The spirit of rust-belt resilience finds a ferocious new pulse on ‘Kick It Over,’ the second full-length dispatch from Cincinnati’s Motorbike. This record does not merely suggest velocity; it embodies the frantic, oily mechanics of a machine pushed well beyond its safety rating. Born from the literal wreckage of a moped accident, the quintet has evolved significantly from the lean punk foundations of their debut. What surfaces here is a sophisticated, high-octane form of rock and roll that prizes structural integrity just as much as raw, unbridled volume.
The album opens with “Scrap Heap,” a title that serves as a wink to the band’s origin while the music functions as a blunt force statement of intent. There is a perceptible grit to the production, a direct result of Jerome Westerkamp’s work behind the board in an Ohio basement. This setting provides a cavernous, authentic atmosphere where the guitars of Dakota Carlyle and Philip Valois feel thick and humid. On “Currency” and “Cold Sweat,” the band demonstrates that they have moved far past simple three-chord aggression. The arrangements are nimble, pivoting on precise rhythmic shifts and the percussion of Dylan McCartney, suggesting a group of players who have reached a state of intuitive telepathy.
Jamie Morrison’s vocal delivery, marked by his Welsh origins and tempered by Midwestern dirt, provides a unique focal point, often shared with McCartney’s own vocal contributions. On “Afraid of Guns” and “Western Front,” the performances carry a sense of weary urgency, anchoring the chaotic energy of the instruments. The musicianship across the board is remarkably disciplined; while the band embraces a defiant ethos, the execution on “Gears Never Dry” reveals a technical proficiency that separates Motorbike from the standard garage-rock fray. Westerkamp’s bass lines provide a sturdy, driving floor that allows the guitars to spiral without losing the song’s core.
The mid-section of the album offers some of its most intriguing detours. “Quite Nice” and “Nie Wrócimy” showcase a band willing to lean into varied textures, proving that their sonic palette is not limited to monochromatic distortion. There is an expansive quality to “Jungle Land” that suggests a landscape much wider than a basement rehearsal space, though the band never loses that distinctly rugged, localized identity. The interplay between Carlyle and Valois creates a dense thicket of sound, yet their individual contributions remain distinct and purposeful.
Closing with “What Have I Done,” the record leaves the listener in the wake of a truly collective effort. It is rare to hear a band sound so weathered after a short duration of existence, yet ‘Kick It Over’ carries the weight of significant experience. This is music for the late hours and the smell of gasoline. Motorbike has successfully captured the feeling of a high-speed ride through a haunted landscape, offering a record that is as emotionally resonant as it is physically loud. They have taken the debris of the past and welded it into a formidable, forward-moving vessel of pure rock and roll.
Learn more by visiting: Bandcamp | Instagram | Feel It Records.
