Motorbike
Kick It Over
Feel It Records [2025]
“A second LP that doesn’t just follow up their debut—it stomps a boot through the floor and dares you to look down.”
Album Overview: Motorbike is a five-piece unit rooted in Cincinnati, Ohio’s underground scene, pushing through physical setbacks and tight schedules to deliver raw, unfiltered energy. After making noise with their Headphone Approved self-titled debut in 2023, the band returns with Kick It Over—a record that hits hard and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Clocking in at under 30 minutes, it feels like a chaotic celebration: part bar fight, part victory lap. Recorded over six months in a home studio, the album channels controlled mayhem through tight, guitar-heavy arrangements and full-throated vocals. The artwork matches the music’s intensity—bold, unruly, and impossible to ignore. Motorbike sounds like a band playing shoulder to shoulder in a sweaty room, and Kick It Over captures that raw immediacy.
Musical Style: Motorbike rides the line between garage rock, proto-punk, and straight-ahead rock ’n’ roll, delivering sharp bursts of rhythm and grit. Their songs move with rough-edged momentum, pairing raw guitar interplay with punchy drums and snarled, syncopated vocals. There’s little in the way of polish—just enough edge to keep it sharp, just enough looseness to keep it alive.
Evolution of Sound: Compared to their debut, Kick It Over feels just as locked-in without losing any of its scrappy DNA. The arrangements are slightly tighter, the pacing more deliberate, and the songwriting it tight. Where their first record hinted at chaos, this one organizes it. The band leans further into their group dynamic, using dual vocals and twin guitars to build a louder, more confrontational wall of sound.
Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s wiry drive, Mission of Burma’s jagged intensity, or The Men’s scorched rock energy will feel right at home here. There are also shades of The Gun Club’s haunted punk, a muscular echo of Hawkwind’s heavier moments, and a bluesy snarl reminiscent of early AC/DC—though never in a way that feels retro or recycled.
Pivotal Tracks: “Currency” kicks off with a distorted, buzzing riff and vocals that feel on the verge of boiling over, setting the tone for what follows. “Afraid of Guns” leans into speed and bite, showcasing the band’s knack for tension and release. “Jungle Land” shifts the dynamic with a swaggering bassline and builds to a chaotic, hard-edged climax that blurs the lines between punk and classic rock.
Lyrical Strength: Motorbike’s lyrics favor brevity and mood over metaphor or narrative. Their writing captures moments—flashes of lived-in tension, defiance, and late-night clarity. The delivery reinforces this economy of language, riding the music’s energy rather than competing with it. It’s less about commentary and more about presence.
Final Groove: Kick It Over reaffirms Motorbike’s strength as a band that thrives on immediacy and impact. It’s a tighter, more intentional record than their debut, but it never loses its rough-and-ready charm. With each release, they’re building something raw and real—music that doesn’t just sound urgent, but feels it. If Kick It Over is any indication, Motorbike’s next move won’t be quiet—or easy to ignore.
MOTORBIKE REVIEW HISTORY
Motorbike (2023)
MOTORBIKE LINKS
Instagram | Bandcamp | Feel It Records
- Motorbike: Kick It Over [Album Review] - March 21, 2025
- Tim Easton | New Album Campaign on Kickstarter – fiREHORSE! - March 20, 2025
- Mdou Moctar: Tears Of Injustice [Album Review] - March 18, 2025