Hotel St. George releases “City Boy Lemon” at Casbah tonight

Artwork by David McHank

After two EPs, Yippee!!! and Hundreds and Thousands, locals Hotel St. George just had to go and accidentally make an LP. Thanks to the extra time waiting for the studio to open up, the band went ahead and wrote a few more songs, and the result is the forthcoming (and most excellent) City Boy Lemon.

The first and most noticeable characteristic of Hotel St. George’s music is undoubtedly the distinctive vocals of Matt Binder. His grandiose inflection hints at Bowie or Davies while a dramatic, frantic delivery recalls the tamer moments of Spencer Krug, but the effect is all his own. Add the talents next to him — drummer Simon Leader, bassist Erik Visnyak and guitarist Brian Riley — and you’ve got one of the most undeniably fun and exciting pop records to come out of San Diego in a very, very long time.

City Boy Lemon benefits from the true collaborative atmosphere of its four parts, whether by the sonic ode to insomnia, “All Those Dancing Stars,” or serotonin-fueled “Island Man,” there’s no formula to follow, no rhyme or reason; just simply solid tunes for the masses to consume and enjoy.

To celebrate the long-awaited release of City Boy Lemon, the recent SDMA nominees will be gracing the stage of the Casbah tonight, joined by fellow San Diegans and friends, Writer and Swim Party, as well as Los Angeles collective Intricate Machines. 500 limited edition screen-printed copies of gorgeous vinyl (I’ve already got mine) will be there waiting, artwork hand drawn by David McHank. The show is five bucks and contributions will go towards the “Get Hotel St. George to New York for CMJ Fund.” So head out to Kettner and Laurel this evening and support local music.

For more on Hotel St. George, stay tuned for Monday’s forthcoming feature story.