The Hotelier – “Soft Animal”

Nothing has really grabbed me from this album yet. But i can see this song growing on me.

 

One of my favorite songs of the year so far, probably my favorite (or close to) on the album. Fantastic chorus, great ending, really interesting lyrics, and just an overall step up in the band's already stellar songwriting career.

 

I'm still trying to get sold on some of the weird mixing choices on "Piano Player" (that first verse never sits right with me) and the vocals are still a little too buried here, but this song.... this song is killer.

 

Gonna try really hard not to listen to this until I can listen to the full album.

 

Still want the vocals higher but, beautiful song.

 

those album clips are juicy.

 

Guys. What the hell is up with this mix? It sounds absolutely terrible. Is it just SoundCloud compression? Loudest drums with the quietest vox and the song is so vocally driven that it sounds odd! Love the song and maybe if it IS a creative choice I'll learn to love it


edit: on speakers it sounds great. Maybe i have shitty headphones

 

I only listened once, and it's the first song I've heard since Tuesday, but I can't agree with that last sentiment more. I have a feeling this album is going to be something very special for me.

 

It's definitely on purpose.

 

This is fantastic.

 

Amazing song! I'm going to see them tomorrow with rozwell kid as opening act in Turin (Italy). Can't wait! :)

 

Wow. It's not often that a song hits me on an emotional level on the first listen. Couldn't more excited for this album.

 

P E R F E C T I O N

 

Yeah the vocals are a little quieter and the drums are louder, particularly the snare, purposely... for whatever reason. Doesn't sound terrible but kinda bugs me. There are other ways to make it sound not polished.

 

Flawless

 

Wow. Just, wow.

 

Yeah I wanted the vocals higher.

Song is really really good. Really enjoy it but neither song compares to the best stuff from 'Home'.

 

Listened only once to the album clips. I just can't wait.

 

There are going to be fans that loved home that don't like this record and there are going to be fans who love this record who didn't love home... Pretty sure it's a very different sound and that's okay with me

 

I don't think they're doing it to make it "sound not polished." I think they're doing to because it's the exact sound and feeling they want the music to evoke. Dirtying up a song because you are going for a certain aesthetic is one thing, and it works for some artists and not for others, but I don't think that's what the band did here. I think the entire theme of the album, from the artwork to the lyrics, to the music, to the sequencing, to the way it sounds is all part of a whole. If you walk through forest at night, and you hear a discussion off in a campfire in the distance, and it mixes with the sound of the creek just around the bend — you don't get both sounds crystal clear in your head. They aren't mixed at the perfect balance so that they drift in and out and you hear them "correctly." I truly think this natural sound is meant to evoke a similar feeling from the listener - what the ear grasps onto changes with each listen - what becomes focal is never constant. Not to avoid a feeling of "polished" but because it's in service to the entire essence of the songs; all of it is a reflection of the songs.

 

This was unbelievable, even by their standards. Genuinely almost moved to tears by that first listen. This record is going to be something truly special.

 

Suuuper cool take on the album.

 

Talk about the perfect fucking way to build to an ending.

 

That's pretty cool and all. The snare is too loud though and the vocals are slightly too low. No amount of "rationalization" takes these issues away. I can see your idea coming to fruition in that first verse of the previously released song and that is cool, but the rest is just pure bad mixing imo. If your going for a lo-fi production you do it at the recording stage. You still mix your song accordingly and get the levels right. Bad mix.

That being said, the song is still awesome and I know I will enjoy this record.