The Driver Era is a fresher project from brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch. Fresher because they were a part of R5 before. It’s a very interesting story so let me tell you more…

Everything had started in 2009 with the formation of R5. This first band was made of four siblings – Ross, Rocky, Riker and Rydel – and their friend – Ellington Ratliff. Their genre was pop-rock and their discography looks like this:

1. Loud EP + Louder (2013)
2. Heart Made Up On You EP (2014)
3. Sometime Last Night (2015)
4. New Addictions EP + single Hurts Good (2017)

Everything has changed in 2018 when The Driver Era came alive… Since then Ross and Rocky wrote, produced and launched three records. The title one is their third and this is what today review is about. But at first few more words about the band. I mean you need to know that their musical influences are really large and that’s why it’s the easiest to say that it’s indie music. When it comes to lyrical inspirations… Well, it doesn’t seem so terribly wide… Ok, so their discography looks like this:

1. X (2019)
2. Girlfriend (2021)
3. Summer Mixtape (2022)

Summer Mixtape has been reviewed by me on YouTube already. If you want to watch it, then here it is:

If you want to listen to this album before you start reading my review (highly recommended)… Then here you are:

• How the title and cover are responding to each other and the content of the record?

The title is Summer Mixtape, the cover looks like summer fun somewhere by the water (that’s probably the ocean) and the leading theme of the record is… summer. That’s summer x3! But music is also about having a good fun and there are few love songs.

• What kind of genre is it?

Alternative rock. Also, a little bit of 80s and Hip-Hop/R&B twist. That’s what I hear here.

• What singles are promoting this record?

Keep Moving Forward, Malibu and Fantasy. The first song is a party vibe. It’s about the moments when you want to be in two places at once, it’s about moving forward but also about impossibility of escaping love and the loved one. Malibu is a song that I call as “a music of the soul”. I mean… If you wonder how the soul sounds… This is how it sounds. This is the biggest award an artist can get from me. The the song is about spending time with the loved one in the world (title Malibu) that is accessible only for two of them. Because that’s where their souls can meet. That’s called paradise. It’s really deep, I know. Fantasy is about sexual fantasizing. Also, it’s about empathy and telepathy because his another half knows well what he wants. The woman that is connected to this man can literally feel it. They can literally read their minds. And that’s why he thinks that it’s their destiny to be together. Fulfilling all those fantasies is just a matter of time.

• What other songs can be called as favorites?

Now I must say few words about each song. Blame artists for making too good music!

Turn the music up this is a song about having a good time and the situation when your neighbors can’t understand it. I personally believe that it’s good to party a little but maybe each night… Yeah, it would be definitely too much…

I got you, you got me is about having a good feeling, it’s about believing in future and it’s about friendships. What’s more importation in life than having someone’s back and vice versa? This song is short but it’s absolutely perfect this way. It says everything. Also, I can imagine how the singer is singing it in the car…

Like a King is about living in the moment. That’s when you feel like a king of your life. And when you have the loved one by your side… Well, you simply rule the world then. And you have many romantic moments at the beach… Because that’s where you feel free…

The Money is about making bad choices. When you choose money, you simply end up lonely. And the man is also telling his woman here that she doesn’t have to worry about money because their love is all that matters. That’s quite romantic! Also, musically this is a vibe inspired by some old music.

Bronco is a crazy fast song. I thought at first that The Driver Era created this word but it means a wild horse, mustang… Well, this title is perfect for this song! Because it’s about the moment when the man is wondering why you take it slow. Forever is your future so it doesn’t change anything. You can speed up a little. Also, I honestly love this song. I can hear that Ross had to be smiling while recording it… And this guitar sound is so cool!

Back To You. Another favorite. I guess not only mine. Here we have a little reference to Stranger Things. But… Imagine the tour… The moment when the boy loses his way, gets drunk and realizes that he should get back to his beloved woman instead of listening to empty words of glory. Fame became harmful for him… Musically it’s probably the most rock&roll song here.

Be Happening. I love this song very much again. It’s like the continuation of the previous song. It’s about the moment when he realizes that he wants to be with the one he has been dreaming about for many years but she’s not responding because he broke her heart. He’d been hurting her constantly and he wants to fix everything suggesting the runaway. Will she pick up the phone and agree for it eventually? Well… It’s probably the most chilly track from the album. And hip hop inspiration is so clear to me here. It’s like the romance of hip hop and gentle pop-rock…

Endlessly. Another hip-hop inspired song but sang by the second brother. It’s about ups and down. Girls like some things about boys and other things make them want to leave… But in the end you want to be loved by them endlessly…

• What score does this record deserve to get?

For me it’s 9/10. I would give 10/10 if there was the deluxe version with the extended instrumentally song Back To You. And maybe it could also end with a song like… Yeah, it all came true, I came back to you and now we’re happening… Forevermore…

• What songs from the record can be placed in Top 5?

1. Malibu
2. Fantasy
3. Back To You
4. Be Happening
5. Bronco

I also love Like a King. I had to mention.

Do you have your TOP 5 too? What do you think of this record? Let me know!

Tomorrow post won’t go too far from here because… I will review the new song form Riker Lynch called Remedy. Who’s excited? Me for sure…

Greetings!

AA