New Track du Jour: Hotel Brotherhood

track du jour

Artist: Hotel Brotherhood
Track: They Lion Grow
Location: Chicago - Disclexington Sunken Monastery Studio
Date: 04-03-2006
Comment: Friends of the Brotherhood have jokingly suggested they change their name to the Cashiola Brothers. Like their actual band name, the joke is an obvious double-entendre. Two of the founding members are indeed brothers with the last name Cashiola. The word cashiola, on the other hand, implies a capitalistic sensibility which Hotel Brotherhood (as a band name and as a band) does not. This song, Ross Cashiola's expert re-working of the Philip Levine poem They Feed They Lion, is exemplary of the Brotherhood's creed. The original poem written by a white fellow who worked Detroit factory jobs mano a mano with blacks during the racially tumultuous late 60's is well worth study in its own right. Thank you Hotel Brotherhood for bringing it back into focus (I thoroughly enjoyed Levine's other work linked to his poem above; "Gin" being a favorite).

"An energy of despair rises in the poem, ominous yet expansive, deadly, yet almost joyful" these words from the Poetry in Review are regarding "They Feed They Lion" but the same could be said of a Hotel Brotherhood set. Their music is catchy yet sad at once. You are sure to hear more from them here. They just wrapped up a recording session at the Sunken Monastery Studio as part of an eight artist compilation project. Hotel Brotherhood will be travelling with churchbus down to Texas in May, opening at the Proletariat in Houston May 13th. Be sure to check them out.

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track du jour