If you haven’t heard of indie duo Hotel Fiction yet, now is the perfect time to catch up. With the release of Staring At The Sun (Deluxe Edition), they shine as bright as ever. The pastels of the album cover (painted by singer Jade!), along with the soothing melodies make listening to this album feel like sitting in the warm sun. Or, of course, staring into it. So whether you’re longing for the summer heat, or you’re in the thick of it right now, it’s the perfect time to dive into this album.
Consisting of Jade Long on vocals and piano and Jessica Thompson on guitar and vocals, Staring At The Sun shows off the duo’s unshakable friendship. After meeting at The University of Georgia, they began writing together and formed Hotel Fiction. That brings us to where we are now: two albums and an EP later. Some of their earliest songs together were even featured on Staring At The Sun, making this album a love letter to their musical journey together. Tackling subjects like insecurity and the apocalyptic state of the world, the result is a deeply relatable account of navigating life in your early 20s. And now, with the deluxe, we get four new songs. So if you haven’t stepped into the world of Hotel Fiction yet, allow us to take your hand and lead you there.
‘Sunrise’
If we had to choose one song to introduce you to Hotel Fiction, it would be this one. Even though this isn’t the first song on Staring At The Sun, the intimate, dreamy sound of this song is an example of what Hotel Fiction does best. Starting out with a soft, flowery melody, ‘Sunrise’ leads us through a journey ending in passionate desperation.
Once you’ve checked it out and decided that you love ‘Sunrise,’ we’ll direct you back to the deluxe, where you’ll find an acoustic version. Stripped of the expressive production, ‘Sunrise (Acoustic)’ is an entirely new take on the song. We’re left with the raw emotion and bittersweet lyrics. Somehow ending with “all I ever had was you…” seems so much sadder this way. Either way, it’s a testament to their talent that their songs hold up so well with just a singer and their instruments.
‘Still Frozen’
Coming after ‘Sunrise’ in the original track list, ‘Still Frozen’ shows off the incredible range of Hotel Fiction. Where ‘Sunrise’ is a quieter pop, ‘Still Frozen’ steps into indie rock territory. And as if this song wasn’t exciting enough, we get a new version of this on the deluxe too. ‘Still Frozen (Acoustic)’ adds a new layer to the song by featuring alt duo hey, nothing. The acoustic strum of the guitar makes this song feel just like a group of friends having fun together making music. And the best part is, that’s probably exactly what it is.
‘Emmaline’
Not only do we get new takes on old favorite songs, but we also get two brand new songs on Staring At The Sun (Deluxe). The first is ‘Emmaline,’ which sees the duo singing about the title character with love and care. This song is read as a letter to any young woman figuring out the ups and downs of young adulthood. Although it seems to be about someone going through a difficult time, they sing about hope and promise that everything will work out. And who are we to not believe them?
‘Warning Song’
‘Warning Song’ wraps Staring At The Sun (Deluxe) up perfectly. Everyone is still learning, especially in your 20s. And the girls of Hotel Fiction are no exception. They’re gambling with their hearts, they’re hoping for the best, and they’re listening to the birds sing. As the last song on the album, it keeps up the acoustic trend. It goes without saying that we love the production of their songs. But the acoustics in the deluxe allow their melodic vocals to shine as bright as the sun.
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with Hotel Fiction’s Staring At The Sun (Deluxe), let us know your thoughts. We want to know everything: your favorite song, what you love about it, and more. We’re always ready to talk at @thehoneypop on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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