Dream Days at the Hotel Existence
Encyclopedia
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence is the sixth studio album
by Australian rock
band Powderfinger
, released by Universal Music on 2 June 2007 in Australia
, 19 November 2007 in the United Kingdom
, and 11 November 2008 in the United States
on the Dew Process
label. It was released in Australia with a limited edition bonus DVD, titled Powderfinger's First XI, featuring eleven music video
s spanning the band's career, from the first single, "Tail
" to "Bless My Soul
", the band's latest single before the release of the album. A collector's edition
, including a CD and DVD, was released on 18 April 2008. The US release is packaged for a limited time with an autographed CD booklet on the Newbury Comics website.
Powderfinger reunited in late 2006, after a three year hiatus, to write songs for Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, which was recorded in Los Angeles
, California
, in early 2007 by producer Rob Schnapf
. The first single from the album, "Lost and Running
" was released on 12 May 2007, and reached number five on the ARIA singles chart
. Three further singles were released; "I Don't Remember
", "Nobody Sees
", and "Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)
", though they failed to equal "Lost and Running"'s chart performance.
The album received critical acclaim, with many reviewers commenting that the album was "consistent" and "distinctly Australian". The album encountered controversy relating to the song "Black Tears
" with claims that it may have influenced the Palm Island death in custody trial. Powderfinger released an abridged version of the song as a result of these accusations.
stated in television
interviews in 2006 that Powderfinger was working on a new album to be released the following year. On Powderfinger's website, guitarist Ian Haug
said that the upcoming album was an "exciting new direction" for the band's music. After a month of recording, on 2 March 2007, Fanning made an announcement on Australian radio station Triple J
that tracking was complete, mixing the album was to follow, and the approximate release date was June. Fanning also stated that several of the tracks on the album feature session pianist Benmont Tench
.
The title of the album was drawn from the book Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster
, which Fanning had read during the recording. He stated the concept of the title related to escapism
, and that he felt it an appropriate sentiment to attach to the music of the album.
was no longer the producer.
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was recorded at Sunset Sound Studio
, Los Angeles
, California
, in early 2007 by producer Rob Schnapf
, best known for his work with Beck
and The Vines
. Powderfinger had already written most of the album before departing to the United States. In particular, Powderfinger wrote songs in parts and brought them together; some songs were written in pairs or trios, while others were written in parts by different people, and then combined. According to the band, this brought a "diverse" and "fresh" approach to songwriting. The band used different methods in putting the album together as "it comes back to the sound the five of us can make together". Powderfinger guitarist Darren Middleton
commented that as a rule they preferred not to put together an album that was just "plain". As the style of writing differed, the band identified the need for piano performances in many of their songs, enlisting veteran pianist Benmont Tench to play parts throughout.
featuring a collection of Powderfinger music videos, titled Powderfinger's First XI. The music video for "Lost and Running
" was also included, and was dubbed The Twelfth Man. A collector's edition
, including a CD and DVD, was released on 18 April 2008.
Several songs from the album were launched to Perth
fans as free music download
s via PerthNow, a Perth-based newspaper. Fans were required to obtain a codeword from the newspaper, then submit it online to download the tracks.
The first single from Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was "Lost and Running
" and the video clip, which was directed by Damon Escott and Stephen Lance of Head Pictures, began showing in Australia on 21 April 2007. The single made its Australian radio debut on 16 April 2007, but had been available for several days beforehand on the Powderfinger's MySpace web page. An exclusive early release of the song was played by Triple J
on 13 April 2007. "Lost and Running" reached number five on the ARIA singles chart
.
The second single from the album was "I Don't Remember
". The film clip for the song was created by Fifty Fifty Films, who have created music videos for the group before including "Passenger
" and "Like a Dog". The song was aired on radio on 9 July 2007, the music video was released in July, and the CD single was released for sales on 4 August 2007. The video was shot at Samford State School in Powderfinger's home city of Brisbane
and features many of the school's students.
On 16 November 2007, it was announced that the third single from Dream Days at the Hotel Existence would be the album's sixth track, "Nobody Sees
". A video was released on the same day as the announcement and the single is set to be released as a digital single on 1 December 2007. In February 2008, Powderfinger announced the release of the album's fourth single, "Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)
", which is set to be released in March 2008. In late May, "Wishing On The Same Moon" was released as the album's fifth single.
Surprisingly, the eighth track, "Long Way to Go" was played on Australian radio leading up to the release of the album in 2007.
on 11 June 2007 at number one, becoming Powderfinger's fourth album to peak at the top spot. The album was certified platinum in its first week of sales, and its double platinum certification was announced later. A week after its release, the album achieved the highest first-week sales figures of any new release in 2007, with total sales of 40,847, thus making it the fastest selling album of the year in Australia. In its first week of release, Dream Days at the Hotel Existence broke the Australian digital album sales record, with over 3,000 digital sales.
Cameron Adams of Herald Sun HiT stated that the album contained no new directions for the band, and was highly consistent. He noted that the album contained less "rough edges and attitude" than predecessor Vulture Street
, and likening the album more to Odyssey Number Five
. Sputnikmusic's James Bishop agreed, claiming the band should be concerned by the "lack of experimentation or ambition" on the album. He again stated that the album was consistent, noting that "there actually isn't a bad song present". The review, which gave the album three and a half stars, commented that it seemed the band were trying to move towards the bluegrass
genre, and "edging their way into the adult-contemporary section" of a music store, something they had not shown on their previous works.
Allmusic's Clayton Bolger drew comparisons to Internationalist
in his review, which gave the album 3 and a half stars. He said the album contained "all the trademarks of classic Powderfinger", praising Fanning's vocals, Middleton and Haug's "twin-guitar attack", Collins' basslines and Coghill's "powerhouse drum work". While praising "I Don't Remember" as an excellent anthem, and "Surviving" for containing "a sonic blast of rock", he was critical of "Lost and Running", which he said felt "tired and sluggish", while "Ballad of a Dead Man" was described as "tedious".
", the ninth song on Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, sparked controversy after claims that its lyrics could invoke prejudice
in the Palm Island death in custody trial. Lawyer
s for the accused, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, lodged a complaint to the Queensland Attorney-General
relating to the lyrics of the song. According to Hurley's legal team, the initial lyrics dealt with the "death of a Palm Island man, Mulrunji Doomadgee", in stating "an island watch-house bed, a black man's lying dead". Bernard Fanning made a media statement in response to the complaint, stating that the band had never intended for the song to contain "even the slightest suggestion of any prejudice". He also said that the band would still release the album on the planned date, but with an alternate version of "Black Tears". Fanning later stated that he was not angry about having to change his lyrics, but lamented the lack of Australian musicians willing to challenge the status quo.
-based design organisation. The recipient of the 2007 ARIA Award
for "Best Cover Art", the album art features a photograph of a road leading into the Australian outback horizon. In the centre, placed in the sky in relation to the background, there is a window with a crimson curtain. Within this window is a hotel room, as per the name of the album, in which a man with no head in a suit is seated at the end of the bed while watching the television.
Above the window is the album title and at the top of the cover is the band's name in a typeface more crafty than on previous album covers. Though the general design of the cover is that of a 1930s hotel in style, the typeface juxtaposes the general design with being a rather futuristic, science-fiction styled typeset. This is the second futuristic style that the band has used for their name, the first appearing on Vulture Street.
Tickets for a nationwide tour of launch shows
for Dream Days at the Hotel Existence went on sale on 10 May 2007 on the band's website, with tickets to the general public being released a day later. Powderfinger also toured in New South Wales
and northern Victoria
. Australian pianist
Lachlan Doley was enlisted to play piano and keyboard
parts on their live performances in these shows. His performances were welcomed by critics and audiences, with AdelaideNow commenting that "local ring-in Lachlan Doley added shimmering keys to the band's richly textured sound". Powderfinger and Doley performed the single "Lost and Running
" on popular Australian variety show Rove on 17 June 2007. The group performed at Splendour in the Grass
on 4 August 2007, and then followed it up by performing at Triple J
's AWOL Concert in Karratha, Western Australia
on 18 August 2007.
Powderfinger announced the Across the Great Divide tour
on 12 June 2007. The band were accompanied on the nationwide concert tour by Australian rock group Silverchair
. The tour is not only featured in the capital cities, but in fourteen Australian and New Zealand regional centres as well. According to Fanning, "the idea is to show both bands are behind the idea of reconciliation [of Indigenous Australians]."
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All songs were written and performed by Powderfinger with performances by pianist Benmont Tench
.
Bonus Tracks:
Powderfinger's First XI
^ A. "Down by the Dam" was included as a bonus track on the version of the album released on the iTunes Music Store, and was included on the CD of the single "Lost and Running".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Australian rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
, released by Universal Music on 2 June 2007 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 19 November 2007 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and 11 November 2008 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the Dew Process
Dew Process
Dew Process is an Australian independent record label based in Brisbane, Queensland founded by Paul Piticco. The label essentially develops talent from Australia as well as provide promotional, marketing and distribution services for foreign artists looking for a home for their music in Australia...
label. It was released in Australia with a limited edition bonus DVD, titled Powderfinger's First XI, featuring eleven music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s spanning the band's career, from the first single, "Tail
Tail (song)
"Tail" is the first single by Powderfinger from their debut album Parables for Wooden Ears. The music video for "Tail" appeared on the bonus DVD of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The version used in the video is shorter and slightly different in instrumentation.-Track listing:All songs composed...
" to "Bless My Soul
Bless My Soul
"Bless My Soul" is a single from Powderfinger's first "best of" album, Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000. The other new song on the album, "Process This," was not released as a single...
", the band's latest single before the release of the album. A collector's edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
, including a CD and DVD, was released on 18 April 2008. The US release is packaged for a limited time with an autographed CD booklet on the Newbury Comics website.
Powderfinger reunited in late 2006, after a three year hiatus, to write songs for Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, which was recorded in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in early 2007 by producer Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO , Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.Schnapf, along with Rothrock and partner...
. The first single from the album, "Lost and Running
Lost and Running
"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
" was released on 12 May 2007, and reached number five on the ARIA singles chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. Three further singles were released; "I Don't Remember
I Don't Remember
"I Don't Remember" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from the album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It made its radio debut on 9 July 2007 on Australian radio stations, and was subsequently released as a single and digital download on 4 August 2007 in Australia, 3...
", "Nobody Sees
Nobody Sees
"Nobody Sees" is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the third single from the album and was released in Australia on 1 December 2007...
", and "Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)
Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)
"Who Really Cares " is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the fourth single from the album and is set to be released in Australia in early March 2008. The band's publicist, Ms...
", though they failed to equal "Lost and Running"'s chart performance.
The album received critical acclaim, with many reviewers commenting that the album was "consistent" and "distinctly Australian". The album encountered controversy relating to the song "Black Tears
Black Tears
"Black Tears" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The song is an acoustic ballad in a folk music style, beginning with one guitar and a lead vocal, later introducing a guitar with a synthesised effect from the...
" with claims that it may have influenced the Palm Island death in custody trial. Powderfinger released an abridged version of the song as a result of these accusations.
Background
Bernard FanningBernard Fanning
Bernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
stated in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
interviews in 2006 that Powderfinger was working on a new album to be released the following year. On Powderfinger's website, guitarist Ian Haug
Ian Haug
Ian David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
said that the upcoming album was an "exciting new direction" for the band's music. After a month of recording, on 2 March 2007, Fanning made an announcement on Australian radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
that tracking was complete, mixing the album was to follow, and the approximate release date was June. Fanning also stated that several of the tracks on the album feature session pianist Benmont Tench
Benmont Tench
Benjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
.
The title of the album was drawn from the book Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster
Paul Auster
Paul Benjamin Auster is an American author known for works blending absurdism, existentialism, crime fiction and the search for identity and personal meaning in works such as The New York Trilogy , Moon Palace , The Music of Chance , The Book of Illusions and The Brooklyn Follies...
, which Fanning had read during the recording. He stated the concept of the title related to escapism
Escapism
Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life...
, and that he felt it an appropriate sentiment to attach to the music of the album.
Recording and production
Following their hiatus, which commenced after the release of Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000, the band reconvened in late 2006 to write songs for Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The band sought a new sound on the album, causing the recording process to be different from prior albums; Melbourne's Sing Sing studios were not used and Nick DiDiaNick DiDia
Nick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
was no longer the producer.
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was recorded at Sunset Sound Studio
Sunset Sound Recorders
Sunset Sound Recorders is a recording studio in Hollywood, California, located at 6650 Sunset Boulevard.The Sunset Sound Recorders complex was converted in 1962 by Walt Disney's Director of Recording, Tutti Camarata, from a collection of old commercial and residential buildings - some built more...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in early 2007 by producer Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO , Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.Schnapf, along with Rothrock and partner...
, best known for his work with Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
and The Vines
The Vines
https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Special:LandingCheck?landing_page=L11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy_DDOptimised&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=C11_1121_WMUK_DDvOneOff&utm_source=B11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy&language=en&country=GB...
. Powderfinger had already written most of the album before departing to the United States. In particular, Powderfinger wrote songs in parts and brought them together; some songs were written in pairs or trios, while others were written in parts by different people, and then combined. According to the band, this brought a "diverse" and "fresh" approach to songwriting. The band used different methods in putting the album together as "it comes back to the sound the five of us can make together". Powderfinger guitarist Darren Middleton
Darren Middleton
Darren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
commented that as a rule they preferred not to put together an album that was just "plain". As the style of writing differed, the band identified the need for piano performances in many of their songs, enlisting veteran pianist Benmont Tench to play parts throughout.
Album and single releases
The album was released in Australia on 2 June 2007, and in the United Kingdom on 19 November of the same year. A "limited edition" version of the album included a DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
featuring a collection of Powderfinger music videos, titled Powderfinger's First XI. The music video for "Lost and Running
Lost and Running
"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
" was also included, and was dubbed The Twelfth Man. A collector's edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
, including a CD and DVD, was released on 18 April 2008.
Several songs from the album were launched to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
fans as free music download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
s via PerthNow, a Perth-based newspaper. Fans were required to obtain a codeword from the newspaper, then submit it online to download the tracks.
The first single from Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was "Lost and Running
Lost and Running
"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
" and the video clip, which was directed by Damon Escott and Stephen Lance of Head Pictures, began showing in Australia on 21 April 2007. The single made its Australian radio debut on 16 April 2007, but had been available for several days beforehand on the Powderfinger's MySpace web page. An exclusive early release of the song was played by Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
on 13 April 2007. "Lost and Running" reached number five on the ARIA singles chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
.
The second single from the album was "I Don't Remember
I Don't Remember
"I Don't Remember" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from the album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It made its radio debut on 9 July 2007 on Australian radio stations, and was subsequently released as a single and digital download on 4 August 2007 in Australia, 3...
". The film clip for the song was created by Fifty Fifty Films, who have created music videos for the group before including "Passenger
Passenger (Powderfinger song)
"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for Single of the year in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards...
" and "Like a Dog". The song was aired on radio on 9 July 2007, the music video was released in July, and the CD single was released for sales on 4 August 2007. The video was shot at Samford State School in Powderfinger's home city of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and features many of the school's students.
On 16 November 2007, it was announced that the third single from Dream Days at the Hotel Existence would be the album's sixth track, "Nobody Sees
Nobody Sees
"Nobody Sees" is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the third single from the album and was released in Australia on 1 December 2007...
". A video was released on the same day as the announcement and the single is set to be released as a digital single on 1 December 2007. In February 2008, Powderfinger announced the release of the album's fourth single, "Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)
Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)
"Who Really Cares " is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the fourth single from the album and is set to be released in Australia in early March 2008. The band's publicist, Ms...
", which is set to be released in March 2008. In late May, "Wishing On The Same Moon" was released as the album's fifth single.
Surprisingly, the eighth track, "Long Way to Go" was played on Australian radio leading up to the release of the album in 2007.
Chart performance
The album debuted in the ARIA Album ChartsARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
on 11 June 2007 at number one, becoming Powderfinger's fourth album to peak at the top spot. The album was certified platinum in its first week of sales, and its double platinum certification was announced later. A week after its release, the album achieved the highest first-week sales figures of any new release in 2007, with total sales of 40,847, thus making it the fastest selling album of the year in Australia. In its first week of release, Dream Days at the Hotel Existence broke the Australian digital album sales record, with over 3,000 digital sales.
| Charts (2007) | Peak position |
Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 | 3 x platinum |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 22 | — |
Critical response
Sydney Morning Herald commentator Bernard Zuel described Dream Days at the Hotel Existence as Powderfinger's first dull album, noting that on numerous songs "It promises to become exciting but never quite gets there." He complained that most of the songs were uneventful, or uninspiring, and that they do not "lift you as a listener." PerthNows Jay Hanna disagreed, claiming the album was "rippling with emotions". He said the album contained some "incredible moments", praising "Head Up in the Clouds", and calling "Nobody Sees" "Powderfinger at their devastating best", while giving the album four stars.Cameron Adams of Herald Sun HiT stated that the album contained no new directions for the band, and was highly consistent. He noted that the album contained less "rough edges and attitude" than predecessor Vulture Street
Vulture Street
Vulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 29 July 2003. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1...
, and likening the album more to Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist.The...
. Sputnikmusic's James Bishop agreed, claiming the band should be concerned by the "lack of experimentation or ambition" on the album. He again stated that the album was consistent, noting that "there actually isn't a bad song present". The review, which gave the album three and a half stars, commented that it seemed the band were trying to move towards the bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
genre, and "edging their way into the adult-contemporary section" of a music store, something they had not shown on their previous works.
Allmusic's Clayton Bolger drew comparisons to Internationalist
Internationalist (album)
Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works....
in his review, which gave the album 3 and a half stars. He said the album contained "all the trademarks of classic Powderfinger", praising Fanning's vocals, Middleton and Haug's "twin-guitar attack", Collins' basslines and Coghill's "powerhouse drum work". While praising "I Don't Remember" as an excellent anthem, and "Surviving" for containing "a sonic blast of rock", he was critical of "Lost and Running", which he said felt "tired and sluggish", while "Ballad of a Dead Man" was described as "tedious".
"Black Tears" controversy
On 2 May 2007, "Black TearsBlack Tears
"Black Tears" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The song is an acoustic ballad in a folk music style, beginning with one guitar and a lead vocal, later introducing a guitar with a synthesised effect from the...
", the ninth song on Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, sparked controversy after claims that its lyrics could invoke prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
in the Palm Island death in custody trial. Lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s for the accused, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, lodged a complaint to the Queensland Attorney-General
Kerry Shine
Kerry Gerard Shine is the Australian Labor Party representative of the seat of Toowoomba North in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.He first ran for election in the 1998 state election...
relating to the lyrics of the song. According to Hurley's legal team, the initial lyrics dealt with the "death of a Palm Island man, Mulrunji Doomadgee", in stating "an island watch-house bed, a black man's lying dead". Bernard Fanning made a media statement in response to the complaint, stating that the band had never intended for the song to contain "even the slightest suggestion of any prejudice". He also said that the band would still release the album on the planned date, but with an alternate version of "Black Tears". Fanning later stated that he was not angry about having to change his lyrics, but lamented the lack of Australian musicians willing to challenge the status quo.
Cover art
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence's cover art was designed by Aaron Hayward & David Homer of Debaser, a New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
-based design organisation. The recipient of the 2007 ARIA Award
ARIA Music Awards of 2007
The 21st Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 28 October 2007 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. Rove McManus was the host of the event...
for "Best Cover Art", the album art features a photograph of a road leading into the Australian outback horizon. In the centre, placed in the sky in relation to the background, there is a window with a crimson curtain. Within this window is a hotel room, as per the name of the album, in which a man with no head in a suit is seated at the end of the bed while watching the television.
Touring
Tickets for a nationwide tour of launch shows
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
for Dream Days at the Hotel Existence went on sale on 10 May 2007 on the band's website, with tickets to the general public being released a day later. Powderfinger also toured in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and northern Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. Australian pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Lachlan Doley was enlisted to play piano and keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
parts on their live performances in these shows. His performances were welcomed by critics and audiences, with AdelaideNow commenting that "local ring-in Lachlan Doley added shimmering keys to the band's richly textured sound". Powderfinger and Doley performed the single "Lost and Running
Lost and Running
"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
" on popular Australian variety show Rove on 17 June 2007. The group performed at Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
on 4 August 2007, and then followed it up by performing at Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's AWOL Concert in Karratha, Western Australia
Karratha, Western Australia
-Facilities:A range of hotel, motel, B&B and caravan/RV accommodation is available for visitors. However, as the town is booming, accommodation is often hard to come by.The town has restaurants, a tavern, two hotels and two night clubs...
on 18 August 2007.
Powderfinger announced the Across the Great Divide tour
Across the Great Divide tour
The Across the Great Divide tour was a concert tour by Australian alternative rock bands Powderfinger and Silverchair in 2007. The tour featured concerts in 26 towns across Australia and multiple shows in New Zealand...
on 12 June 2007. The band were accompanied on the nationwide concert tour by Australian rock group Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
. The tour is not only featured in the capital cities, but in fourteen Australian and New Zealand regional centres as well. According to Fanning, "the idea is to show both bands are behind the idea of reconciliation [of Indigenous Australians]."
Powderfinger
- Bernard FanningBernard FanningBernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
– guitar and vocals - John CollinsJohn Collins (Australian musician)John Andrew Collins is the mainstay bass guitarst for Australian rock band Powderfinger since 1989. He is one of the founding members of the band, along with guitarist Ian Haug, forming at their high school, Brisbane Grammar School as a three piece. Powderfinger has released seven studio albums, a...
– bass guitar - Ian HaugIan HaugIan David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
– guitars - Darren MiddletonDarren MiddletonDarren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
– guitars and backing vocals - Jon CoghillJon CoghillJon Coghill is an Australian drummer best known for his work with Australian rock band, Powderfinger, although he has also toured with Regurgitator. Coghill replaced Powderfinger's original drummer Steven Bishop in 1991 when Bishop wanted to pursue further studies...
– drums
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Production
- Rob SchnapfRob SchnapfRob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO , Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.Schnapf, along with Rothrock and partner...
– producer - Doug BoehmDoug BoehmDoug Boehm is an American record producer and sound engineer who specializes predominantly in the rock music genre and has worked in collaboration with Rob Schnapf on a number of occasions. He produced the releases of the American group French Kicks and served as the recording engineer for Dr...
– engineer
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Track listing
- "Head Up in the Clouds" – 3:47
- "I Don't RememberI Don't Remember"I Don't Remember" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from the album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It made its radio debut on 9 July 2007 on Australian radio stations, and was subsequently released as a single and digital download on 4 August 2007 in Australia, 3...
" – 3:41 - "Lost and RunningLost and Running"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
" – 3:42 - "Wishing on the Same Moon" – 4:32
- "Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)Who Really Cares (Featuring the Sound of Insanity)"Who Really Cares " is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the fourth single from the album and is set to be released in Australia in early March 2008. The band's publicist, Ms...
" – 5:10 - "Nobody SeesNobody Sees"Nobody Sees" is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the third single from the album and was released in Australia on 1 December 2007...
" – 4:14 - "Surviving" – 3:45
- "Long Way to Go" – 3:46
- "Black TearsBlack Tears"Black Tears" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The song is an acoustic ballad in a folk music style, beginning with one guitar and a lead vocal, later introducing a guitar with a synthesised effect from the...
" – 2:30 - "Ballad of a Dead Man" – 5:29
- "Drifting Further Away" – 3:40
All songs were written and performed by Powderfinger with performances by pianist Benmont Tench
Benmont Tench
Benjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
.
Bonus Tracks:
- "Down by the Dam" – 4:29[A]
- "Glory BoxGlory Box"Glory Box" is a single by Portishead, released in 1995. The title song samples "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes. The music video features lead singer Beth Gibbons dressed as a man....
" – 4:32[B]
Limited edition bonus DVD
Released under the titles Powderfinger's First XI and The Twelfth Man, the bonus DVD features eleven music videos by Powderfinger spanning their entire recording career, and also includes the launch single to Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, "Lost and Running".Powderfinger's First XI
- "TailTail (song)"Tail" is the first single by Powderfinger from their debut album Parables for Wooden Ears. The music video for "Tail" appeared on the bonus DVD of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The version used in the video is shorter and slightly different in instrumentation.-Track listing:All songs composed...
" – 4:24 - "Living TypeLiving Type"Living Type" is the third single released from Powderfinger's second album Double Allergic. The single was released on 11 November 1996. The song, written by Bernard Fanning, the band's lead singer, concerned the victims of Charles Manson. The song was well received by the public, who voted it...
" – 3:25 - "Pick You UpPick You Up"Pick You Up" is the first single released from Powderfinger's second album Double Allergic. The single was released on 13 April 1996, and was Powderfinger's first moderate success both on commercial and Indie radio stations, and the most successful single from the album reaching #23 on the ARIA...
" – 3:30 - "PassengerPassenger (Powderfinger song)"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for Single of the year in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards...
" – 4:39 - "Good Day RayDon't Wanna Be Left Out/Good-Day Ray"Don't Wanna Be Left Out" and "Good-Day Ray" are songs from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. These songs were released together as a single on 9 November 1998.-Music video:...
"[C] – 1:50 - "Don't Wanna Be Left OutDon't Wanna Be Left Out/Good-Day Ray"Don't Wanna Be Left Out" and "Good-Day Ray" are songs from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. These songs were released together as a single on 9 November 1998.-Music video:...
" – 2:18 - "My Kind of SceneMy Kind of Scene"My Kind of Scene" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. the song was initially written for their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five however the band was requested to contribute a song to the soundtrack for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2...
" – 4:31 - "Like a Dog" – 4:41
- "On My Mind(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind" On My Mind" is a song on Powderfinger's fifth studio album Vulture Street. It was released as a single in 2003 and reached #9 on the Australian music chart, the band's third highest charting single to date.-Background:After two albums of Powderfinger releasing singles that were either acoustic...
"[D] – 3:40 - "SunsetsSunsets"Sunsets" is a song released as the third single from Australian rock band Powderfinger's fifth studio album, Vulture Street. The single was released on 4 January 2004 in Australia and New Zealand....
" (Acoustic version) – 3:57 - "Bless My SoulBless My Soul"Bless My Soul" is a single from Powderfinger's first "best of" album, Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000. The other new song on the album, "Process This," was not released as a single...
" – 4:06- The Twelfth Man - "Lost and RunningLost and Running"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
" – 3:52
- The Twelfth Man - "Lost and Running
^ A. "Down by the Dam" was included as a bonus track on the version of the album released on the iTunes Music Store, and was included on the CD of the single "Lost and Running".
- ^ B. "Glory BoxGlory Box"Glory Box" is a single by Portishead, released in 1995. The title song samples "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes. The music video features lead singer Beth Gibbons dressed as a man....
" was included as a bonus track on the UK version of the album. The song is a Portishead cover and is taken from the "No Man's WomanNo Man's WomanNo Man's Woman is a compilation tribute album to female musicians, created by Australian male musicians performing various covers, to recognise the contributions female artists and musicians have made to the international music industry...
" album. - ^ C. Generally listed as "Good-Day Ray," however it is listed without a hyphen on the CD insert and DVD.
- ^ C. The video and single for the song "(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind" were released simply as "On My Mind" without the bracketed title, and the song is listed as such on the DVD.
See also
Powderfinger albums
- Full discographyPowderfinger discographyThe discography of Powderfinger, an Australian rock group, consists of seven studio albums, twenty-four singles, four extended plays, three live albums, one "best of" album and four video releases....