New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Makin Waves Record of the Week: "Nightbird Motel" by Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band


By Bob Makin

originally published: 10/09/2020


After building a strong following with their Strokes-esque strut and George Thorogood-like blues ‘n’ boogie crunch behind the 2016 debut LP, “The Light in the Day,” Asbury Park-based Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band empicably have coalesced and solidified that sound and their lineup with a who’s who of the Jersey music scene. Complimenting Connor’s lead vocals and guitar and longtime drummer Rich Seyffart’s mighty chops are bassist Chris Dubrow (The Burns, Tara Dente, Avery Mandeville) and guitarist Jeff Linden, who front his own band, the Black Spot Society, and has played in a couple with his older brother, Jack.

The stellar lineup is featured in the band’s latest video for “Dream on You,” the last single from the great sophomore LP, “Nightbird Motel.” I’m not sure if that lineup is on all 10 tracks, but I know they’re hot having enjoyed the virtual album release party at youtu.be/TzqyI0YzUEQ.  And so is the album they recently celebrated.

The craft, edgy collection opens with one of its five singles, “When the World Stops Turning,” which features a Call-like guitar tandem that takes the dynamic and unfortunately prophetic tune into as unexpected a direction as the pandemic that proceeded its composition and production, thwarting international plans, as with so many bands. 

On the album’s first single and video, “Read on You,” a reverb guitar opening kicks into a hearty love song in the spirit of Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Social Distortion, and The Killers. Speaking of Springsteen, the next track for the Asbury act is the anthemic “Darkness,”  but it sounds more like ‘80s Bruce Juice than ‘70s with the slash, burn and bam of “Roulette” mashed with the lyrical sentiments of “No Surrender.”

“Photographs of Johnny” is a train-sounding Clash-like tribute to the Man in Black enveloped in an unrequited love song that also will please fans of Springsteen, especially Rich’s Mighty Max-inspired performance.




Please support the advertisers at New Jersey Stage!
Want info on how to advertise? Click here



“Blame on Me” is a bayou-burning southern scorcher in the tradition of Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Black Crowes that features Connor’s best of many fine solos. I love the diminished authentic-sounding steel guitar outro. Duane Allman is smiling down from Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven on this one.

“Liquorstore” is one of those upbeat party songs that’s perfect to play with the top down or the windows open cruising along the Jersey Shore. Then “Voice on the Radio” offers more fantastic guitar and Creedence-sounding fun with a bit of U2 and Chris Isaak thrown in to slither the snaky tune along a trembling edge. 

The quasi title track “Nightbird” strokes the country rather than blues side of the edgy roots-rockin’ band in a torrid tale about the lonely local losers who frequent a seedy motel. Switch out the motel for a diner, and fans of Edward Hopper’s masterpiece will get a kick outta this one.

With the aforementioned “Dream of You and Me,” Connor takes the resilient sentiment and dark vibe of Albert King’s Stax hit “Born Under a Bad Sign” and turns it into a rough ‘n’ tumble love song. Closing out the collection is the pretty, musically harmonic instrumental, “Reprise,” which somewhat recalls the melody of the rockin’ “Read on You” but in a much more subdued and subtle way. It’s a nice surprise that’s totally out of character for this bright, boisterous band.  

If not for the pandemic, the strength of this album would have taken Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band around the country if not the world. Here’s hoping they kicks the ass they deserve to in 2021.

 




Please support the advertisers at New Jersey Stage!
Want info on how to advertise? Click here



 

Bob Makin is a reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK and the former managing editor of The Aquarian Weekly, which launched this column in 1988. Contact him via email and like Makin Waves on Facebook.

 



New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.


FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


John

John Lee & Friends

Thursday, July 03, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Morris Museum Back Deck
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music

Click here for full event listing

 

Blues

Blues People with Special Guest: Jeff Levine

Saturday, July 05, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
category: music

Click here for full event listing

 

Straight

Straight No Chaser - Summer: The 90’s Part 2

Tuesday, July 08, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music

Click here for full event listing

 

Frisson

Frisson Winds

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Morris Museum Back Deck
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music

Click here for full event listing

 

Three

Three American Troubadours: A Tribute to James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Axelrod Performing Arts Center
100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park, NJ 07723
category: music

Click here for full event listing

 

More events

Event Listings are available for $10 and included with our banner ad packages




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

An

An Interview with Dan Kurtz of The New Deal

Formed in 1999, Toronto, Canada based trio The New Deal, is a pioneer in jam-based electronic music. The group was founded by remaining members Dan Kurtz (bass) and Jamie Shields (keys), along with Darren Shearer (drums) who left tND in 2011. Since its inception, tND has remained committed to its improvisational roots and has served as a model for other jamtronica bands bridging the gap between multiple music genres as well as the border between Canada and the United States.



Two

Two NJ Jazz Musicians Will Play with The Jazz Ambassadors in Morristown

Pianist Anthony Pocetti grew up in Hamilton, NJ, studying piano, "doing sort of traditional piano lessons. I have an uncle who was always encouraging me to get into the jazz thing. He gave me the (Miles Davis) Kind of Blue CD, and he knew that the jazz pianist Jim Ridl was living in Hamilton."



Asbury

Asbury Lanes presents There, There - A Tribute to Radiohead

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Asbury Lanes presents There, There on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 8:00pm. They are the premier Radiohead tribute act, playing songs from throughout the band's iconic multi-decade catalogue.



bergenPAC

bergenPAC presents Straight No Chaser - Summer: The 90's Part 2

(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- After a totally fly 2024 summer tour packed full of 90s boy band, pop, and R&B hits, RIAA-certified Gold a cappella group Straight No Chaser is back by popular demand with "Straight No Chaser Summer: 90s Part 2." The tour comes to Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) on Thursday, July 8, 2025 at 7:00pm.



Blue

Blue Curtain presents 2025 Summer Concert Series in Princeton

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Blue Curtain returns to Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater this July with a free three-concert series. The 2025 season opens on Saturday, July 12 at 8:00pm with a performance by internationally acclaimed trombonist, composer, and bandleader Jimmy Bosch, also known as El Trombon Criollo.