Motel Black - "Morning Hum"

Photo by Marcos Nava

According to their Bandcamp bio, Motel Black are "Boston people making Boston songs." Somehow, that sums them up quite accurately. Their latest single, "Morning Hum," has that alt-rock sound that is somehow perfect for both stadiums and tiny clubs. It's a very slow building track. The first half is a quiet and contemplative song that hints at what is to come by creating tension and triggering the listener's anxiety. After that, it may not quite be a raging rocker, but it definitely gets much more intense and includes some of the finest alt-rock guitar work to come out of Boston in a long time. "Morning Hum" is like an amalgam of U2 and The Sheila Divine. If that appeals to you (and how could it not?), you're going to be into this one.

Vocalist and guitarist Brian George says of the band's new song:

“‘Morning Hum’ is all about being held captive by anxiety while simultaneously feeling comfort in futility. At this point, this song was written about five years ago. I was working, going to school, working more, trying to be in a relationship and being part of this fledgling band. I wrote this to recognize how it is OK to have high expectations, but also realize that everything I do is meaningless. As it seems to have become the Motel Black lyrical formula: This song takes two conflicting things – anxiety and comfort – and pairs them.”

You can listen to "Morning Hum" below. The song is available as a single over at Bandcamp. For more on Motel Black, check out the band's website.