Review: Maritime – Heresy And The Hotel Choir

I wasn’t really sure how Maritime could get much better and didn’t know how the band could possibly top last year’s excellent album We The Vehicles. The answer is that on their new record, Heresy And The Hotel Choir, Maritime is at the top of their game. They sound more cohesive than ever and not just like a vehicle for Davey Von Bohlen’s supremely sweet songs. All truth be told (however), I said the same exact thing about We The Vehicles and somehow it is true in both cases.

Being a huge fan of Davey’s previous band (The Promise Ring) as well as former bassist Eric Axelson’s (The Dismemberment Plan), Maritime has been on my radar since their inception. Their first album Glass Floor sounded like a band searching for an identity, while (as stated) last year’s We The Vehicles was leaps and bounds better. Heresy And The Hotel Choir isn’t a huge leap forward for the band, but (rather) a refinement of their brisk but sunny sound.

The new album is filled from start to finish with triumphant indie pop that finds Davey and company playing with more aplomb than they ever have. His lyrics are solid (per usual) and his raspy vocals strike a familiar chord that just sounds right. And with what seems like a solid line-up after Axelson’s departure, Maritime churns out bright and jangly guitar rock that harks back a little to Very Emergency-era Promise Ring, The Smiths, and other 80’s pop. In short, the band’s upbeat, melodic, and energetic sound is really hard for me to find fault with.

Sure, I could go on about how the band hasn’t “progressed” and isn’t exploring and new musical ideas, but why? I don’t want Maritime to go changing on me. They are (perhaps) the best at what they do and that’s more than fine with me. You can find Heresy And The Hotel Choir out now courtesy of the excellent Flameshovel Records. You’ll also be able to find this album on my best of 2007 list in a few months.

MP3 | Maritime – Guns Of Navarone Heresy And The Hotel Choir
MP3 | Maritime – For Science Fiction Heresy And The Hotel Choir