The Great American Road Trip was conceived as a thing of barren majesty. Two fantastic-looking guys barreling down a completely empty highway in an enormous convertible, flanked on each side by an endless landscape. The color of the convertible is unknown since our movie is filmed in black and white. The next generation kicked the dudes to the curb, replacing them with Thelma and Louise. The last great American road trip movie was Rain Man, whose casting suggests that the requirement to be “fantastic-looking” only applied to the driver. I’m not sure why these are always same-sex, non-intimate affairs. But a couple on an American road trip always ends up like Bonnie and Clyde, dead on the side of the road because no one can stand to be around them.

The Great European Road Trip differs from its American cousin. In Europe, the vehicles are smaller but more expensive, the roads are windier, and the actors are better-dressed. They are horribly witty, and fun to stand beside at a cocktail party. The participants are in a relationship, which we facilitate either by jamming them hip-to-hip in a tiny sports car, or by balancing them in tandem on a motor scooter, allowing for much clutching, squeezing, and mashing-together of faces. Americans began to look longingly towards the European Road Trip in 1966, when our highways became gridlocked with bloated, sunburned families wearing white t-shirts tucked into plaid shorts, and crammed into station wagons lugging Airstream trailers.

Nah… celebrates road trips of all stripes with their new single, “Road Trip,” a shimmering slice of sweet tweedom. The track kicks off with an infectious bass line, soon joined by jangly guitars and voices that playfully exchange verses to create a song that sounds like today but feels like that special sunny afternoon that you’ve never forgotten.

We featured a previous release by Nah…, “Summer’s Failing,” back in March. The group self-describes as “a DIY project of Amsterdam-based music-blogger Estella Rosa and Munster-based psychotherapist Sebastian Voss. Nah… make janglepop with quotes and references of pop/indie culture with a wink.” I wanted to know more about the band, and Estella was kind enough to answer a few questions via email. I was surprised to learn that she and Sebastian have never met! That probably explains why they haven’t played any live shows.

What “process” (everything is a process these days) do you and Sebastian use when you create your music?

Estella: Usually Seb comes back from his music time moments (he has a responsible, busy job) and has quickly thrown a musical basis together. I listen, bounce my ideas, and we start working out melodies, themes, and lyrics. We then record bits and bops which Seb works out into a mix, adding or subtracting stuff along the way, and sculpting until we are satisfied.

We now have the tools to allow virtually anyone to create, distribute, and promote their music. Is the “Democratization of Music” a good thing?

Estella: I am all for it! I believe music is about individual expression! Not everyone is lucky enough to learn skills or afford expensive gear. Plus this way we have total control over the whole process, including the look of things. It is also really cool to see who buys your stuff!

On “Everything,” the B-side to “Road Trip,” you sing about information overload. Is the mass of music, music platforms, and music blogs out there adding to the problem?

Not particularly music. Just that general sense of suddenly having two personae (virtual and real) and constantly being distracted by it. It’s like this noise in my head sometimes, that I find really hard to switch off. But then again, if it wasn’t for social media, we wouldn’t be doing this.

What do you do when you’re not making music as NAH…?

Estella: I have my kids, several jobs, and I like to wander around Europe to see historical sights. Also read and learn about history and genealogy.

Cat person or dog person?

Estella: Cat for sure! They are so confident and gracious and so totally themselves… Love them!

Anything you would like to say to Reverb Raccoon’s handful of devoted readers?

Estella: Thanks for reading this!!!

Thanks, Estella. That was great!

“Road Trip” b/w “Everything” is available for download or as a CD on Nah’s Bandcamp page. And be sure to follow Nah… on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Bonus Video: The cool official video for “Road Trip.” Enjoy!