Hospitality (band)
| Company type | Indie pop band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York , United States |
Key people | Amber Papini, Brian Betancourt, Nathan Michel |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
| Parent | Merge Records |
Hospitality was a Brooklyn-based American Indie pop trio formed in 2007, consisting of Amber Papini (vocals, guitar), Brian Betancourt (bass), and Nathan Michel (drums). The group was signed to Merge Records and released their first full-length album on January 31, 2012.
History
Amber Papini and Nathan Michel initially connected at a gathering hosted by the Yale School of Music; the couple later married and settled in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Their debut self-titled EP was launched in 2008 after working with Karl Blau, who recorded the band in return for Hospitality acting as his backing musicians. The EP garnered positive critical attention and led to their identification as an emerging act by Stereogum.com.
After a phase of reduced activity—during which Betancourt toured with White Rabbits (band) and Papini experienced personal bereavement—the band recorded their debut album and secured a contract with Merge Records in September 2011. In 2016, Hospitality paused operations when Papini and Michel began raising a family and relocated to Charleston.
Critical reception
Prior to releasing their debut album, the band received early coverage from outlets such as Wired and NPR. The album was met with generally favorable critiques: Pitchfork.com awarded it a score of 7.4, The A.V. Club assigned an "A−" grade, and Rolling Stone gave it four out of five stars. Whitney Matheson of USA Today's Pop Candy selected it as her album of the week upon its release.
Ranking at #32 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums in 2012, the record was commended for its infectious indie-pop sound.
The video for their single "Friends of Friends" premiered on Stereogum.com in January 2012, featuring appearances by notable figures such as Alia Shawkat, comedian Kurt Braunohler, and Gabe Delahaye from Videogum.com.
Discography
Albums
- Hospitality (2012)
- Trouble (2014)
EPs
- Hospitality (2008)
- The Drift b/w Monkey (2012)
Singles
- "Friends of Friends" (2011)
- "Betty Wang" (2011)
- "The Drift" (2012)
- "Monkey" (2012)