There are few country artists today who are able to expertly walk the line between contemporary appeal and old-school roots. It’s a delicate balance to strike between popularity and parody. Midland is one of those bands, the best at playing that game in 2023, and maybe the only country music act who makes me feel truly nostalgic for the days of Hank Williams and rock n’ roll bands like The Allman Brothers Band. They’re a modern day George Strait who takes their whiskey straight and likes their nights a little bit crooked. And I can’t get enough.
Formed in 2013 at bassist Mark Duddy’s wedding where lead singer Mark Wystrach and guitarist Jess Carson served as groomsmen, the band achieved significant commercial success with their terrific debut album On The Rocks after the lead single “Drinkin’ Problem” was doused across Top 40 radio stations across the country. Their sophomore album Let It Roll doubles down on those downhome country roots, but adds a dash of classic rock to the repertoire that fits like a glove and feels like a natural fit.
Put another way, this is an album of the highest order– a cover to cover journey that is unrelenting in its sonic appeal. Let It Roll may lack a smash single like On The Rocks had with “Drinkin’ Problem” but it’s almost better off for it– there’s no dramatic break in the album that makes you stop to replay a single track. I’ve found that the best albums are the ones that consistently delight your eardrums and you don’t want to stop or pause because you can’t wait to hear where it takes you next. The journey is the reward, and throughout the entirety of its 14 songs, Let It Roll hands out awards like a teacher during a preschool talent show.
There is simply no filler here. From Wystrach’s gruff and drunken enunciation and clever lyrical wordplay, the pitch-perfect vocal harmonies that wrap his lead lines like a warm blanket, Carson’s brilliant guitar playing that sounds so Nashville it almost f***ing hurts, and Duddy’s thumping bass lines that walk like a 6’6 biker into a bar, it’s all there. There are so many brilliant country motifs here that feature lyrical witticism so impressive I’m pissed I didn’t write them (“Mr. Lonely” and “Cheatin’ Songs” being two all-timers on this front) and that fact makes me both happy they did it and frustrated I didn’t all at the same time. That feeling is exactly what I’m looking for in a country record.
This is a must-listen for anyone remotely interested in guitar driven music or has enjoyed a country record in the past 60 years. They are without a doubt the best retro-Nuevo country band operating today and I don’t think it’s even close. A 21st century honky tonk American band indeed.
Standout Songs: “Let It Roll”, “Mr. Lonely”, “Cheatin’ Songs”, “Put The Hurt On Me”, “21st Century Honky Tonk American Band”, “Roll Away”
Matthew. 