Artist: The Highway
Album: Enter To Exit
Recently The Voice Magazine‘s Wanda Waterman caught up with The Highway and discovered what makes them tick as musicians and a band. As truly unique and inspiring artists, The Highway has risen to success in an area where it can be hard for bands to get the exposure they need. Coming from an area called The Region, an industrial area southeast of Chicago, many bands and musicians compete for exposure and gigs. But, after one listen through their latest album, it becomes very obvious why The Highway has succeeded.
They are very much a classic rock-and-roll band, and at times there are subtle influences of blues, country, and jazz that can be heard. They remind me of a mix between Tom Petty, Ray Charles, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison. Perhaps those are some pretty big rock shoes to fill, but The Highway is well on their way. Opening for bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steppenwolf, The Guess Who, and Jefferson Starship, The Highway has had the privilege of working with some of the legends of rock, which may attest to their level of music.
However, the music on the album Enter To Exit is distinct. The songs range from upbeat tempos with dramatic singing, to melancholy harmonies with nostalgic lyrics. The variety of sounds is what I believe thrust The Highway’s album well above many other rock records. As well, within each track lies a sense of anticipation and liveliness because each song morphs into something different from what it began as. Even more impressive is the length of the tracks, with the shortest being just over three minutes and the longest being well over eight. This makes the longer songs feel more like epic ballads, a musical trend that was often seen in older rock-and-roll.
Perhaps my favourite songs on this album is “Now’s The Time”, which feels like the listener is privy to a story being told by the singer, someone reminiscing on wisdom learned throughout a lifetime. The gradual metamorphosis of the sound moves from a subtle country and blues influence into a well-rounded rock-and-roll tune. The incorporation of the instruments that one would not expect in a rock song makes the overall sound stand out to me. With its distinct instrumental accompaniment, the song sounds like it is divided into a several parts, almost like the musicians wished to create a story while following the traditional plot format. The overall emotion slowly builds with the gradual crescendo, and once the climax is reached the music slowly decrescendos, leaving the listener with soft harmonious singing and a gentle rolling rhythm.
My best advice would be to check out the album for yourself and discover which tune you like best, as each one is so incredibly different. Enter To Exit is set to be released April 14th this year.
Samantha Stevens is an aspiring writer who loves combining her love for literature with photography, painting, music, and all creative pursuits.
