Welcome to the single life, Motel Black.

Bands everywhere are trying to figure out the best way to maximize – or at best mitigate – any potential fallout caused by COVID-19. Boston hard rock band Motel Black think they have the answer. Instead of releasing an album outright, they aim to keep their album cycle buzz going longer by slowly releasing singles.

Without the ability to play gigs, the band is also using the downtime from COVID-19 to their advantage in the studio. Each member sent the audio engineer Ryan Stack at Noise Floor copious amounts of notes regarding the mix. This translated to A LOT more guitars. Singer/guitarist Brian George says, “We recorded just so much shit. And we sent it to [mix engineer Ryan Stack] and he was like ‘Goddamn you guys…clearly everyone in the band is a guitar player.’ [laughter].” Lead guitarist Ryan Dougherty adds, “We had a lot more fun trying to layer more and texture more and create more of a feeling.” 

The fresh sound features an eerie atmosphere that illustrates singer Brian George’s morose lyrics. The first single is a haunting observation of the ravages of heroin and homelessness called “Evening Standard.” It’s about Boston’s so-called “Methadone Mile,” which sprouted up overnight due to the closing of the Long Island Bridge (and access to Long Island) because of crumbling infrastructure and neglect in 2014. An estimated 450 shelter residents of Long Island, 225 of which were receiving addiction treatment on-site, were immediately forced to find a home elsewhere, thus creating “Methadone Mile.”

In the song, the narrator witnessing the scene can’t help but also acknowledge the sheer natural beauty of the moon and river nearby. This throws the bleakness of the streets into stark relief. Taking in both sites at once creates a tension that can be heard in the instrumental: sounding melodic, dissonant, and everything in between.

If we can expect more tracks like “Evening Standard” then you definitely ‘oughta know’ Motel Black.