Sure, there are those for whom rock n’ roll has kinder than a billionaire about inside knowledge of when the stock market’s going to crash. Yes, some of your favourite rockstars, you would hope, have done rather well for themselves. But every time that you hear them break out the old, familiar standards, you hope that they still mean what they say.
As a music fan, you can’t help but hope that even if the rockstars you love best would get the chance to start it all over, they’d still invest all of their time and talent into making rock music and living the lifestyle that’s meant to accompany it. However, in truth, there are few who would take these risks, and they deserve our praise.
Jet Lag Motel is a brand new rock band that is presenting the “No Vacancy” EP to the world with the enthusiasm of experienced musicians confident that everyone needs to hear these songs and be a part of them.
Just listen to the opener, the optimism machine of “Better Place.” It’s a song that brings to mind 1970s classic rock, music that can only be performed with a grin and the front bottoms on one’s shirt left open. It’s a song that makes it through on confidence and charm.
And if this sounds like a reevaluation of the rock star credo, “Mexico” aims to confirm this with lyrics about taking mysterious potions while travelling and immediately traversing the canyons of one’s mind at greater speeds than ever before.
Meanwhile, the alt-rock-inspired plea to save a wounded romance in “Listen” is a grittier affair that calls to mind late-1990s sonic trends. On the other hand, “London Pub” revs up the emotion with a slow-burn of a power ballad. Finally, “Never Again” is a faux-reggae, but quite soulful number about offering your whole heart only to be short-changed by the Gods of Love.
Where does it all leave us? The groovy, swaggering “One,” the EP”s closer number and all-around confession in the power of true love, should make you yearn for the days of real rock stars dominating the airwaves. Jet Lag Motel miss it as well, and are doing all that is possible to bring those days back.
