Brainy indie pop is the name of the game with The Motion Sick. Lead singer, Mike Epstein weaves social commentary with big musical themes. Similar to Milton and The Devil’s Party, the combination of sweetness and bitterness is all over opening “Jean-Paul.” Then a do-wop styled indie musical number shows up in “30 lives” referring to love and video game companionship. This is really fun and catchy (see the video below) and the upbeat tempo continues with the next track “Walk on Water.” The song has an alt-country drum and bass driven, toe-tapping melody. Similar in approach to The Decemberists, The Motion Sick have lyrical stories of a life on the edge of reason. It carries this theme through several brilliant tracks like “Losing Altitude” and “The Owls Are Not What They.” My favorite track though is the thick nihilism of “Tiny Dog (Nobody Cries).” With lyrics like “nobody listens/ nobody cares/ nobody stalks you/ or blogs your affairs,” its the perfect theme song for a burnt-out celebrity (Lindsay Lohan are you listening?) After this, the group coasts on the last two tracks, including a cover of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” There is also a Dance Mix of the song “30 Lives” that some people will enjoy more than the original, see the video of that version here. Overall a really good album worth your ears.
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Listen to “30 Lives”