New Motels

Thu., Sept. 20, 8 p.m., the Khyber, 56 S. Second St., and Thu., Sept. 27, 9 p.m., Mill Creek Tavern, 4200 Chester Ave.


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Published: Sep 18, 2007

rock/pop

I've been on a Neil Young kick lately — hanging in Topanga Canyon where he wrote and home-recorded After the Gold Rush, repeatedly listening to Harvest and Chrome Dreams 2. Then this falls in my lap — New Motels' Prison Jazz label debut Domestic Life. (They've self-released CD-Rs previously.) And though they sing high and nasally through Young-ish folksy melodies songs such as "West Coast Brawl" and lyrics about having pride in the "scenery of Western life," they're only about as Western as Canuck Neil is. So, Jenkintown ain't a dusty hill out West. And singers Josh Levandowski and Adam Vinson aren't Cali-Canyon-eers. But if the cinnamon-dipped twang of "A Thousand Isles" and the disdainful lyrical look at the "Drama of the Hollywood Scene" doesn't make them honorary Topangians, I'll eat my "Rust Never Sleeps" tour T-shirt.

Thu., Sept. 20, 8 p.m., $8, the Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888, www.thekhyber.com; and Thu., Sept. 27, 9 p.m., free, Mill Creek Tavern, 4200 Chester Ave., 215-222-1255, www.millcreektavernphilly.com.