For this first full-length album, Saint Motel playfully indulged the usual fantasies of the so-called ‘debut’, i.e some questionable ventures out of the infamous box; the trick is to do it en finesse, but hey, isn’t that just their field of expertise? On Voyeur, released July 14th, the band added to their sharp slick brand of indie-pop/rock a touch of latin rhythms, a little pastiche, some swing and some sarcasm, but did so with such subtelty that all twists and turns seem to smoothly blend into the arrogant thread of this record. Currently on the roads with Races, the band will soon be back to California, with a couple of shows booked in Santa Ana & San Diego and an appearance on September 14th at L.A’s… Lobster Fest? Don’t ask. Tracy Mamoun