What Were You Hoping For?
| What Were You Hoping For? | ||||
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| Studio album by Van Hunt | ||||
| Released | September 27, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2008–11 | |||
| Studio | Santa Fe Tracking Station in Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic soul, rock | |||
| Length | 43:32 | |||
| Label | Godless Hotspot, Thirty Tigers | |||
| Producer | Van Hunt, Randy Jackson (exec.) | |||
| Van Hunt chronology | ||||
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| Singles from What Were You Hoping For? | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| The A.V. Club | A– |
| Chicago Tribune | |
| Creative Loafing |  |
| Magnet | 8/10 |
| NY Daily News | |
| Paste | 8.1/10 |
| WBEZ | |
What Were You Hoping For? is the third studio album by American recording artist Van Hunt, released September 27, 2011, on his independent label Godless Hotspot in a joint venture with distributor Thirty Tigers. It is the follow-up to Hunt's 2006 album On the Jungle Floor and follows a period of label conflict and mainstream obscurity for Hunt. Recording sessions for the album took place primarily at Santa Fe Tracking Station in Los Angeles, where Hunt applied a minimalist recording approach and worked with a backing band comprising drummer Ruth Price, percussionist Melissa Mattey, and keyboardist Peter Dyer.
Written and produced by Hunt, What Were You Hoping For? expands on his previous work's blend of R&B and rock music forms. Hunt sought to achieve a rawer musical aesthetic and incorporated rough rhythms, rock dynamics, and studio effects. Inspired by Hunt's experience in Los Angeles at the onset of the late-2000s recession, the album's subject matter deals with issues in contemporary society and dissonance in modern life. Music writers have noted the album for its predominantly rock style, incorporation of funk and soul, eccentric songs, varying musical structure, and Hunt's eclectic vocal range.
Upon its release, What Were You Hoping For? received rave reviews from music critics, who praised its musical direction, Hunt's performance, and his songwriting. However, it received some backlash from Hunt's fanbase for its stylistic departure from his past work. The album produced one single, "Eyes Like Pearls", and performed modestly on music charts, reaching number 50 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Hunt promoted What You Were Hoping For? with a national tour that spanned September to October 2011, and featured session band members Ruth Price and Peter Dyer.
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