Album review: THE MOTELS – All Four One, Little Robbers

August 30th, 2021 by jason

BGO Records [Release date 03.09.21]

The Motels are an American new wave band fronted by Martha Davis. This Motels double CD re-issue features the band’s two US Top 30 albums from the early 1980s. ‘All Four One’ (1982) features the US Top 10 hit ‘Only The Lonely’, whilst ‘Suddenly Last Summer’ was also a Top 10 US hit from ‘Little Robbers’ (1983). BGO Records have had these albums digitally remastered along with sleeve notes from David Wells.

‘All Four One’ (***) features the catchy hit ‘Only The Lonely’, plus the jazzy ‘Change My Mind’, and indeed Martha Davis went onto to release a couple of jazz based solo albums. ‘So L.A.’ could have been another possible hit single. You also get five bonus tracks including a live version of ‘Only The Lonely’.

‘Little Robbers’ (***1/2) is even more synth pop/New Wave than its predecessor, although nice bit of reggae pop on ‘Isle Of You’ and ‘Trust You’ & ‘Into The Heartland’ will appeal to fans of melodic rock, as the band up the guitar quota.

A group popular in Australia, Canada and the USA but The Motels never quite captured the UK market with two singles just missing the UK top 40 and none of their albums troubled the album chart.

Martha Davis dissolved the band in 1987, only to reform again in 1998 and they still tour to this day, mainly in the US. From the band’s early 80s line-up drummer Brian Glascock went on to work with the likes of Dolly Parton, Iggy Pop and the Bee Gees (as well as being the brother of the late John Glascock, bassist for Jethro Tull between 1975 and his death in 1979), whilst Scott Thurston went onto to join Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

If you have a penchant for 80’s Wave Music – at times they remind you of Quarterflash – this double CD is a good a place as any to start with and at a decent price.

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)