Melbourne’s MID CITY – with their soaring melodies and brilliantly crafted hits of indie rock – have cultivated a strong following in Australia and abroad for a reason.
Their music punches to the heart, driven by Joel Griffith’s impassioned vocals and bolstered by expertly arranged and executed rhythms and riffs, elevating their output with each release. The last few years have seen the four-piece define their sound across two EPs and more recently, a string of strong singles that have been hungrily embraced by their dedicated fan base and industry alike.
It’s all led to this point, with the release of their much anticipated debut album, fittingly titled ‘HAPPY EVER AFTER’. Eleven songs of euphoria, experiences of life lived on the road and against the backdrop of a chaotic run of years, ‘HAPPY EVER AFTER’ arrives as the perfect depiction of MID CITY as a group, heading into their biggest creative phase yet.
Featuring previously released tracks including Change Your Mind, Emily, Compromise and Choc Mint, ‘HAPPY EVER AFTER’ thrives in each rush of chorus; each instrumental swell that wraps itself around Griffiths’ vocal range.
Lead single, Happy Ever After proves to be the perfect jump off point for the album; indeed, as a title track, this single is one of the album’s strongest strides forward for MID CITY, even if it took them literally years to write.
Though recorded in Melbourne at the studio of Greg Rietwyk (Press Club), much of the album material was born out of ideas MID CITY had generated while on the road touring through Europe.
“‘Happy Ever After’ took us, no joke, three years to write. It was a demo that was kicking around in 17 different versions and we just couldn’t crack it. It wasn’t until we completely rethought what a MID CITY song could be that it came together; when it did finally come together it gave us all a feeling that we’ve never quite had before from creating music. It has become the flag bearer for the whole album. In a funny kind of poetic way it sums up so much of what the band has been for us – always struggling and striving and hoping we can break out of our own situations and make something worth all of that. Now just to make it a rallying cry for fans as it has for us in making this album!” – MID CITY
The music itself, built on a foundation of big, emotional energy, does have room for space and nuance. Songs like Lover Again allow room to breathe; an interlude like Idyll gives a well-timed pause before opening up into more vibrant indie rock on Strangers, straight after.
For fans of bands like Press Club, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes or Trophy Eyes, the cathartic punch MID CITY brings on this album makes ‘HAPPY EVER AFTER’ such an addictive listen.
“This thing has been so damn long coming. Obviously there was COVID, but that’s no excuse for semi-functional musicians like us. We had become really concerned that people think we only release singles, because we couldn’t think of enough tunes for an album or something. Not true! We are just very, very picky about what we wanted to create….also we’re broke as all heck. Touring in Europe really informed what we wanted; playing some great festival stages and watching people react – or not – to the things we thought were important in creating the perfect hard hitting banger. What was surprising though, was the quieter side we found on some songs. We always wanted the album to be a little journey, not just a 170 bpm sweat fest, but we didn’t realise how satisfying it would be to create some songs with different tempos and feels. We’re really proud of the balance we found between bangers and more heartfelt quieter moments. Perhaps we’re maturing? I hope not.” – MID CITY
2023 has been a positive one for MID CITY already; prior to the release of ‘HAPPY EVER AFTER’, the band teased their debut album with the release of Compromise, Emily and Change Your Mind, while also readying themselves for a return to live touring.
With international travel and schedules back in play, MID CITY are set to return to Europe and the U.K., where they will perform a string of shows throughout the territories – in headline and festival capacities. With millions of streams already to their name, as well as fervent support from international and Australian media alike, MID CITY’s return to touring – specifically with this full album – couldn’t have landed at a better time.
MID CITY’s growth since first breaking out onto the scene in 2018 has been incredible to watch. Their elevation has been documented across a strong body of work, including their EP’s ‘Die Waiting’ (2019) and ‘Wishing For The Best’ (2020).
To date, MID CITY’s streams exceed 5.5 million on Spotify alone (including a slew of editorial playlist placements like Australian Viral 50 (#35), German Viral 50 (#41), All New Rock, Local Noise (AU), Rock Rotation (GER), New Noise (USA), New Music Friday (AU/NZ), Volume (UK), Fresh Finds (AU/NZ).
Additionally, the band garnered further support from radio in Australia and overseas; the likes of triple j and BBC Radio 1 both getting behind MID CITY’s refreshed and vibrant sound.
As a touring band, MID CITY have sold out multiple shows as headliners, while also impressing on stages supporting the likes of Press Club and Teenage Dads in Australia, as well as festivals including NYE on The Hill, BIGSOUND, Reeperbahn, Haldern Pop, Taubertal, Obstwiesen, The Hills Are Alive and more.
Thanks to Beehive PR