Sometimes you can drive as far as you can muster, but you won’t outrun the pain as long as heartache is riding shotgun. With their latest single, “Astrovan,” Daves Highway takes us on a soul-searching road trip through heartbreak and healing- packed into just over three minutes of harmony-rich, emotional country. Opening with a stunning a cappella trio, the Daves siblings waste no time reminding us why family harmonies hit different. Erika Daves takes the lead with a vocal that’s equal parts grit and grace, while brother Zach and sister Delaney stack in around her like a perfectly built campfire- steady, glowing, and crackling with emotion. The lyrics follow (presumably) Erika tearing across the country in a beat-up Astrovan, trying (and failing) to outrun the ache of lost love. Each “Mississippi” counts time like a broken metronome, and every flat tire or flickering headlight mirrors emotional wear and tear. But for all the heartache, the song never feels heavy-handed. There’s a gentle touch to the whole thing- thanks in part to the Hammond B3, which glows in the background like the porch light of a friend who always leaves a key under the mat for you. “Astrovan” really puts the heart in heartland, laying bare the ache of trying to move on when your heart’s still parked in the past.
