The new record ‘Late Last Night’ by the Cheap Hotels is an exhilarating ruckus of musical indie pop and bittersweet turbulence!
Like a group of sparklers shooting embers at a New Year’s party, the drums and guitars pound and tremolo in with their volume climaxing at a cymbal crash in the beginning of ‘Untitled Melody’. As the handoff to soaring vocals releases, Ian Wilson tells us, “In a thousand night times / The stars won’t align / For you and me or for anyone or anything.” The song’s message is about a relationship impasse. The speaker does not want it to end, and is singing to prevent it. The speaker is hoping the other might say what they want to hear, because they don’t have anywhere else to go. The raw elements, some light conversation towards the end of the track give the song a fun and dream-like quality. This is a perfect lead off track!
‘Honey’ brings us more driving drum and guitar with an excellently intertwined dual guitar interplay. Ian this time telling his “Honey” that they are “wasting their time” and “making mistakes for another day”. There is so much we do as humans that can be contrary to what we want or even believe inside, and songs like this reveal that deeper truth. I also really love the nimble guitar solo work on this track!
‘Don’t Look At Me Like You Love Me’ is a modern ballad with soaking with a sweet 50’s fringe. It’s a terribly romantic anti-love song at it’s core, and I think this has some great licensing potential for the big screen. It’s quite charming the way that Ian, Isaac, and Jordane arrange their post-punk-pop masterpieces for a band that has only been together for a couple of years! I love everything I’m hearing!
‘Folks’ opens with a jumpy, Chuck-Berry like bounce groove. Reminding you that parents will always worry about their offspring, but Ian assures that you raised him well and that even when he’s not sure when he’ll be home he “can do it on his own”. I dig that each short song burst on this record is clever and touches on a fair amount of relatable points of view from both a younger or older age.
‘The Night Before’ is all in the title. If this were a music video I would add a disco ball, and slow dance with lots of cute couples, balloon decorated arches, a basketball gym floor, and Cheap Hotels in full on blue suede suits!
‘Daydream’ is probably my 2nd favorite song because it sounds like The Turtles, What Laura Says, and later-Beach Boys had a musical threesome. The evocation of buzz, bliss, and disorganized whimsy when the speaker says, “In a kind of a daydream / Picking a paycheck / Slipping through nights /What have I done?” is a magical brand of trip-induced imagery. My only problem with the song is that it ends too quickly! I want more!
‘The Guys’ is a fun and real song about hanging with your guy friends, and learning about their hidden feelings. It should be ok for anyone to cry, and share a side of themselves most don’t get to see. I understand that sometimes it takes a few drinks for anyone to reveal things about yourself, and my favorite stanza in the track is, “Man, you hold a world inside / That I could never know / And all that I can hope is maybe / I can catch a glimpse before you go”. Favorite song! Hands down guys! Also, Isaac’s voice has a brilliantly mesmerizing presence in this song!
‘In Time’ is my favorite drum performance by Jordane, and the group itself starts to hit a groove in these last few songs that reveals a colorful melodic and rhythmic symmetry. So much of the prose in this song is a combination of sad, pensive, and empathetic. I had to listen to this a couple of times to get everything, and I will advise you do the same ;)
‘It’s Morning’ warms and brightens the mood as the album comes to a close with some intimate acoustic guitar, ornamented vocals, before kicking in with a snare drum into a crash at the song’s midpoint. The buddhist teaching of “Life is suffering” crept into my mind throughout the song while the lyrical offerings revealed, “It’s easier to break than it is to build up / It’s easier to let yourself go / It’s harder to be sad than it is to be happy / But it’s so worth it, I know.” The real message here is that change is turbulent, the sun still rises in the morning, and that contrast is a bittersweet but beautiful existence.
The new record ‘Late Last Night’ by Cheap Hotels is a lyrically diverse and delicious indie post-punk creation that intoxicates your ears with an invigorating melodic and rhythmic caper.
I look forward to anything these cats are making right now, and proud to know they are right here in AZ!
And next week they play one of my favorite venues, Valley Bar in Phoenix! So if you reside there, you need to catch them! https://www.facebook.com/events/627294380985546/
Go listen and buy the new album now at https://cheaphotels.bandcamp.com/
Article written by: Jacob Acosta
Jacob is a writer, producer, musician, and teacher who lives in Tucson, AZ. He has been a music professional in film, advertising, and performance for 14 years. Connect with him at:
