With his 2021 self-titled debut, Andy Pastalaniec’s Chime School became one of the defining acts of the seemingly never-ending, prolific and multifaceted Bay Area pop scene. His sophomore LP, The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel, is set for release on August 23 on Slumberland Records. Recorded by Pastalaniec himself, in his home studio on the foggy southern edge of San Francisco, Paisley Hotel sets a moodier tone; slowed and patiently unfolding in moments that highlight an evolution in songcraft, production and arrangement–while still bouncing along with the jangling drive Chime School fans have come to adore.
As its title implies, 30-plus years of UK indie pop’s deeper cuts are voraciously mined and refined on the 11-song release that fans of East Village, later Teenage Fanclub, and maybe even Northern Picture Library’s Alaska will devour. “The Girl Who Runs The Beat Hotel was certainly a main influence for the album title, along with The Boy With the Paisley Shirt (TVPs), The Boy With the Arab Strap (B&S), the Boy With Perpetual Nervousness (Feelies), Paisley Underground generally, and my friends in Bay Area DIY, Paisley Shirt records. So many things; a real mish-mash. Kind of like Chime School in general, it seemed fitting“.

What Andy Says: “Wandering Song is the centerpiece of Chime School’s new album The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel. Musically the inspiration was ‘what if East Village had written (Teenage Fanclub’s) ‘Sparky’s Dream,’ and there’s some musical nods to the former and rhythmic nods to the latter throughout.” Indeed, it’s a master exhibition of melody-steeped and propulsive jangle-tastic power-pop, as timeless as it is immediate and a perfect tune for Summer 2024. “Lyrically the song is about the energy we expend distracting ourselves from the crises unfolding around the world; how we tend to turn inwards when our only chance to survive them is through collective organizing.” After finishing the album, Pastalaniec read Naomi Klein’s latest book, Doppelganger. Once again, he found his thoughts echoed in a formative influence—this time on his politics. “In her chapter about social media she talks about our ‘digital golems,’ and articulates some of what I was trying to get at far better than I could”.
When he repeats the mantra-like lyrics “nothing’s wrong / when you’re moving too slow,” this sounds like a teachable moment for all of us. Yet Pastalaniec is patient and compassionate, welcoming everyone to change with chiming pop.

Wandering Song, the second single from The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel, the forthcoming second album by Chime School, is available now on Slumberland Records. Look here for more information on Chime School.