The Midnight Revival – Self-Titled
There are 11 late-night melodies with a tint of dive bar that stand up remarkably well throughout the album. The majority are punchier than the average fare being released today. As far as reminders my mind wanders off into varied musical structures. But the Midnight Revival has a buoyant similar style to the early Marshall Tucker Band – especially the era of their “Take The Highway,” & “Can’t You See.”
“Feel So Good,” could almost be considered a summer song – one to turn up the speakers driving down Main with tops down (use your imagination – both would apply). Italian ice all flavors, cold Dr. Peppers, Bazooka bubble gum, a double-feature horror flick up in the balcony & the Midnight Revival self-titled debut LP. The tunes (drops May 31/Independent) were produced by Nashville-based Chris Bragg (electric & resonator guitar/bgv) & Adam Sizemore (vocals/acoustic guitar).
This new band has the necessary melodic hoodoo & drama, not too much but just enough to tweak the ears of rock & country fans. “New Orleans,” & “Hurts Every Time” are beauties. Sometimes being original & creative isn’t necessary. What is required is character & personality. This band has lots of it. They apply it generously to their nostalgically scented material & the band takes what has existed before & injects lots of bristling ideas into it.
They show how something vintage can be reinvigorated with a little ingenuity. This isn’t country music with twang – it isn’t necessarily outlaw either. It’s just ass-kicking music that doesn’t have to rev its engines to display its power.
The songs (“Runaway” & “Roll The Dice”) are sung with passion & authority. Both are exuberant with degrees of energy that once chilled the bones like Blackfoot with Ricky Medlocke (“Railroad Man”). This band continues a tradition of countrified rock (now known as alt-country). It’s where their instincts shape the work into something that can convey accurately the reawakened Southern-style funk that fortifies this kind of rock n’ roll. It’s quite impressive.
The musicianship by these veteran players is tailored well throughout & they don’t always keep everything high octane. It’s well-balanced. The performances even dip a generous finger into a more soulful pot with “Third Degree.” “Pass another cold Pabst Blue Ribbon over here while I find a jukebox with The Midnight Revival. What? They’re playing live tonight? In some parts of America, life does get better.”
Highlights – “Feel So Good,” “Say Goodbye,” “New Orleans,” “Runaway,” “Hurts Every Time,” “Third Degree” & “Roll The Dice.”
Musicians – Michael Sharp (keyboards/bgv), Bryan Keeling (drums), Zach Kasik (bass), Eric Bickerstaffe (banjo/electric guitar), Hannah Jason & Jenna Jason (bgv).
B&W photo courtesy of Milestone Publicity. CD @ https://themidnightrevivalband.com/
Song premiere: https://americanahighways.org/2023/11/03/song-premiere-the-midnight-revival-feels-so-good/
