Hospitality's self-titled debut was the subject of one of my early reviews here at CoolDad Music back in 2012. I did -- and still do -- love that record. Its Belle and Sebastian-style chamber pop and Amber Papini's vocals worked really well for me, and it was the record I probably played the most that year. The feeling that Hospitality evoked for me over and over again was that feeling of loneliness that accompanies relocating to the Big City, carving out a life for yourself, forming new relationships, maybe breaking off old ones. That feeling of becoming one with New York, having your little routine and personal haunts, but really just wanting to be able to earn a living and to have somebody to watch TV with every night.
On Trouble, a little of that innocent finding one's way is gone, replaced by something a little more jaded and less naive. Hospitality have traded the friendly, non-threatening pop of their debut for a darker sound on Trouble. That's not immediately apparent from opener "Nightingale," Papini singing over some guitar chords that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Hospitality. That's followed, though, by a definite rock and roll guitar riff. The rest of the song moves deliberately forward, Papini's vocals bubbling up from a sea of reverb, only to close out with some prog rock-inspired keyboards.
Single "I Miss Your Bones," a relatively simple song about the anxiety of being apart, would've been a two-minute pop nugget on Hospitality. Here, it's a four-minute post-punk jam. The synth-heavy "Inauguration" sees Papini disconnecting her phone line to avoid being strung along by someone who's been wasting her time. The musical and emotional toughness continue right through second single "Rockets and Jets," Papini singing forebodingly over synths and Brian Betancourt's relentless bassline.
"Last Words" is a six-and-a-half minute dream sequence featuring vocal effects, synths, and an extended guitar jam. It's probably the furthest thing on the record from Hospitality's earlier work, but it does a nice job of fusing electronic music, prog, pop, and Papini's fantastical imagery into one of the album's strongest cuts. That's followed by two, mostly-acoustic tracks -- "Sunship" and "Call Me After" -- that see Papini opening herself up to someone and then wondering if she's done something to ruin everything.
Trouble is a more mature album than Hospitality. It's more mature in that it draws from a wider range of sounds and influences than its predecessor, and it's more mature in the feeling that it conveys. The trio of Papini, Michel (drums), and Betancourt have had a few years to be buffeted by the Big City. Experience has diminished the sense of awe a bit and added some welcome edge to the band's sound.
Trouble is due out on Merge on January 28th.
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