Twilight Hotel

Maverick Magazine (UK) Review

Supreme country-folk from hugely talented Canadian Duo

Twilight Hotel, a Canadian duo consisting of Brandy Zdan and Dave Quanbury, have got something pretty special going on here, and it’s evident right from the get-go.

Highway Prayer busts into life with a tasty little rockabilly blues thing called Viva la Vinyl. It’s not clear who’s playing what but the groove is an absolute monster, and it rolls along on the strength of that groove and two perfectly matched voices.

Zdan and Quanbury are more than just musical collaborators, thery’re lovers too, and that connection clearly fuels the bond to a deeper level. This is especially felt on the slower songs like Impatient Love, a gentle touch of country-folk with ‘timeless classic’ written all over it. The harmonies drip with sensual gold and the sentiments behind the lyrics come over as heartfelt and dressed in love.

Zdan’s voice has the same purity as Tift Merritt’s, but under the surface lurks a really powerful engine and she’s not afraid to rev it up from time to time. There menace in that voice too: the half spoken/half sung Iowalta Morningside is downright eerie and is carried along on a wave of throbbing, dirty guitars. Any of HP’s thirteen songs will bring rewards and all are enhanced by a spacious and clean production from Colin Linden. This release also features the last-ever performance from Richard Bell, the original keyboardist for the one and only Janis Joplin.

I can see this album appearing on quite a few ‘best of the year’ lists; it’s a riveting listen and bursting to the gills with magical moments.