Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Midcity - ​Honed

1/19/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Midcity

Honed
self-released; 2015

3.9 out of 5

By J Simpson

What a breath of fresh air, what a shaft of warm sunshine it is, when a band knows how to keep it short and sweet, leaving you curious and hungry for more. It shows a sense of style and a considered delivery. It shows a band knows what they're going for, shooting for, driving at. Which is certainly the case with Honed, one of the most aptly titled EPs I've come across in recent memories.

Midcity are a young band out of the UK, just getting started. There's not a lot of info to be had. just this one lone Bandcamp/Soundcloud document, with its out-of-focus depiction some retro shopping centre. There's no member names - seemingly unimportant, secondary to the sound.

Being cryptic forces the listener to lean in and try and find out more. These guys aren't screaming in your face; they're intimidating, suggesting. They don't need to go for the hard sell, as is evident in the first groovy, throbbing seconds of album opener and title track "Honed".

Fast, funky, fingerpicked guitar meets a drop dead slinky bassline, while a vampiric elegant croon strikes a detached pose above the sheet of sound. You could define Midcity by the sum of their influences - I'd bet dollars for pounds they've listened extensively to The Strokes and Weezer (another reviewer mentioned the Arctic Monkeys and The Editors, but I've never listened to either much), plus perhaps a dosing of Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, Tool/A Perfect Circle, or something equally thick and heavy.

But it doesn't matter. Even coming out of the gate, these guys seem to be owning their sounds, making something distinctive and unique. Which, personally, is my only requirement for great music/art. They're blending the force and fury of distorted rock with the catchiness of power pop, breaking up the pyroclastic flow and making it a bit more relatable. Meanwhile, it's all delivered with a well-ironed, in the singer's perfectly-delivered poise.

There's furious solos galore; memorable bass lines all over the place; perfectly synchronized, syncopated drumming, and great, moving lyrics. It's a little crazy they pack it all into less than 15 minutes. Like I said at the beginning, leaving you hungry for more. As the singer sings on final track "Slugger", "Don't forget me." I won't. I don't think I could. ​
Become A Fan
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band
© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact