Welcome to your local public house, the bastion of unfettered England. The pints are cheap, the jukebox rings with a precious hint of tradition and the locals prop up the bar with rich tales of unasked history and a cheeky old wink at the barmaid. This is England, and it’s a fucking disease.
Hotel Lux are poetic narrators of such apt perceptions, painting a vivid picture of the grit and gutter of the country’s essence. Yet ‘English Disease’ is a far cry from their previous output, the band replacing the industrial sound of ominous guitars for something more jovial, and dare we even say, hook-laden. That’s not to say the band have softened up with maturity. Lewis Duffin is still the sharpened tack in the side of modern day British inertia, full of dry witticism and spitting brazenness within a united chorus of disillusion. It’s callous and brilliantly defiant.
Hotel Lux have announced a headline show at The Lexington on May 6th following shows at Live at leeds, Hand Made and Hit the North. You can get your tickets here.
Header photo by Rhi Barton