This time of year brings back lots of memories–football games, drinking beer with friends, picking apples with family. And likewise there’s a definitive soundtrack for fall. Wistful, more insightful and more laid back than their fun-loving summer cousins, the songs are generally have a little more meat on the bones and stick to your ribs on a cool day.

Fat Andy’s Motel Bottle Rocket fits that bill like a warm Guinness pie on a cold day. Content to entertain, the disc neither strikes out to redefine a genre nor uniquely define the band. Likewise, the material is mature, tackling complex themes with simple songs and somewhat idealistic views. A hearty affair throughout, Motel Bottle Rocket ultimately succeeds by putting a distinctly Americana serving on the table.

The album’s meatiest parts are when the tunes turn a bit more down-tempo. “Fall With Me” adheres strongly to the idea that complex situations often have simple solutions–trust being key to the story. “Here Today” strikes a strongly midwestern humility in admitting both confusion and hope. The album’s finale, “Soon Forgiven” succeeds in much the same way by offering a bit of redemption from life’s mistakes. The downbeat tunes shine, which isn’t to say the more upbeat numbers don’t work as they’re quite entertaining. Still, the handful of slower numbers really stand out as great sensible fall fair.

Motel Botel Rocket from Authentic Records is available now.

BONUS:
Fall With Me

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