Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s American Motors arrives with their debut LP, Content, a record that straddles the boundaries of post-hardcore, post-punk, noise rock, and post-rock while carrying the restless energy and experimental mindset of art rock. This ambitious release, birthed in the wake of the pandemic, showcases the duo’s desire to create music that is not only cerebral but also visceral, pushing the limits of what “post” music can be. Dustin White and Alex Steward, two experienced musicians with a history steeped in DIY culture, use Content to dissect modern life and offer a cathartic experience for listeners navigating the malaise of contemporary society.
The album exemplifies American Motors’ philosophy of making “physical music,” a term they use to describe their commitment to sound that hits you not just intellectually but also on a bodily level. From the first track, Content Out feels like a challenge to the listener, not to simply listen but to physically experience the intensity of its rhythms, the dissonance of its guitars, and the minimalism of its ambient interludes. The album opens with “Colonial Lanes,” a track that immediately establishes the band’s post-punk and post-rock sensibilities. The pounding, martial rhythm is relentless, creating an enormous sonic presence that is juxtaposed with sparse, atmospheric guitar work. The setting of a bowling alley dive bar in the lyrics paints a bleak picture of societal decay, people grinding their teeth in quiet desperation, lost in the mundane and numbed by substances. The music mirrors this emotional landscape, with its crushing drums and cavernous sound evoking the weight of existence. But amid this sonic heaviness, American Motors manages to inject moments of ambient reprieve, ripples of melody that briefly punctuate the chasm of sound before sinking back into the void. It’s a masterclass in building tension through repetition and minimalism.
“Colonial Lanes” exemplifies the band’s method of marrying the harsh and the soft, the aggressive and the ambient. This duality runs throughout Content, creating a meditative sonic journey. There’s a sense of being caught between two worlds: the aggressive post-hardcore influences of early Fugazi, Swans, and Shellac clash against the more tranquil meditations of post-rock minimalism. Lyrically, Content dives deep into the banality of modern life, turning the mundane into something almost mythical. Take, for example, “The Former Mall Anchor Store Call Center Blues.” The title alone sets the stage for a song steeped in ennui, with the once-glorious retail spaces of America now reduced to call centers, another symbol of societal decay. Yet, as the bassline hypnotizes and the guitars swirl like a mechanical dream, the song transcends its bleak subject matter. It’s a beautiful juxtaposition, the harsh reality of post-capitalist America set against the expansive possibilities of post-rock’s atmospheric soundscapes.
American Motors has a knack for turning ordinary scenes, Dollar General stores, dilapidated malls, and run-down bowling alleys, into larger-than-life allegories. In doing so, they capture a sense of disillusionment that feels deeply relatable. Their lyrics often depict a world where everything is crumbling, but there’s also a glimmer of hope, or at least a sense of defiant endurance. As the guitars build in intensity and the drums crash in repetitive waves, the music reflects both the monotony and the quiet beauty of everyday life. There is something incredibly tactile about Content. It’s not just music you hear, but music you feel. This physicality comes through most strongly in the album’s rhythm section. The pounding drums and thick basslines create a wall of sound that is almost oppressive at times, but in the best way possible. American Motors wants you to feel the weight of their music, to let it press down on you, to make you confront the unease and tension that simmers beneath the surface of modern life. On tracks like “There Is a Twin,” the rhythm section takes center stage, driving the song forward with relentless force. The song’s tight, repetitive structure pulls the listener into a trance-like state, where the only option is to ride the wave of sound as it crashes over you. There’s something hypnotic about the way American Motors constructs their songs, each one feels like a labyrinth, drawing you deeper and deeper into its core, with no clear exit in sight. But instead of feeling trapped, you find yourself reveling in the journey. The song’s blend of Jawbox-style post-hardcore with new-age tones, synths, and post-rock extravaganza makes it one of the album’s highlights. The mixture of aggression and introspection feels emblematic of the entire album, which constantly walks the line between chaos and control, dissonance and melody.
The production on Content plays a crucial role in its success. Recorded with J. Robbins (known for his work with bands like Jawbox and Burning Airlines), the album manages to capture the raw, physical energy of American Motors while also leaving space for the more nuanced, ambient elements of their sound. The mix is perfectly balanced—nothing feels overproduced, and the rough edges are left intact, giving the album a sense of immediacy and authenticity. Songs like “Windswept Planes” benefit from this approach, with their atmospheric guitar work sitting comfortably alongside the more abrasive elements of the track. The production allows the listener to hear the interplay between the different layers of sound, creating a rich and immersive listening experience. Content is a challenging, ambitious, and ultimately rewarding debut from American Motors. It’s a record that refuses to be pinned down to a single genre or style, instead drawing on a wide range of influences to create something uniquely its own. The album’s physicality, its thematic depth, and its ability to blend harshness with beauty make it a standout release in the post-hardcore and post-rock scenes. For those who crave music that doesn’t just entertain but makes you confront the realities of the world around you, Content offers a cathartic, mediative, and always thought-provoking experience. American Motors has carved out their own space in the crowded landscape of post-everything music, and Content exemplifies their vision and skill.
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