Shansylvania “Haunted Hotel”
We premiered the new song by Shansylvania “Haunted Hotel” from their forthcoming album MonstroCity, set for release on September 25. The album was recorded at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, Georgia, and produced by Andy LeMaster. Shannon is backed by the Pack Way Handle Band on this album.
“Haunted Hotel” is Shannon Provost on vocals, harmonica, keyboard and piano; Corbin Baker on narration, vocals and owl; Tom Baker on banjo, viola, violin and vocals; Brent Hedrick on guitar, drums, percussion and howls; Michael Paynter on electric mandolin, vocals and drums; and Hunt Revell on bass.
As Shannon Provost tells us about this song, “‘Haunted Hotel’ was the first song I wrote for the record, and one of the first songs I’d ever attempted to write. I was lower than I’d ever been. But I finally felt like I had nothing to lose by working on the Halloween rock opera I’d talked about writing for years. Spring was giving way to summer at the time, but my mind was in a colder, darker place. “It’s always Halloween in my mind…” popped into my head, a melancholy piano riff followed, and the first character was born: a vampire working the night shift at the local hotel. Processing my feelings through the lens of an immortal desk clerk longing for his lost love was a lot more fun than living in my own world at the time. Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop, and MonstroCity began to take shape. The song is loud and proud on the record, having gained new layers and momentum with the band, and is so much better for it. But I’ll always remember ‘Haunted Hotel’ and its humble beginnings as the genesis of the entire project, and my journey as a songwriter.”
Foreboding and alluring, this song pulls you in with spooky piano, guitar, and then the spookiest of banjos and “it’s always Halloween in my mind.” A timely release that hits the genre nail on the head, never kitschy and always dark and chilling.
The music is available on vinyl here: https://shop.echobase.com/products/shansylvania-monstrocity
and digitally here: https://shansylvania.bandcamp.com/album/monstrocity