Motorists: Surrounded (digital outlets)

 |   |  <1 min read

Motorists: Surrounded (digital outlets)

We known absolutely very little about this Toronto-based three-piece.

But after enduring the angst of Imagine Dragons ("I find myself in pieces, there are pills on the table" in the opener of their latest album) and a bunch of other artists whining about their lives or creating some fake image of themselves, there was something refreshing (if a bit early REM-familiar) about this band who open their debut with the title track about just getting out of the city and away from cars, creeps, bars, houses, nosey neighbours and so on.

But they don't moan about those things, just tick 'em off while they – Motorists after all – get in the car and drive away from it all. Then get away from the country, the commune . . .

Simple, huh?

Thereafter they serve up thoughts about social and emotional isolation but mostly sound like they're very happy to be playing in a band rather than bemoaning these trying times, and they deliver a dozen songs in fewer than 40 minutes. You do the maths.

Touches of motorik drums, the tautness of the Feelies/early Talking Heads and Nineties pop'n'jangle make this one of those absolutely non-essential albums you can simply enjoy for its small but easy delights.

.

You can hear this album on bandcamp here



Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

The Derek Trucks Band: Already Free (Sony)

The Derek Trucks Band: Already Free (Sony)

Considered by Rolling Stone to be one the top 100 guitarists, this child prodigy on slide guitar started sitting in with the Allman Brothers when he was nine, became a full member a decade later... > Read more

Duran Duran: All You Need is Now (Shock)

Duran Duran: All You Need is Now (Shock)

Although seemingly past their use-by date, Duran Duran are enjoying that perfect storm where nostalgia by their Eighties fans collides with a generation of younger musicians who are plundering that... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

George Harrison: My Sweet Lord 2000 (2001)

George Harrison: My Sweet Lord 2000 (2001)

With the 50th anniversary edition of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album remixed and re-released (51 years after its original release) in a slightly less Spectorised edition, it's worth... > Read more

Katchafire: Legacy (Universal)

Katchafire: Legacy (Universal)

Many contemporary writers with long memories or those with a decent understanding of music history quite rightly point out that when reggae emerged out of the poorest areas of Jamaica it was the... > Read more