Songs that mention cars are nothing new, but songs that go deeper than that in their lyrics are rarer. Joining the likes of Jamiroquai’s ‘Black Devil Car’, and The Beach Boys’ ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ though, is British indie rock outfit Sports Team, which has just released a banger inspired by one of the great everyman heroes of the automotive world: the Subaru Impreza WRX.
Okay, ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’ isn’t just about the Impreza. As its title suggests, it’s a love song at its heart, but it’s one that’s anchored in nostalgia around playing Colin McRae Rally, and the resulting desire for Subaru’s rally icon.
A newsletter sent to fans alongside the song’s release last week explained: “When I was 12 I would spend long, happy days playing Colin McRae Rally at the family computer… I had these wire Specsavers glasses that made me look like Anne Robinson, a library copy of The World According to Clarkson and when I managed to drift a corner (hard in manual keyboard era), I really felt like I was making progress. A Subaru Impreza WRX wasn’t just a car. It was a cheat-code into a bright new future of boot-cut jeans and possibility.”
The lyrics talk about the car’s “immaculate leather and chrome,” and how it makes the driver feel like an “unrivalled king of the road.” The verses culminate with lead singer Alex Rice proclaiming in his post-punkish drawl: “I dream of you / And I only dream of you in a red Subaru,” before the chorus kicks in with some slick backing vocals repeating the manufacturer’s name.
Screenshot from the ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’ music video
Accompanying the song is a studio-set video that features – you guessed it – a red Subaru Impreza. Specifically, it’s an early ‘Blobeye’ GD WRX which, based on its roof scoop, looks to be a hardcore Spec C version – or is at least dressed up as one.
It’s the first single from the band’s third album, Boys These Days, the cover of which also features an abstract painting of a red GC8 Impreza by guitarist Rob Knaggs. We’d be interested in the song for its subject matter alone, but it helps that this is an absolute tune, with a catchy hook and some deliciously ’80s backing sax. We don’t do music reviews at CT, but if we did, this would be our instant song of the summer.
