OTTAWA BAND NOISE HOTEL TO RELEASE THEIR FRESHMAN ALBUM POOLSIDE FANTASY
Ottawa band Noise Hotel released their album Poolside Fantasy on August 21 filled with saxophone solos, smooth vocals, and witty lyricism.
Ottawa indie rock band Noise Hotel released their first album titled “Poolside Fantasy” on August 21, now available on all streaming platforms. “Poolside Fantasy” is both a beach rock album as well as an ode to the kind of funk music you would hear a house band play at a run-down hotel. The lyrics, almost entirely written by frontman and lead vocalist Eric Montpool, range between love and heartbreak with a slight detour to wax poetic about Ottawa in track five, “The City That Fun Forgot”.
Fun definitely did not forget the Noise Hotel on this record. Mixed and recorded at Isley Studios in Ottawa, the Noise Hotel captures the uniqueness of Ottawa’s indie music scene with ten songs that hook you in through the melody and slightly confusing lyrics. Once you stay awhile at the Noise Hotel and listen to the album a second or third time, you begin to notice the intricacy of the bass lines, played by Christian Strong, and the driving force of drums played by Boshko Maric.
You can’t miss the electric guitar talents of Matthew Scharfe; a handful of songs break after the second chorus for extensive guitar solos showing off their confidence on the instrument. However, what makes Noise Hotel so different from other Ottawa-area bands is the frequent use of saxophone, played by Matthew Evans, as an instrument with its own voice and personality. Evans has a standout saxophone solo during the bridge of the second track “Pool of Favours” and leaves the listener excited to hear more from them.
Standout tracks include “My Last Girl”, featuring backing vocals from University of Ottawa student and local musician Hannah Vig. Beachy guitar riffs meet intricate drum work and if you listen closely, you can hear the near-perfect bass slides. “Dear Annie” is the eighth track on the record and features Vig more prominently as lead vocalist with Montpool. I’ve heard this track live at The Rainbow in ByWard Market earlier this summer and it is always a crowd favourite. Hannah Vig and Montpool have great stage chemistry, providing a great counterpart to Montpool’s vocal talents.
“Picking Up The Pieces” sits at the end of the record at track nine and creates a nice contrast in mood to an otherwise upbeat record. The high hats provide a smoky ambiance at the beginning of the song and Montpool paints a tragic picture of a lost love. If the Noise Hotel was a real hotel, this song feels like spending an evening in the smoking lounge. During the saxophone solo in the bridge, there is an interpolation of what sounds like a classic radio and this adds to the ambiance.
Noise Hotel is at its best when it is self-referential and leans into being a local Ottawa band. Track five, “The City That Fun Forgot” was released last Friday and pulls from the classic image of Ottawa as a boring city. Every artist from Ottawa pokes fun at Ottawa in some capacity, This single, with its pop-punk inspired pre-chorus and swooping chorus, will absolutely be a crowd favourite the next time the Noise Hotels stops by Ottawa.
Check into the Noise Hotel and enjoy your stay at the Poolside Fantasy; it’s the perfect album to enjoy by the pool during these dwindling days of summer.
