“An album concerned with relationships in all of their guises.” That’s how we described A Pawn Surrender, the forthcoming album from Atlanta‘s Rose Hotel on Strolling Bones Records. “Across the ten tracks which combine folk and indie rock with psych sensibilities,” we continued, “[Jordan] Reynolds considers romantic, platonic and even environmental relations, not to mention the relationship one holds with their own internal self.” Single ‘Not Like That’ introduced the vibe, offering a sympathetic yet honest picture of a crumbling friendship, sharing hard truths without forgetting the complicating factors which contribute to a person’s weaknesses and failings.
Such nuance is a signature of A Pawn Surrender, brought to life by an equally fluid and inventive sound. Indie rock, psych and folk influences are all clearly apparent, Reynolds drawing from each to better capture the gamut of emotions she details. “It’s caused me a lot of anxiety in the past,” she explains. “Even in the studio when we were mixing the new album, Drew [Vandenberg] and I had a conversation about how this is a bit of a gamble, making a record that’s not easily identifiable as one thing, because some people might not know what to do with it.” But with her distinctive vocals as the anchoring thread, the result feels less like a jumble of genres as an artist selecting specific tools for each occasion. Each style can do something others cannot, and Rose Hotel does not want to cut itself off from such possibilities.
Latest single ‘Drown’ pulls some slacker sensibilities into the mix to explore ideas of blissful ignorance. Or as one line puts it: “I won’t drown if I don’t look down.” “Drown is about facing the reality of intergenerational trauma and mental illness,” Reynolds explains. “It’s about realizing that the only way to break the cycle is to address it head on and choose to heal instead of continuing the patterns of violence and abuse. It’s my attempt at claiming power and ownership over my own life by releasing familial relationships that may never heal. The slacker-rock energy feels like my inner rebellious and sardonic teenager finally getting to tell ‘em how I really feel.”
The track also comes with a video directed and edited by Reynolds herself with cinematography and color by Pedro Rocha. Watch it below:
A Pawn Surrender is out on the 7th June via Strolling Bones Records and you can pre-order it now from the Rose Hotel Bandcamp page.
