GREAT AMERICAN RACER by Great American Racer
When you get to know the album 'Great American Racer' without knowing anything at all about the concept, you immediately get a sense of dread and doom. Every instrument seems to play with anguish and every note breathes with demand and protest. Jake Dryzal's debut album under the pseudonym Great American Racer is a brutal acceptance of reality, a retreat from rosy hopes and deceptive eyes. The concept album is about the heroin and opioid epidemic that has ravaged the American Rust Belt for several decades. The album 'Great American Racer' is a harsh reality wrapped in a veil of drugs, industrial smoke and hundreds of unredeemed and ruined lives whose only way out was to drown their frustration in drugs in a black and white world.
The concept of the album, which addresses the heroin and opioid epidemic in Rust Belt America, is a poignant reflection of the current state of society. The combination of indie rock, country and acoustic genres gives the album a unique and varied musical landscape, adding depth to the poignant lyrics. Jake Dryzal's approach to storytelling through music is a testament to the power of art in addressing serious societal issues. The stories of people struggling with addiction are sensitively portrayed, and the emotional weight of the album is palpable.
Jake Dryzal immediately draws attention to his music, and already in the second track 'From the River, Pt. II' the musician not only openly declares oppressive problems, but also introduces an element of the structure of his debut. The secret lies in the title of the track, part two… Jake reveals himself to the listener as a musician who has created a conceptual, thoughtful album. The track 'If Only' is completely in line with the standards of the country and Americana genre. I like the steady rhythm and guitar picks. Honestly, I am completely blown away by the surround and live sound and the musician's vocals, which give the songs a melancholy mood. Some of my favorite ballads on the album are 'Porches' and 'Isn't Bright…'. These are anthems of lost lives and failure to buck the system.
Jake speaks to listeners with the thoughts and ideas of those who have fallen victim to the epidemic in America's Rust Belt. Creating a real spectacle in a huge album, the musician creates a parallel universe where everything can be corrected. The track 'Ode to Those Who Worry' draws a line, after which the tracks seem to become a little lighter. The guitar is played in big notes, and the sound takes on an incredible volume. The track 'From the River', the first part, is, in my opinion, the most profound and ambiguous song of the album. 'From the River' is not what it seems to be! A whole life created for deep bass, string plucking and light vocals. It is worth mentioning that 'From the River, Pt. II' sounds much more dramatic and sad in comparison with this track.
The album ends with the touching ballads 'Crumbling' and 'Surrender', dominated by strings, backing vocals and voluminous ho instruments. In the track 'Down on Fairfield' the sounds become particularly restless, and the terrible and disturbing chronicles return. The last piece 'For November' is the longest on the album. The musician has put all his soul and strength into it, so that the listener can hear a hint of hope in the endless horror of life.
In a broader sense, the album speaks to the universality of human experience highlighting the importance of empathy and compassion in the face of adversity. It is a reminder that we are all connected, and that our struggles and triumphs are intertwined. 'Great American Racer' is a thought-provoking and moving work of art that encourages us to reflect on our place in the world and our responsibilities to one another. It is an album that speaks to the power of music to inspire change and foster empathy, and to the enduring human quest for meaning and purpose. After leaving a scorched field behind, I can say that the album is amazing. Jake Dryzal is a brave musician who raises issues that affect society and the musician through his music. Desperate lives and the pain of a frozen society have not frightened the musician, but rather inspired him to create a patriotic, sympathetic and endlessly concerned alt-country album.
