We’ve all experienced the cold grip of fear and anxiety. The pangs of regret. The clouds of uncertainty hovering menacingly overhead. If the pandemic has revealed anything about our collective shortcomings, it’s how adept we had become at hiding from them. But isolation leads inevitably to reflection. Without a chorus of outside voices to distract us, we’ve been forced—finally—to seek out our own company. And while the revelations we uncover will undoubtedly differ in source and strength, there is perhaps a humble truth upon which we may agree: Guarded is no way to live. To cast out our demons, we must first bring them to light.
Cover for “Drive Alone” by Rachel Tess Eddy
Throughout the four or so years she’s spent leading Rose Hotel, singer-songwriter Jordan Reynolds has consistently sought to examine the cracks and fissures that make up our turbulent lives. Her songs are emotionally naked and vulnerable, a series of quiet storms that illuminate the steely framework behind her innermost truths. It’s a tricky balance to maintain, the one between revealing narrative and self-catharsis. But Reynolds continues to put her faith in the process.
“Most of the time,” she explains, “the songwriting process itself is a way to sort of expel those vulnerabilities and make it something concrete that I can look at, process, and set aside. After that has been done, I feel almost disassociated from it. It becomes about telling the story.”
Released on Thursday via the Nashville label Cold Lunch Recordings, Rose Hotel’s new two-song cassingle shows the band searching out wider, more cinematic canvases. Whereas the group’s last LP, the glimmering I Will Only Come When It’s a Yes, was constructed with a expanded group of guests and collaborators, this latest record finds Reynolds leaning on her live band (Tim Gratz on guitar, Vinny Restivo on bass, and Adam Weisberg on drums) for support. The result is a sound that is equally more measured and spacious, allowing plenty of room for Reynolds’ exquisite melodies to stretch out and breathe.
Given its themes of loneliness, independence, and uncertainty, you might think the record was a meditation on life during the pandemic. But the truth is the tracks were written well before COVID-19 disrupted the fabric of our reality. And yet, it’s difficult not to hear something prescient within the shambling, introspective twang of “Drive Alone” or the portentous rumble of “Constant.” Despite their sonic differences, both songs are dusky, wandering cuts that cast yearning and sadness in a similar pale light. After all, sometimes the most illuminating truths are the ones we discover alone and in the dark.
“I’m a pretty social person, and pre-pandemic I found myself rarely alone,” Reynolds says. “This year has definitely changed that, and in some ways I think it was for the better. It’s allowed me to be more present with my creativity in an isolated way.”
Credit: Rachel Tess Eddy
How have you been holding up during the pandemic?
Although I’ve definitely felt the emotional highs and lows that the pandemic has brought upon all of us, I’ve been holding up pretty well. I’m extremely privileged to live in a comfortable home with my partner, and I was lucky enough to still have employment throughout all of this, so I don’t have much to complain about. I’ve been very saddened by the lack of live music and social activities this year. I think we’ll all feel the ripple effect of that for a while. I think the lack of community/nightlife/free transfer of collective energy has been what I’ve mourned the most. However, in some ways I feel like the community has strengthened through this because we all know that caring for each other is key to survival and enrichment of our lives. I don’t know. It’s a back and forth thing for me.
How have you been keeping busy? Have you been writing a lot of new music?
I’ve actually been working throughout the pandemic at my day jobs, so I’ve been pretty busy with that. I also re-enrolled in college this semester (since touring has been off the table) and that’s been opening my mind up again in a way that I haven’t in many years. For the first few months of the pandemic, I could barely touch my guitar. I was so bummed out about all the canceled tours and shows, and then also met with so much grief about the current state of our society, that the inspiration to write was pretty zapped. More recently though, I’ve been able to get back into writing and it feels really good.
What effect, if any, do you think quarantine and isolation has had on your creativity?
Quarantine causes you to sit with yourself in a way that you wouldn’t otherwise. I’m a pretty social person, and pre-pandemic I found myself rarely alone. This year has definitely changed that, and in some ways I think it was for the better. It’s allowed me to be more present with my creativity in an isolated way. Also, it’s just given me more time to be inspired by other art and artists. I’ve listened to a lot more music and podcasts than I ever have before and that’s been really cool. I feel like I’m soaking it all in.
Are there any specific artists or records that you’ve been gravitating to over the past few months?
I always find comfort in the music of Joni Mitchell, so I’ve been listening to her a lot. I re-listened to some old Leonard Cohen records. I’ve also been pretty obsessed with the new Phoebe Bridgers record. At the beginning of quarantine, I bought a collection of records from a coworker (1500 records for $150!) and I’ve been working my way through that, which has been a really fun experience of revisiting artists that I knew of but hadn’t really given a true listen, as well as discovering a bunch of old jazz, ’80s, and other things that I wouldn’t otherwise seek out. Also, I’ve started to listen to a lot more beatmakers and lo-fi instrumental music when I’m studying or just as background music and I appreciate it in a way that I didn’t before. I really like mndgsn.
Although these songs were written pre-COVID, the themes you explore feel almost prescient. Has the pandemic reframed your understanding of the songs in any way?
It’s actually kind of freaky how applicable “Constant” feels in the current state of the world. I wrote that song last year when I was feeling like social media was eating my brain… the constant flow of information and stimulus was equally abhorrent and intoxicating and I couldn’t help but look away. Now, during the pandemic, I feel like so much of my news and connection to the world is through my phone and it feels like a constant stream. It’s wild. I guess I must have been channeling something when I wrote that, haha.
“Drive Alone” was definitely my love song to the desire of spending time alone… I guess all I can say now is, be careful what you wish for!
Your last LP featured an assortment of guests and collborations that helped flesh out the music. However, the lineup on these two songs is consistent. Do you feel like Rose Hotel may be settling into a more lasting lineup?
I think Rose Hotel will always be rotating with members because I have such a privilege to have talented friends and collaborators in my life that I always want to bring into the process. For these songs, we sort of just recorded with the live lineup at that time and it was a super smooth process. Tymb and Vinny have been playing with me for years now and I think they’re always going to be a part of the process in any form they wish to be because we collaborate together so well. Adam came into the mix when we needed a live drummer last year and he’s been great to work with as well. Everyone in Rose Hotel is also in other projects too, though, and I love it that way. Sometimes they might be busy with other bands and we need to bring in someone new. It allows for the project to shape-shift and new people to bring in fresh perspective.
The sound on these two songs is so expansive and cinematic. “Constant,” in particular, reminds me of Mazzy Star. Did you have a particular aesthetic in mind when you went in to record the single?
Ah, thanks! Cinematic is cool, haha. I don’t know if I had a particular aesthetic in mind, exactly. I really like to play with different colors and use all the things I love about different genres to create something new. I love to blend folk songwriting ethos with darker, sort of “psych-adjacent” arranging. Damon Moon, who produced and engineered these tracks, really brought some awesome perspective (and awesome gear) to the table during this session that I think really pushed it to that more cinematic level.
From an outsider’s perspective, you seem confidently comfortable in sharing your anxieties and vulnerabilities. Do you find it difficult or stressful to put your emotions out there in such a naked way?
Hmmm, sometimes it feels stressful. Most of the time, the songwriting process itself is a way to sort of expel those vulnerabilities and make it something concrete that I can look at, process, and set aside. After that has been done, I feel almost disassociated from it. It becomes about telling the story. There are times when I’m singing a song and it will hit me in a certain way… I’m taken back to the moment I wrote it or the experience I wrote about, and that can definitely feel vulnerable. It’s just a balancing act, I suppose.
How did you hook up with Cold Lunch Recordings?
I’ve been buds with Caroline and Gary from Cold Lunch from the days when I was living in Kentucky and they’d graciously book my old band at their very cool live events in Nashville. We’ve remained friends over the years. They’re really incredible people doing amazing work for the DIY scene in Nashville and I’m stoked they were down to make this release happen.
Your press release mentioned the release would be accompanied by some limited-edition merch. Can you tell us a little about that?
Yes! We put together a cute lil package to come out with the songs. We’re doing a limited edition release of screen-printed bandanas as well as novelty casettes (with a download code). They’re very cute 🙂
More Info
Web: rosehotelmusic.com
Bandcamp: rosehotel.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @rosehotelmusic
Instagram: @rosehotel_
SoundCloud: @rose-hotel