THE OPTIMIST
HOTEL
A collection of songs linked by hopefulness — not because everybody lives happily ever after, but because the people in these songs refuse to relinquish hope.
ABOUT THE OPTIMIST HOTEL
The Optimist Hotel brings together ten songs whose subjects range from personal memory and folk music to racism, Palestine, refugees, George Orwell's first wife and mutual aid.
Robb described the songs as being linked by hopefulness. Not everyone in them lives happily ever after, but they are about people who remain hopeful and who refuse to give that hope up.
The album moves through Hounslow, Lancashire, Jenin and Spain, mixing political history with intimate storytelling, humour and Robb's characteristically direct songwriting.
TRACK LIST
Ten songs, moving between memory, history, social justice and the stubborn persistence of hope.
- The Optimist Hotel
- Wide-Eyed
- Wizz Jones Plays Guitar
- The Battle of Bamber Bridge
- Jana is 16
- In Favour of Wild Things
- No Place Like Home
- Eileen O'Shaughnessy
- Mutualaide
- Tout Va Bien
SONGS, PEOPLE & HISTORY
HOPE & MEMORY
The title track and Wide-Eyed set the tone: looking back without nostalgia becoming an escape from the present.
HISTORY & RACISM
The Battle of Bamber Bridge returns to a 1943 confrontation between white military police and Black American GIs in Lancashire.
HUMAN STORIES
From Jana is 16 and No Place Like Home to Eileen O'Shaughnessy, large political questions are told through individual lives.
FOLK TRADITION
Wizz Jones Plays Guitar is an affectionate tribute to the influential folk guitarist and songwriter.
WILD THINGS
In Favour of Wild Things brings together several concerns in one of the album's more expansive songs.
MUTUAL AID
Mutualaide adds a more playful note, while returning to ideas of cooperation and collective life.
REVIEWS
“DECEPTIVELY GENTLE”
Dai Jeffries praised the breadth of Robb's ideas and the way the album moves from nostalgia and humour into serious subjects. He described it as deceptively gentle while dealing with difficult material, with Robb's acoustic guitar firmly at the centre.
READ REVIEW“MUST LISTEN”
Paul Solman described the album as thought-provoking and, at times, disquieting, while praising Robb's humanity, sensitivity, humour, songwriting and guitar playing. He concluded that the album is another testament to Robb's mastery.
READ REVIEWRECORDING & CREDITS
The Optimist Hotel was recorded at Room 13 Studios in Gent on 1 February 2025 and 12 March 2025.
MUSICIANS
RECORDING
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Ward Neirynck at Room 13 Studios, Gent.
Recording dates: 1 February 2025 and 12 March 2025.
EXPLORE MORE MUSIC
Discover more of Robb's music or browse the complete catalogue.