Motorettes - Super Heartbeats

by John Clarkson

published: 22 / 12 / 2005

Label: Kitchenware
Format: CDS

Snappy debut single from potentially promising Northern-based guitar trio the Motorettes

Review

With its front cover montage of a naked girl writhing ecstatically on top of an assortment of pistons and wheels, it is apparent, even before one hears a note of their debut single 'Super Heartbeats', that the Motorettes are harkening back to a different era. The Motorettes , which consists of brothers Jack and Jed and their friend Robin, and who come from the Northern town of Tynemouth, have been playing together for about six years. 'Super Heartbeats' recalls the glory years in the mid 70’s of pub rock and bands like Eddie and the Hot Rods. With its start-stop whirlwind guitars and lyrics about heady boy-girl passion, it has a rough and ready, unpretentious charm and is certainly lively. It is also exceptionally well played, snappy chord changes, fiery drum work and chanted vocal harmonies all helping to push its gleefully thunderous tune up another notch. The catchy chorus of "Turn me off and turn me on to this" meanwhile ricochets and sticks in its listener’s head long after ‘Super Heartbeats’ has come to the end of its three minute running length. The picture on the sleeve is, of course, very tacky and there is nothing here that hasn’t been heard before. 'Super Heartbeats', however, has several fine moments, and the Motorettes are potentially very promising.