Middle Parents
- A review of the third album from Middle Kids ‘Faith Crisis Pt 1’
There is always a really exciting moment as a music fan when you can see yourself ageing with your favourite artists and hitting similar points in life at a similar age. There’s something about that music that gets even more inside of you. That is how I felt spinning the spectacular third record from Middle Kids ‘Faith Crisis Pt 1’.
Some of the experiences that informed the writing on this album are nearly universal (who hasn’t gotten covid at least once by now?), others a little more specific. Guitarist, singer and primary songwriter Hannah Joy and husband and bass player Tim Fitz are parents now, and that sort of life-altering experience is woven deep into this album.
As someone who is also a new parent, so much of the imagery throughout this record jumped out at me, painting images I feel like I’ve lived as well over the last two years. The opening line of the record ‘my butterfly, I would do anything to see you smile’ captures that addiction to childish joy we see in the faces of our children in such a pure way. Conversely Hannah sings in ‘Bend’ –‘I am one bend away from a break, I am one step away from the precipice of crazy, I am holding all the pieces in place, But maybe you've got to break me to see what I'm made of’. I can’t speak to whether Hannah is talking specifically about the four month sleep regression (and I strongly doubt it) but that’s certainly how I felt.
As someone who also wrote an album while adjusting to parenting life’s new status quo I can sympathise with some of the challenges, but also to its advantages. When time is of the essence, focus is non-negotiable. This is so clear to hear throughout ‘Faith Crisis Pt 1’. There’s that focus and determination on every track. Ideas are succinct and every arrangement, production choice, part and lyric serve each song immaculately. Joy might be the finest and most consistent chorus-smith we have here in Australia (alongside Sam Cromack of Ball Park Music) and true to form Chorus is Queen throughout the record. The ear-worm hooks of ‘Dramamine’, ‘Bootleg Firecracker’ and ‘Philosophy’ are just some examples of the solid gold here and any of them will stick in your head for days on end.
I love a stop you in your tracks album closer and ‘All in My Head’ is definitely that. A slower piano ballad, reminiscent of classic Gang of Youths cut ‘Brothers’, the kids grabbed none other than Youth’s frontman Dave Le’aupepe to help. ‘I’ve been sucking on a Lemon’ he croons, ‘it’s not good. But it’s been a lesson’.
Joy, Mitz and drummer Harry Day have crafted something timeless here on ‘Faith Crisis Pt 1’ but I feel like it’s a record that came at the right time for me. It’s hard to personally not hook onto this album as one that is speaking to me directly at times, telling me what I’m feeling way better than I can to myself. So, I’m not going to fight it. Remember when music was like that all the time? When we thought it was for us? So good to have that feeling back. Thanks Middle Kids.
Today We're The Greatest
$50.00
Recorded and produced in Los Angeles by Lars Stalfors (St. Vincent, Soccer Mummy, Purity Ring), the follow-up to the band’s award-winning 2018 debut, Lost Friends, is their most personal and courageous effort to date.Moving away from lyrics of a more… read more
Lost Friends
$62.00
Australian trio Middle Kids eagerly-awaited and much loved debut album, Lost Friends, which released May 4, 2018. Hannah Joy, Harry Day and Tim Fitz bring back their knack for haunting hooks, lyrical poignancy and irresistible indie rock appeal that critics praised… read more
