Mythical Motors offer a whopping 22 tracks of indie-rock escapism and superb songwriting with this latest project Elevated Levels. Beginning with the raw indie-rock rhythm and emotion of Director of Lightning, Chief of Storms, the band present themselves as musically immersed and passionate within a few short minutes.
The structure of this opening song is fascinating, it feels genuinely rooted in the rock sound from a simpler time. The riffs and the vintage recording style further this vibe, helping create a sense of this being a long-lost classic from a couple of decades ago. Where modern bands of this nature might soak their sound in reverb and aim for the fuzzy shoe-gaze approach ahead of anything else, Mythical Motors hold close to realness and grit. There’s intention in the songs, and where the warmth appears is in their melodic developments and the accessible sound of that leading voice.
As you progress through the rest of the album, the songs feel perfectly suited to the best of indie-rock’s history. The band put thought and soul into their writing, so while you can gather an understanding of precisely the energy and musicality that a live show would entail, you can also lose yourself in the moment as provided by the recording. Rarely do you get the blessing of both of these attributes these days. Songs like Stasis offer necessary breaks from the high octane pace and remind you of the acoustic beginnings. Arrangement is important and the band were clearly aware of that when putting together this project.
The ideas and emotions presented throughout this album are what give it so much character. The band’s sound is classic, not instrumentally groundbreaking but strong enough to impress and entertain. What gives them their edge though is the songs, the approach, the heart.
Find & follow Mythical Motors on Facebook & Soundcloud.
