See what the media has been saying about the record:
“adamantly throwing down a marker as one of 2015′s stand-out guitar records” – Gold Flake Paint
“the jaunty track moves in sporadic waves with a sparse guitar serving as the emotional centerpiece. As frontman Tyler Scurlock sings about a crumbling relationship, it’s clear that the band is fully aware of the inherent irony, and they embrace it head-on with real heart and gusto” – Consequence of Sound
“the song does a lot with pauses, teasing out silence to draw out a mood of regret — it’s a soft and unassuming track about comparing yourself with others and constantly feeling like you’re falling short” – Stereogum
“Tyler Scurlock brings it all together with a refreshingly earnest vocal performance that details a relationship’s heartbreaking trials and tribulations” – Consequence of Sound’s “10 Best Songs of the Week”
“a rollicking, raucous indie rock song with fuzz pop influences and triumphantly shaky melodies” – Mad Mackerel
“glimpses heartland rock, jittery post-punk and glassy layers of guitars, anchored by Scurlock’s earnest outpouring and triumphant hooks” – Gambit
“longest song title of 2015 is going to go to Sun Hotel, but dammit if it’s not just a great song to listen to any time of the day. There’s an urgency in the guitar playing, and something I’m finding quite relatable in the way the vocals are delivered; it sort of reminds me of a calmer version of art-rockers Ought” – Austin Town Hall
Early versions of Sun Hotel’s latest release “Rational Expectations” began popping up in live sets even before the band officially delivered their standout 2011 EP Gifts, which itself signaled the culmination of almost three years of constant touring, writing and recording. Since then, this new album went through at least two complete drawing-board revamps, allowing so much time to pass that it’s easy to forget that Sun Hotel was once the Big Easy’s standardbearer for productivity and prolificness.
The long gestation period of “Rational Expectations” has distilled the final product down to the unsentimental core of what made Sun Hotel such an enchanting group to follow over the years. Their earnest ambivalence is suddenly and surprisingly devoid of pathos, their flirtations with post-punk are more angular and driving than ever, and there is an urgency and focus that brings to mind their thrilling debut EP.
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