Album Review: Hotel California - Orange (2021)
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| Picture Credit: Hotel California |
Hotel California - Orange
Release Date: June 04, 2021
Label: Timezone Records
Format: CD / Digital
Length: 35:45
Genre: Americana / Folk
Origin: Hamburg, Germany
In the new millenium's first decade, Daniel Bewernick-Green toured the United States and Europe together with Carl Albrecht. It took until 2009 until the first album by Hotel California "The New Sound of Folk" was released. And the approach by which Hotel California rethink Folk and Americana is indeed a fresh and uncommon one, as we can still hear a dozen years later on the latest release "Orange".
The creatuve process in which the album was born can be located between lockdowns and constant uncertainty about the future - it was the beginning of the coronacene. Thus, Hotel California have put a COVID track on "Orange"; but it is not a song about life with the virus, or about the new reality that was brought to us by the virus. On the contrary, it is a song for the virus, simply called 'Fuck yourself'.
In an interview, my dear friend The Black Elephant Band said that the major influence the pandemic has on the creative process is given by the lack of social interaction. And therefore many artists' works that were created in this time are a lot more personal and reflected than they would be otherwise. Hotel California's "Orange" does not seem to be an exception to this thesis.
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| Picture Credit: Moncef Dellandrea |
So, apart from the angry song mentioned above, "Orange" is a very reflected, partially melancholic, and introverted release. Hotel California present warm, soothing, and harmonic soundscapes that let traditional Folk and more modern Indie or Post Punk sounds pair. Dynamic anthems like 'Keep the Fire burning' are born from this uplifting mix as well as soulful ballads like 'We aren't made of Stone'. Overall, a great production pleases the versatile and gorgeous vocals by Daniel Bewernick-Green, the energetic as well as the calm song structures, and the comfortable atmosphere on "Orange". This brilliant album will bring joy to fans of innovative Folk as produced by The Sandbox Josephs, The Elephant Circus.
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