Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Music for the Road: The Western States Motel

What's wrong with going by your own name now a days? It worked for Vanilla Ice. OK, maybe that's a bad example. A couple of weeks ago it was The One AM Radio, this week it's another one man band: The Western States Motel.

Hailing from Monterey, CA, Carl Jordan is the musical mastermind behind this self-titled debut album that was written and recorded while Carl was roving around homeless and jobless over the course of about a year. That becomes evident as one listens to the album: it's got that traveling road trip spirit in it. Carl put down all of the various layers involving a multitude of instruments including one of his favorites: a 15-dollar nylon string acoustic bought at Ikea.

Check out his handywork on the following two tracks. Cheap Speakers is a jaunty little number about exaclty that: those cheap speakers you used to sport in the back of your '87 Escort GT. Magic Trick has got the catchiest little hook in it that is so simple that even I might be able to play it if Carl was around to give me some lessons and there was an Ikea near me.

The Western States Motel - Cheap Speakers : The Western States Motel

The Western States Motel - Magic Trick : The Western States Motel

Visit Carl's website and become his friend on MySpace.

Catch him on tour next month:
Mar 9 20079:00P
MERCURY LOUNGEsanta barbara, California
Mar 17 20073:30P
DENVER POST/MANIA TV/MONOLITH/CREATE DEVNVER/MY OLD KENTUCKY BLOG SXSW PARTY AT CHUGGIN MONKEYaustin, Texas
Mar 18 20078:00P
MODIFIED ARTSphoenix, Arizona
Mar 19 200710:00P
INDIE 103.1 PRESENTS AT THE VIPER ROOMlos angeles, California
Mar 20 20079:00P
THE MAKEOUT ROOMsan francisco, California
Mar 22 20076:00P
MUSIC MILLENNIUMportland, Oregon
Mar 23 20079:00P
MARS BARseattle, Washington
Mar 24 20079:00P
FOX AND GOOSEsacramento, California

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