Mike Doughty- Stellar Motel (ALBUM REVIEW)

[rating=7.00]

Mike Doughty’s latest project is billed as an exploration of modern hip-hop. The concept is certainly apparent, but Stellar Motel is not a complete departure for Doughty. There are several songs that sound much like the rhythmic, hyper-linguistic pop we’ve come to expect from him, and those who have followed his considerable career won’t be surprised at all by the album’s hip-hop aspects. The album is often reminiscent of Gorillaz, not in overall sound, but in the way that hip-hop mayhem and atmospheric rock meet at a verbose, intellectual intersection.

Big, sunny hooks have become a specialty of Doughty’s in his time as an acoustic-ish songwriter type, and there are several that form the melodic heart of Stellar Motel. The lead single, “Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating in the Future”, strikes a balance between his often absurd, stream-of-consciousness rhymes, which are really more like spontaneous poetry, and the beat-heavy, DJ-produced backing tracks. “When the Night is Long”, “Change”, “Raging On”, and “These Are Your Friends” also match Doughty’s traditional dramatic guitar and lyrics with funk-focused rhythms.

The album is conceptually strong and at times pleasantly unhinged. Raw, immediate ideas like “Oh My God Yeah Fuck It”, “Let’s Go to the Motherfucking Movies”, and “Pretty Wild” are honed into successful and moody stereo-bangers. Meaningless, possibly improvised lyrics by Doughty meet with guest rapper verses on “To See the Sun Come Down” and “Let Me Lie”, and he reaches into R&B territory more than once. “The Champion” is an inspirational slow-motion soul song that is held back only slightly by the obtuse lyrics, and “The Brightness” boasts vocal phrasing that seems modeled on the radio-friendly catchiness of modern pop stars. Stellar Motel is a fun and diverse plunge into the deep end of Doughty’s decades-old hip-hop fascination.