Just about a decade ago,Midland, then a newly formed country band, landed in Nashville.
We all remember vividly just how different we felt walking off the plane, Wystrach tellsRolling Stone.
People would ask, Whered you get those clothes?
Cameron Duddy, Mark Wystrach, and Jess Carson were playing honky-tonk country nearly a decade before it entered the mainstream.Harper Smith*
Im like, In my dirty laundry basket.'
That initial feeling of being an outsider in Music City plays at the heart of Midlands sound and look.
Some dismissed the band as good-looking guys engaging in cowboy cosplay, while others questioned thegroups authenticity.
We came to Nashville fully formed, Carson says.
But with Cobbs fingerprints on the project, theres added emotional depth and some risk-taking.
The record has some distinctUrban Cowboyvibes.
Working with Dave Cobb was a completely transformative experience.
Its like a live recording, Carson says.
Its just very human.
Every single thing about recording that album was kind of night and day from the Nashville process.
According to Duddy, Cobb puts a premium on getting you into a creative head space.
The location is going to create an atmosphere and its own kind of character.
And that certainly applied to the way this album turned out.
Barely Blueevokes images and sentiments of wonderment and playfulness associated with Midland.
Theres also a relaxation mode activated, where the listener is purposely slowed down.
Its that notion of Tybee Time, a saying on the beach bum island just outside Savannah.
Grab a seat and a cold drink.
No need to be in a hurry.
Each was on their own path of creative fulfillment.
The first night I met Cameron, he was at my house for a late-night party, Wystrach grins.
And I was wearing a 1940s football helmet, Duddy chimes in.
Yep, Wystrach nods.
And my initial thought was, I should be in a band with that guy.
When other band projects fell apart, what remained were Wystrach, Carson, and Duddy.
Theres just such a large swath of influence you could pull from in country music, Wystrach says.
Theres elements of rock & roll, the blues, gospel, bluegrass and folk.
And country is really soulful when its done well it really tugs at the heart.
In country, youve got to tell a story in three minutes, Carson adds.
Itll always be a challenge to have a go at do that, and do it better.
Thats what I love.
But it wasnt until early 2014 where the foundation of Midland solidified.
Wystrach and Carson headed to the Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas, to record a demo.
With his video camera in hand, Duddy was simply going to document the sessions.
Thats why I brought a camera instead of a bass.
But the energy was palpable and very experiential.
We knew we had something, Wystrach says.
Then, we all flew home and listened to the songs.
And there was this moment of, OK, were going to do this.
Everybody had things going on, but we dropped our lives to do this.
With the Sonic Ranch recording in hand, it was onward to Nashville.
And Midland were instrumental to that pivot.
Wystrach pauses when asked about what it means to be considered pioneers in the latest neo-traditional comeback.
Country is more traditional than it has been in quite a while.
