The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA} [Strictly Limited Collector's Edition]
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 1,30 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 424 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 753 Mb | 24-bit remaster
© 1979-85, 2012 Capitol / Culture Factory USA | R-150402 / ST-12070 / ST-12177 / ST-12288 / SJ-12378
Rock / New Wave / Contemporary Pop

Digitally remastered edition. This mini-LP sleeve reproduces all the components of the original album and are their exact replicas in compact-disc size (5.3 x 5.3 inches), with authentic single or gatefold cardboard jackets and paper sleeves. In addition to the above, the release includes a black finish CD complete with the original label to give it the look and feel of the original record album. The music is encoded using state of the art, high definition remastering in 96 kHz / 24 Bit audio.

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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Motels (1979)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC(image)+CUE+LOG -> 259 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 93 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 167 Mb | 24-bit remaster
© 2012 Capitol / Culture Factory USA | R-150402

1979's self-titled debut release from the California band the Motels comes across as what a less pretentious Doors might have sounded like had they emerged during the new wave era. The Motels is a fairly cold, almost robotic affair which trades in lyrics that explore the darker side of life in Los Angeles. There are a few tracks that bear repeated listens like the frantic "Kix" and "Celia," a warning to a woman involved with the wrong guy. "Total Control," a big hit for the band in Australia and later covered by Tina Turner, is the album's standout with its menacing lyrics of possession delivered by Martha Davis. She is the one consistently redeeming attraction of this dated record. Although she tends to over-sing at times, Davis is a riveting and sensual vocalist and her vocals hint at the potential in the band.

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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Careful (1980)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC(image)+CUE+LOG -> 249 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 85 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 158 Mb | 24-bit remaster
© 2012 Capitol / Culture Factory USA | ST-12070

With their second release, the Motels make steps toward a more seamless style of new wave-inflected pop. Careful kicks off with the perky, sax-driven "Danger," and there are more hits than misses. The lyrics still lean toward the darker side as on the moody, watercolor melody of the title track, but there are also moments that are pop gems like the Europop-styled "Bonjour Baby," the midtempo rock of "Days Are O.K. (But the Nights Were Made for Love), which features the album's catchiest hook, and the uptempo "Cry Baby." Martha Davis, with her distinctive vocals, is still the band's trump card, but this time around the band gives her a little more backing.

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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The Motels' third album All 4 One finds the group working the fine line between mainstream arena-rock and quirky new wave pop. Their roots lie in the sleek, polished Californian hard rock that dominated late-'70s and early-'80s album-oriented radio, but All Four One has a shiny new wave production, complete with keyboards and processed guitars. Still, it plays like arena rock, especially since Martha Davis oversings each track, but its best moments – "Take the L" (out of lover and it's over) and the single "Only the Lonely" – are embarrassingly catchy guilty pleasures that make the album an entertaining nostalgia piece.

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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Little Robbers (1983)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC(image)+CUE+LOG -> 291 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 86 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 156 Mb | 24-bit remaster
© 2012 Capitol / Culture Factory USA | ST-12288

Little Robbers, the follow-up to the Motels' commercial breakthrough All 4 One, is nearly as consistent as its predecessor, finding the perfect balance between mainstream rock conventions and quirky new wave flourishes. Again, the singles are the best parts of the record, with the hazy "Suddenly Last Summer" deservedly reaching the Top Ten and "Remember the Nights" being a fine AOR workout, but the remainder of the album suffers from undistinguished material and a distinct lack of hooks.

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The Motels - 5 Albums Collection, 1979-1985 (2012) {5CD Set Vinyl Replica, Culture Factory USA}

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Shock (1985)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC(image)+CUE+LOG -> 351 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 104 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 153 Mb | 24-bit remaster
© 2012 Capitol / Culture Factory USA | SJ-12378

With Shock, the Motels attempted to move squarely into the MTV-sponsored pop/rock mainstream, adding harder guitars and bigger hooks. Although their makeover isn't entirely successful, the best moments on the album – "Shame," "Cries and Whispers" and the title track – are enjoyable mainstream rock.