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Album Details

• Artist: Jason Collett
• Album: Motor Motel Love Songs
• Label: Arts & Crafts
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-01-14

Many people will only know Jason Collett as one of the members of the Broken Social Scene but his Toronto roots go further back than that. Jason's good friend is none other than Andrew Cash. In fact, there is more in common with Jason and Andrew's music than this album and BSS. The album opens with a really cool traveling track called "Bitter Beauty". Fellow BSS luminary Leslie Feist lends her vocals along with Andrew Cash. My favorite thing with this track is the drunk-ish guitar where the bridge happens. It wavers in and out, almost off-key but staying within the lines. Collett then works his way into more of a ballad state on "Little Clown" just before getting into an old-school rock state ala Tom Petty on "Tiny Ocean of Tears". "It Won't Be Long" features the fine work of Hawksley Workman on drums, pianet, and electric guitar. It's a gentle track showing some very fine and mature songwriting. Easily my favorite track on the album is "Gabe". It's really upbeat and yet it maintains a bit of heartbreak feel on it. I guess that's what happens when you throw lapsteel on a track. "Choke Cherry" is up there but I found it a little too repetitive. Some of the songs on Motor Motel Love Songs are achingly simple like "Airport" and "All I've Ever Known". This is the kind of album that could become anyone's favorite provided thy give it time. It's a personal album that Jason has been working towards his whole career. Not instantly likeable but after a few listens you end up falling in love with.

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