Cynical pop fans take note: Jordan Geiger is a one man band under the name of Hospital Ships. It takes a lead from The Flaming Lips (The group was named after a Lips song) and Arcade Fire or Broken Social Secene. The album opener, “Bitter Radio Single”, is a brief but captivating song with it’s forceful “Screw this fucking city” lyric sung by an angelic chorus. The follow up, “Baby For J” is like a lo-fi indie John Lennon with Geiger’s subtle vocals and piano melody. Fourth track on the album, “The Shots I Drank,” is another warm fuzzy sounding, fully orchestrated confesssional. Throughout the album, the layers of nasally vocals supported by piles of keyboards and organs on top of less dense guitars. Some standouts here are “Sink Your Teeth Into Me” and “Oh, No.” These ballads may be suited to our screwed up times – “Tired Of Growing Old” could be the new theme for a stock broker today “You dwell on all you wanted… it’s all gone, over and done.” Other tracks are just bleak sounding filler here. It’s not for everyone and will turn off those looking for happy bouncy pop music. Listen along with Mike Mazzerella’s folk album for a sobering experience.
Listen to the “Bitter Radio”