I wrote about Queensland, Australia’s The Middle East on CO way back in 2008 (although Wikipedia claims I Guess I’m Floating introduced the band in May 2009) when I stumbled on the impressive track “Blood.” There was little in the way of information on the band then, but it seemed they had called it quits. Perhaps the attention their music garnered spurred them to reunite. A re-release of their EP The Recordings Of Middle East followed to rave reviews, and now the collective is armed with their first full-length, entitled I Want That You Are Always Happy. On Happy, the band’s already difficult-to-pinpoint sound makes an unexpected stylistic shift towards a more folk/country-oriented sound. With two principle songwriters, Rohin Jones and Jordan Ireland, exchanging vocal duties throughout, Happy is a varied exploration that still boasts a tangible sense of cohesiveness. The album kicks off with a pair of gorgeously somber, vocally haunting tunes: “Black Death 1349″ and “My Grandmother Was Pearl Hall.” The gloom settles somewhat with the female-vocaled, tongue-in-cheek “Jesus Came To My Birthday Party” and the infinitely catchy mid-tempo drawl of “Land Of The Bloody Unknown,” which a friend of mine described as “Dwight Yoakam goes indie.” Then there’s the slow-burning alt. country vibe of “Very Many,” the epic, slide-guitar dazzler “Deep Water,” and the shuffling folk-rock of “Hunger Song.” Thematically, Happy has decidedly religious connotations, but the material is ambiguous enough to keep listeners of every ilk thoroughly engaged. With I Want That You Are Always Happy, The Middle East have thrown the proverbial curve-ball, shifting their sound dramatically while still maintaining the broad scope of their past material. It’s a dense, rewarding affair set for stateside release July 7th. — Capt. Obvious

Listen:

Hunger Song.mp3

Land Of The Bloody Unknown.mp3