Photo: Giita Hammond Photography
Info: 'A Simple Life' is the debut album of Hostess, the new moniker of former Cap Pas Cap frontwoman Gráinne Dee, which was released this week on After the Quake Records. The record is the product of a period following the demise of Cap Pas Cap, when Dee hunkered down to solitary demo building in her Dublin City home seeking a response to personal tumult that a blank canvas can afford.
From these lo-fi experiments came eight daubs of melancholia - swathed in lugubrious synth and plaintive vocal lines buried in the ether - which Dee then brought to long-time collaborator Stephen Shannon (Estel / Cap Pas Cap) at Experimental Audio Studios in early 2017.
A Simple Life by Dublin's Hostess wastes no time in grabbing your attention, and more importantly, holding it in place. As first track 'Valentine' kicks in with a rasping drum rhythm and alluring layered vocal harmonies, submission to the mesmeric motion of the song is an easy choice. As with much of the album, the bright demeanour of the chorus belies an ingrained and weary exasperation, in this instance with the warped idealism of romance, a lauded concept that rarely delivers, yet has been pursued relentlessly since time immemorial.
'Disappear' is a bulging aurora borealis of spirited synth progressions which burst out in every direction, the rattling high-tempo percussion and bass drive a relentless energy across the track, and the deep guitar riff at 1:56 is pretty much to die for. The song is awash with 80's inspired sounds that stretch across multiple genres, from pop to synth-wave, and smaller dashes of post-punk and rock-pop, all bouncing merrily off each other in unified tandem.
The vivacity of a Blondie-esque intro pops up on third track 'Grey Love', there's a gritty new wave feel to this one, and in case I forget, parts of A Simple Life really remind me of late 70's and early 80's French new wave acts like Charles de Goal and Les Visiteurs Du Soir, but perhaps a little less harsh on the ear. It's the sharp and tinny synths and beats you see.
So far so great from Hostess, I'm really happy and in the zone with what's unfolding, and then, single 'Frustration' ploughs out like a juggernaut of hard-hitting percussion, beats and synths, chopping and changing between themselves. And when the bass-guitar joins the fray along with Dee's vocal I'm in electronic synth-pop heaven, the sheer energy and rush from the music recalls the sound and vigour you'd expect from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 'Heads Will Roll' keeps springing to mind although the parallels are not really that obvious, it's more the feeling. Probably more aligned would be a more recent Massive Attach record, who cares, it's just bloody fab.
'Think In Shapes' offers an alternative vibe to what we've heard to now, very much more down the indie-rock route, whilst definitely retaining that post-punk feel courtesy of the bass and drums. Once again Hostess gives a clear example of how the duality of optimistic tones lie like a linen sheet barely covering the more sombre themes which rest beneath.
One of my favourite tracks on the album and a clear highlight is 'Planes', the lines get more blurred here and the music is more in tune with the artists sense of apprehension and abjection. The song pretty much could be viewed as a lynch-pin for the whole album, the centre that all feelings and sound ultimately emanate from but are at their most brutal and bare to view.
After the electronica and dance swirl that is 'Company' comes final track 'Simples', one last reminder to the listener as to what the album is all about. At a time where we can easily feel cast adrift amid the chaos around us, both personal and from a broader perspective, Dee looks to clear away all of the obstructive clutter and despondency for us (and herself) and carve a new, more direct path. Like a big gulp of breezy North American indie-pop á la American Analog Set, 'Simples' is a joyous end to a fantastic album.
There are a lot of Irish bands who would loosely share the same sonic neighbourhood as Hostess that have brought out releases recently which are being heralded, but for me taste bland, are poor unoriginal imitations, and ultimately lack any depth. A Simple Life is the exact opposite of all of those things, this is the type of music that resonates, appeals, and sparks self-reflection in the listener, avoids clichés and provides a swathe of variety across its 8 tracks. For that, I have nothing but respect for it as an album.
Hostess will hold an official album launch party at Drop Dead Twice on Francis Street with support from catscars on Saturday, 13th of October. Event info is here https://www.facebook.com/events/276739883052404/
You can purchase 'A Simple Life' on pink vinyl and other formats here https://hostess.bigcartel.com/product/a-simple-life
Look / Like / Listen & Follow:
Website: https://hostess.persona.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostessisaband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hostessisaband
