Recommended Tracks: “Photograph of You,” “Wiggle for Me,” “Straight from the Heartland”
Artists You Might Like: The Black Crowes, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Brothers Osborne
It is important to have dreams. Without dreams, we would just be floating around, trying to obtain a purpose. Dreams can change over time, from big to small, from near to far… Still, it is important to seek them and do what you can to grab them—just ask American Mile. The members of the country-rock band all took a chance and left their hometowns in the Midwest to pursue a music career in Los Angeles. Driven by their passion, American Mile hit the ground running, putting more than their best into each lyric, each melody, each beat, and each live show. The band plays over 200 shows a year, captivating crowds in iconic venues and stages all over. At the end of the day, they are living their dream, and they have many stories about what it has been like to pursue this dream. With their sophomore album, American Dream, American Mile share these stories.
Anyone who might need encouragement to chase their own dreams will find inspiration in songs like “Get On and Fly,” which opens the album. The track is filled with hope and possibility, which we feel in the drums, the piano, and in the lyrics. Throughout, we get questions like, “Are you ready for a new scene?” and reminders like, “This is once in a lifetime,” which serve for those out there looking to let go or start over. On the following “Photograph of You,” we hear the band’s signature blend of southern rock and soulful country come through in the twangy guitar lines and sentimental lyrics. It tackles that scary but invigorating feeling of taking off and diving into whatever comes your way, heard in lines like, “I drive alone with a photograph of you / Sun is setting fast / Lost all I could lose / I’m all alone except that photograph of you.” There’s also “Straight from the Heartland,” a very visual song that also conjures up that feeling of breaking away. It plants you on “an old dirt road where I grew up / With a worn-down house and beat-up truck,” also known as “the heartland.” There is a focus to get out and “make it someday,” but there’s also much love and appreciation for this upbringing in such a small, hard-working community.
Listeners will notice that another theme on the album revolves around hard work. On the title track, American Mile express the beauty of chasing after the American dream. While this concept has been warped in today’s climate, there is value in the underlying message of the track, which is to never give up on what you believe in. This message also comes through on “Tough Living,” an anthem about keeping your head up and holding your own. Among the guitar lines is a raw energy and fighting spirit, especially in lines like, “It’s tough living but we ain’t giving up no time / Even when they toss us nickels and dimes.” Of course, the most obvious song about working hard is “Hard Working People.” It almost plays out like a jam session, as it contains decorative riffs, funky rhythms, and a lot of soul. Here, we observe, “Hard-working people live everywhere / Hard-working people, see ’em right over there / Hard-working people don’t work for free / If you ain’t working, that ain’t working for me.”
In between all of the dream chasing and hard work are songs that just capture the essence of everyday life. The mood is warm and contemplative on “Waiting on a Sunday,” where hopeful guitar and light piano are at the forefront. Meanwhile, we hear commentary about getting through each day, heard in lines like, “Still, she finds a way to make it through the day / And she don’t know how but screams, ‘God, I need you now.’” The vibes become more playful and carefree on “Wiggle for Me,” as American Mile treat us to a night out. It can be healthy to let loose at times, and on “Wiggle for Me,” the band persuade us to “Shake it like a tree in the Georgia breeze” and to “Wiggle like a snake swimming in the swamp.” Still, as much as dancing can restore a sense of innocence, it can’t solve all of your problems. On the closing track, “Junkies Dream,” American Mile capture the urge to go back in time, to when things weren’t so serious. It is a dark track lyrically, but there is something about the music that gives it a festive charm. It seems that despite the fact that “life is full of choices,” there will be moments when “some will make you sick,” so you need to be mindful about what you have and what you are willing to lose.
Overall, American Dream is an insightful, immersive look at what it takes to go after what you want. It requires determination and hard work, along with a little bit of trust, fun, and mindfulness. But even if you give it your all, nothing is truly guaranteed. It is all a huge chance, one big dream. And maybe, that’s the beauty of it. That’s the beauty of American Dream.
You can listen to American Dream here.
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