More than three decades on from their 1983 debut, Violent Femmes have dished up another audio delight of front-porch folk. Hotel Last Resort marks the 10th LP from the band from Milwaukee in a multifaceted album that darts between plucky punk jams and modest love ballads.
Another Chorus opens with signature guitar twangs and funky brass insertions that define the punchier tracks on the album. As percussion purists the instrumentals are a joy, featuring the novel use of a Weber barbecue by John Sparrow.
Pro skateboarder Stefan Janoski makes a surprising appearance on a new rendition of I’m Nothing, as does Tom Verlaine, frontman with the seminal New York band Television, on the title track, while a stunning cover of Pyx Lax’s I’m Not Gonna Cry accompanies similarly mellow love ballads: “I got drunk last night thinking about our ties/ You — yes you, were just a drop in the wine”.
The band’s juvenile charisma imbues every lyric, from a biblical satire in Adam Was a Man to humble love song Everlasting You, but Paris to Sleep is the heartbreaking hero: “Losing lost love is not worth losing for.” Deeply intuitive with a sprinkle of absurdity, the Violent Femmes’ new recipe is pure joy.
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