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Midway State - Wide Eyed EP Review
Or, “is piano rock the next big thing?”
Long has the piano been misused in rock music. It was usually horribly out of place, jarring the rest of the musical experience, or it would fit in one song but then horribly butcher the next piece. However, Something Corporate and Ben Kweller recently proved that it could be interjected into the current wave of new music, and even John Nolan of Taking Back Sunday is doing a good job taking it into darker territories with his new band Straylight Run.
So, with that in mind, the Midway State have timed their debut right. Forming only a year ago, the young band has worked up a decent following in Ontario, and has already toured to the east and west coasts of Canada and taken a dip into the Great Lakes region of the United States.
The EP starts with the song used to close at their live shows, “Barefoot,” which is unquestionably a pop sing-along complete with a simple pre-chorus of “do do do, do do do do do…” that gets the body moving. The tracks continue this trend, with lead singer Nathan Ferraro’s earnest crooning making up for any lyrical or musical missteps the band makes in its infancy. However, with a little polish, tunes like “Stupid Love Songs” or “Amie” could very easily be radio hits. The melodies are infectious and the vocals seem like a fresh take on materal well-traveled before.
The regular disc ends with the sixth track “Hold On,” a well-placed ballad which overcomes its clichéd nature with Ferraro’s vocals, refusing to let up any of the intensity that fueled the faster songs and making its message all the more poignant.
My disc, however, has a 7th track called “Ruby” added on to it (presumably shortly before the band’s summer tour to the West Coast) which comes out of nowhere and doesn’t fit in the flow of the rest of the album. It’s not a bad song by any means, but it is evident that its addition was an afterthought, and it kind of takes away from the impact of the previous 6 tracks.
The 411 .::. You haven’t heard of the Midway State yet… but you should get onboard now.
Final Score: 7.0
- Jim Vanderhorst
Even though for the main part my listening stays to the metal and hardcore realms of music, anybody close to me knows that im an in the closet emo kid, who loves listening to stuff like saves the day , sundays best and taking back sunday from time to time. Now you know too. hahaha. Ive seen these guys a couple times because they are from my home town, and everytime ive seen them ive found myself tapping my foot to the beat of the incredibly catchy and overall fun to listen to songs. The lyrics are standard emo fare, and the music has a definete saves the day feel to it, add pianos and you have the midway state. When i saw the tracks to this cd available for download on their site, i thought id give it a listen, if anyone in the band reads this, contact me at xshedtearsx@hotmail.com and ill buy a copy off you. The cd contains six songs, all of which are quite catchy and upbeat. Big thing i notice is that the vocals have improved alot from former recordings, such as the accoustic EP and the few Reaping of Will songs. Overall id recommend this CD to anyone who is a fan of the genre, and even if you arent, give it a shot, you might find yourself pleasently surprised.
Track Listing
1.Barefoot
2.Amy
3.Everytime We Die
4.Stupid Love Songs
5.New Girl
6.Hold On
Favourite Track: Stupid Love Songs----best version yet, ahha
- Daniel
http://www.midwaystate.com/images/general/eb-article.jpg - Raymond Bowe
http://www.chironbramberger.com/daenen/midwaystate/images/general/eb-article-2ndprint.jpg - Raymond Bowe
http://www.midwaystate.com/images/general/york-uni-newspaper.jpg - Staff
http://www.newmusiccanada.ca/genres/artist.cfm?mode=longBio&Band_Id=10383 - NMC
Discography
Label Demo- produced by Jon Obercian and Rob Roth
Release date: January 31, 2004.
Stay Calm, It Will Always Be. EP
Released: December, 2003.
Wide Eyed. EP
Released: February 2003
Anyone (acoustic demo)
Released: August 2002
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Not many bands come around these days that mirror The Midway States' attitudinal approach to music. It can certainly be heard within their musical progression. Starting out with a simple acoustic guitar, a pen, a pad and passion has translated into something bigger... something that is expected. These expectations are not vested in every band, but only in the bands where every song heard dazzles you more; amazes you more and brings you to the realization that these are the kids destined to make music. That is where the expectations are pledged; applied unconsciously through the emotions that tingle up your spine upon each listen.
Today, kids starting bands in their youths begin with money sings in their eyes, not the dreams of creating music that will somehow touch someone; not with the dreams of growing in writing and earning respect from the people they look up to. Dream of arenas and mansions should really be dreams of relevant art and identifiable music - these dreams separate true artists whose every breath emits music from the less passionate.
You get this impression from each member of the Midway State. Their goals have never been rooted in commercial viability, but in the viability of music's potency. From the potency of personal therapy to simply loosing yourself in the music, the Midway State's continued goal is to make music that challenges themselves, but appeals to people: the battle between self-interest and relevance.
Their ambition and unyielding passion has been illustrated over the past year with a COAST-TO-COAST CANADIAN TOUR THAT DIPPED DOWN TO THE U.S.A. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THIS WAS ACHIEVED AT THE AGES OF 16 AND 17, WITH ALL INDEPENDENT SUPPORT. SELLING OVER 400 SHIRTS, 1000 DEMO CD’S AND PLAYING NON-STOP ALL SUMMER, THE BAND IS BACK WITH A NEW DEMO TO SHOW WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED FROM MONTHS IN THE VAN, FOODLESS DAYS AND A UNITING BOND BETWEEN THE BAND THAT A FIRST TOUR BRINGS. Take note of the new boundaries they are venturing into, writing a few surprising tracks fans may not be ready for, but expect.
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