Local lo-fi pop band Mythical Motors discusses their upcoming music and how they have helped the Chattanooga community.
Mythical Motors exists in the space between the binaries of genres. They describe their sound as lo-fi garage pop with influences including Guided By Voices, The Clean, Wire, R.E.M, Superchunk, Bevis Frond, and the expansive Elephant 6 Collective. The unique band stands out with a refreshing sound that offers something unlike other bands in the area. The band’s members are singer Matt Addison, drummer Brad Smith, bassist Mike Brown, and guitarist Johnny Wingo. They have been together since 2006.
Before the pandemic, Mythical Motors performed at many local staples including JJ's Bohemia, Sluggo's, Rhythm & Brews, The Spot, Ziggy's, and The Honest Pint. They have performed with several other local artists and received great reviews from local critics including The Chattanooga Pulse and nooga.com. The band’s ultimate goal is to tour. They’ve played several shows across the South, but they dream of doing more once it is safe to perform again.
“The future of live music seems very uncertain,” Matt admits. Though the band cannot perform at the moment, they are still continuing to make music. “Since I'm able to write and record at home, I plan on focusing on that for the foreseeable future."
Mythical Motors does more for the community besides providing great music and performances. Since the pandemic, the band has donated the money they have earned from their EP, A Shadow That Comes From Nothing, to the Chattanooga Food Bank and Black Lives Matter. The band also has a song on the cassette compilation Banders: In Support of Progressive Policy and Coronavirus Relief. The proceeds from the sold-out compilation went to No Kid Hungry, One Fair Wage Emergency Fund, Meals on Wheels, Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance & Our Revolution.
The band’s last album Leviathan Messiah was released in 2019. The album stands out from their previous releases with songs that feature a post-punk and psychedelic rock sound as well as some acoustic songs. Constantly creating music, the band already has another album on its way. Their next album, Sleepwalking On Main Street, will be released on October 22. You can preorder it on October 2.
You can listen to Mythical Motors on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with releases and performances. You can listen to the cassette compilation here.