Girl Graffiti by Hotel Lights is a darn fine record. I’m just going to get that out of the way right off the bat because it needs to be said without any pretense or bullshit. That is in fact what makes it such a great record. It doesn’t try to be anything except what it is, a solid acoustic pop album filled with nostalgic songs about love, life, loss, and quiet desperation. These are of course all tried and true subjects, but they seem all the more aching and poignant in the hands of songwriter, Darren Jessee.  The former Ben Folds Five drummer, is still mining the same territory on his third release under the Hotel Lights moniker. You can’t blame him for the “if it ain’t broke” philosophy, however, when the results are this good.
Girl Graffitti, Jessee’s first release since 2008’s Firecracker People, doesn’t have a weak moment. These songs are all full-bodied pop gems; grandiose with emotion and expertly executed with the help of Alan Weatherhead (guitar), Zeke Hutchins (Drums), and Jay Brown (Bass). From the quiet intensity of the album opener, Falling Down, to the peppier pop of Dave Sharkey to the Dance Floor and Through the Crowd, Jessee and company don’t hit a false note.