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Do512's 35 Most Popular Austin Bands of 2011
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Similar to Ume, Motel Aviv is bolstered by their love from the Do512 All-Stars. A simple pop/punk ou...Similar to Ume, Motel Aviv is bolstered by their love from the Do512 All-Stars. A simple pop/punk outfit, their songs succeed on flourishes of finely crafted songwriting wed to upbeat tempos.
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Top 50 Austin Songs of 2011
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18. ‘The Unknown’ - MoTel Aviv
Still sad about Ian Curtis’ untimely suicide? Is “Pride (In the Na...18. ‘The Unknown’ - MoTel Aviv
Still sad about Ian Curtis’ untimely suicide? Is “Pride (In the Name of Love)” not New Wave enough for you? Do you like your choruses as big as Red Rocks and your bass lines as thick as Farrah Fawcett’s hairdo? “The Unknown” sounds like authentic early 80s British post-punk/New Wave, but possibly rocks even harder. Singer Rodney Connell belts, “I’m wide awake in a post-modern nation” and proves it with this retro banger. The rhythm section is incredibly tight while the guitar stabs punctuate the air around Connell’s melody. And that chorus: “We are one as the radio plays tonight.” This is an ode to the power of music; you can hear it in your ears, but you can also feel it in your guts.
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Motel Aviv - Post Modern Nation
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On Post Modern Nation, MoTel Aviv evokes a specific era of postpunk pop music, when guitars soared o...On Post Modern Nation, MoTel Aviv evokes a specific era of postpunk pop music, when guitars soared over nimble, danceable rhythm sections and the vocalist sang unabashedly to the furthest seat in the hall. U2 is obviously a big touchstone for the Austin quartet, particularly in guitarist Cole Hanson‘s ringing chords and echoing riffs, but the band is by no means a clone. For one thing, bassist Misti Watkins and drummer Jayson Altman would much rather move your feet to dance than march, and singer Rodney Connell has a bratty catch in his voice that deflates pretension before it starts. Thus the band’s widescreen melodic sense is dramatic, but not melodramatic, and tracks like the brash “Lack Lust,” the moody “Mission Bell” and the skyscraping “Raise Yr Love” boast as much self-confidence as wild-eyed innocence. Not to mention hooks – if you ever enjoyed an episode of 120 Minutes, have the Trouser Press record guides on your bookshelf or are a regular reader of this very magazine, you’ll have an almost Pavlovian reaction to MoTel Aviv’s passionate, assured tunes. All this makes the band sound like retromongers, but don’t be fooled – for MoTel Aviv, this isn’t a nostalgia trip, but an assertion that the big music is as vital in 2011 as it was in 1985. And on the evidence of Post Modern Nation, they’re not wrong.
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MOTEL AVIV RELEASES POST MODERN NATION
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Austin locals MoTel Aviv formed in early 2009 and have been sharing their danceable post-punk tunes ...Austin locals MoTel Aviv formed in early 2009 and have been sharing their danceable post-punk tunes with the Texas music scene ever since. Their music is a slightly twisted time warp back to the era of The Clash, The Psychadelic Furs and Joy Division. MoTel Aviv have just released their breed of post-punk pop excellence to the world on their debut album Post Modern Nation. I have seen the four piece perform a couple shows in Austin and I really dig their high energy three-minute bursts of jangly guitar, strong vocals, pounding bass and booming drums, but I was unsure whether this energy could be fully translated to a recording. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised when I gave Post Modern Nation a listen. The danceable beats and infectious melodies translated quite well and even sounded fuller through additional backing vocals, effects and deeper layers.
MoTel Aviv - The Unknown
“The Unknown” is the leading single off Post Modern Nation and really showcases MoTel Aviv firing on all cylinders. The bass line provides a strong backbone for the guitar work, which is reminiscent of The Edge at his prime, and the vocals in the chorus are immediately impactful and infectious. I was singing the chorus: “I’m wide awake in a Post Modern Nation” for hours after hearing this track.
Other highlights off the album include the tracks “Suffering Eyes” and “Static.” These two tracks definitely had me hit repeat more than a couple times before moving on to the rest of the 10 track LP. Also on the album are some mid-tempo songs that I hadn’t heard before at MoTel Aviv’s shows. These slower and longer tracks brought additional diversity to the album and also further displayed MoTel Aviv’s level of musicianship. The final track “Goldmine” is a multi-layered and dramatic close to the album which is full of powerful crooning, energetic drumming and sweeping guitar.
MoTel Aviv’s debut full length album can be found in select stores, iTunes and Amazon, as well as other retailers. The official Post Modern Nation release party is this Friday at Beauty Bar with Sphynx. Hear this great album come alive. RSVP here to get both a copy of the album and entry for only $5!
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Ten Locals To Watch in 2011
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Ten Locals To Watch in 2011
Kydd Jones, MoTel Aviv, Crooks, Zlam Dunk, Intimate Stranger, the Tri...Ten Locals To Watch in 2011
Kydd Jones, MoTel Aviv, Crooks, Zlam Dunk, Intimate Stranger, the Trishas, OBN III's, Eagle Claw, Black Books, Shells
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Austin Independent Music Noise
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We've focused on more "primitive" rock lately, so let's fast-forward a bit. Not all the way to the p...We've focused on more "primitive" rock lately, so let's fast-forward a bit. Not all the way to the present day; lets just move about 20+ clicks up the timeline, to a place of parachute pants and Member's Only Jackets; the birthplace of New Wave music, the kind that MoTel Aviv does so well.
From left to right, we've got Cole Hanson on guitar, Rodney Connell behind the mic, Jayson Altman manning the drum kit, and Misti Watkins on the bass. They've been together since 2009, and have graced Beauty Bar, The Parish, and the other usual venues; making fans and converting the press all along the way (check out this piece in The Austinist and this one on The Squawker) with their synth-light, 80-ish pop-rock.
We call their sound "80-ish" partly because of Connell's vox, which could easily be mistaken for The Smiths' Morrissey.
But the guitar riffs backing up Connell's vox do the 80's clang thang too; flavored a bit high in EQ, they shimmer with the reverberated depth that The Police used to have. So if The Police and The Smiths are alright with you, then yeah, you're gonna need to put some MoTel Aviv on that iPod: Check out "The Unknown", track #1 below, for a really good taste of their ready-for-radio sound.
They can do the radio-friendly thing with apparent ease, and are not afraid to embrace their inner A Flock of Seagulls - First chance you get, check out the mondo sci-fi references in "Raise Your Love", or try out "Suffering Eyes" (#3, below).
Let's just call MoTel Aviv contemporary 80s; pop-structured, well-produced numbers; with a rock-solid rhythm section supporting Hanson's lightning guitar work, all upholding Connell's excellent vocals.
With a new music video due out soon, and the plethora of dynamite reviews populating the interwebs, expect to hear and see more of MoTel Aviv in the coming months. And not just at our local venues either.
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MOTEL AVIV @ THE PARISH
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MoTel Aviv ended their Friday night set at The Parish with a cover of The Smiths' "Barbarism Begins ...MoTel Aviv ended their Friday night set at The Parish with a cover of The Smiths' "Barbarism Begins At Home". The Smiths are a natural fit for MoTel Aviv, given their moody and broody yet upbeat and danceable sound. I've already talked about this band once this month, so I'll refrain from further flattery, other than to say this band has good energy on stage. The lead singer even hopped into the crowd at one point and danced with the fans. Good times.
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Concert Review: Everclear & MoTel Aviv (Austin, 7/2)
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Before Everclear, we also got a chance to see local band MoTeL Aviv. They’re a relatively new act c...Before Everclear, we also got a chance to see local band MoTeL Aviv. They’re a relatively new act consisting of vocalist Rodney Connell, guitarist Cole Hanson, badass bassist Misti Watkins and drummer Jayson Altman. Drawing heavily from the British post-punk pop experience of The Smiths and The Clash, they cranked out one bright and poppy rock-infused tune after another. MoTeL Aviv is extremely confident and polished compared to a lot of local bands, allowing the tinkling, strummy guitars and heavy beats to shine. They have a sexy stage appeal and danceable, well-written songs that follow impressively in well-established musical traditions. Really, they’re one of the best local bands I’ve seen. During their very short set, they won over the crowd completely and had people talking about them after the fact. Go see them when you get the chance.
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MoTel Aviv
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For 35 minutes, Motel Aviv turned back the clock on the fickle Parish hipsters to a time when bands ...For 35 minutes, Motel Aviv turned back the clock on the fickle Parish hipsters to a time when bands like the Smiths, New Order and the Clash ruled the airwaves. Effusing a polished, mid-80s pop radio sound sans keyboards, Aviv delivered a sweaty, danceable set. A subtly shifting blend of bright guitar chords, simple, energetic drum parts, a deep, clean and hollow JJ Brunner-sounding bass, and Morrissey/Bono-esque vocals kept the show from veering into a saccharine monotony. They're absolutely professional in sound and showmanship. These kids are stylish pop song writers, vivacious live performers and sartorially consistent with their music without seeming pretentious. If Motel Aviv can find their audience, they have the potential to be the next Killers. --London Ferguson, The Deli
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Post-Punk-Pop Perfection
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Saturday night in Dallas found me at The Doublewide for a Blackheart Society reunion show with its o...Saturday night in Dallas found me at The Doublewide for a Blackheart Society reunion show with its original, founding members. Though it was a real treat to see my hubster play with the guys again for the first time in two years, the highlight, truth be told, was Austin-based opening act, MoTel Aviv.
Filled with well-dressed, hook-riddled songwriting, jerky almost terse riffs and three-chord crunch, MoTel Aviv kept the near packed house moving non-stop from start to finish. While MoTel Aviv are certainly indebted to bands like XTC, The Clash and The Smiths, they still manage to box an audience about the ears with some actual creativity and by crafting shrewd, ringing, melodic three-to-four minute post-punk-pop, they’re rightfully maintaining that their scope stays broader than that of a revivalist band.
Frankly, it was one of the better shows I’ve seen in Dallas in the last three years, here’s to wishing them frequent returns to the Big D or the Town of The Cow…Lola’s, Cavern…I’m looking at you.
If you live in the Austin area, check MoTel Aviv out on September 19th at the Mohawk playing along with The Black & White Years and The Mercers, otherwise, if you find yourself in town for ACL, they’ll be playing the ACL After Party at Beauty Bar on October 3rd.
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MoTel Aviv
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What’s the Deal: MoTel Aviv are an Austin foursome with a particularly potent brand of poppy rock an...What’s the Deal: MoTel Aviv are an Austin foursome with a particularly potent brand of poppy rock and roll. Their major strength is in the songwriting. When all systems are firing 100 percent, it’s hard to find fault in MoTel Aviv’s assembly of the moving parts or their delivery of a hook. If the jangling, ringing guitar work doesn’t get you, you ignore the stomping beat and you’re somehow impervious to a chorus that easily gets lodged auditory canal like an earwig, then, who knows, you might be allergic to fun.
“Suffering Eyes” is one of their more Smiths-inspired tunes. The group really wears their influences on their collective sleeve on this one. It comes in heavy on the vocals during the chorus, and it’s a welcome nod. The song is one of their strongest with its pop-afflicted, easy to follow structure full of melody, ebbing and flowing guitar jabs, background keyboard bloops and thundering drums. And, there’s just something about the line “I don’t know how to cope with suffering eyes” that winks Morrissey.
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Off The Record: Music News BY AUSTIN POWELL
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Saturday, Jan. 1
It might have been New Year's Day, but Motel Aviv flashed back to the 1980s, tur...Saturday, Jan. 1
It might have been New Year's Day, but Motel Aviv flashed back to the 1980s, turning Beauty Bar into a convincing metro-rave that called to mind the early post-punk energy of U2 and the Smiths. Call it Neo-Romanticism.
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MOTEL AVIV @ MOHAWK
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The three band line-up was perfect for a rainy Thursday night. All three bands turned in great perfo...The three band line-up was perfect for a rainy Thursday night. All three bands turned in great performances, but I’m going to have to tip my hat to MoTel Aviv. They brought so much energy to the show that it nearly overshadowed both Politics and The Authors. ..and I say this as a huge fan of The Authors.
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Recommended Show
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PAST RECOMMENDED SHOWS:
11/20/10 @ Pine Street Station
Oh Snap!
Repurposing South by Southwest ou...PAST RECOMMENDED SHOWS:
11/20/10 @ Pine Street Station
Oh Snap!
Repurposing South by Southwest outpost the Fader Fort, this second annual benefit packs in the locals. Bright Light Social Hour, Freshmillions, Marmalakes, Motel Aviv, Little Lo, and more make this an easy sell, and, moreover, it’s in memory of Sergio Machado, an exchange student who attended Southwestern University and was killed in a 2008 car accident in Mozambique. Proceeds benefit other international students looking to go to school here. Noon.
AUDRA SCHROEDER
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Recommended Show
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07/03/09 @ Mohawk
Indian Jewelry
Indian Jewelry’s slow-jam strobe explosion celebrates our nation’...07/03/09 @ Mohawk
Indian Jewelry
Indian Jewelry’s slow-jam strobe explosion celebrates our nation’s independence with its own fireworks. The H-Town denizens headline this free bill, in honor of, ya know, freedom, with an inside/outside cast of characters, including Shapes Have Fangs, Caddywhompus, Cartright, Motel Aviv, and the Dead Space. Did we mention it’s free?
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Recommended Show
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06/19/09 @ Emo's
Telepathe
Brooklyn ladies Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudais lift their debut LP,...06/19/09 @ Emo's
Telepathe
Brooklyn ladies Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudais lift their debut LP, Dance Mother, out of American Appareldom by turning off the strobe. The duo’s songs are tailor-made for 1980s excess but exude more black light, skipping from synth-pop to booty jams with a straight face. SF climatologists Lemonade and locals Motel Aviv open. Screeching Weasel is sold out outside.
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Recommended Show
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"...Sat, Jan 9: -ATTAK (iN)FORMATION, Tia Carrera, Broken Gold, This Horn of Afrika, Zorch at Em... "...Sat, Jan 9: -ATTAK (iN)FORMATION, Tia Carrera, Broken Gold, This Horn of Afrika, Zorch at Emo's -Haunting Oboe Music, Watch Out for Rockets, We Aim To Try at Club de Ville -The Bright Light Social Hour, The Frontier Brothers, MoTel Aviv, Detybird, DJ Billy Q at The Parish..."
supersonic
