The year 2004 chased Philadelphia’s One Star Hotel through lineup changes, anguished pre-production, floods (in their funeral parlor-turned-rehearsal space), car crashes and van breakdowns. Left only with a belief in their songs and a few drops of gas in the tank, they resolved to make a getaway: ditching meticulous demos, the band performed its new songs live at Miner Street Studios [Burning Brides, Mazarin, Bigger Lovers] for Brian McTear’s vintage gear to capture. Good Morning, West Gordon displays the members at this, their most vulnerable—struggling to return to the heart of the city and music they love. Raw tracks in tow, the band spent months completing the mix with eclectic sounds found in churches, studios and in the very streets that inspired the songs. In the end, stirring performances and vast arrangements transcend this Philadelphia backdrop with a desperate statement of hope that rings true in any town.
Sonically, One Star Hotel recalls the indie-pop of Wilco and The Flaming Lips as readily as the time-tested material of Big Star and Neil Young. On stage, the quartet brings new energy to its lush album arrangements, sometimes slipping into childhood radio hits with unexpected sincerity. Released in 2003 to glowing reviews, the Americana-leaning self-titled debut offers the band’s straightest interpretations of Steve Yutzy Burkey’s evocative songs. Building on this, Good Morning, West Gordon brings its own depth of production and a confidence that can’t be ignored.
