Coming out May 3, 2011, on Dovecote Records, True Loves builds on Hooray for Earth's acclaimed debut EP, Momo, and captures both the personal and universal anxieties that have such a footing in contemporary times. Lead single "True Loves" thumps along neck-snapping drums, awash with blips and synths, surprising breakdowns and Heroux's soaringly languid vocals. Pitchfork has already compared the track favorably to artists like MGMT, Yeasayer and Passion Pit, while saying that "all the right elements are in place...[it] floats along and pounds forward at the same time, and one way or another it wants to carry you along with it." Meanwhile, Stereogum labeled the band one of "CMJ's heroes," taking particular note of Hooray for Earth's "nimble but unpretentious guitars" and "sense of progressive psychedelics and percussive progressions." The sound that has indie-culture's gatekeepers fawning is one that springs directly from Heroux's imagination into a climactic reality.
"I don't write music with an instrument, I usually just get an idea of what the whole song sounds like in my head, kind of like an earworm that stays with you after listening to the radio. My task is to recreate what's stuck in my head in actual audible form, as quickly as possible," he says. "I wish I could just plug a cord into my head...I think that's why the music tends to be a little dense, because I think of all these things at once."
Heroux wrote, recorded, and produced about 90% of the new album, with bassist Christopher Principe and guitarist/live synthist Gary Benacquista peppering parts in a few sessions, and drummer Joseph Ciampini adding two days of rooftop drum tracking. Mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Blonde Redhead, Delorean, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio), the album might as well be a direct link to the exciting mind of Heroux. Hooray for Earth's progression is apparent everywhere on the record and boasts exciting things for a band that has already appeared onstage with Mission of Burma, Holy Fuck, Surfer Blood, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Oh No Ono, and many more. Recorded over five weeks in New York, it's at once specific to the summer of 2010 and transcendent of time itself. Once again, a happy set of extremes.
"Most of the [recording] process is just me getting lost and trying to get things done. I feel like I'm on autopilot sometimes. I'll finish a song and wonder, 'When did that happen?' I don't spend a lot of time stressing about what instruments to use or what's missing, I just kind of let it be."
Hotel
Hooray For Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
tomorrow's a riot
tonight is a code
tomorrow's a find
holed in your mind
if you can remember
it means you own a seed of hope
to grow inside
I can't wait to meet you there
imagine miles up into space and around
the world is good enough
the different lines and all
out of sight on the ground
the world is good enough
applying the right pressure inside
chewing it up
tearing it up
chattin it up
(if you can remember)
speak those perfect words
look for a man
a woman's hand
look for a light
keep speech tight
a can't wait to speak to you
the place is burning up
let's decide where we are
your words are close enough
imagine miles up into space and around
the world is good enough
the different lines and all
out of sight on the ground
the world is good enough
The song "Hotel" by Hooray for Earth is a complex introspective track that explores the ideas of hope, memory, and connections. The song starts with the artist describing the present as a temporary state, as uncertain as a road or a code. The future, on the other hand, is a riot that might bring about drastic changes. The singer is trying to make sense of it all, to find meaning in the chaos. The lines "holed in your mind, if you can remember, it means you own a seed of hope" suggest that memory and reminiscence can give someone a sense of comfort and purpose. The lyrics convey a sense of yearning, of wanting to escape the present, and meet someone on the other side.
The chorus paints a vivid image of the world, seen from above, and emphasizes the beauty of diversity and different cultures. The lyrics suggest that the world is vast and complex, and there is much to discover and explore. The lines "applying the right pressure inside, chewing it up, tearing it up, chatting it up" suggest that the singer is trying to find the right words and actions to make a connection with someone, to bridge the gap between themselves and others.
Line by Line Meaning
tonight is a road
Tonight is a journey, a path that we must follow.
tomorrow's a riot
Tomorrow is unpredictable and chaotic.
tonight is a code
Tonight is a mystery, something that needs deciphering.
tomorrow's a find
Tomorrow is a discovery, something that we will stumble upon.
holed in your mind
Deeply embedded in your thoughts and memories.
if you can remember
If you can recall it.
it means you own a seed of hope
It signifies that you have a chance for optimism and betterment.
to grow inside
To cultivate within oneself.
to find that place
To discover that destination.
I can't wait to meet you there
I am eagerly looking forward to meeting you at our destination.
imagine miles up into space and around
Envision a vast distance stretching through the universe.
the world is good enough
The world is satisfactory and sufficient.
the different lines and all
Despite the distinct lines that separate us, we can still find common ground.
out of sight on the ground
Things are not always visible or apparent from a surface level.
applying the right pressure inside
Exerting the appropriate amount of force internally.
chewing it up
Processing and analyzing thoroughly.
tearing it up
Breaking down and dismantling.
chattin it up
Having a conversation.
(if you can remember)
(If you can recall it)
speak those perfect words
Say the most ideal and precise things.
look for a man
Search for a male companion.
a woman's hand
The hand of a female partner.
look for a light
Search for a beacon of hope.
keep speech tight
Speak with brevity and clarity.
a can't wait to speak to you
I am excited to have a conversation with you.
the place is burning up
The location is heating up and becoming intense.
let's decide where we are
Let's agree on our location and circumstances.
your words are close enough
Your words are relatable and understandable.
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.