July 2018 – Music blogger

(Image via harpersbazaar.com)

WHO: Russo

WHERE: LA, California

GENRE: Rock/Punk

TOP SONGS: “Lonely” and “Ghost”

Lead singer and part-time model Cailin Russo describes Russo’s sound as “fast, honest, and high”. The breakout sound of this LA-based band will bring you back to simpler times filled with youthful energy.

House With A Pool is a diamond in the rough. “Bad Things” is a standout anthem, while “Joyride” provides poetic lyrics in a loving manner. Russo’s voice, similar to the late Amy Winehouse, sings gently, “Joyride, breaks through the night, enjoy the darkness, until we see light”

“Loudmouth” is edgy, reminiscent of a Kings of Leon b-side. The short and sweet lyrics make Russo feel vintage like an old jacket found at Goodwill; filled with stories. You’re transported to a different time while listening to this album. A time that makes you wanna rebel, drive down a windy road, and sing karaoke in a dark bar.

Cailin recently told HypeBae about the bands future plans, “Next is tours, shows, festivals (not sure how much I can disclose) and hopefully another EP by the end of the year! Lil Christmas gift for y’all.”

(image via facebook.com/acemotelband/)

You may not know Ace Motel yet, but you will soon. Dreamy soft guitars seem to guide their sound into a sweet pop escape. The duo hails from Manchester and is comprised of vocalist Georgia Phillips and producer Kamil McCabe. I asked the band about their latest single, “Still With Me” and what their inspiration has been throughout this process.

Let’s talk about your latest single, “Still With Me”; the writing process & inspiration behind it!

“The idea for the song was inspired by the feeling of moving on in life but still keeping the people you love around you no matter what. The guts of the instrumental came about first; we wanted to produce something for the EP that had an all-consuming, pulsing vibe – something more upbeat but would still maintain the generally laid-back nature of the rest of the EP. Once Kammy had composed an instrumental we were happy with, the lyrics honestly came naturally and was very much a collaborative process because of the experiences in life we’re both facing at the moment. The whole song came together fairly rapidly and once it was finished we definitely felt like the EP was then complete.”

Tell me about your intro to music? Did you always want to be in a band/singing?

“Throughout his teens, Kammy played the guitar and dabbled in production. I have always sung but never considered pursuing it as a career until I began singing and writing with him. When we met at uni, we started doing open mic nights together before he really delved into production and we began writing and recording our own music. From then we’ve continued to produce our own songs, and the EP consists of some of the major work we’ve made this past year.”

How would you describe your sound?

“Atmospheric, authentic and laid back; we like to produce an organic, clean sound that, when played, is recognizable as ours. We love music that blends all kinds of unique sounds, and so aim to achieve a similar vibe in our own music.”

Where did the name Ace Motel come from?

“It took us about a year after we formed as a band to actually come up with the name! It was ultimately adapted from one of our favorite lyrics from one of our favorite songs, ’33 God’ by Bon Iver, where they mention the Ace Hotel. The lyrics to that song always stuck with us, so we thought it was perfect to derive our name from that. We even went to visit the actual Ace Hotel in Downtown LA a few weeks after deciding on the name.”

What can fans expect this year?

“Ace motel is going to continue making music. Unfortunately, however, I’m going off to pursue my own passion project, so, for now, my time with the band is over. However, Kammy is going to continue the band independently and we’ll have to wait and see what direction he takes it in, but definitely be excited. Ace Motel has just begun.”