Music and lyrics What Were You Hoping For?

certain songs inspired recession-stricken north hollywood district (noho 14 apartments pictured).

expanding on previous work s blend of r&b , rock music forms, hoping for? incorporates hard rock, lively funk, sparse ballads, , elements of soul, punk rock, , progressive rock. music has loose feel, grittier guitar , more low fidelity production on hunt s previous albums. album s songs guitar-based , contain jagged, rumbling rhythms, loose guitar riffs, funk licks, , studio effects, including adundant use of reverb. musical structures characterized eccentric arrangements, shifting melodies, , rhythms vary @ offbeat intervals. songs feature tense, aggressive soundscapes sonic influences derived 1960s psychedelic music , 1970s rock music. jim farber new york daily news notes prevalence of rock music on album , describes music surrealist s notion of soul: prog-rock swayed r&b ... lots of songs have skewed melodic structures of 70s zappa, tempered 80s red hot chili peppers. geraud blanks of milwaukee journal sentinel characterizes album s music amalgamation of prince s psychedelic funk, jimi hendrix rock , curtis mayfield soul . hunt s falsetto vocals on album feature silky timbre , style. sings in variety of musical modes on songs.

hunt s songwriting on album characterized resolute lyrics, multi-layered storylines, social commentary, droll perspective, poetic subtlety, thematic subtext, , whimsy. songs on album unified theme of tension , dissonance in modern life. songs explore topics , issues in contemporary society , culture, including gentrification, identity politics, , mass consumption, accompanied sense of hope in hunt s lyrics. hunt explains album have loose concept , songs unified subject matter concerning unspoken issues around society , , says of lyrical sentiments on album, fits personality no matter s going on m going answer wink , smile. cliché might be, feel every situation needs laugh. l. michael gipson of creative loafing notes david bowie , lenny kravitz references points hunt s songwriting, , writes hoping for? explores both sides of political aisles metaphorical songs such north hollywood , designer jeans , , title track, themes concerning intimate relationship songs moving targets , falls (violet) , , cross dresser .

— van hunt, on living in los angeles

certain songs inspired effects of late-2000s recession , hunt s experience in north hollywood, district marked population density, low income, , other recession-related issues. hunt said of district, there s many issues resulting recession. people poor , struggling. cited north hollywood s blue-collar aesthetic inspiration songwriting: s kind of stepchild, not hollywood studio city , sherman oaks. north hollywood isn t particularly small, doesn t carry same weight other places around it. greg kot calls hunt s compositions frisky , playful , , writes of album s lyrical setting north hollywood in decline, populated hustlers, two-timers ... money tight , girlfriends fickle. todd martens of los angeles times comments of album deals economic difficulties , effect on self-identity , love , , writes of north hollywood theme, songs or set in los angeles aren t rarity. yet amid glamour, noir , inner-city grit lies plenty of unexplored territory. van hunt spends significant portion of [the album] traversing it. of hunt s perspective on album, martens writes [his] idea of beauty may twisted ... informed artistic roadblocks , career rejection .

the opening track north hollywood affectionate ode hunt s community @ time. lyrics portray district crown jewel of saboteurs , reference population of misfits , low-lifes, including evicting landlords , conniving starlets. song features abrasive funk, distorted guitar, , heavy beat. watching go crazy driving me insane features melodic punk , garage rock style, dark humor in lyrics. couple financial difficulties affect relationship. designer jeans features lyrics psychedlic musings on contemporary social climate, including criticism of mass production , consumption of opinions , erasure of independent thought. plum ode lover s posterior. falls (violet) ballad sketchy country music feel. narrator expresses support woman infatuated dates else. moving targets bedroom ballad sparse, 1980s-styled percussion , isley brothers influence. lyrics use warfare imagery in detailing romance. eyes pearls features hard rock guitar , earnest, romantic lyrics, hunt explained huffington post: s passionate love, 1 s known in 1 s life. re tears of joy, s passion beyond ve ever known. s relationship understands me , understand.

time machine new girlfriend frenetic rocker bo diddley rhythm, , lyrics cautioning listeners relationships can come late fees . hunt explained lyrics metaphor lover making him feel younger. title track features metronomic drumming , chicken scratch riffs. people different economic classes falling in love after social , economic conditions moved them same neighborhood. setting described in first verse, s end of white flight / tycoons licking wounds / economic blight got neighborhood looking gap-toothed / end of white flight / maybe see / money tight , re hating life . hunt said writing song response of things have seen result of global recession going through. wasn t trying make political statement. more making philosophical comment says have these unspoken issues in our society. see collision of ideas , unresolved issues. question have been hoping when make kind of decisions in our society have made.

the prince-inspired cross dresser has new wave style , whimsical lyrics in narrator holds on memory of lost love wearing clothes. hunt said did not intend song have meaning other explicit: thought funny. s 1 of things people talk about, s never happened me. literally wrote in 20 minutes. felt ... quick , thought silly , funny. s mysterious hustle features somber strings, languid rhythm, eerie piano vamp, , bitter singing hunt. recorded solely hunt, played guitar, keyboards, , electronic drums. lyrics having work way through crowd , overcome place come , , view world no place raise child . spoken word conclusion preaches, if follow beaten path, keep tied past.