Last February, Dan Knishkowy (who records as Adeline Hotel) released Good Timing at a very bad time. Well, it was bad timing for me at least. I was swamped with other tasks and unable to give his album of beautiful guitarwork the DC attention it deserved. A shame, really, as Good Timing still stands as one of the year's finest.
So you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Adeline Hotel had another 2021 release in the works, titled The Cherries Are Speaking. I've heard the album in its entirety a few times now (it's really really good), and this morning I'm grateful to have a second shot at covering Knishkowy's music by premiering the album's second single, In A Simple Way.
In A Simple Way sows together sounds you'll hear across The Cherries Are Speaking, feeling a bit like a stolen peek over a wall into Adeline Hotel's lush sonic world. Opting to meander away from the instrumental path he took on Good Timing, Knishkowy mixes in his soft vocals here, ruminating on the fluid nature of relationships affected by time, place, and circumstance. He explains:
“I’ve been carrying the line 'I don’t need kindness in a simple way' for a long time, but couldn’t give it the right home until now. To me, it hints at a deep and unspoken trust in a relationship—romantic maybe, but about friendship, and creative partnerships as well."
As the song progresses, more elements are added - only piano + brushed drums + voice at first, but then strings played by Macie Stewart of Ohmme (DC is coming for you later this week), rising saxophone, and finally, gorgeous backing vocals by Caitlin Pasko. Pasko's song Open Windows and its sparse arrangement inspired Knishkowy during his songwriting process, so hearing her voice here feels fitting.
In A Simple Way begins as a seed growing slowly, which eventually blooms but never loses its subtle beauty. You can hear the song below, and don't miss The Cherries Are Speaking when it comes out on October 22nd via Ruination Record Co. Find the album for preorder through this link.
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