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While Oakland’s Shannon & the Clams have spent nearly a decade cultivating a walloping, thrashing blend of surf-rock and punk, “Corvette,” the lead single from their new record Gone by the Dawn (out 9/11 via Hardly Art Records) captures an elegant, more restrained side of the band. Pulling more upon the smooth grooves of Muscle Shoals and classic soul than the manic energy of punk, “Corvette” slows the band’s tempo to let listeners savor every screech of guitar, every pristine vocal hook. Listen in as frontwoman and bassist Shannon Shaw explains the heartbreak that inspired the song; why she writes music in her car; and the meaning behind “Corvette”‘s haunted-house backup vocals. And be sure to catch the band when they celebrate the release of Gone by the Dawn on Friday, Sept. 11, at the Great American Music Hall.

Additional songs heard in this episode: T. Rex, “Metal Guru”