Motor Ace

Posted: 29th October 2007

I'm a sucker for this album. Basically it's a batch of really well-written, rockin' power-pop songs, with strong melodies, and one or two really good ballads. Most songs have interesting bits and pieces, too. If you like power pop, or just rock in general, chances are you'll enjoy a good portion (or even all) of this album. Sure, not all of it is ace (hah), but even lesser songs have likable qualities. Enemies may be a bit obvious, but it rocks nicely and has a nifty chorus, while Lorenzo is a bit too emo for my liking, but... but... it's umm... got a huge sounding chorus. Ok, I'll admit it doesn't impress me all that much.

Anyway, the other rockers on this album are all really good. Neat riffs abound, there's lotsa anthemic choruses, and the band is still "young and enthusiastic", and it comes across in the music. It can be quite fun at times! For example, Death Defy's an absolute blast: a dashing rocker, with cool riffs, a ridiculously catchy chorus, and a hysterical bagpipe solo thrown in as well! Great song. Both Criminal Past and closer Money and Sympathy are also lotsa fun. The former is is a hook-loaded rocker while the latter is a two and half minute pop-rocker, with a four minute guitar solo grafted onto the end of it for novelty value. It's totally overlong, but it makes a pretty cool ending to the album, and they totally ham up the end as well. Amusingly, all of the band contributes to the solo, resulting in some impressive flurries of notes mixed with some rather simplistic bend-fests. Heh heh. And the fiery Chairman of the Board is harder-edged, but still loaded with melody, and great fun. Dig that buzzsaw riff.

It's not all good times: the ballads are both exceedingly dark and weary. Budge is the album's true ballad, starting off with a drum loop, and Patch sounding exceedingly weary, but it builds up into something quite majestic with layers of acoustic and electric guitars and piano, and some pretty melodies. Ballad #2, Siamese, is a Motor Ace classic, and rightfully so, because it's an excellent, well written song. It mixes mellow verses with wall-rattling choruses, and bleeds pain all over the place. It even includes a huge cathartic climax, and reprises the chorus at the end in ultra mellow manner. Neato. And Freefall is a cool song: dark, dreary, and with a bone-crunching riff, and a raging chorus ("I'm not envious!"). It even takes an unexpected turn into an acoustic interlude, before building back up into a raging finale.

Actually, that's a little trick they employ to good effect. They'll bring a song down, and then slowly build it back up again for The Big Climax™. Really adds to the rockin' and it's fun too. The slightly funky title track milks this idea to full extent, with a fake ending that builds up from whisper quiet to a big stadium style coda. The fantastic pop-anthem American Shoes also includes a neat little climax, and hell, it's ridiculously enjoyable and catchy as it is anthemic. And it's really anthemic, damnit. Finally, the album opener, Hey Driver starts with a jam that builds into a crunching riff. The song itself rocks hard, and wryly remarks in the chorus "we're having fun not having fun!".

Nnngh. I'm such a freakin' fanboy of this album, and I'm probably overrating it, but aside from Lorenzo, which really isn't too bad, I enjoy everything a fair bit. Consequently, picking a best song on this album is ridiculously difficult. Instead of just throwing a dart at the tracklisting, I'll just give the Best Song award to Death Defy, since damn, it's got a bagpipe solo. A bagpipe solo! And that's that. I totally adore this album: it rocks nicely, it's full of neat melodies, packs a few surprises, and is a ton of fun. What more could you want? If you dig such music you probably will enjoy this album too. A very deserved 12. Check it out.

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Posted: 29th October 2007

The follow up to Five Star Laundry presents a noticable change in direction. A more accessible pop direction is in and the riffs, a large chunk of rocking and distorted guitars, and most of those neat mid song climaxes are dumped out by the garbage. It may sound bad, but y'know what? Most of this album is really good. Oh, it's not a patch (hah!) on the debut and something of a step away from their strengths (you're only getting melody this time, as opposed to melody AND rockin'), but Motor Ace as a straight up, barely rockin' pop band is pretty decent. The band's ability to frequently craft strong melodies and lovely songs is what prevents me from ripping into this album like when I first tried to review it. Honestly, I really did want to bash the hell out of it, since when I first bought this album, it was rather disappointing. The songs just weren't as impressive, and rather unexciting in comparison to the debut.

But once I got over the staggering "betrayal", I realised most of the songs are likable and enjoyable, as well as recognisable, and all have really nice melodies throughout. And even when I was miffed about the album, I still thought the anthemic Keeping Secrets ruled. It's got a distinctive little guitar lick, jangly verses, and a big stadium rockin' chorus too. It also develops a fair bit of power by the time it reaches its climax, though it's definitely more laidback than most of the debut. Still, it's a great song! Pieces is also cool, an acoustic-based rock song with a fiery chorus, a nice little piano break, and a neat guitar solo as well. Go Dave! Dave also contributes the pretty For Yourself, a rather well written, country-ish ballad which has some real nice lead guitar in the outro, too.

Okay, there are some dodgy songs: the Five Star Laundry leftover Feathers is pretty wussy, and thankfully was never included on the debut, since it would've stuck out horribly. "If she wants leather, then give her feathers for the pain?!" What does that even mean?! First single and album opener Carry On isn't awful, but I'm really conflicted about it. The combination of its pretty melody, sweeping strings and obvious, anthemic chorus reek of "radio readiness", which leaves me really leery. It's soooo sissy! And When the Day Falls is especially nice, yet weirdly beige and forgettable at the same time. How odd. None of these songs are out and out bad, though.

And that's it really. The rest of the album is all nice and solid, and makes for pleasant and enjoyable listening. I once considered Opportunity to be a lame, half-assed rocker, but I now find it to be one of the better songs, as long as you don't expect it to rock. Ride the Wave is probably a tad sappy, but sounds fantastically majestic. And I really enjoy the title track, which could be a reworked Five Star Laundry song, with choppy acoustic guitars instead of distorted guitars. It's got a great chorus, and the album's only mid-song climax, too. Finally, album closer When the Feelings Gone is a very lovely country ballad, and ends the album with an extended Hey Jude-esque coda.

Really, if you can handle the drastic reduction in rock, it's not a bad listen at all. Just a piece of advice: You'll probably want to listen to this one before you listen to Five Star, so it doesn't seem like such a let down. I'm going to award this one a 10, a rather high one that could almost be an 11 (and probably should be! Damn bias!). It's nowhere near the debut, but it's still a decent album that's worth some attention. And hey, it went to #1 on the Australian charts! Good for them!

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Posted: 29th October 2007

After vanishing off the face of the earth for a few years, Motor Ace returned out of the blue with a new album that was a "different kind of animal". While part of me is glad they didn't remake the chart-topping previous album, it's not a return to rocking either! (D'oh!) This time, it's akin to a Coldplay or Richard Ashcroft album: lushly produced, slightly artsy, lots of prettiness, and it includes some of the band's mellowest material, too. So, are you intrigued or nauseated? Are you motorin' (HAH!) to hear it?! (Man, I really had to labour that pun in. Continuity and all that...)

It is an improvement over Shoot This, though it's hard to judge the extent. Sometimes I get the impression that they're relying more on the fantastic production and atmosphere than the actual melodies. Believe me, this album sounds really good: one listen to the lovely ballad In Space, which just floats in atmosphere loaded with layers of sounds, loops, and radio chatter, will confirm that. But at the same time, some of the melodies just aren't as good as what you'd expect from Motor Ace. Both The Winning Streak and You'll Fall are freakin' nice, with some neat melodies and twists, but at the same time they're somewhat unmemorable, while I'm unsure whether the U2-ish The Time, The Place is great or average! And that enthusiastic spark that appeared on previous records feels like it's gone. It's so weary and reserved now, and not as much fun either. Seriously, I adore Ordinary Day, but if it was anymore weary and depressed, it's possible Patch might've hung himself while recording it! Thankfully, it neatly switches tempo towards the end and has some nice slide guitar, too. Regardless of the mood, I do adore the song.

Despite my criticisms, when this album is good, it's fan-frigging-tastic. I bizarrely missed how beautiful album opener Want You is on the first few listens, but it really is gorgeously melodic and lovely. It starts off with just a simple jangling acoustic guitar and slowly builds into something very lush and pretty. It even has two choruses! Both singles are highlights as well: the melodic Coldplay-esque rocker (it has booming piano chords! it's Coldplay-esque!) A Little Closer is totally gorgeous, while lead single Tomorrow's Gone actually rocks more than anything on the previous album. (Yes, Shoot This is pretty limp-wristed). It starts off with plinking piano, but it quickly turns into a roaring rock song, and by the final chorus is very climatic. It rules.

Worthy of special mention is the epic album closer, No Place to Go, which is very suitable as the final song on the final Motor Ace album, since it deals with an impending break up (of a band?). Whether its placement was intentional, I'm unsure, but it's a fantastic song: majestic and very cathartic, and ends the album with the cry of "say goodbye...". It's exceedingly well constructed, too: impressive drumwork, fantastic harmonies, and even a half-hidden guitar solo from Dave. And the lengthy piano loop intro seriously reminds me of The Who's Baba O'Riley. Hey, ever notice that this band always puts their most epic songs last?! Finally, to name check every song: Not So Blue is an enjoyable contry-ish ramble written by bassist Matt Balfe, with nice backing vocals.

I'd really like to proclaim this as the best Motor Ace album, since when it's good, it's real freakin' good. Some of it is the best and most accomplished material they've written. And it sounds fantastic too. But (there's always a but), as a whole it's just not as consistent or as fun as Five Star Laundry, and that album ends up on top. Too bad, since given the right moment, even the songs that I'm not overly fond of sound fantastic. In the end, I'm awarding this an 11. It's a really good album, but not their best. Oh well.

And thus ends Motor Ace's short but enjoyable career.

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