Raw Sienna’s latest single is a marvel of punchy straightforwardness with a twist. A dynamic piece of alternative rock with an anthemic flair, ‘Motel’ is a sweet piece of guitar-driven, groovy, and melodic rock.
A German group, based in Freiburg, the 5-piece rock outfit sound absolutely stands out on ‘Motel, the fourth single off their second studio album, the greatly titled Ruminations of Counterculture. The sound of the single is described by the band as “caught between punk and turtleneck aesthetics”, and this can easily be heard in the juicy and dark, overdriven riffs and tight, driving grooves to describe the former, and melodic undercurrent and group hipster group chants and glistening piano ad-libs to the describe the latter.
Altogether, Raw Sienna’s ‘Motel’ is a sweetly written tune with a few really memorable sections and melodies that help it leave a mark after its runtime is over. A song about never feeling like belonging to a single place or a certain person, about being torn between unconnected worlds, unable to really feel at home, the song is not torn about being a hot-headed rock song. The production is roomy and simple in a chic kind of way. ‘Motel’ is a stylish brute. The hairy guitar tones help elevate the song’s minimal and rhythmically straightforward riffs, making them wrap rather snugly around the equally straightforward grooves, for a rhythm section that is incredibly tight.
The gorgeous production helps the melodic group chants become a central part of the song’s catchy hook, and a guitar solo that toys with syncopation rather masterfully creates a rhythmic counterpoint that makes the rest of the song’s simplistic tightness that much more effective. Raw Sienna’s latest single ‘Motel’ might sound simple, but it is a deceptively nuanced piece of songwriting from a talented and distinctive rock outfit.
