Idiot At The Wheel
Self-Released, 2026
9/10
The Long Island artist, MOTU, is now 25 albums deep, and his fusion formula is still very much intact across these 10 adventurous songs that welcome some new players.
“Just Another Day In America” opens with Ed Modzel’s thumping drums and MOTU’ sturdy guitar licks and deep voice across the bluesy climate, and “The Fading Melody Of A Song” follows with Dee Michelson’s cozy harmony vocals amid the warm and heartfelt delivery.
Halfway through, “Excuses Are Thin” is a bit more gritty and embraces classic rock nods, while “Pushing Darkness To The West” benefits much from Rich Fry’s guitar in an eloquent and intimate landscape.
“Original Sin (Garage Band Version)” arrives late and offers a scrappy moment thanks to Susan Karejwa’s colorful bass and the raw sing-alongs, and “Last Man Standing” exits with MOTU’s dizzying guitar acrobatics and animated bass plucking via the charming, instrumental and memorable prog finish.
A diverse outing that embraces blues, rock, Americana and jazz, MOTU never falls into a single category and thankfully that’s not likely to ever change.
Travels well with: MOTU- Awareness Or Illusion; MOTU- The Water Is High