It was 18 months ago or so that Sarah last played in the UK, she eschewed most of her previous material and unleashed a barrage of rocking new tunes. It has perhaps taken a little longer to get them fruition than was outlined at the time but the first instalment has arrived with "Red Mustang". This single immediately ticks a lot of boxes from the cover which has Sarah delicately perched upon the namesake vehicle, through so some "cheeky" vocal pauses and finally capturing Sarah backed by a fully rocking combo.
Blessed with the voice of an angel Sarah can bring tears to a statue but as she showed at Long Road this girl can rock out as well and if superior pop country rock is your thing, than Sarah more than has you covered.
Admittedly the opening sounds are more church organ than rock 'n' roll - this just acts as a palate cleanser from what ever you were previously listening to - preparing the way for Sarah. some percussion and initially an acoustic guitar sound.
"Took our time driving down to Malibu
Couldn't take my eyes off you" she finishes the line with seductive "mmm mmm" recalling the pleasure of the moment.
"We called it love - said it and I wasn't scared
Hanging in the salty air"
The pre chorus sees Sarah shift to a fast paced delivery, firing off the words before leaving what feels like a huge pause before she utters the final word
"Top down - Candy Apple classic
Me in your denim jacket
Leather seats teenage dreams
And all that kind of magic"
The chorus sees the band ramp up, a solid rhythm section is joined be an electric guitar and organ and in a delightful Cheyenne Medders production, there is a delicate keyboard line that plays out across the chorus
"Two of us on the 101
Taste of freedom in the setting sun
In my mind it's still always
You and me in a red mustang
Soundtrack of a Summer love
California when I turn it up
And the image of the song that plays
You and me in a red mustang"
This is the summer bottled and poured into a song, you can all but feel the sun beating down and the breeze blowing
"Faster now, pedal down to the floor
I still see you driving pulling me closer
Doing laps, up and down the highway
Over and over"
The band continue to ramp up their sound with some prominent guitar work capturing the essence of that Long Road set of 2022, showing Sarah at her finest - setting the expectations high for whatever else is to follow if it can match this quality level.