((Host)) Band Profile and Upcoming New York City Concerts - Oh My Rockness

Written by Patrick McNamara

Host is the instrumental bedroom pop project of Alex Maddalena (he's apparently a mountain) which may or may not have been recorded in his bedroom or even at his house. There are plenty of very fine places to do DIY recording these days. He writes music that needs to breathe a bit. You won’t get verse/chorus/verse in three and a half minutes when experiencing Host. Top of the pops, this is not. But once you give these songs space and time, they begin to glow.

Virtually all the sounds on Host’s beguiling debut album (cryptically titled “Host”) was made by Maddalena’s electric guitar. It’s a sparse, non-linear listening experience and one that is strangely engaging. I listened to it a few times just to make sure I knew what I was listening to. And then I listened a few more times after that because I decided I really liked it even though I still wasn't sure.

Host is a grower. So please approach this whenever you have the time to let it work it’s magic. Don’t press play and make up your mind after five seconds, man. Ease into this goodness. Ease into it. If you’re day is just too goddamn busy for this type of time commitment demanded of you from your favorite local music blob, consider putting on Host before you go to bed because sleeping to this would be a TRIP. And then consider getting a new job that isn't intent on destroying you.

As of this writing, Host is set to play a show with Ricky Eat Acid (you can go ahead and click that because that's a really good band profile too) and I just wanted to let you know that because those two a pretty perfect pairing and maybe this knowledge will help steer you down the correct sound path. But probably not.

Anyway, let's stop trying to describe the indescribable and let’s just start the journey. If you're with me, press play. And remember the two Golden Rules before you do. #1 Space. #2. Time.

PostScript: Host calls his music "desk metal."

Published January 27, 2015
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