Here you are, breaking your back, and what do you have to show for it? If that’s a question that’s been obsessing over and keeping you up at night, don’t worry, because it’s the same for nearly everyone. And while there are those who can go ahead and point to a big ol’ pile of coins and deeds as their reward, when you stare into their eyes, you hardly ever see happiness.
Maybe there’s no other available solution than to seek out the things that you love with the kind of resolve that makes all the hardships small enough to be ignored. Perhaps the few ones that get a chance at happiness are artists who follow their muse.
American Mile’s new album “American Dream” is a document of a life spent travelling around, dedicating all your energy to playing rock music, waiting on the cheer of crowds as your just reward. Best of all, there’s no bitterness here. This is no collection of songs about regrets. No, sir. This is an album about boogieing yourself to victory.
Just listen to the opening track, the spirited, Black Crowes-like, “Get On and Fly.” This isn’t music designed to be played in a small room forever. This is a song constructed for the sole purpose of getting people on their feet, getting those feet moving and, for a while, at least, freeing up the spirit.
In fact, if “American Dream” has a unifying concept, that’s it. This is therapy against the modern world’s blues through rootsy pop-rock. “Tough Living” is built around a Stonesy groove and is pushed by the same confident, Chris Robinson-styled lead vocals.
Still, the band’s no one-trick pony either. The collection of songs includes the likes of “Wiggle for Me,” where American Mile’s sound is given an aggressive, radio-friendly, modern rock production.
And, of course, all that travelling and the fighting to get from one gig to another does leave some unanswered questions. Most of these are dealt with in the form of acoustic-based, quieter moments, such as the ode to hopeless dreamers that is “Waiting On a Sunday,” or the soulful promise of keeping on running of “Straight from the Heartland.”
Where does this leave us? It takes a whole lotta boogie to wash the blues away nowadays. But, American Mile’s got the spirit and the musical ability to offer audiences rock n’ roll redemption still. “American Dream” is one of the most convincing roots-rock albums that you’re likely to hear in a while.
