← Back

Motels (album)

by The Motels

Released: September 15, 1979

New wave

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.

The Album

"Motels" is the self-titled debut studio album by American new wave band The Motels. It highlighted Davis' distinctive vocal style and the band's blend of new wave and post-punk influences. The band was formed in 1971 in Berkeley, California, made up of frontwoman Martha Davis, guitarist Jeff Jourard, keyboardist Marty Jourard, bassist Michael Goodroe, and drummer Brian Glascock.

Inside the Recording

The production was handled by UK musician and producer John Carter, known for his work with The Human League and others.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

The debut album has since become a seminal…

The debut album has since become a seminal release in their discography and is highly acclaimed for its groundbreaking new wave sound.

It was released on September 15, 1979, by…

It was released on September 15, 1979, by Capitol Records.

The lead single from the album was "Closets…

The lead single from the album was "Closets and Bullets".

Their music is characterized by a blend of…

Their music is characterized by a blend of new wave and post-punk influences with a dash of power pop and classic rock, which gave them a unique spot in the music industry during the late '70s and throughout the '80s.

The group eventually achieved significant fame with their…

The group eventually achieved significant fame with their later albums like "All Four One" and "Little Robbers".

Watch and listen

Explore the Album

The Motels - Motels (album)

Open in Albums Gallery

Then

Reception

Notable for its art-rock sensibilities and frontwoman Martha Davis' powerful vocals, the album went relatively unnoticed commercially; it did not chart on the Billboard 200.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Motels" is the self-titled debut studio album by American new wave band The Motels. It was released on September 15, 1979, by Capitol Records. Notable for its art-rock sensibilities and frontwoman Martha Davis' powerful vocals, the album went relatively unnoticed commercially; it did not chart on the Billboard 200.

The production was handled by UK musician and producer John Carter, known for his work with The Human League and others. The lead single from the album was "Closets and Bullets". It highlighted Davis' distinctive vocal style and the band's blend of new wave and post-punk influences.

The band was formed in 1971 in Berkeley, California, made up of frontwoman Martha Davis, guitarist Jeff Jourard, keyboardist Marty Jourard, bassist Michael Goodroe, and drummer Brian Glascock. Their music is characterized by a blend of new wave and post-punk influences with a dash of power pop and classic rock, which gave them a unique spot in the music industry during the late '70s and throughout the '80s.

The group eventually achieved significant fame with their later albums like "All Four One" and "Little Robbers". The debut album has since become a seminal release in their discography and is highly acclaimed for its groundbreaking new wave sound.