Get blue with Steve Caruso at the Royal Motel
Steve Caruso has been restless his whole life. Unable to stay in one job or on one path for more than a year or so, he jumps ship and switches horses midstream. But one thing he’s never given up is writing music.
Even when Caruso didn’t have time to play much music, the songs kept writing themselves, and on Saturday, April 29, Caruso is sharing these new songs at the launch of his new album, Royal Motel, at Lounge 390.
It’s been a winding road from his musical beginnings to the Lounge stage, with many of the songs written on literal winding roads as Caruso traveled across northern Ontario, returning home from school or driving around for various jobs over the years.
Steve started playing guitar at 16 because he wanted to play in the high school jazz band, and he practiced obsessively for the first number of years.
“It’s maybe the least cool reason to pick up the guitar,” joked Caruso.
After graduating high school, Caruso pursued a philosophy degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay while playing in rock bands on the side. But after university, Caruso got busy with the usual distractions, a partner, kids, work, and houses. He gave up on music. He stopped playing gigs. Stopped being in bands. Tried to settle down. But settling down didn’t work.
He left a job with the city to pursue a trade. Left a job at an electrical shop to sell windows. Left windows to open a catering business and bakery. That fell through, and by 2020, he had worked his way up to being sales manager of a small company.
As Caruso would say, “life just happened.”
Life happened again in 2020, and like so many others during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caruso was laid off for six months and suddenly found himself with the time he’d never had to get back to music. He wrote most of the songs over the next year and recorded Royal Motel in the summer of 2022.
The result? An album infused with the morose, bittersweet blues so characteristic of the early pandemic and the perpetual winter it evoked, dragging through that first year.
“I’m a guy trying to express what it’s like to be me right now. All in all, it’s pretty damn good, and I hope the songs show that,” said Caruso. “Sometimes it’s boring and lonely and crazy. I hope the songs convey that too.”
There’s nothing explicitly “northern” about the album, but Caruso said his connection with the region is behind much of the music. It’s undeniable that the album harnesses a particular atmosphere many northerners will recognize: it’s warm, fuzzy, and reminiscent of a house party in the dead of winter that could have taken place any time between 1960 to 2000 to today. It bottles up a sense of nostalgia with its live-off-the-floor recording giving it a raw, personal feel.
You might never have met Caruso, but listening to it, it’ll feel like he’s your friend. And he’s playing with a few friends at The Lounge, with Sam King on drums, Matt Foy on Guitar, and Pepper Adams on bass. Local folk musician Julie Katrinette is also joining her friends as the opening act.
Listen to Royal Motel below and learn more about Steve Caruso via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Sure, Hey, I’m Steve.
I make music up in Sudbury, Ontario, and I’m excited to share it with you. We’re all listeners, and I’m a bit obsessive in my music listening. I will find a new album or song and listen to almost nothing else for days or weeks at a time. Right now I can’t get enough of the Lijadu Sisters album Mother Africa. It’s meditative and southing while also danceable and funky. A couple of weeks ago, it was a Jackson 5 ballad played by an offshoot project from the band Vulf Peck. Once the song or album has reached saturation in my consciousness, I abandon it for at least a month. After a break, I can come back to it, but the passion is gone. I’m happy to hear it again, if only for the memory of the compulsive time we shared.
I write songs with far less focus. They are often written quickly, and then I’ll edit a bit later. Sometimes I’ll return to the original, improvised lyrics after trying all kinds of other stuff. Sometimes I’ll get fancy and add a bridge in the relative minor key. Mostly, they are singular moments or feelings that I record as a voice memo on my phone.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
This has been a journey. The last few years have brought on a lot for many of us; highs, lows, periods of isolation, dappled happiness, and joy. I channeled those feelings into the songs on this EP, and I hope it will resonate with listeners.
I was going for a sound that blends Americana, soul, and 70’s country rock. We wanted the album to evoke the vast, open landscapes and long, lonely stretches of highway that are a big part of living in Northern Ontario. My songwriting is deeply personal, sometimes drawing on my own experiences of navigating the challenges of life on the road.
I worked with Dany Laj at his studio the La La Pop Shop. The album was recorded with the rhythm section cut live off the floor with overdubbed instruments added later. Dany worked carefully to craft a sound that is both intimate and expansive. The vintage mics and funky keyboard sounds combine with modern studio software to simulate classic rooms. Each element of the music is designed to evoke a sense of emotion and connection.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
I draw inspiration from three main areas: my life on the road, people-watching, and my love of being outside in the sunshine. Each of these sources provides a set of experiences that can overlap and combine into the final product.
My love of cars has two sides. I write about the open road and the freedom that comes with it. From the purr of the engine on the highway to the scenery and towns I pass through, the feeling of being behind the wheel is a constant source of inspiration for me. Cars are also a place of intense loneliness and self-reflection. A solitary capsule racing through time and space. The car’s ability to be both a conduit for escape and the fact that you are effectively trapped in a box while hurtling alone into the relative unknown is a dichotomy I think a lot about.
As a traveling salesperson, I spend much of my time on the road, meeting new people, and experiencing new places. I try to reflect this sense of adventure and discovery in my music, which often explores the themes of travel, connection, and the ups and downs of life on the road. I write about the people I meet, the places I visit, and the challenges I face as I navigate the ever-changing landscape of the sales world.
Finally, my love of being outside provides a sense of joy and vitality in my life that I hope comes through in my music. Whether I’m writing about a lazy day on the dock or the quiet of night under the stars, I try to infuse that warmth and light.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
I’m looking forward to my album release party on April 29th, where I will be joined onstage by some incredible artists.
I’m finalizing my summer schedule and looking forward to bringing my music to new audiences. Stay tuned for dates!
What’s your goal for 2023?
The best way I have found to think about my goals is to try to do more, better than I did before.
2022 saw the recording and release of a four-track EP. I’ve written a pile more songs, and the next is to record a full-length album. The festival shows I book this Summer are the starting point for more festivals and touring in 2024. For 2023 I want to connect with more people. The journey is just as important as the destination, and I’m looking forward to connecting with folks along the way.