Alex Thompson gets hooked on the grimy post-punk of Hotel Lux's Barstool Preaching
From the first, ripping, jangling chords of Barstool Preaching, I knew I’d stumbled across something great. Combining moody and grimy post-punk, with darker shades of indie, pub rock, krautrock and ska, Hotel Lux had accidentally tapped into my niche. And with that, I was hooked.
‘Tabloid Newspaper’ is a strong opener, with biting guitars and a driving drum groove that spin viciously fromto an infectious chorus. Guitars and bass cut and weave around the punchy vocals to create something which sounds equal parts Fontaine's DC and The Fall. If you know me in the slightest, you know that’s a winning combination. There are some great lyrics about tabloid bullshit, songwriting and even a little Danny Dyer reference creeps in. The whole thing swaggers with a brilliantly lovable charisma and all the confidence of 6 pints of Stella.
‘Eddie’s Gaff’ follows this up with warbly, de-tuned guitars and a bass line that plods alongside a brilliantly sluggish drum beat. There’s echoes of Mark E Smith and Ian Dury in the almost-spoken vocals, punchy delivery and barbed with sarcasm and irony. ‘Charades’ is another strong track, with the wandering riff and bass line accompanying slurred and monotone vocals before progressing into a more melodic chorus, joined by hazy backing harmonies. Again, the band are firmly within their wheelhouse as front man Duffin spits out razor sharp observations about drink, drugs and the pub.
‘Loneliness Of A Stage Performer’ sees Duffin lean heavily into that Libertines-esque slur as crashing drums and jarring guitar melodies ride alongside more sarcastic vocals, lyrics having that same gritty irony of bands like Black Country New Road. Instrumentally, this is one of the most interesting cuts from the album as the various elements of the song drop in and out, sliding between heavy choruses and stripped back instrumental sections.
The swooning brass and keys that open ‘Ballad Of You & I’ perfectly complement the instrumental palette of the band, fitting snugly alongside the guitar jangle and punky bass lines. This is the band at their most ska and I love it. Ditching the pubs and pints of previous songs, ‘Ballad Of You & I’ opts for a more personal skew, love and relationships taking centre stage.
Overall, Barstool Preaching is a blistering EP, packed with idiosyncratic quirks and charisma. Danny Dyer and Stella Artois sit side-by-side over punchy and jarring post-punk instrumentals, fusing genres and tones with a ballsy charm you can’t help but love. It might not be perfect, but as calling cards go, you don’t get much stronger than this.
I’m now going to stick this album on repeat and miss the pub more and more each time.
8/10
Alex Thompson
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