Loop are proud to partner with US label Ineffable Music for the Australasian release of The Elovaters new album Shark Belly Motel. Following a strong run of singles over the past nine months, their fifth studio album arrives, showcasing their genre-blending mix of soulful-reggae with tinges of alternative rock and pop. After touring through Australasia in 2024 supporting The Original Wailers, and with a return visit to these shores on the horizon, their new album serves as an introduction to one of the most beloved artists in the roots-music scene.
Shark Belly Motel continues the band’s upward trajectory. Known for their uplifting, surf-influenced sound, The Elovaters have become a leading act in the US progressive roots scene since forming in 2014. The release coincides with a sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, following a year of extensive touring. Recorded with producer Jon Joseph, a member of the band Børns, and producer/collaborator with the likes of Sublime and illuminati hotties, the album showcases the wide range of influences from a band who grew up listening to rock, pop, and hip-hop, as well as more traditional roots music.
Known for their uplifting, surf-influenced sound, The Elovaters have become a leading act in the US progressive roots scene since forming in 2014. From their early days playing dive bars in Boston, the band built momentum through a powerful live show and consistent releases. Their 2018 album Defy Gravity reached number one on both Billboard and iTunes reggae charts and was recognised as album of the year by multiple publications.
Shark Belly Motel is more than just an album title for The Elovaters and their quickly growing fanbase, it represents a communal state of mind. A metaphysical destination where listeners can transcend the doldrums of everyday life and lose themselves in the rhythms and melodies of the songs. It’s no surprise that frontman Jackson Weatherbee would search for higher ground. His journey to this point as an artist began as a story of overcoming adversity, facing a challenging speech impediment as a child that came with a difficult stutter. He finally tamed after his mother noticed that he never stuttered when he sang, with her asking him to sing about his day to her instead of speaking about it. He began talking in a singsongy voice to verbalize and converse with others, and after several months his stutter was gone. A defining chapter in Wetherebee’s life, it’s also an apt allegory that speaks to The Elovaters belief in the power of music to make a positive impact, an ethos they aim to bring with each song they write and every show they play.
The experience also set Weatherbee off to the races musically early on, pursuing the artform so seriously he ended up studying Italian opera singing in college. His talent caught the attention of Jay-Z, and was signed to Island Def Jam while still a student. But in a story often told, the label disbanded soon after, leaving Weatherbee back at square one. While some might not be able to come back from such an emotional rollercoaster, Weatherbee was no stranger to a challenge. He hopped right back from the lofty high rise label offices of NYC to the South Shore bar circuit, continuing to cut his teeth playing four-hour-long solo gigs of cover songs and originals.
The story of The Elovaters as a group began in 2014 when Wetherebee and drummer Nick Asta met one night while out with friends. The two instantly connected and wasted no time in getting to work. Early on, they’d ask venues for physical tickets to take home and sell to friends and families around the neighborhood for their first club shows in Boston. And when they weren’t performing closer to home, they made it a point to grind it out, taking any gig they could find while making their way up and down the East Coast. News spread via word of mouth that The Elovaters put on an amazing show and wrote great songs, and they started packing out bigger venues and traveling further afield. The band’s hard work, talent, and incredible songwriting have fostered a community of music fans who can’t get enough of their electrifying live performances, vaulting them to new heights and new continents with each successive tour.
It was in 2018 that The Elovaters broke through in earnest with their #1 Billboard charting album Defy Gravity, and the band have quickly become a household name for lovers of Sublime, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, Stick Figure and more. Their upcoming sold out performance at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre is the latest milestone for a group that is quickly on their way to becoming one of the biggest and most beloved bands in the U.S.
Shark Belly Motel sees the band refine their sound - a seamless blend of soulful reggae and alternative rock, rooted in Boston but feeling just as at home on the shores of California and Aotearoa.