‘Rust Belt Rock N Roll’ by American Restless | Album Premiere
Exclusive album premiere of ‘Rust Belt Rock N Roll’ by American Restless, out June 16th via Blind Owl Records.
Hard-scrabble, the music of American Restless channels the force of post-hardcore, the feral-energy of garage rock, and the swagger of neo-rockabilly, the group would describe their sounds as “Rust Belt Rock N Roll.” Originally from Racine, WI, the band’s hometown is best known for its industrial legacy and stiff blue-collars. But its proximity to Milwaukee and Chicago made it rife with blues, metal, and DIY punk music, all of which define the sonic DNA of the band. Though currently based in Michigan and Colorado, it is these very roots that endure to define the band. With their debut album, ‘Rust Belt Rock N Roll’ on San Diego’s Blind Owl Records, guitarist Noah Lekas and bassist Ian Grant are joined by fellow Racine expat and Reverend Horton Heat alumni, Arjuna “RJ” Contreras, marking the first time the three old friends converge on one LP.
While this is the band’s first album, the story of American Restless started nearly 15 years ago during the crash of 2008. Low on employment opportunities and high on inspiration, Lekas spent a long winter in East Nashville writing the earliest sketches of what would become American Restless.
After nearly 50 shows in the summer of 2009, American Restless went on unofficial hiatus. Collaborations, and intermittent one-offs ensued, but the next decade found Lekas writing and performing with a variety of acts in New York City and San Diego while Grant logged well over a hundred gigs a year in the Midwest. With the publication of Lekas’ first book, Saturday Night Sage and subsequent sonic poetry collaboration with psych-legends Howlin’ Rain, Sounds from the Shadow Factory, American Restless was little more than an ongoing conversation between old friends until the pandemic and subsequent shutdown landed the band back in the studio.
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