The Western States Motel
The Western States Motel
Label: Firebird Field Recordings

Monterey, California’s Carl Jordan knows the value of a day spent staring at the ocean, and perhaps more importantly, the trip to get there.

With his debut album, The Western States Motel, Jordan and friends paint an acoustic sunshine pop soundscape set to electronic beats and mid-tempo keys.

This is music — not for lazy people — but for those introspective souls who just aren’t in a big hurry. It’s about leaving a life worth leaving on summer road trip. It’s about traveling in a dusty ragtop with the windows down, wind in your hair and tires humming in time with stereo as you head nowhere in particular. It’s about the easy-going adventure of avoiding deadlines and cubicles.

While track like “The New E Blues” (recently featured on the O.C.) thump a bit harder, the lead single, “Powerlines,” is a beautiful ballad with a simple melody, lustrous vocals, subtle handclaps and a bonus mandolin solo. Check it out:

The Western States Motel : “Powerlines” (mp3)