Hollywood Park

by The Airborne Toxic Event

Overview

The musical soundtrack to Airborne Toxic Event frontman Mikel Jollett's autobiography of the same name, Hollywood Park dials back the trashy glam rock of its predecessor in favor of big earnest indie rock with the occasional flourish of gothic folk and Americana-laced post-punk. The titular cut, which is named after the horse track where Jollett and his brother Tony would often go to spend time with their father, rolls in on a chassis of blazing, late-'70s Springsteen bombast. The somber "Brother, How Was the War?" delivers a contrasting view of Jollett's complex youth, which was mired in the discord of having been raised in Synanon, an experimental community in Santa Monica that eventually morphed into a violent cult. Impressionistic renderings of the book's often harrowing ruminations on family, addiction, poverty, and illness abound, with highlights arriving via the pulsing "Come on Out" and the early Arcade Fire-invoking "Everything I Love Is Broken." The melodies are familiar, but Jollett's an ace storyteller with a keen sense of when to turn on the thrusters and when to hit the brakes. His expressive voice can go from hushed and brooding to outright explosive, and he applies the cracks in all the right places, which helps to elevate otherwise rote indie anthems like "All These Engagements" into fiery, fist-raising calls to action. Jollett has mellowed with age -- he's now a father himself -- as has ATE's nervy, classical-tinged post-punk approach to parsing life's myriad woes, but Hollywood Park's particular brand of nostalgia is tempered with fire, as it was forged in a crucible of unimaginable discontent. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	09/15/2023
Label:	Rounder
UPC:	0888072171206
Rank:	57095

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Airborne Toxic Event   Primary Artist
Ron Dziubla   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Steven Chen   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Mikel Jollett   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
Daren Taylor   Drums,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Adrian Rodriguez   Piano,Guitar,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Octavia Pace   Vocals
Sean Billings   Trumpet
Tracey Brown-Bailey   Vocals
Musyca Children's Choir   Choir/Chorus
Haruka Hori   Violin
Emilie Montoure   Vocals
Lizette Jollett   Vocals
Natalie Shtangrud   Vocals
Maya Shtangrud   Vocals
Stephanie Serrano   Vocals
Tony Jollett   Vocals

Technical Credits

Mark Needham   Producer,Recording Producer
Will Brierre   Recording
Mikel Jollett   Composer
Adrian Rodriguez   Composer
Tyler Spratt   Recording
Haruka Hori   String Arrangements
Dr. Mikhail Shtangrud   Artistic Director