MARFA MOTEL are:
Taylor Chess – Songwriter, Vocals, Guitars, Bass
Simon Schneider – Drums
Nico Peifer – Bass
The Texas-raised, German-based rock ‘n’ blues trio MARFA MOTEL will release their album “Wild Life Strangers,” on November 18th. Following the release of the extremely funky “Feel It” as the album’s first single, the band has now released an explosive video for another album track, “They Call Me The Devil.” They are a new band to me, and maybe to you, but they are well worth the exploration”
The band has been around since 2019 and has released two EPs and one stand-alone single (Give Me Fire) prior to this, so momentum is starting to mount.
It’s an interesting piece of music, as we look through the tracks in a moment you’ll see genre bending and melody mixed up with some introspective lyrics and crunching riffs.
Track Listing:
01 Down By The River
02 Feel It
03 Give Me Fire
04 How Much It Hurts
05 Riding High
06 Take Me Home
07 They Call Me The Devil
08 This Is America
09 What You Gonna Do
To the album! “Down by the River” opens up with some great blues infused rock. As my introduction to the band and the album it was a great feeling, plenty of tight power riffs and a simple rhythmic chorus that is upbeat and enjoyable.
You may already know “Feel It” as this was the 2021 single. It’s possibly the best track here, really funky and catchy, it got me quickly in the groove and it was an easy one to slip into and need to play again. It went quickly onto my listening list for the car and will be belted out on the drive into work to blast away the cobwebs!
“Give me Fire,” having said the above, is a favourite of mine. It has solid Sabbath style riff work and took me back into Queen’s “Stone Cold Crazy” – so “spit me out” and this one cuts the mustard on each and every level.
The album switches back to more blues infused melody in “How Much it Hurts,” a little slower as a track with the solid rhythm section providing the anchor and beat.
“Riding High” is a mid-album gem with the drums knocking on the door and the vocals providing a hypnotic rhythm.
“Take me Home” returns to introspective blues with the vocals confronting fears. It connects and Taylor Chess does comment that the album has plenty here to “wrap your head and heart around.”
Coming toward the close “They Call me the Devil” is the new single, and the video is linked below. It’s a dark number and Taylor Chess tells us:
“It’s really about showing up no matter where, walking in like a badass because you feel like it, and taking what you want. Burn the place down, leave with the hottest chicks at the bar, take ’em home, have a hell of a night, and start writing this song hangover in the morning still with sex in the air.”
So that is what you get with this song, And that’s what Chess offers in his interpretation and inspiration for the visuals: the yellow Lamborghini, the shades, the sexy girls, and untethered energy on stage.
Moving on, “This is America” provides an atmospheric track with a solid drum sound; drums on acid! It comes replete with rocking guitars and power vocals.
Lastly, the album closes with “What You Gonna Do,” a pleasant closer whose guitar strumming intro makes it a distinctive number.
So have a listen to the single, enjoy the video and if you like your rock with a twist of blues and funk, then you could put a smile on your face and grab this one when it comes out.
The album was recorded by Markus Born, Dirk André and Jakob Morschewski at AZF
studios, mixed by Tobias Schirmann, and mastered by Howie Weinberg in Los Angeles. The artwork was made by Kamil Wilde at Heart Taped Designs. Mirko Witzki, who works at Witzki Visions, made each of the videos for the singles.
By Lorraine Foley
