 | Tracklist:
1. Alive
2. Atlantic
3. Fire!
4. All Anew
5. Paris Or India
6. Lightning
7. Hartley Salter’s Kite
8. Heart Of Glass
9. Litebrite
10. St. Paul And The Wolf
Release Date: 07/19/2011 | |
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| Summary: Never relying on anything except its own gorgeous self. |
In a world where you no longer have to even know the location of a record store in order to hear new music, it almost doesn't matter how good you are; upcoming artists have - in their wildest dreams - something approaching thirty seconds to make their mark. That's a pretty scary thought, and one which causes all manner of fuck-ups to adorn first tracks. Yeah, everyone feels like they have to do something ridiculous in order to stand out; if you're not the world's next Radiohead, why bother, right? Which is why it's refreshing once in every while to hear a band like The Midway State, who are pretty special without even trying to be.
Melodies and rhythms all over the damn place! I sometimes think we forgot about those things somewhere down the line; let's face it, if standing out in such a crowded field is difficult, finding those stand-outs has to take its toll to an extent. But the Canadian outfit's second record Paris or India is nothing if not a refuge. It doesn't hide its poppy aesthetic or posture. Its driving synths and reverb-drowning guitars are knowingly anthemic. It's not afraid to go where you've anticipated it might, and it's always beautiful when you get there. It's usually epic, too.
Part of the reason The Midway State are able to fall back into these staples is the simple fact that they've nailed a sonic texture so smooth and gorgeous that it's impossible for them not to sound fresh, which is no mean feat. While everyone has their tolerance limits for production values, Paris or India finds the pristine middle ground between energetic and ethereal that much pop music tries cheaply to exploit, but few artists would capitalise on locating such a groove in the way that The Midway State do, melding toe-tapping beats to the most uplifting of choruses at every juncture.
Paris or India is a record which never really attempts profundity, but it's light years from a shallow outing, and the depth that it does possess from moment to moment is amplified so beautiful by the way it works as a whole, never relenting, never relying on anything except its own vibrant and catchy heart to propel it. I would say that ninety-nine percent of people will know after the first four discernible notes of opener 'Alive' whether Paris or India is for them, and the great thing about records as bold as this one is that the impression they leave tends to be lasting.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 3.5
but adam u cant post 2 in 1 day shut up
first track
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwgjBiMwSng
best song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XarEzCV9mA
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pcoming artists have - in their wildest dreams - something approaching thirty seconds to make their mark.
So, so true. If a band hasn't given me the chills by the mid-way point of their third track they can forget having more than five or six spins of their album and a rating higher than 3.5 on this site.
Review was solid. Felt it could have used a bit more work on describing the actual songs themselves though, instead of the feel of the album as a whole. Still, Ily Knott; so pos.
Digging: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Digging: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
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that cover just screams indie album
Digging: fun. - Aim and Ignite Digging: fun. - Aim and Ignite
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Cool stuff, makes me want to sleep.
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the best song is okay
Digging: mewithoutYou - Ten Stories Digging: mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
the songs are all the album though man, there's little to choose between them. awesome melody after awesome melody. i sorta get what you mean 'cause i only mention one specific song right at the end but it's sort of the point.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
coolstory, Slum: i actually only found out that this record existed searching my RSS for album covers i thought would come hiding songs i liked. that cover = the reason this review exists!
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the songs are all the album though man, there's little to choose between them. awesome melody after awesome melody. i sorta get what you mean 'cause i only mention one specific song right at the end but it's sort of the point.
I dunno Knott. I'm just thinking that a single paragraph dealing with two or three songs between the second and third paragraph would make this review near perfect. It wouldn't even take away from the overarching point you were trying to create i.e that the whole flow of the album is awesome. In its present state - I dunno - it just seems lazy.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
dammit irving you're probably right
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Great band / record. Knott- you should also check out their first album "Holes".
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=(?
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that's usually how i pick an album if I'm pining to review something, if the album art catches my eye then I give it a shot. It's shallow but it works. Great review as per usual, man, you have a way with words.
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i skimmed this review like eight times and the only thing that sticks out is:
Radiohead
Is this radiohead?
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no its not dont bother
Digging: -
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
hahaha qwe
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oh man canadian music gettin in
| | | Album Rating: 4
Great.
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