Just over a month after releasing his newest single “Smoke Slow” on August 12, last Friday, Joshua Bassett released his new Extended Play Sad Songs in a Hotel Room, consisting of six vastly different songs, each telling a different story about a time in his life.

“Sad Songs In A Hotel Room comes from a transient period of my life when I was constantly moving from hotel to Airbnb to a friend’s place, while also juggling some intense personal growth and change,” Bassett said in a statement on Just Jared. This struggle is emulated in his music.

“Sad Songs in a Hotel Room”

The EP begins with the title feature, which tells the story of someone, presumably Joshua Bassett, reminiscing about a past relationship gone awry. The girl has left and he’s coping with her leaving. This memory is visualized in his music video released just days after the EP’s drop, which has a 70’s feel and uses color theory to its advantage. The song is an excellent introduction to the EP, setting the mood for the rest of the stories he tells.

“LA”

His next song drives his listeners into “LA,” where he discusses the reality of living in the City of Angels. In the first verse, Bassett describes his home life: “My father told me not to cry in front of my mom / Said, ‘It’s time to grow up’”; his second verse gives an insight into what it’s like to live in Los Angeles. 

“LA” was a song he sang during a virtual one-night-only concert in April 2021, titled A Night with Joshua Bassett.

“I wrote it in a time when [he] needed to get out of LA, and for more reasons than just the city. I think, you know, the people and the place were just bringing me down. I think it’s important to set boundaries for people who are toxic in your life or maybe have negative energy at that time. Take your own space and take care of yourself,” Bassett advised his fans.

“Used To It”

“Used To It” describes an ex of his who left him when he needed her to support the most. He blames her for not caring and gaslighting him (“You’d kiss me ‘til I forget / You’re coverin’ up all your sins”), ultimately bringing the blame to himself for not seeing the red flags earlier, or getting “Used to It” (“I guess you had me convinced / it’s my mind that’s playin’ tricks”). The bass, drums, and added instrumentals give this song an extra retro feel, helping it stand out from the rest of the EP. The way Bassett softens his voice during the bridge is angelic as he reflects on his past relationship.

“Smoke Slow”

“Smoke Slow” was a single he’d released just over a month before his EP’s release, along with a music video that vividly captures forbidden love. The analogy in the lyrics is top-notch: knowing that you shouldn’t have a romantic relationship with someone because it’s not healthy for either party, but not being able to help it, just like smoking. You know it will not last, so you might as well savor it while it lasts. “We’re already here so one more won’t hurt,” Bassett sings. “Nicotine don’t taste the same if I’m not with you savoring every breath we take.”

“Lifeline”

This is the most emotionally heavy song on the EP, written in dedication to his mother about the moment he thought he was going to die. “I’m just glad you made it into town… don’t you know you’re my lifeline,” he sings to her. The soft guitar in the background sets the tone for this heartbreaking story, and the music video he released along with the EP shows his emotions in full as he reminisces on the moment.

“In 2021, I found myself in a Salt Lake City hospital bed, where the doctors informed me that I had 12 hours to live,” Bassett expressed on his new website, Find My Lifeline. “Faced with my own morality, the first call I made was to my mother in San Diego who was on the very next flight to be by my side – she was my Lifeline.”

In his statement on his website, he highlights that “100% of Joshua’s earnings from this song go towards organizations that are a lifeline for others,” along with the earnings from his “Lifeline” merchandise.

“All in Due Time”

Bassett ends the EP with the song “All In Due Time,” where he hopes the problems in his life may someday be resolved, singing “Well, maybe someday it’ll all fade away / And the weight of the world won’t be mine.” Much of this track is in falsetto, giving the finale a hopeful feeling as you listen.

—————

“would you love me now?” + “SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID”

Bassett has released two singles since his EP’s drop, the first one being “would you love me now?” on October 6, where he reminisces on a complicated relationship and dreams of what could’ve been: “And I still got the Converse that I wore the day we met / I’m running out of reasons not to do it all again, so / If I showed up at your doorstep / Would you turn me away?”. The subtle piano in the instrumentals and the duplication of his vocals provide an ambient tone, and it’s both slow and fast-moving, furthering its “repeatability factor.”

“SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID”, his most recent single, was released just one week later on October 13. This song is more in the alternative pop genre, unique from the softer ballads he’s put out. The song immediately indicates it’ll have a quality the other songs don’t have, beginning with a bass guitar, and dropping into a great beat with the drums. For lack of a better term, this song is more “shady” as he sings about the danger of rumors: “I warned that when you dance with the devil, the devil gonna dance with you. / I warned when you play with fire, the flames gonna burn you too.” The bridge is quick but lets you in on his own feelings on the situation: “Burn your bridge, talk your sh*t / I’ve been growing thick skin. / Forgiveness? Ask again. / Patience only runs so thin.”

Joshua Bassett is definitely an artist to keep an eye on. He has been highly active in releasing music, and his recent singles point to an album in the works, given that Sad Songs in a Hotel Room is a pre-album EP. Coming off of a successful third season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and thrust into his music, Bassett does not seem to be slowing down, giving way to more exciting projects to come.