Home, Like Noplace Is There

Tea pairing: London Fog tea latte with vanilla

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Any one who claims to be an emo fan knows all the first wave greats like Jawbreaker, American Football, Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World, and so many many more.

By no means are these bands not worth the respect and accolades, they rightfully do deserve it and have gained it over time, but there was a tiredness that came about from mainstream success.

And much like the success that spread through the various waves of punk rock, there had always been that desire to start anew. After things got all big and popular it was time to tear it down only to build it back up a few years later, and then the cycle would repeat.

At last, here we are with the actual point. In recent years, since about 2012 or so, the emo scene has come back in big ways. Dozens upon dozens of underground pop punk/power pop groups have steadily rebuilt the emo scene through its revival.

One of the most beloved is Worcester, Massachusetts’s The Hotelier who are credited as one of the frontrunners of emo’s revival, and that label can be pinpointed to their second LP, Home, Like Noplace Is There.

Home opens with the sullen track “An Introduction to the Album” where frontman and bassist Christian Holden struggles to understand to protect someone he cares for with the lines theopener of this punk/post-hardcore/emo record introduces the listener to themes found throught the album.

What sets the Home apart from some second wave emo records is the brutal imagery present on each track, where suicide, abuse, isolation, depression, and even gender identity are all discussed through punchy guitars, and wrenching vocals.

I spent a good amount of time sifting through numerous new emo acts such as Joyce Manor, Spanish Love Songs, Tigers Jaw, and Modern Baseball, but The Hotelier sort of snuck up on me.

I don’t remember how I came across them, but I somehow did a little over a year ago and ever since I listened to this album, the entire track listing has been on rotation with other emo albums.

One of my favorites off of Home is “Your Deep Rest” which is an oronym for “you’re depressed. The song is a wonderful mishmash of edgy pop punk and heartfelt emo where Holden details his uncomfortableness after a friend’s suicide.

Having known people who have committed suicide myself, this song hit particulary close to home for me, and I could feel that same uneasy feeling that was being described once again. Again, this is an album that does not shy away from some of the toughest moments one could face.

Another highlight is the near hardcore “Life in Drag” where Christian Holden expresses feeling trapped by identifying as a cis man at the time. In the lines “The centers shrunk between your eyes/Sharper corners, broader sides/And I felt weak in women’s wear.”

In an interview Holden explained that they dress as what they identify as because of the societal pressure they face. They went on to say that even though they benefited from identifying as a man, they felt distrustful and disconnected of its privileges.

I for one identify as a straight man, and I always have, but upon looking into the lyrics of “Life in Drag” and reading Holden’s interview, I came to realize I felt somewhat similar. I too benefit from being a man but I also feel pretty disconnected from most men, or “what it means to be a man.”

It is in tracks like “Life in Drag” or “Dendron” where Home displays full honesty through personal and emotive lyrics, edgy instrument playing, and the occasional screaming section. The Hotelier were able to capture life’s most pressing emotions, emotions that shape and mold us, and put them to music in a powerful way.

With so many bands actively reviving the emo scene today it can be a daunting task to try and just scratch the surface of what is being put out, but I can assure that The Hotelier are a must for any and all emo fans.

Not only is Home, Like Noplace Is There a fantastic record in the band’s catalog, it also strands a landmark release for a scene that never seems to die, or fade away, but is constant and long lasting.