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Album Details
- Artist: Maritime
- Album: Heresy And The Hotel Choir
- Label: Flameshovel
- Year of Release: 2007
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: soundaslanguage on 2007-11-27
Media
RecommendIt is rare that I get into a band so late in the process. Considering Maritime included members of The Promise Ring and The Dismemberment Plan, I was perfectly prepared to love this band. A strange thing happened though, Maritime’s 2004 debut Glass Floor barely kept my attention. 2006’s We, The Vehicles, while better, did not register completely with me either. So, when I finally listened to the band’s new album, Heresy And The Hotel Choir, I was not expecting much. However, I was floored at how instantaneous the album hit me.
We have always known that Davey von Bohlen had pop chops but here he exploits it with amazing results. Not since The Promise Ring’s Very Emergency has von Bohlen sounded so confident and assured. Perhaps it has something to do with the exit of bassist Eric Axelson (formerly of The Dismemberment Plan). Now, Maritime is truly von Bohlen’s own venture. To make up for the loss of Axelson’s smooth bass lines, the guitars tend to ring out more powerfully all across Heresy And The Hotel Choir. They even show off a bit of a new wave flair on numerous tracks. The band’s brand of indie pop has matured with age and it finally feels as though Maritime are truly hitting their song-writing stride here. Maritime has mastered the pop anthem and Heresy And The Hotel Choir is chock full of examples.
Review courtesy of Sound As Language
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on 2007-12-05 mschmitt Said:
It really is hard to believe the members of Maritime were once spewing fourth the collective moaning of emo angst. The low-key hooks and happy-go-lucky guitar riffs found within their latest release Heresy and the Hotel Choir and indeed their entire discography allow little room for eye liner-smudged tears. Originally from the Promise Ring and the Dismemberment Plan, the downfalls of each punk-riddled act gave rise to Maritime in 2003. Heresy and the Hotel Choir is the bands third album, and continues smoothing out any rough patches in Maritimes clear sailing skies. As with their sophomore album We, the Vehicles, some songs suffer from the over-glitzy sound quality. The cheery lo-fi guitar instrumentals hardly need any help bringing the pop to tracks like Hours That You Keep and Guns of Navarone , and the extra bright result may cause headachesand not just from the strained juxtaposition with vocalist Davey von Bohlens sometimes-baritone singing style. Beyond Maritimes blinding rays of joviality, there is little wrong with Heresy and the Hotel Choir. Tracks like the acoustic First Night On Earth and the aptly titled Be Unhappy reveal a slightly less glimmering side to Maritime. But if it is Maritimes characteristic indie-pop youre after, theres cheer aplenty to be found here. Wonderfully catchy melodies await in For Science Fiction and Hours That You Keep , and van Bohlen is still at his best when straining his vocal chords to their highest register. Much like Wolf Parade or a Maximo Park from this side of the pond, Maritime continue their sunny career with a worthy third release. Sail on!
(Written for Soundcheck Magazine)
Rating: 8/10
on 2007-12-05 dscanland Said:
Nice review Will! I was going to do this one sooner or later. I felt that Heresy and the Hotel Choir wasn't quite up to We, The Vehicles. Damn fine album though. Maritime is flying under the radar but not for long if they keep this up. And yes, Very Emergency was one of the best pop albums of the late nineties. I still put it on once and a while.
Rating: 8/10
