Music review: Midland 鈥� 鈥楲et It Roll鈥�
With the start of the school year and the realization that summer is coming to a quiet close, I searched for a quick pick-me-up to bring a smile back to my face.
Midland鈥檚 new album provided the happy vibe that had me forgetting the fading warmth that would soon be replaced with the chill of fall.
For 鈥淟et It Roll,鈥� lead vocalist Mark Wystrach, lead guitarist Jess Carson and bassist Cameron Duddy offer up songs that are just as stylish and smooth as the outfits they sport on the cover of the album.
The sophomore effort from the Texas-based trio playfully captures a retro country feel through 14 pleasurable tracks that cover all the needed ingredients for a classic country song.
Love songs like 鈥淔ast Hearts and Slow Towns,鈥� 鈥淧ut the Hurt on Me鈥� and 鈥淚 Love You, Goodbye鈥� speak to the highs and lows of trying to maintain a good relationship, while 鈥淐heatin鈥� Songs鈥� stirs up the bitter embers of unfaithfulness with an Eagles鈥� 鈥淟yin鈥� Eyes鈥� tone as Wystrach sings, 鈥淪he鈥檚 lyin鈥� with him and she鈥檚 lyin鈥� to me.鈥� There鈥檚 also 鈥淐heatin鈥� by the Rules,鈥� a track that outlines the proper etiquette for sneaking around.
Good times are highlighted on the title track with a laidback and carefree innocence and 鈥淢r. Lonely,鈥� the album鈥檚 lead single, boasts about being Mr. Right at just the right time.
鈥淔ast or slow, they all go good when you鈥檙e buzzed,鈥� 鈥淓very Song鈥檚 a Drinkin鈥� Song鈥� follows the tear-in-your-beer blueprint with references to country legends Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr.
Life in a band is placed in the spotlight on the guitar-driven 鈥�21st Century Honky Tonk American Band.鈥� This rousing number oozes of Southern rock and dishes the details about life on the stage. 鈥淧layboy鈥� is cleverly penned as it follows a similar theme of never letting the party stop with more tales of making a little noise on stage and having too much fun in the process.
鈥淟et It Roll鈥� is the perfect cure for anyone suffering from the summertime blues.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.