Indie-Rocker Nice Vice Lists His Fave Road Trip Tunes

Are you feeling ready for a first dose of Nice Vice? He certainly hopes so, with his upcoming debut EP due out in March. The Toronto-based artist has given us a tasting of what’s to come with the release of his single “Bloom,” along with its accompanying music video, a laid-back, carefree affair that takes you out to the countryside amongst the trees and the mountains.

The EP is a collection of tunes that Nice Vice has written over the last two years, an honest, traditional take on rock n’ roll that just feels really good. They are just a sample of what he is capable of as a musician, with songs that unexpectedly transition from soft to heavy, along with compelling lyrics of new love, lost love, and introspection. For a young man who just picked up a guitar for the first time five years ago, everything has come together very quickly and comfortably for Nice Vice.

With his debut EP soon available, Nice Vice is hard at work writing and recording his debut full-length album which he hopes to release later in 2022. He took a few minutes away from the studio to share with us some of his favourite songs that are ideal for a good old-fashioned road trip. You can think of it as a Nice Vice roadtrippin’ playlist.

1. Steppenwolf – “Magic Carpet Ride”

“This song is my go-to road trip track when I hop in the car. The way the track hits you out of nowhere after the intro always gets me in the mood to drive! Just an overall happy tune.”

2. Anderson .Paak – “TINTS (feat. Kendrick Lamar)”

“‘TINTS’ is one of those driving tracks that I like to whip out at night. Driving downtown under the city lights, this track feels right.”

3. Sturgill Simpson – “Call To Arms”

“I could listen to any Sturgill when I’m in the car, but this track does it for me. The tempo and the grittiness of it, great for the highway.”

4. Jay-Z – “Interlude”

“‘Interlude’ is one of those tracks you could also throw on to start your road trip, never failing to get everyone in the car hyper for the trip. It’s the keys for me!”

5. Foo Fighters – “Learn To Fly”

“A classic Foos song that makes you want to spread your wings and get going. Maybe works better for a plane ride, but I’d throw it on in the car as well!”

6. Maggie Rogers – “New Song”

“This song by the great Maggie Rogers is one for the middle of the long drive. Something beautiful and acoustic to pass some time. When the rest of the band kicks in it takes you somewhere special.”

7. Led Zeppelin – “Over the Hills and Far Away”

“An absolute classic for the car. I listened to this song while driving through the mountains in B.C. and there’s really nothing quite like it, I would strongly recommend.”

8. Canned Heat – “Going Up the Country”

“In just about every movie that has a road trip scene in it. This song still works no matter how many times you play it.”

9. Pearl Jam – “Yellow Ledbetter”

“Beautiful riff and a smooth melody, this is a great song to listen to when you’re staring out the window daydreaming.”

10. Lenny Kravitz – “Are You Gonna Go My Way”

“Legendary song. Love blasting this track on a road trip at any given time. I’m pretty sure everyone knows it, and if you don’t. You’ll love it.”

11. Nice Vice – “Bloom”

“‘Bloom’ has always felt like a road trip track to me. I think the song having three different phases and levels really helped inspire the visuals for it, which ended up being an actual road trip in an old RV! This song can take you through three whole parts of a trip, so play it a lot and play it loud!”

Artwork for the album ‘Bloom’ by Nice Vice