Midland will release their debut album, On The Rocks, this Friday and lead singer Mark Wystrach says this album represents their truth.  “These songs and this album is our blood, sweat and tears.  It’s our hopes and our dreams.”

While every song is not precisely autobiographical, Mark says, “Musically they’re a kind of a diverse snapshot of where we are at, at this time and moment as this band.”

For people wondering what else to expect from the album that features “Drinkin’ Problem” and “Make A Little,” Mark says, “It’s going to take you back.  It’s gonna make you feel like you’re maybe going back in time, but it’s gonna sound new at once. And you’re gonna see and experience different shadings and different colors of Midland.  You’re gonna hear some classic pleading songs that maybe sound like they were on a George Strait record in the late 80s. And you’re gonna hear songs like ‘Make A Little’ that are gonna be tempo and definitely hark back to kind of 90s George Strait, Garth Brooks balls to the wall, just honky tonk kind of rock n roll stuff.”

As a debut album, Mark says it offers some insight about what’s to come from Midland in the future.  “I think it’s going to be a nice snapshot of where we will probably be exploring and going forward in the upcoming albums after that.”

Of course, Midland hopes people love what On The Rocks has to offer, but he says, “It’s just us expressing ourselves. If people dig it, that’s awesome man. Nothing is guaranteed. That wouldn’t have stopped us from going and making this music regardless.  It’s us doing what we feel like we kind of need to do and luckily people are responded to it.”

Midland – picture painting with album  :25

Mark Wystrach – “The truth for us.  These songs and this album is our blood, sweat and tears.  It’s our hopes and our dreams. You write a song and it’s not completely autobiographical but every lyric, every word is something that you relate to. You’ve been that person, maybe you don’t want to be that person, maybe you aspire to be that person. Musically there’s a kind of a diverse snapshot of where we are at, at this time and moment as this band.”

Midland – album culmination of influences  :43

Mark Wystrach – “I think that we just got together and this music, everything about it man – whether it be the artwork, the styling of it, the song writing, the way that it’s recorded, the way that it’s performed live – it’s a collective culmination of all of our influences and our passions.  And these songs are coming from our shared experiences from our heartbreak, from our blues, from our joys, our triumphs, from our greatest wanton desires etc.  That’s what it is, man. These songs mean something very special to us. It’s just us expressing ourselves. If people dig it, that’s awesome man. Nothing is guaranteed. That wouldn’t have stopped us from going and making this music regardless.  It’s us doing what we feel like we kind of need to do and luckily people are responded to it.”

Midland – why On The Rocks  :20

Jess Carson – “There is a lyric ‘on the rocks.’

Mark Wystrach – “In ‘Drinkin’ Problem,’ ‘it’s cause I’m livin’ on the rocks.’  It’s kind of tongue in cheek, but it’s also, you know, livin’ on the rocks is also, you know living on the rocks means you’re kind of on the edge. And this band has been a gamble, man.  We’ve gone all in and nothing was guaranteed. Of course there’s the booze reference but it’s about going for it. You’re in kind of unchartered territory.”

Midland – album transports you  :23

Cameron Duddy – “There was definitely an acknowledgement amongst the three of us, maybe if it wasn’t spoken but just understood, that we wanted to make music that transported you to a place, and giving you a feeling of happiness at times, or perhaps there are songs in there that allow you to go inside and be blue, cause it’s healthy to feel that range of emotions.”

Midland – describe new album  :54

Mark Wystrach – “It’s going to take you back.  It’s gonna make you feel like you’re maybe going back in time, but it’s gonna sound new at once.  And you’re gonna see and experience different shadings and different colors of Midland.  You’re gonna hear some classic pleading songs that, you know maybe sound like they were on a George Strait record in the late 80s. And you’re gonna hear songs like ‘Make A Little’ that are gonna be tempo and definitely hark back to kind of 90s George Strait, Garth Brooks balls to the wall, just honky tonk kind of rock n roll stuff. And I think the ultimate goal as our debut album is just to have a little bit of an insight into what all of our influences are. I mean they’re not all going to be in there but there’s going to be a bunch of them and it’s going to show kind of what we’re capable of. I think it’s going to be a nice snapshot of where we will probably be exploring and going forward in the upcoming albums after that.”