motel void

MOTEL VOID: Your new single, “The Gray”, reflects on the flattening of American culture and personal identity. Can you tell us more about the themes behind this track and how they resonate with your experiences?

IN LIEU OF ROSES: I’m the type of person that loves to experience local culture when visiting new places. Through a lot of my recent travels on tour it’s become more apparent that our interconnectedness has also sapped some of the joy and adventure out of life. Instead of local craftsmanship we build the same bland gray condos over and over again. I’ve found it to permeate into our personal connections where conversations feel like memes and opinions like influencer talking points.

MOTEL VOID: What was the recording process of this track? Will it be part of your new album?

IN LIEU OF ROSES: We actually self recorded this track, which was an interesting experiment and something I’ve never done before. Dylan Kittrel (Velvet Graves) was the person at the board and did such a good job with the mix.

MOTEL VOID: As a Philadelphia-based band, how has the local music scene shaped your sound and growth as a group? Are there any local artists or venues you particularly admire?

IN LIEU OF ROSES: I’ve been in Philly for 10 years this August and it’s influences just about everything in my life. I came to the city for the music scene and have met so many amazing musicians that I admire greatly. They’ve all taught me a lot about song writing, tone, etc. Right now some of my favorite local bands are So Totally, Friendship, Shannen Moser, and Twin Princess. Favorite venue has to be Philamoca, the guys that run the venue are great, the sound is good and it has a lot of fun history.

MOTEL VOID: In your music, you blend emotive soundscapes with thought-provoking lyrics. Which artists have influenced your approach to songwriting the most?

IN LIEU OF ROSES: My biggest influences lyrically are probably Conor Oberst, Andy Hull, Justin Vernon (super underrated lyrically), Brian Warren, David Berman, and Neil Young. Sonically I would say Pavement, Slow Dive, Explosions in the Sky, and Manchester Orchestra.

MOTEL VOID: Do you have any upcoming gigs planned for the rest of this year or in 2025?

IN LIEU OF ROSES: Yes! Our last show of the year is at Tin Can Bar in Philadelphia on 12/20, and then have some more announcements in the works for winter and spring 2025.