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Reviews

Hotel Hotel — Heaven's Will
(Apollon Records AP060, 2020, CD)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2020-06-06

Heaven's Will Cover art

Hotel Hotel is Norwegian singer songwriter Vegard Ume (vocals and guttar) accompanied by Bosse Litsheim (drums), Jon Mannsåker (bass), Marius Mørch (guitar), Annlaug Børsheim (fiddle), and Robert Jønnum (bass and keys). Heaven’s Will is Vegard’s third album and it is a powerful set of nine tracks, three of them instrumentals. Beautiful acoustic guitar melodies and Vegard’s gentle baritone belie the sad, mournful nature of his songs. The lyrics portray a sad and lonely man who regrets the things he has done over this life. “I Found Something I Never Knew I’d Lost” concerns a repentant alcoholic who realizes he has hurt the ones he loves. “The Song Remains the Same” is not a Led Zeppelin cover, but another tale of regret and repentance. “Two Doors Down” is a cry for help from the bottom of a bottle seeking salvation from above. “How long will He wait? How long will I stray?” And another familiar song title, “Stand by Me,” is likewise not a cover tune, but another cry for help, pleading for support. The music is secondary to the lyrics, and still excellent. Without the Norwegian names, you could swear this album is American folk. There are resemblances to John Fahey, as well as Appalachian mountain music. I was totally surprised by this album, which pleased me to no end. Heaven’s Will is a welcome change of pace.

Filed under: New releases, 2020 releases

Related artist(s): Hotel Hotel

 

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