Honey Motel – The Matinee (2023)
The Honey Motel. It sounds like one of those amazing hotels that appeal to everyone, like Travelodge or the Leonardo. The cool thing about The Honey Motel is that it isn’t really a motel, it’s a “free-to-stay, hypothetical motel at which you can reside through the phenomenon of music…” Returning after almost two years hiatus, the UK-based foursome re-emerges with a new type of sound – the Honey Motel sound. Come with us as we jump into their most recent release, ‘The Matinee’.
If The Wombats were to merge with Fall Out Boy, the chances are likely it would be Honey Motel. With this bold brash indie-pop meets pop-rock flavour, the group bounds out with a hard-hitting blast of music. Yet, while the rock-ness is strong in Honey Motel, a funky vibe tinges on the sides of ‘The Matinee’ giving it an extra edginess. While the single has a strong sense of authenticity and individuality, a nostalgic sweep of the 80s and 90s swims in the entrancing melody.
Soul-stirring, the melody is jovial but with a bitter slice beneath its richness. Just as the tune is intricate, Honey Motel showcase their profoundness in the theme of ‘The Matinee’. Tackling feelings of anxiety, frustration and a gut-wrenching, pulse-quickening fear of being stuck in a difficult situation. Interestingly enough, while a melancholic vulnerability swirls about in the psychedelic sound, a hopefulness radiates throughout.
“The anxiety of getting stuck in the show before the show. Never taking the final step into the closing stage of something you’ve been working towards due to fear, anxiety, apprehension of what the outcome may be. The thought of forever spending eternity in the matinee is unendurable.” – Honey Motel on ‘The Matinee’
For more from Honey Motel, check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Find more intriguing indie-pop artists on The Other Side Reviews’ Indie-Pop playlist:
