Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’ll delve into the band American Motors. The name recalls the automobile manufacturer known for the Rambler American, Ambassador, Hornet, Gremlin, Pacer, AMX, and Javelin, among other models in the US from 1954 to 1988. Quite a fascinating story with memorable cars. If you’ve seen those models, you don’t forget them. Kudos to the band on choosing its name, as their vibes are nostalgic, as are their visuals.
A bio from the excellent Columbus, Ohio freelance writer Kevin J. Elliott, as part of a larger piece, describes the duo as such: “American Motors was established in 2023 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; not only to clear the drains, but to add that extra ‘post,’ to cleanse the lives of those spent chasing the punk, post-punk, and heck, shoegazing dreams of a generation dosed by the DIY ideals of indie rock. Guitarist and vocalist Dustin White and drummer Alex Steward, both have traveled Lewis and Clark paths towards a musical salvation that put them within the magma. Their CV’s too voluminous to get into now, but rest assured, they’re coast-to-coast post-rock journeymen who have spent just as much time rewiring the gear as they have screen-printing the ‘zines, putting on house shows, and intently studying the lineage of those who came before. So, in turn, the touring and stageplay around the cycle for Content was natural. Now with Functional Music, a record made with even more intention, with grander ideals and sonic vision”
In addition to White and Steward, touring member Andrew Krause provides bass guitar on the band’s newest album, Functional Music, out via Expert Work Records on Friday, November 6th for your listening pleasure. J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines) produced Functional Music at Magpie Cage. This Baltimore-based studio has helped put out albums from Brainiac, Girls Against Boys, and Shudder to Think, among others. The vinyl release is a rare three-way co-release between The Ghost Is Clear Records, Expert Work Records, and Vina Records, limited to a total of 500, split among two different colors for a total of 250 of each. Get the burgundy or black version while you can at the link above or on their Bandcamp page linked at the bottom of this review.
And now for some hype for both your ears and eyes via the American Motors band’s YouTube channel:
The trendsetting, rollicking opener, “Obvious”:
(All credits and rights to American Motors)
The awesome retro-looking office, paired with vibes that could be anywhere from the late 70s to throughout the 80s. This is the video for the song “No Horses”:
(All credits and rights to American Motors)
The old chairs, toys, and stuffed animals within the video for the song “Marlboro Miles”:
(All credits and rights to American Motors)
You got to listen to two songs to get a taste of American Motors’ sound. If you’re a fan of Protomartyr, Stunt Drummer, Parts & Labor, Shellac, Fugazi, Swervedriver, Slowdive, and/or Killing Joke, to name a handful of what I would call similar-sounding bands, you should love this band, American Motors, and this album. Within the Functional Music album, there’s a lot for the listener to like. Some will love it from the opening thumping drum beats of the first song, “Obvious”; some will become a fan upon hearing Dustin White’s first vocals. Others will like it for the dissonance employed in a few melodies or the consistent thumping of the drums throughout the album, in the best way. The bass and other guitar notes are perfectly tuned and deployed to keep the rhythm and melodies in their finest form. The band’s sound is not too much like noise for noise’s sake at times, or doom and gloom metal aka Melvins come to mind, but rather the guys at American Motors are wise in their songcraft and musicianship, driving the songs forward and just right pairing strong, clear vocals and thoughtful lyrics to deploy their messaging for all listeners. If this album doesn’t captivate you from the first listen, it’ll hook you by the second or third.
There’s no filler on the album; plenty of songs will compete to be your favorite(s). Even the songs I liked less were very solid, and other listeners may find them to be their favorites on the album. Music is lovely that way, subjectively. Listening to this album will leave you wanting more. And that’s how music should be, right? To take you on a good journey, an adventure, but eventually the bus or subway train stops. Hopefully at the right spot, not two or three exits down the line. Functional Music does the former for me and will for you as well.
Functional Music gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me relative to all new albums released this year, as is custom with our Scum Drops scale. See more about this simple scale here. Considering the album’s sound, melodies, lyrics, vocals, and songcraft, I think it’s a very good album, a step in the right direction, and the band’s best effort. Relative to all new albums released in 2026, I think it fits well within the 4 Scum Drops range, which is within the 72nd-83rd percentile, which is a damn good place to be. This is only the band’s second album, with Content (2024) coming first. I think Functional Music sees the band finding its sound, with more completeness to the melodies, adding depth and improving their songcraft on this new album. Take a listen to their debut as well and compare for yourself. I recommend adding Functional Music to your collection in the formats of your choosing, but definitely get the vinyl. Well worth the time to listen on a good turntable and speaker setup, and the album cover is incredible.
I’ll always advocate taking the time to listen to every album in its entirety. Listening to Functional Music takes a mere 35 minutes from start to finish, and 70 minutes if you listen twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs free from the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs emboldened below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for Functional Music (song length)
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Obvious (2:54)
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One Chord (3:35)
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No Horses (4:41)
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5408 Big Tyler (5:20)
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Margaritaville Pt 2 (7:04)
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Marlboro Miles (2:28)
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Tragedy (4:08)
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Gold Star (4:48)
Total runtime: 34:58
To listen to more of the band American Motors, check out their Bandcamp and YouTube. For their socials, check out their Beacons.ai page, Instagram, and Substack.
Thank you for reading this and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Like discovering new to you music and/or reading album and EP reviews? Check out more of my reviews here.
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
