antiMusic.com: American Dreamer

American Dreamer - Restless Nights

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American Dreamer's album title, Restless Nights, appears to contradict the band's name. After all, how might someone truly dream during a restless night? That quibble aside, though, this Austin, TX act sure doesn't sound like any Lone Star state group. "When You're Away," for instance, is partially driven by classically-tinged violin, but not the sort of fiddling one might expect to hear from a typical country band.

With that said, though, there are instrumental portions of "Start Stopping" that sound a little like The Who. (Okay, more like The Who-lite). But Who-ish, nonetheless. When describing themselves, American Dreamers mention names like Sufjan Stevens and Yo-Yo Ma. In other words, they're just a tad left of the dial.

At their best, exemplified by "Looking Glass," the group can sound like classic English folk, suggesting Nick Drake. There's also a bit of The Decemberists' preciousness running through these 11 songs.

Alabama once sang of how, if you want to play in Texas you need to have a fiddle in the band. American Dreamer stretches that Southwest-centric definition in the most peculiar and beautiful ways.

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American Dreamer - Restless Nights
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