Steve Benoit unveils his 10-song release, Whatever Happened to the Drive-Ins?
Steve Benoit‘s relationship with music is a nostalgic one. He longs for the days before streaming when you could run down the record store and have no idea what a band sounded like when albums were played front-to-back, when artists strived for a cohesive theme and tracklist.
His new album, Whatever Happened to the Drive-ins, is meant to be played in its entirety. It’s a sentimental Americana, roots rock look at Steve’s childhood, his relationship with his father, old cars, small-town dreams, and drive-in movie theatres.
Steve’s “’64 Plymouth” sets the vibe with a soft rock song about cruising around town with his father and taking in the environment. We learn more about this Plymouth and its revival at the end of the album during “Roll on ’64”
“Used Cars” is an alt-country ode that touches on alcoholism, parenthood, and a child’s perspective.
The album’s title track kind of feels like Don McLean’s “American Pie,” as Steve chronicles the time of drive-in movie theatres, a point in history he looks on fondly, as a light minor-arpeggio rock chews the scenery.
“I believe the time is right for people to embrace this record,” he says. “Listening to an album in it’s entirety is a lost art, however with the resurgence in vinyl, a new generation is emerging. People want to hear honest music and the shift towards independent artists has already begun with the internet.”