Ida Mae - “American Cars”
Photo by Dean Chalkley
UK-based Ida Mae have just released the garage rock banger “American Cars.” The track effortlessly grooves in bluesy tones, showcasing exceptional guitar work and superb taste in sonic textures.
The song is built around unpolished yet incredibly seductive electric guitar tones. The gritty riffs and licks make me reach for comparisons to Jeff Beck’s early work, specifically with Rod Stewart in the late 1960s. The attention to tone and texture is nothing short of magnificent. “American Cars” is given a great sense of swagger as the drums lock into their groove whilst the bass lays down a strong foundation.
The dynamics of the track are fantastic, shifting from the intimate, yet edgy verses to bluesy and more assertive chorus sections. As we approach the halfway point, the dynamics begin to swell as a second electric guitar joins, providing a sense of width and tonal complexity. During the musical interlude, phasers are added to the drums, lending the track a psychedelic twist, which, again, makes me think of Jeff Beck and his albums Beck-Ola and Truth.
A real high point of “American Cars” is the vocal work. Alternating between intimate verses and passionate choruses, the delivery is dynamic, gritty, and raspy. Vocal doubling enhances the performance by adding a satisfying thickness. This delivery makes me reach for comparisons to The Raconteurs song, “Level.”
Ida Mae’s “American Cars” is a wonderful trip into the worlds of grimy blues and rock. Brimmed full of powerful guitar work and swaggering percussive grooves, you will find it hard not to get lost inside of its sound.
-John Michie