The Hotelier - Goodness (May 27, 2016) Album • Page 107

So I finally got around to listening to this while reading along with the lyrics today, and this part of Two Deliverances nearly had me bawling. Probably my favorite song on the album now.

 

Probably the only thing I'd change about this album is to replace the spoken word intro with 'Goodness Pt. 1'

 

The more I listen to it, the more I love how it sounds

 

This is probably what I'll do when I get to a computer.

 

I really want to do it, but I'm also OCD about having albums organized the way they were intended. I think for me it would make the album that much more enjoyable and cohesive tracks 1-13.

I think that track would also tie those acoustic interludes into the entire album a little more.

 

Agreed. I'm an album listener. I try to keep things together the way the artist intended, but I'm really not a fan of that opening track.

 

I've skipped the opening track every time after the first listen, so why not just throw 'Goodness Pt. 1' there and not have it standalone by itself.

 

I love that opening track. It really sets up a lot of the rest of the album for me.

 

Agreed.

 

I've gone against my view that Goodness Pt 1 works better at the beginning. It serves as a nice bridge between their two albums and was good for giving fans an idea on what the new album would be like but I think the poem + pt 2 works better as an opener, otherwise it drags on a little

 

This.. I enjoy the poem.. Maybe bc I don't read a ton of poetry so I'm not as critical

 

the poem is fine. kinda disarming, which I'm sure was the intention. immediately draws the record into a contemplative space

 

The poem kind of makes me roll my eyes.

 

Poem is good, I'm glad it's there

 

Finally posting in this thread after a busy Thursday and Friday with work and nursing a hangover yesterday. I still have about ten pages to catch up on haha.

I just got finished with my second listen. I felt this way after my first, but this truly is not Home Pt 2, which I am grateful for. I love Home a lot, but I don't need another from this band. I value Christian acknowledging that they didn't want to write another album about anguish and opting for a lighter approach.

I need to sit with this album longer, for sure, preferably with lyrics. I love it from what I've gotten out of it so far, but it certainly feels like a grower of an album. I'm indifferent towards the interludes, particularly the first one. Goodness Pt 2 felt odd at first, but I found myself enjoying it on my second listen. Before this stream, I hadn't listened to Piano Player since the day it was released back in, I think, February. That song is still good, but not great, to me.

I think the stretch from Two Deliverances to Sun is probably the strongest portion of the album. Soft Animal is by far my favorite. Understanding the context between that song and Opening Mail For My Grandmother is something I'll have to pay extra attention to on my next listen because I find it to be incredibly moving and fascinating. Settle The Scar is still a great jam to me. The bridge caught me off guard still, despite knowing it was different from the first recording, but that song is a highlight on here. End Of Reel is a great way to close the album as well.

These are obviously just early impressions and I really need to spend some more time with this album. It is not an immediate album as Home was for me, but this album feels like such a dense piece of work so I'm looking forward to engaging with it more. It's difficult to say what my expectations were for this album. I don't think I really had any. If anything, I guess they were moderate? It feels weird to put into words, but I guess I just felt satisfied with Home. That album made me feel content that, going into this album, I wasn't looking for something to be better than Home or just as good as it. I was just happy to be receiving another album from The Hotelier. It's just so strange to me, after Home became so important to me and has been in constant rotation from me, that this album elicited such moderate expectations from me. And maybe that's why I'm really grateful the album isn't just Home Pt 2. It gives me a new journey to embark on. Like with Home, where I had no idea who this band was but started listening to them after a glowing review on AP, Goodness makes me feel like I have no idea who this band is again and perhaps I'll fall in love with them all over once more. I look forward to more listens, especially in high quality with lyrics, but, once again, I feel satisfied.

 

Finally gave this a listen on the way back from The 1975 last night. While I miss some of the angst/anger/whatever you'd call it from Home, I really love the direction they chose to go in. There were several times I would just look over at my girlfriend wide-eyed and grinning because of certain musical moments on it.

 

If y'all knew how many times I've listened to this record already.....

 

Me too man.. Haha it's perfect..

Not that this matters but I put this on at a party yesterday and it was a lot better accepted than when I would put home on.. Songs like you in this light and two deliverances are really accessible

 

I've tried putting on Home at many parties and didn't go down well haha, can see why this would, totally trying Two Deliverances after exams lol

 

I have been banned from using the speakers many times at parties because of me and my friend putting on Intro and shouting out the lyrics while everyone else sits there looking at us in silence

 

Haha exactly the same has happened to me with the chorus of Your Deep Rest...as soon as you start shouting about funerals at a party no one ever lets you be in charge of the music again

 

A good friend of mine that usually calls my music "indie bullshit" actually enjoyed You In This Light. I thought that song was one of the least accessible songs, but it seems like people are taking to it really well.

 

Would say that song is probably their most accessible song they've ever done, in that the lyrics are relatively straightforward, catchy chorus and has the most similarities to like typical pop punk, but glad people who aren't fans are enjoying it!

 

I just felt like the repetition and the kind of off sounding vocals would turn people off. The first two verses were a little hard for me to get into at first but now I love it.

 

I think that's one of the hookiest on here