Whether it's in the Canadian countryside or the American intercontinental states, motels have long urged weary travellers into more comfortable digs with the promise of cable television, and seven-piece Quebec pop group Motel Raphaël are no different. Bask in the warm glow of their debut LP, Cable TV, by streaming it from the safety of your own home via Exclaim.ca.
Initially formed in 2012, the up-and-coming indie folk outfit quickly gained attention thanks to their melodious art pop and the triple-threat harmonies of co-frontwomen Clara Legault, Emily Skahan and Maya Malkin. Although originally planned as an EP, the recording sessions evidently grew into a full-length affair.
It was well worth the wait, because while Cable TV has all the usual trappings of a highly orchestrated pop album (the string-skipping guitar duels and clap-heavy rhythm of "Ghosts," the twinkling twee instrumentation of "The Things You Should Have Said"), what sets the recordings apart from more achromatic albums is the band's use of technicolour melodies (album opener "Rooftop at Romolo's") and vivid storytelling ("London," "Young"), which a press release notes emphasizes "a songwriting maturity that far exceeds the fact that the band members are all still in their early twenties."
Although the album won't be out until June 10, listen to the band's Cable TV in its entirety in the player below and pre-order it on iTunes here.
UPDATE: This stream was available for one week only and is no longer available.
Initially formed in 2012, the up-and-coming indie folk outfit quickly gained attention thanks to their melodious art pop and the triple-threat harmonies of co-frontwomen Clara Legault, Emily Skahan and Maya Malkin. Although originally planned as an EP, the recording sessions evidently grew into a full-length affair.
It was well worth the wait, because while Cable TV has all the usual trappings of a highly orchestrated pop album (the string-skipping guitar duels and clap-heavy rhythm of "Ghosts," the twinkling twee instrumentation of "The Things You Should Have Said"), what sets the recordings apart from more achromatic albums is the band's use of technicolour melodies (album opener "Rooftop at Romolo's") and vivid storytelling ("London," "Young"), which a press release notes emphasizes "a songwriting maturity that far exceeds the fact that the band members are all still in their early twenties."
Although the album won't be out until June 10, listen to the band's Cable TV in its entirety in the player below and pre-order it on iTunes here.
UPDATE: This stream was available for one week only and is no longer available.