Sunset Motel is the second album from the Columbus Ohio quartet and I have to thank Jeff Shelton for pointing me in the right direction. They inhabit Pop Rock territory, but with the emphasis on Rock. There are certainly hints of Garage Rock, but they never lose the melody.
There is a sleazy side to the vocals that would enable them to raise the catchiness count at a label such as Rumbar. Songs are built around killer riffs that just don't let go, but the material offers enough variety to appeal to a mass audience.
When they solo, they really let loose, take for instance Can't Afford To Be Like This which lets rip not once, but twice. The guitar sound on Mirror Mirror is very Thin Lizzy, but the song edges more towards The Killers. Fight For It has a great twang to accompany a fine vocal drawl.
There are also Power Pop hints on Why So Shy and in particular, Start Again which is pure Merseybeat. Hold You In is a rare love song which comes across as very Lou Reed, yet Don't Wanna Lose You is very American Graffiti in feel.
Change The Banker is a fine slab of Garage Rock. Get Along is a great example of what they do with its almost Guns N Roses Guitar intro and riff. But slower moments such as the poptastic Somebody Like You are equally appealing.
The songs are a little loose, but engagingly so. The Riffs are worth the admission alone and the sleazy feel of it all really grips you. All in all, there is so much to like here. The album could have easily descended into shouty overload. This happens too often with this type of album. It is to El Camino's credit that it doesn't and that makes the album highly recommended.
You can listen to and buy the album here. You can find out more about the band here. You can follow them on their instagram account at @elcaminoacid.
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