mp3: Motel Motel – “Forest” (Daytrotter Session)

I’ve been pretty vocal over the last couple years about my feelings towards the music of Brooklyn’s Motel Motel. They’re debut LP presented a very young band combining an overwhelming variety of styles to create an extremely ambitious folk rock record. Clocking in at well over an hour with 3 songs over the 7 minute mark, New Denver is only a hint at what Motel Motel is capable of.

In mid 2008, the band recruited multi-instrumentalist Erik Gundel to join the band. This brought an extra special something to the band that already meshed beautiful. Gundel’s own EP that he released in 2009 is a treasure in itself, but nothing has people prepared for what’s to come.

Over the course of 2009, Motel Motel played many shows, seemingly introducing a new song into each set they played, always hinted at something genius. After spending months away from the stage while writing and recording their follow-up to New Denver, they made their first live appearance since October at Union Pool last night. They songwriting and musicianship that was put on display during their set was of a level that very few ever see in such a small room. Spoon may have been playing Mercury Lounge on the same night, but I say now confidently that there’s no way Spoon’s performance was quite as incredible. Motel Motel’s new songs have reached the fully-realized state from their earlier performances in 2009. Each song is an epic concoction of more musical styles than imaginable with multiple movements that flow seamlessly building from quiet and heartfelt to lush, harmonized finales.

The first time I listened to Motel Motel I knew I was listening to something special and that the band would grow into something, but I could have never imagined the level of growth that would come within only a couple of years and one record. This is a band that, once they release their sophomore effort, should raise to the top of New York’s music seen to join the indie elite of bands like Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors, The Antlers, TV on the Radio, Battles and The Walkmen. Ironically enough, while watching Motel Motel perform last night, the spine chilling set felt like a culmination of all of the best qualities of New York’s best bands—from the harmonies of Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear to the prog of Battles to the Americana qualities of The Walkmen. I like to think of Motel Motel as prog-americana, but that would probably be a disservice to what they’re doing.

Amazingly, they haven’t been signed. I’d trade my soul to release their record, but don’t feel worthy. It belongs with someone like Merge or Sub Pop, who can spread their music to the rest of the world. And to anyone who passes on the chance to sign Motel Motel for the release of their sophomore record, start kicking yourself now, because you’re gonna miss the opportunity of a lifetime.