"“Pushing the most Iranian elements right up against the most American ones brought me a certain kind of joy.” As the United States has escalated its attacks on Iran, there's something pleasingly transgressive about bringing Iranian elements into such overtly Western music-so much so that the songs without Yaghmai's playing seem a little subdued in comparison."
"The Persian instrumentation pops against such a lowkey backdrop. Amir Yaghmai of the Voidz plays the acoustic and electric saz throughout, letting it dance over the straightforward folk chords, and it's a highlight of the album-on “Forgive Is to Know,” it melds beautifully with a violin part played by Paul Cartwright, adding a bold flourish to the meditative mood."
"And on “Back of a Truck,” the saz fits right into the country scenery, trading off licks with the electric guitar after Rostam describes listening to a Bob Dylan cassette while driving down I-94. The concept of “American stories” feels explicit in the music, maybe less so in the lyrics."
"Historically, Rostam solo albums are full of pensive and personal moments-reflections on life while taking long walks, weighing conflicted emotions while lounging in bed-and this one is no exception. There's a lot of sometimes at play: on “Back of a Truck,” sometimes he wakes up happy, and sometimes he's “sad as hell”; on “Different Light,” “sometimes all the words come quick,” but “sometimes it may take a while.”"
Persian saz instrumentation stands out against a low-key musical backdrop, with Amir Yaghmai playing acoustic and electric saz over straightforward folk chords. The saz melds with a violin part by Paul Cartwright, adding a bold flourish to a meditative mood. On “Back of a Truck,” the saz fits into country scenery, trading licks with electric guitar after Rostam describes listening to a Bob Dylan cassette while driving down I-94. Rostam frames the cultural blend as the theme of American Stories, emphasizing joy in pushing Iranian elements against American ones. The music carries explicit “American stories” energy, while lyrics remain more subtle, balancing pensive personal reflections with questions about death, forgiveness, and artistic inspiration.
#persian-instrumentation #cultural-fusion #folk-and-country-music #american-stories-theme #saz-and-violin
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