If you are a fan of Arctic Monkeys, The Backseat Lovers or Steve Lacy, you might be familiar with Canadian band Noise Hotel. You might also recognize them from some of their most popular singles, such as “Diet Cigarette,” or their 2024 full-length album, Poolside Fantasy. Noise Hotel’s music has a uniquely nostalgic twang, incorporating a variety of guitar rhythms and catchy lyrics to find its place in contemporary alternative rock. “Picking Up The Pieces,” for instance, features elements of jazz and an especially memorable ending of stacked instrumentals and lyrics. “Cigarettes in Summertime,” on the other hand, more strongly resembles Brit-rock with a surfer’s attitude. Noise Hotel was originally formed in Ottawa, although all the current members came together in 2024. I recently sat down with singer and guitarist Eric Montpool and guitarist Mathew Sharfer to discuss their newest single, “Burning Pictures,” which dropped on Spotify on November 20th.
Matthew noted that the song originated in a writing session with bassist Christian Song, whom he lived with during his university years. In fact, Noise Hotel began as a student band in 2022, and the original members performed in a wide range of venues as a part of the Ottawa indie scene. Lyrically, the new single primarily aims to evoke imagery in order to describe the perspective of a breakup rather than a direct description of one. This single was also a collaborative effort between all members of the group, as the lyrics and instrumentals were brought together during rehearsals. This process is a change from some of their other songs, which were mostly written individually.
Avid Noise Hotel fans will also notice the production differs from their previous work, which is due to the DIY work of drummer Brendan Vandepol. “Burning Pictures” was actually partially recorded in an abandoned department store, with the vocals and drums recorded in a basement. In addition, this single was mixed and mastered fully in-house. The song was then pieced together from multiple recording sessions within the course of a year. This technique marks a departure from their prior album, which was created with an outside producer.
In terms of their personal tastes, the band members vary in their favorite songs and albums. Eric named Twin, a band hailing from Kentucky, as a source of inspiration. He also mentioned Out by Lucy, another Canadian rock band that Noise Hotel has performed with. Matthew prefers significantly older rock, drawing inspiration from the first Cars album, Elephant by White Stripes and Blue by Joni Mitchell. He enjoys focusing on the guitar-playing within the music itself. To shift their approach to writing, the band has worked on listening to more contemporary music and bringing together their individual influences. Their favorite venues, as of yet, have included The Rainbow, which is in Ottawa. The band performed to a crowd of 150 people, despite the venue’s limit being 100 people. Other memorable performances include their first performance in Toronto and their hometown show.
Noise Hotel recently went on the Burning Pictures tour in November, and their plans for the future certainly include more energetic performances and possible world domination. Although less likely than the latter, they also hope to one day perform in Munger Hall’s basement. You can find them on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Soundcloud and check out their music videos on YouTube.
