Highway Terrier – The Beginning
The Beginning feels less like an introduction and more like a crossroads. Four tracks wandering between blues, hard rock, and something caught in the space between nostalgia and reinvention. At first listen, I wasn’t entirely convinced. There is a familiarity that lingers over the EP, one that occasionally threatens to eclipse its own identity. But repeated listens reveal where Highway Terrier begin to separate themselves not through reinvention, but through conviction.
Instrumentally, the record holds its own beside bands drawing from the same well. While vocals throughout the EP are shared by Ben Sherstinsky and Kelly May, with Joshua Levi now fronting the band live, the constant remains the musicianship. There is an unmistakable hunger woven through these songs, not one desperate to be heard, but one quietly determined to leave its mark.
“Walking Weapon” arrives like a lit match meeting dry timber. Born from frustration and transformed into something feral, the song tells the story of surviving devastation only to become stronger because of it. It carries the blues-soaked weight of Led Zeppelin, while its towering riffs and relentless momentum echo the modern grandeur of Greta Van Fleet. It is familiar territory, certainly, but one Highway Terrier navigate with enough confidence to make it feel lived in rather than borrowed. Beneath the volume sits a simple truth: sometimes survival is its own act of rebellion.
Then comes “Ratatouille,” an instrumental that quietly becomes one of the EP’s strongest offerings. Without a single lyric to guide it, the track lets the guitar speak in shifting dialects, equal parts improvisation and intention. Its heavy blues phrasing twists into what Ben aptly describes as “organized chaos,” each phrase seemingly wandering before finding its place. There is a restless quality here, reminiscent of Jack White’s instinct to let imperfection become part of the performance. It is perhaps the record’s most revealing moment, proving Highway Terrier need very little beyond their instruments to command attention.
If there is a song that refuses to take itself too seriously, it is “Covid Blues.” Built from the absurd reality of repeatedly catching COVID, the track leans into its own misfortune with a knowing grin. Blues has always had room for hardship, and here frustration becomes something unexpectedly entertaining. Ben once again assumes nearly every instrumental role, with trumpet adding an unexpected texture that keeps the arrangement from settling into predictability. The result carries the rough edges and garage-born spirit of Jack White, embracing grit over polish without sacrificing musicianship.
The record closes with “Wind Creek,” trading distortion for atmosphere. Nature recordings drift beneath keyboards, strings, flute, and layered instrumentation, creating something more cinematic than blues rock. Kelly May’s understated vocal never demands attention; instead, it draws the listener inward, allowing the quiet ache of the lyrics to settle naturally. The repeated image of waiting beside a river that no longer flows lingers long after the final note fades. It is less a conclusion than a meditation—one that suggests Highway Terrier are at their most compelling when they resist the urge to be loud.
The Beginning wears its influences openly. The ghosts of Led Zeppelin, Greta Van Fleet, and Jack White linger throughout its foundations, sometimes unmistakably so. Yet beneath those familiar silhouettes is a band beginning to understand its own shape. There are moments where Highway Terrier sound less interested in chasing the past and more interested in discovering what remains after the echoes fade.
If this EP is a first chapter, it doesn’t arrive with all the answers. It doesn’t need to. It simply opens the door, leaving enough curiosity in its wake to wonder where Highway Terrier choose to wander next.
We give this EP a solid 7/10 on the Thunder scale!
Click here to stream “The Beginning”
Band bio: “It’s refreshing to see a group deliver such a bigger-than-life sound that not only tips its hat to classic rock but also breathes new fire into today’s music.” -Music Junkie Press. Bringing about the revival of rock with an utmost fiery vitality, Highway Terrier have become a fan-favorite of the Davis, CA scenes. Their energetic and booming performances invigorate crowds, who can be seen singing along to fan-favorites like ‘Covid Blues’ and ‘Walking Weapon.’ Highway Terrier were featured as student openers at the UC Davis Brainfreeze concert, opening for Juno-nominated artist Luna Li. Joshua Levi brings larger-than-life power and conviction as lead vocalist and frontman, his high notes soaring over the skies of California and wild energy radiating through crowds. Johnny Moeller’s unmistakable attack and precision behind the kit provides a muscle like no other, and the in-the-pocket grooves of bassist Sophie Aleksandrovich are the tightest west of the Mississippi. On guitar is Ben Sherstinsky; as founder, bandleader, and writer of most of the band’s music, Ben played all instruments, sang lead vocals, and wrote all music and lyrics for Highway Terrier singles Covid Blues and Walking Weapon. Love Street Magazine describes Ben’s guitar work as “extremely fired up and similar to the styles of Jake Kiszka (Greta Van Fleet, Mirador) and Alex Lifeson (Rush), whom he named as inspirations previously.” Covid Blues, Walking Weapon, and a third single, Wind Creek, are available on all streaming platforms.
Press photo courtesy of Rockin Ryan Stephen Richardson
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