Motel Sundown Perfect the Art of Quiet Impact on ‘Echoes’
Liverpool-based trio Motel Sundown return with their first release of 2025, and it’s as stirring and spellbinding as ever. Echoes is a lush, slow-burning track that glides along light guitar lines and builds gradually into a stunning blend of three-part harmonies — a hallmark of the band’s signature sound.
With the addition of Joe Harvey-Whyte (The Hanging Stars) on pedal steel, Echoes leans further into the band’s Americana and Laurel Canyon influences, bringing a warm, nostalgic glow to the track. The chorus — “echoes fade away, nothing left to say” — is delivered with a quiet intensity, distilling themes of distance, memory and emotional release into a moment that feels both intimate and cinematic.
Formed in 2018, Motel Sundown have become known for their heartfelt lyrics, rich vocal arrangements, and a sound that harks back to the soft-rock greats of the 60s and 70s. Their 2022 debut album If You Were Listening laid the foundation for their rising status on the UK folk and Americana scene, and 2024 proved a breakthrough year: with the release of their El Dorado EP and support slots for artists like Courtney Marie Andrews, The Hanging Stars and Ashley Campbell, the trio found themselves playing to sold-out audiences across Liverpool, London, Ireland and Wales.
Following the success of their delicate ballad Rosie — which drew comparisons to Nick Drake and Fleetwood Mac — Echoes feels like a natural progression. It’s tender but assured, subtle but resonant. Motel Sundown don’t shout to be heard — they gently captivate, drawing listeners into a world of melody, memory, and meaning.
With a headline hometown show at ARC, Liverpool on 26 July, Echoes is a confident step forward from a band that continues to grow in presence and purpose.
Stream Echoes now.
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