Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of American Restless’ song “Western Wind,” from their forthcoming album Rust Belt Rock ‘n Roll. The album was produced by Jeremiah Zimmerman and American Restless; engineered and mixed by Jeremiah Zimmerman; and
mastered by Skip SoRelle. The song was written by Noah Lekas and Ian Grant.
“Western Wind” is Noah Lekas on vocals and guitar; Ian Grant on bass; Arjuna “RJ” Contreras on drums; and Gary Lekas on organ.
The video was directed and edited by Shelby Baldock, with dinematography by Nathaniel Stiers and Matt Tanner. This song is pure optimism presented with rough bluesy rock ‘n roll edges. The video captures the high energy of the band playing the song. Turn up the volume on this one for the electric guitar.
America has produced a great number of road songs–dirt road tunes about rambling, wandering, and hard traveling. Implicit to the journey is an aggressive romanticization of greener grass, pastures of plenty, milk and honey, and golden shores. Rovers, rogues, and wayfaring strangers, all hitting a one way road that connects where they’re from directly to where they’re going. “Western Wind” lives in the in between. It’s about present tense hope. “Two feet beneath me but only one on the path.” It’s a song about the sort of hope that keeps your brain from getting in the way of your boot heels. It’s about believing that the next trip round the mountain will be a good one. That every circle around the sun is worth it, despite how pointless any of it looks from the outside. “Western Wind” is a really special song for us, because it’s our own autobiographical parable. You got to start out, even if you don’t know the route. – Noah Lekas
Find the music here: https://americanrestless.bandcamp.com/album/rust-belt-rock-n-roll