Violent Femmes - Hotel Last Resort

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5.5/10

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Hello and welcome to my review of the new Violent Femmes album Hotel Last Resort. This is Violent Femmes' second release since their reunion in 2013. It dropped June this year and since then I have been quite excited to give it a listen. I recently re-listened to their phenomenal debut:

Violent Femmes (1983). It intrigued me to see how they had progressed after all of these years. I knew it almost certainly wouldn't live up to their self-titled which quickly became one of my favourites, but I was hopeful nonetheless. And when I finally sat down and listened to it, I wasn't wholly disappointed. I believe my indecision was mostly due to me not knowing what to expect. It certainly marks an improvement from their last album, We Can Do Anything (2016), but I was still unsure how to think about it until multiple listens. So, I hope I have compiled my thoughts in a way that expresses them to you all effectively.

The opening track did not raise my hopes upon my initial reaction. 'Another Chorus' felt incredibly clunky as an opener that certainly did not set a promising precedent for the remaining album. Upon re-listening to it I found it alright, for lack of something better to say. I found the fun in the, admittedly predictable, punchline as well as the strange rhythmic verses that threw me off at first. It came off quite corny and it still does, but I can see the fun in it and can enjoy it just fine. I definitely would have chosen a different opener, though.

There is a steady improvement, on the whole, as the album progresses. The following songs, in particular 'I'm Nothing (feat. Stefan Janoski)', help to pick up the pace

significantly. They're perfectly serviceable songs that wouldn't be out of place on their earlier output. There is a noticeable glimmer of that attitude that made the group so memorable in the past. They also highlight the much more mature, folk stylings the band is creating here. There are moments that, for me, show influence from the likes of Dylan and Lou Reed. Especially in the tracks 'Adam Was a Man' and 'Not OK'. Gordon Gano's usual pitchy angst-filled vocals are subdued and forlorn which is reflective of the album's style and approach overall.

I'm not incredibly torn up over this shift of sound, it simply takes a few minutes to adjust to. We can hardly expect the band to be recapturing that same sense of alienation, so unique to adolescence, at this stage in their lives. However, some of these songs are still infectiously catchy and quick that you can't help but tap your toes along to them. The repetitive hooks and vocal lines that have been Femmes standard, though lacklustre on their previous release, continue here. I'm glad to see that their sense of fun is not entirely lost in their newfound maturity. The riffs are simply cool, there's no better way of putting it. That spunky attitude comes through in several songs that remind me of their prime in the 80s.

Despite this, I can live without the next few tracks; especially 'Everlasting You' which goes for the teary, melancholic aesthetic and ends up just dragging the whole atmosphere down into murky depths of boredom as it drags on. Although there is a strange outing into Latin influence in 'I'm Not Gonna Cry' with a horn section by Horns of Dilemma's Blaise Garza. It's alot of fun, but it doesn't help the album's already slightly schizophrenic pacing. It's not the worst constructed album out there, but in this middle section it becomes especially distracting.

However, they quickly redeem this in the track 'Paris To Sleep', in my opinion, the best track by far. The storytelling is heartfelt and melancholic, framed by evocations of the nightlife and the crowds. It's not the same Violent Femmes, but it certainly isn't out of place in their catalog, I'd say. It's a simple, stripped back ballad, just getting the pure emotion through the music. This is an example of that folk influence with a Femmes twist that really works for me. It's a new perspective that I hope they continue to explore. The whole album has a tone mixture of antsy defiance and regret that only Violent Femmes could create. It isn't as refined as their early work as I said, this album is very much all over the place sometimes. But it's certainly there and it's unmissable. And that is never made more evident than in 'Paris To Sleep'.

Then the next track comes in.

The next track, the a capella 'Sleepin' at the Meetin'', felt very out of place as the penultimate track, especially in retrospect with the two tracks it's between. But it's so silly, in a way, and the band are having such a fun time with it that I find it impossible to hate it really - weird, cringy lyrics and all.

The final track, however, is where I felt myself reaching a greater understanding of the album as a whole. Not for lyrical content or message, so to speak, but the style and tone as a closer. 'God Bless America' is slow, it is more of that folk presence, and even bluesy at times. Much like the album it closes, it's nothing special. But I can appreciate this new direction of the band, still with that rebellious edge to their sound just with a more mature outlook. It's not as good as some of the songs gone by, but I can't deny it's effectiveness on this album.

Despite its shortcomings, I can't help but enjoy this album. I certainly like the improvement over their last release. They aren't leaning on their old sound quite so heavily, at least to my ears. I hope this is the direction they are going in because, if not, this may just be seen as a watering down of their sound in retrospective of their career as a whole. We'll probably have to see their next release to be certain, but I am optimistic. Overall, I think that there is a fun listening experience to be had here. If you're familiar with the Violent Femmes I say: Give it a go, you may find something you like. If you're not, I certainly wouldn't start here, but it's hardly an atrocious record. In terms of ratings, for me, this album is essentially the definition of a 5.5/10. I didn't love it, but I don't want to simply discard it as a bad project - it is competently made and that's really the best you can say. I believe Michael Hann of The Guardian said it best in his review: "File under average." and that's exactly the mindset I intend to take.

Thank you.