Allow yourself to breathe and center yourself through facing your fears with “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY” from artist Carlee Morales. From the first beat, a positive outlook on the future is embedded into the song’s sound. Morales begins “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY” with the background sounds of a camera shutter and rev of a starting engine, not only clearly & intelligently indicating the start of the track but additionally giving context to the song’s setting. “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY” embodies a love letter, both to travel and to the person spoken to in the track. With detailed decisions made, such as the inclusion of a camera shutter sound, the picture of a passion-filled relationship is beautifully painted across an audiological canvas. This relationship is one that seeks physical destinations of beauty, yet does the same – if not more – with emotional destinations as well. All in all, Morales describes a story that can be seen on the surface – through picturing a pair traveling from various place to place – and a story that sinks beneath layers, additionally alluding to highways of life that the pair will have to navigate in their time together.
While it’s at first noticed that the pair described in “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY” is following a physical trip, I found myself more drawn to the emotional journey these two are on. This trip is a gamble for both of them, as detailed in lyrics such as, “Can’t see the ending but we’re feeling great.” These two are focused on the plan ahead, and one another, leaving the future open to interpretation. To not have a “single doubt” nor “an ETA”, this both shows listeners how open this connection is as well as their commitment to adventure is. On top of this, the overall ambience that the sound of “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY” emits perfectly meshes with the picture painted through its lyrics. While this pair is “paving tomorrow in a Chevrolet”, the laid-back, breezy guitar and speedy drums of the track transports you to the backseat of the car. The harder you fall into the track, the deeper you sink into the sand on a beach or in the waves of the ocean. “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY” embodies the feeling of freedom – in multiple different ways, showing how joy and trust cannot be put into a box.
Carlee Morales is a singer-songwriter, drummer, and producer based in California. Over the last few years, Morales has been drawn to the overall music-making process. Whether it be the sound of guitars near a waterfall, cinematic drums, or space-like production, Morales enjoys playing around with music and not placing herself within a certain box. Morales’ vocals match the style & flow of artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams, while her production has ranged from taking inspiration from artists like Lorde to leaning into a more fun-filled, 2000’s-adjacent sound. With Morales additionally being a drummer, music that fits a high energy especially speaks to her. “DRIVE EVERY HIGHWAY”, Morales’ most recent release, embodies the adventurous spirit she puts into her music and, with Morales playing every instrument recorded on the track, shows just how much energy she puts into her work. Morales is dedicated to only completing her work, and doing it well, but doing it the way she wants to.
Written By Madison Spies
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