The band American Mile has a new album American Dream, which is founded on principles of inspiration and motivation for anyone who has a dream. The operative concept that’s a thread weaving through the album is a sense that you can achieve what you truly desire in life. Resettled now in Los Angeles after originally hailing from the Midwest, band members themselves are living their mantras.
Musically, the album covers a range of sounds within the Southern rock, red dirt and heartland rock triangle of the country rock genre, with soulful ballads and roots rockin’ jams supporting the empowering lyrics. We had a chance to speak with lead guitarist and vocalist Joe Perez of American Mile about the dynamic process for writing and recording their new album.
Americana Highways: Did any specific era of American music history inspire you while crafting American Dream?
Joe Perez: Not anything specifically, but I do enjoy a lot of music from the 60s/70s. Though, we listen to everything!
AH: What was the first song written for American Dream, and did it set the tone for the rest of the album?
JP: We started writing for this album in 2020/2021 and probably had close to 30 – 40 songs. We picked 9-10 songs and recorded them over 3 years, while performing 200 shows a year. If you listen to the entire album, there’s a variety of things happening.
AH: How do each of your individual influences as band members come together when you’re writing and recording?
JP: I believe our biggest strength – is to just be us. Be you. And that will make things come together naturally. When everyone is being themselves, the chemistry just lines up and it becomes easier to be a band, write songs together, record together. One person might have a stronger sense of melody, while another might be stronger with rhythm or arrangement.
AH: How does the band usually approach songwriting—does it start with lyrics, a riff, a jam session?
JP: It could be any of the above. Sometimes it can be a full song with music and words and all, and sometimes it could be just a riff or a chord progression.
AH: Was there a song on this album that came together unusually fast or, conversely, took forever to get right?
JP: “Photograph of You” came together very quickly. The music took maybe 10 minutes, I sent it to Eugene, he immediately called me and said I have words for this. We tweaked the verses a bit lyrically later, but that’s all. I can’t remember any of the songs taking a long time, maybe Wiggle. There was a couple revisions of Wiggle, but if something is feeling forced, we just move on.
AH: Do you write from personal experience, or are you more drawn to storytelling and characters?
JOE: We keep a good combination of it all happening when we write.
AH: American Dream feels deeply rooted in Americana and classic rock—what artists or bands had the biggest influence on the sound of this album?
JP: There is definitely an influence from bands like Tom Petty, The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc. But I think it goes beyond that. There’s a ton of modern and new sounds across the album that you won’t hear on some of those classic rock records.
AH: Are there any non-musical influences—like films, books, or personal experiences—that shaped the themes of American Dream?
JP: Mostly personal experience for me. “Get On & Fly” is about letting go and setting free, while “Hard Working People” is about working hard and playing harder.
AH: What does the title American Dream mean to you, and how does that concept run through the record?
JP: American Dream, to me, means keep going. Keep swinging. Swing even harder. You can hear it too. Songs like “Tough Living,” “American Dream,” and “Straight From The Heartland,” have elements of never giving up in them.
AH: Are there any recurring lyrical motifs or narratives across the album that fans should pay attention to?
JP: Mostly for me is just the narrative of don’t quit, don’t give up, tough times are tough, but keep it up and see it through.
AH: How does this album differs from your previous work, both musically and thematically?
JP: The songs and production are better on this album than the previous one. We had some singles released inbetween them, but this album is by far our best work. Even the performances are better. The musicianship is better.
Thanks very much for chatting with us, Joe Perez! Find more information about American Mile here on their website: https://www.americanmilemusic.com
Enjoy our review of the album American Dream, here: REVIEW: American Mile “American Dream”
