Midland 'Barely Blue' With New Album And Video

09-21-2024

(MPG) Midland releases their new Dave Cobb-produced album Barely Blue via Big Machine Records and shares the official video for the album's title track. A heartbreak anthem that harkens back to the '70s sounds of Laurel Canyon, "Barely Blue" kicks off the new LP with a dose of melancholia injected with an undercurrent of hopefulness.

"'Barely Blue' is the title track of our new album which really colors the foundation and emotion of this rollicking, melancholic collection of songs with a backbeat and memorable choruses. The song itself is almost like a '70s country disco dance track meant to be played loud in the club or at the party," explains Mark Wystrach.

About the new album, Jess Carson adds: "Barely Blue is a destination album. We went East, past Nashville this time to an idyllic island outside of Savannah, Georgia that inspired Johnny Mercer to write 'Moon River.' We took a collection of songs we had written over the course of a few years and recorded them live in the studio with Dave Cobb. There was a spirit there that comes through on the album, recording late into the night, taking breaks to sit by a fire around the intercoastal waterway. It is the 'storybook South' as Dave calls it, with Spanish moss hanging from Live Oak trees. There's a timeless feeling there that I like to think these songs share. It is our most human album yet, we didn't go for a slick perfection. Instead, what you get is a musical journey of the heart."

Produced by the 9x GRAMMY-winner, the eight-song collection finds lead singer/guitarist Mark Wystrach, bassist/vocalist Cameron Duddy and guitarist/vocalist Jess Carson leaning into the trio's signature celestial harmonies and exploring the tides of loneliness and the stoicism of holding one's own while imbuing an unparalleled sense of vulnerability that breaks down the facade of masculinity and honors the spirit of loving, losing and moving on.

Earlier this year, Midland collaborated with Orville Peck on "The Hurtin' Kind," which appeared on Peck's new duets album Stampede Vol. 1. They also released a cover of "Mary Jane's Last Dance" for the star-studded Petty Country album.

Last week, Midland made their first national television performance in support of Barely Blue with a performance of "Lone Star State of Mind" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The band kicked off album release week with a career-spanning profile in Esquire, followed by a performance at the Grand Ole Opry where they celebrated the RIAA 5x PLATINUM certification of their hit "Drinkin' Problem." The trio also previewed the album for a select group of fans at a release event in partnership with Holler in East Nashville, where rising star Kaitlin Butts joined the band for a performance of "Vegas." Last night, the band began their crosscountry Get Lucky Tour and will continue with an album release show tonight in Chicago before making a stop at Red Rocks on Oct. 12 and playing two shows at the ACL Live in their hometown of Austin, TX on Dec. 19 and 20.

Tour Dates:
9/20 - Chicago, IL - The Riviera Theatre $
9/21 - Council Bluffs, IA - Harrah's Stir Cove $
9/26 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
9/27 - Anderson, SC - Wendell's Outdoor ^
9/28 - St. Augustine, FL - The St. Augustine Amphitheatre ^
10/3 - Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company *
10/4 - Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy *
10/5 - Cherokee, NC - Cherokee Tribal Fair *
10/9 - El Paso, TX - Speaking Rock Entertainment Center
10/11 - Grand Junction, CO - Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park ^
10/12 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre #^
10/19 - Brownwood, TX - Feels Like Home Festival
10/24 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Union Event Center !
10/25 - Garden City, IA - Revolution Concert House !
10/26 - Kennewick, WA - Toyota Center !
11/2 - San Antonio, TX - Boeing Center at Tech Port !
11/29 - Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall !
11/30 - Dallas, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory !
12/6 - Las Vegas, NV - The Theater at Virgin Hotels @
12/7 - Albuquerque, NM - Rio Rancho Events Center @
12/19 - Austin, TX - ACL Live Moody Theater !
12/20 - Austin, TX - ACL Live Moody Theater !