movie.” It takes on the educational system and if this was a debate, "

Going green in the musical sense, Mightier Than Sword is reissuing The Hotel Year’s …it never goes out on October 11th and with good intentions. The reissue will allow it to head out and invade more pleasing punk fans lives.

The group vocals in songs like “Vacancy” show off their unity, while multiple lyrics tell the story of dudes who of course have had their lady letdowns, but also a disdain for authority. Over the past year or so I can’t even count how many songs are about being the outcast and whatnot, so it was a hit of an inhaler to be introduced to “Our Lives Would Make A Sad, Boring Movie.” It takes on the educational system and if this was a debate, The Hotel Year would dominate with their well thought out points put to song. whether they’re singing along with one another or breaking things down, it’s always understandable, which is something greatly appreciated. You’re not left scrabbling for plyrics.com when “Still- Water Spectacle” gets a bit on the hardcore side of life.

Somewhere between the brash roads of punk and the heartbreak of bands like Man Overboard lies The Hotel Year’s …it never goes out. Less than a handful of guys from the MA who look like the typical moody boy in your English 101 class. He wears a faded Movielife shirt, is always scribbling things you’re trying to read over his shoulder and when he does his presentations, you’re more in tune with the purity of his delivery and the fact that when he’s done all you can do is picture his vivid explanation of carving someone’s back like a Thanksgiving turkey with a Swiss army knife. - Golden Mixtape


"I don't know who the hell The Hotel Year are, or who gave them permission to rock my fucking world with this 'It Never Goes Out' record, but I'm totally willing to forgive them for enacting the element of surprise, because this album should be allowed to "

I don't know who the hell The Hotel Year are, or who gave them permission to rock my fucking world with this 'It Never Goes Out' record, but I'm totally willing to forgive them for enacting the element of surprise, because this album should be allowed to do whatever the fuck it wants. Honestly, when your guitar tones and drums sound this fucking good, you should be allowed to murder a murder ( a word which here means "flock") of babies and get away with it. Add awesome vocals with great pop punk melodies and you have a record that destroys almost everything else released in 2011. No, seriously, this is one of the top five albums of 2011. No lies. It's 9 songs, and each of these 9 songs is a fucking triumph.

They have a lot of similarities to bands like The Promise Ring, Saves the Day, Latterman, and pretty much anything that shines in the world of melodic punk and slightly emo music. It's hard for me to not just go ahead and tell you that the first two songs are the best songs on this album (let alone some of the best songs released this year), but then it becomes hard for me to say so once you take some of the other songs into question. The sixth track "I'm Gone" is another song that I'd have trouble not placing as one of the best things ever. It sounds kind of like stuff off Brand New's first album, or off 'Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?'. Like many of the songs on the album, it shares a slower, more emotional vibe. Compared to songs like the first two, and the amazing song "Holiday", which have a lot more in the way of pop punk going on. By the way, "Holiday" is fucking incredible.

The last two songs are also a couple of the best on the album. The penultimate track being another hectic, emotional, melodic punk song. And the last one being a mix of some sort of storytelling song, with a lot of elements dipping into 90s emo and skate punk. Basically, it's a great song, which is pretty long... but if we're being honest with ourselves, we know it'd have to be 10 minutes longer to actually overstay its welcome.

So, what do you do now, dear readers? You can go listen to this record on bandcamp and fall in love with it. - Idle and the Bear


"This is a great CD for a debut, these guys are young and they’re still discovering their sound, let’s see what they come out with in the future."

The sound doesn’t fit just one genre. While punk rock is probably the simplest way to describe these guys, they’re a good blend of punk, pop, and indie. Something a lot of bands have been doing lately is adding that genre diversity into their CDs, why stick to one sound? I love that bands have been doing that and that this one’s getting on board with it! It doesn’t sound bad, tacky, or trashy. There’s not some huge difference between the songs and they’re distinctly The Hotel Year.

The songs themselves are for the most part, very good, especially for a debut release.

The opening track “Our lives would make a sad, boring movie” gives the perfect idea of what the majority of the CD will sound like. This is one of the more punk vocal tracks, though at some points it stills has a bit of a poppy flare and who wouldn’t love this song with that name!

One song I can’t decide if I like or not is “Lonely Heart Club”. I love the opening, the first time on the CD where the singer shows some versatility with his vocals. The music more laid back during parts of it. The reason though that I can’t tell if I like it is that about 3/4s through the song they have three different vocals singing, a man, a woman, and one in the background, and during that part it’s just a bit much… crowded.

Another song to listen to is “Holiday” one of the more guitar heavy songs as well as one of the faster paced songs on the CD, it’s also the shortest song at a 1:05.

Overall I enjoyed the CD, punk is one of the few genres that I’m not really into so me saying I enjoyed this says something. I do think they could have done with more vocal diversity, like displayed in “Lonely Hearts Club”. The music though, was flawless and flowed well from song to song.

Like I said above though, this is a great CD for a debut, these guys are young and they’re still discovering their sound, let’s see what they come out with in the future. - DuzzitRock


"Infact, it’s a record everyone should love. There’s something quite special and unique here but it’s hard to put your finger on it."

The Hotel Year’s debut album “It Never Goes Out” is getting a re-issue from their new label Mightier Than Sword Records. That’s a big thing itself for the band, but if you haven’t heard the album then get on it. It’s punk how it should be done.

It’s pop punk, it’s straight up in-your-face punk, it’s melodic punk and it’s only 9 songs long. Quite an achievement. The record shows that the band are going to be huge – hence why Mightiter Than Sword probably snapped them up. It Never Goes Out is diverse. It’ll be for fans of bands like Fireworks and The Wonder Years to bands like Saves The Day and Title Fight. Infact, it’s a record everyone should love. There’s something quite special and unique here but it’s hard to put your finger on it.

The epic Our Lives Would Make a Sad, Boring Movie is very Man Overboard-esque or even Enema Of the State-era Blink-182. Despite the band being, well, a punk band – half way through the record, there is a ballad entitled Weathered. It may be wrong to use the word “ballad” (let’s face it, we think of Bon Jovi and Journey) but it’s a slow, singalong, harmonica induced track. It’s still brilliant though. It’s one to sing out at 2am coming home drunk. Straight after Weathered though, the band kicks things off again with I’m Gone. I’m Gone may not be the best track on the album, but it’s not a bad track by any means.

It Never Goes Out is a perfect punk record. It’s not for anyone in particular though. It’s a record for anyone and everyone to enjoy. Everyone can take something away from the record and having now signed to Mightier Than Sword Records, The Hotel Year will be on the up and up. The only criticism and downside to the record? 9 tracks is just not enough. We demand more. - Rock Reviews 24/7


"...listen to this album and appreciate it, just know that they will be back with something bigger and better, because The Hotel Year will not be a one note band."

"I had a visual pop into my mind when I was listening to this album. Small town kids in the middle of the night, bored and riled up, hop in the back of the truck and head down to an abandoned factory to throw stones through the broken windows. That sense of being held down, limited, with nothing to do. The adults and the school are against the youth and they want to break out and be free, that feeling. That is the whole message and tone of the album."

"They see the bigger picture. It Never Goes Out has some flavors of Rise Against and 30 Seconds to Mars where The Hotel Year are clearly thinking big, expressing rage at the current social climate and making an effort to be epic. There is also some 2000's era teen pop/punk/indie sounds spliced in, sounds like Simple Plan, Yellow Card, and Good Charlotte."

"When we get to “Weathered” and beyond to the end of the album, the band plays with a wide variety of instrumentation and the album, as a whole, progresses away from strict pop/punk and mixes the indie flair that wasn't really present in the beginning of It Never Goes Out. “Weathered” has a harmonica thrown into the mix, “I'm Gone” has more vocal harmonizing and strives for a more epic sound."

"The potential for greatness is there." - The Sound Faction


"..they provide a balanced mix of pop, punk, and indie sounds. But the mix of all these genres and styles creates a style that is simultaneously unique, intriguing, and enjoyable to listen to."

The Hotel Year's latest album ...it never goes out begins with a musical intro to the first track, which had your atypical alternative pop/punk feel. However, the singer's style is more rough and restless, almost a nod to the classic 90's era of grunge rock.

The lyrics are tales of classic teen angst and rebellion. For example, "We would break into the factory, our childhood autonomy, we had no respect for authority or property or your asshole neighbor's complaints." My music nerd observation for this one: I was pleased to hear the incorporation of different sounds, like a harmonica and whistling, during certain songs. It made the music much more interesting, and gave it an almost indie feel.

It's hard to pick one genre to categorize this album. With each track that played, I kept changing my mind on how to describe what I was hearing. So instead of picking one, I would say that they provide a balanced mix of pop, punk, and indie sounds. But the mix of all these genres and styles creates a style that is simultaneously unique, intriguing, and enjoyable to listen to. - Audio Arsenal Magazine


"Pairing solid, creative pop-punk songs with heartfelt and demanding, intricate pop songwriting, the Hotel Year have laid down a hell of a foundation."

"..the Hotel Year’s debut LP plays like the compilation of an ever-evolving band with hints of real brilliance along the way."

"...out of nowhere, a sense of maturity and greater influence suddenly starts to grace the album. First, a surprising alt-country twang rears its head on "Lonely Hearts Club." "An Ode To The Nite Ratz Club" and “Weathered” are excellent hybrids of Piebald's yelping quirk and the Weakerthans' patient storytelling, while "I'm Gone" carries a strong Into It. Over It. vibe. The emotionally desperate "Still-Water Spectacle" combines earnest, dynamic vocals (either painstakingly sung, urgently spat or cathartically joined in chorus) and heartstring-tugging guitar tones with intricate, thudded percussion, spinning it all into an unpredictable buildup."

"Pairing solid, creative pop-punk songs with heartfelt and demanding, intricate pop songwriting, the Hotel Year have laid down a hell of a foundation." - Alternative Press


Discography

"...it never goes out" (10/11/11) Mightier Than Sword Records

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Bio

Killin rock stars, hatin dads, lovin life, hatin life, becomin (so) numb towards life, smashin the state, bein barefoot,ridin peds, gettin sad, just wantin our friends back, the lazy version of diy, poppin punks, fuckin macho bullshit (gender is a social construct), hatin moshin, thinkin we know who we are n always bein wrong, bein blindly optimistic, thinkin we understand the universal truth n always bein wrong, werewolf partyin, hatin america, hatin capitalism, hatin marx, lovin marx, hatin industrialization, lovin the internet, tellin the founding fathers "You're not my real dad", Jon Landry lovin us, John Darling never gettin to be our merch guy, Tolstoy, Thoreau, Nietzsche, Foucault, Chomsky, Zinn, Vonnegut (so trendy), Silverstein (not the band), existentialism (on prom night), lovin Good Charlotte/Simple Plan/Lit/Blink 182/The Used/Mest/and MCR... then thinkin that we are too cool for them, then lovin them again, hatin work, lovin workin, hatin school, lovin learnin, the best things in life are free, lovin everyone for who they are, buildin community, bein friends, doin everythin in our power to be happy, and of course (drumroll) havin fun.