Pastel Motel is an alternative band from the Pacific Northwest. Blending elements from rock, pop, and prog, the band covers a lot of musical ground while maintaining their unique, cohesive sound. On Magazine may have described the group’s music best when they said, “your indie-rock friends will like it. your punk-rock friends will like it. your classic-rock friends will like it. your grandma might even like it; Pastel Motel is that accessible. That’s a neat trick for a band with this kind of depth and creativity”.
Following a multi-year rebuild, the band is set to release their third album “Confection” in May of 2022. This new record follows the departure of long-time drummer, Jerry Gamez. The group continued to play live with a revolving door of temporary fill-ins, and eventually entered the studio in 2018. However, recording struggles led the band to scrap the overdue record. In an effort to streamline their vision, the group reformed as a 3-piece, with vocalist and guitarist Ryan Maxey switching to drums and vocals, while bassist Eric Deleon and vocalist/guitarist Ricky Maxey remained on their original instruments. The band focused on their live show with the new configuration before eventually reentering the studio to record their long awaited follow-up.
On May 13, 2022 Pastel Motel released their new record. Written, tracked, and mixed by the band, Confection is a cyclical concept album. Balancing between a thematic concept and a narrative, the album reflects on repetition and life. While the band returns to some familiar lyrical themes, their new album is more grounded than the grandiose visions of previous Pastel Motel records. With key members leaving and switching instruments, Pastel Motel’s new sound is a slight departure from previous efforts while remaining instantly recognizable. Blending alternative rock and pop with elements of prog and math rock, the band finds a way to cover intimidating musical concepts with a friendly, inviting disguise.
Concept albums like this are nothing new for Pastel Motel. Their debut was an allegoric narrative, while their sophomore effort investigated the duality in life. While the group is often noted for their instrumentation, the lyrics have always played an important role. Good Night Magazine said of their debut album’s songwriting,
“There is no denying the power of the sentiments contained within and I hope that the intense pain laid into the fabric of these songs did not come from personal life tragedy, and I'm afraid that that's the only way the emotions could feel so personal and genuine.”
For a deeper dive into their history, you have to go back to late 2011, when the band was formed by cousins Ricky and Ryan Maxey. They self-released their experimentally tracked debut album, "Subject is Subjective,” in December of 2013. Their debut is a multifaceted concept album following the story of a fictional character in an allegory of human nature. The original lineup consisted of Jerry Gamez on drums, and Ryan’s brother, Erik, on bass. Erik left the band shortly before the album started gaining traction with online music magazines. Hear The Indie called the record “one of the better albums I've listened to in recent times”.
The band's 2016 release, “E. A St.,” showcases a more progressive side of the group's songwriting, while also demonstrating their ability to write catchy hooks. These opposing musical forces fit perfectly into the band's established, unique style, as well as their sophomore album's overarching theme of duality. Lyrically, the album explores duality in everything from two-faced media & politics to the 20-minute epic about a girl with contrasting personalities. Eric Deleon joined the band at this point, tracking aggressive bass lines and ambient, effects-laden soundscapes on the album.
In October of 2017, Jerry left the band. After temporary fill-ins and a scrapped album, the band reorganized as 3-piece, with Ryan changing instruments and getting behind the drum kit.
With improvisation being a key component of their live show, the band thrives off of playing with different bands in different venues. “The beauty of improvisational music is that it’s unique to that moment,” says Ryan, “so, playing with different bands, in different cities, with a different audience… we feed off of those circumstances, and the vibe we get from it all. It really makes each show special, and helps us grow as musicians.”
"I've always looked at our music how I look at painting," says Ricky, "because when it comes down to it, music is auditory art, right? So, like any other art form, we pour our heart out in writing and in our live performance. We leave plenty of room for improv which makes for a genuine show every night. And I believe the audience recognizes that and we all experience it together.“