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Pawl & ttypes Motel Review by Gary Hill This album is the creation of two brothers. Those brothers are Paul (Pawl) and Tim (ttypes) Krauss. They are joined here by a number of other musicians. Together they've produced an intriguing set that seems to merge poppy music with modern prog and psychedelia. It's all pretty effective. I'd say that my one complaint is that perhaps they should have cut a few tracks off of the set. It tends to get a bit samey at times. That said, though, apparently it's a concept album, so I guess that wouldn't really work, but this could be a situation where less would be more. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review

Good Boy Young A bouncy kind of number, this is playful and fun. I love the vocal arrangement. Lush overlayers bring proggy elements to bear.

Motel I'm reminded of the poppier, psychedelic side of early Pink Floyd on this number. There are definite Beatles-like textures here, too. As strong as the opener was, this is a big jump upward from there.

Colorado Vocally dense, this is another that has a pop-music vibe to it. It's catchy and fun.

Small Town Trippy electronic meets psychedelia on this classy number.

The Shore Psychedelia, prog and bouncy pop all seem to merge on this entertaining tune.

You're My Brother This a bouncy little tune. It's not very long, but it's a ;lot of fun and packed with class and style.

Home A mellower number, this has a lot in common with dreamy electronic pop music, but also modern prog of acts like Porcupine Tree and RPWL.

Captured Light One of the hardest things here, this is a killer prog tune with psychedelic pop at its heart.

Jealousy I'm reminded of T-Rex a bit on the hard rocking introduction here.

Building A Life Pop prog is at the heart of this tune. Not a big change, this is another bouncy cut with both pop and prog influences. The vocal arrangement on this is particularly fun.

Newspaper Mountains There is a bit of a Steely Dan element here along with a proggier texture. This is an energized cut that's one of the most decidedly proggy things here. This is also a highlight of the set. I really love the bass work late in this cut.

Sky Men / Space Lights Echoey sounds open this two-part tune. The tune works out to a dreamy kind of movement as it continues. There is plenty of prog and psychedelia built into this number.

1924 Bouncy, poppy sounds are on the menu here. It still has plenty of proggy elements, though.

Vacant There is some soaring, driving, rocking stuff here. This is a real powerhouse. Yet it still has a lot of the kinds of sounds we've heard throughout.

Room 5 This is the strangest and most "different" track here. There are trippy elements mixed with the poppier sounds. Echoey bits of music seem to create a weird nature. Odd bits of vocals that seem to intrude from the sides add to that feeling. As unusual as this, it still has a compelling and almost catchy effect.

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