Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
HemlockHotel Release Smooth-Rocking, Melodic New Single, “Angry Young Man”

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • HemlockHotel Release Smooth-Rocking, Melodic New Single, “Angry Young Man”
HemlockHotel
Fri Feb 25, 2022
Cashbox Canada

Being young often means dealing with emotions you don’t fully understand; it’s only with age that real perspective and true maturity can be gained. Ottawa-based HemlockHotel captures that conundrum with their melodic, smooth-rockin’ Americana anthem “Angry Young Man” – check out the YouTube here:

A warm blend of rich, full-bodied acoustic guitar, wailing electric guitar, and easy beats, “Angry Young Man” tells the first-person narrative about a confused young man in conflict with the people he loves, even though he knows it isn’t deserved.

Well, I am a soldier
Without a cause
Well, I keep on fightin’
The people I love
Come on dear Jesus
I’m not a saint

The chorus kicks in and that’s when the narrator admits in honeyed, soaring melody, “Well, I’m an angry young man/Fighting for something I can’t understand.” The inspiration for the song sprung from Greek philosophy, of all places – though it’s not all that surprising when you consider how the Greeks had a word to identify every nuance of emotion.

“I remember taking this course on ancient Greek philosophy,” frontman Rod Leggett says, “and the teacher was going on about thumos.”

Thumos is an old word for the concept of “spiritedness.” “At its worst, it’s rage — like the rage of Achilles,” Leggett continues. “At its best, it becomes courage.” 

At one point, Leggett’s teacher told the class that young men are especially prone to thumos. “That stuck with me,” Leggett recalls. “He’s right, I mean, young men really are prone to being angry.”

Not long after HemlockHotel recorded the song, Leggett knew the band was on the right track as he was listening to another song by another band, “(Nothing But) Flowers” by Talking Heads. Leggett heard the opening lyrics  — “‘Years ago, I was an angry young man/And I'd pretend/That I was a billboard/Standing tall” — and smiled. “I thought, ok, David Byrne gets it. I’m good with that,” he says. “You know, I really look up to that guy.”

HemlockHotel proudly calls Ottawa home, and recently added TJ Jones, formerly of the band Dynasty, on bass.  The band also consists of Rod Leggett, Mark Paré on lead guitar, and Danny Lee Duke on drums. Despite the pandemic, the now four-piece band is managing to give the occasional live performance and spend time in the studio.

“Angry Young Man” is the band’s first release since their 2020 eponymous album. It will be followed by a second single to be released in April 2022. Both songs were recorded with Steve Foley at Audio Valley Studios in Ottawa, and HemlockHotel plans to return to the studio in the Spring to record another suite of songs.

For more on HemlockHotel check out:
hemlockhotel.com/
instagram.com/hemlockhotelmusic/
facebook.com/hemlockhotel
twitter.com/HemlockHotel
open.spotify.com/artist/65W13xuV10xz3Q2yF0mCIg?si=izzQplqZSk6747g-rICTWg&nd=1

Reviews
Album
HemlockHotel
Month: Dec 2022
Siibii Montreal-Based Queer Non-Binary Indigenous Artist Siibii Follows Up…
Umbe B Cuban Music Innovator Umbe B Captivates Listeners With Chilling…
Afrotronix Montreal’s Afro-Futuristic Afrotronix Releases RUN AWAY TA…
Broken Wolves Toronto Dark-Folk Luminaries Broken Wolves Mourn Lost Dreams On "The…
Carla Muller Canadian Folk Artist Carla Muller Crystallizes The Meditative…
CHRIS ANTONIK Caps 2022 With “Learning To Love You” CHRIS ANTONIK Caps 2022 With “Learning To Love You”
FOG Blues & Brass Band Kitchener/Waterloo's FOG Blues & Brass Band Put the Swing in…
Canadian Country Artist Lynne Taylor Donovan Offers Special Holiday Wishes with “Dear Santa” Canadian Country Artist Lynne Taylor Donovan Offers Special…
Ron Robertson Ron Robertson Releases Second Album “Bristol”
Techno Westerns Toronto-Based Pop Outfit Techno Westerns Dazzle On “Mystery Man”
The Otherness Says “We Can Be One” With Dreamy New Single The Otherness Says “We Can Be One” With Dreamy New Single
Sharron Katz Singer-Songwriter Sharron Katz Releases Double A-Side For The…
Month: Jan 2023
Blaine Walker Blaine Walker Releases New Anthem In “Party In The 6ix”
Dillon Ryan & The Dream Romantic Dillon Ryan & The Dream Romantic Release Madchester Vibe in New…
Low Budget Rock Star Low Budget Rock Star Pay Tribute To Passing Of Drummer In “More Than Ever”

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 86
  • Page 87
  • Page 88
  • Page 89
  • Current page 90
  • Page 91
  • Page 92
  • Page 93
  • Page 94
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers