The Hope, The Fear - “Hotel Haigh”
“Hotel Haigh,” by The Hope, The Fear, is a beautifully crafted song that takes the listener on a journey through the turbulence of revisiting past life trauma. A warm acoustic guitar sets the stage, with the lap steel and strings adding a sense of melancholy and nostalgia to the overall sound. As the song progresses, the electric guitar work comes to the forefront, helping to develop the melody. As the song grows, there is a heightened feeling of comfort as it musically begins to feel like a cigarette lighter anthem.
The percussion gives the song a good rhythm, but it is the vocal performance, for me, that is the standout element. The delivery is polished, but genuine. It is supported by light female vocals in the odd place. The lyrics are full of analogies and use the hotel as a metaphor for the emotional journey of revisiting past trauma in the hopes of healing old wounds and bettering oneself. “Hotel Haigh” is a well-written song with tasteful use of metaphor and imagery. Musically, it combines the folk and rock genres with precision in order to create an anthem for those who have found solace.