A recording project based in Jackson, Mississippi, Rose Haven Motor Hotel serves as a vehicle for songwriter Ben Atkinson to explore his ever-changing creative interests and sensibilities. New EP Things Don’t Stay is therefore appropriately titled, not only evoking the overarching wistfulness which marks the release, but also speaking to the stylistic fluidity which occurs across the five songs. Like how the heavy textures and freewheeling confidence of alt-country opener ‘Built’ to Rust’ can share a tracklisting with a more traditional folk strum of songs like ‘Nebraska’. The latter holds its emotion aloft for all to see, embracing the heartache of the open road to channel a nostalgic bittersweet tone, whereas the former is altogether more boisterous. A track no less reflective in tone but far more fatalistic in its stoner swagger.
As the title suggests, ‘Blue Moon’ occupies the classic end of the country spectrum too, a song of slow consideration which plays like the calm night between changing days, while ‘Take It Home’ sits closer to acts like Sinai Vessel with its indie influences. But it is ‘Switchblade’ which is perhaps the standout. A worthy addition to the current alt-country revival, fitting somewhere into that post-Drive By Truckers movement of Wednesday and MJ Lenderman. “Waking up in the middle of the road / six-thirty in the morning, little blood on your nose,” Atkinson sings in the opening lines, “65mph in a school zone / you said you didn’t mind, as long as you didn’t know.” A clear introduction to the track’s dicey bravado, where only desperate confidence stands between the narrator and the walls caving in.
You say I switched up
well if that’s true
you can call me switchblade
I don’t have to call you
Things Don’t Stay is out now and available from the Rose Haven Motor Hotel Bandcamp page.