In March we introduced you to powerhouse rock group Midnight Mob. To recap you on who they are – Midnight Mob is a powerhouse rock group that fearlessly and seamlessly combines punk, metal, blues, and soul. You can read our full bio on Midnight Mob here.
Since we last introduced them, they’ve released their fourth recorded project and third EP Honest Brutal Glorious on March 25th. Honest Brutal Glorious holds true to the Midnight Mob style we’ve come to know and love. All six tracks combine the old sounds of Midnight Mob with brand-new sounds and emotional lyrics – and no two tracks sound the same.
The EP begins with lead single “Swing On.” With powerful guitar riffs and soaring vocals, it’s in your face but you wouldn’t want it anywhere else. It sets the tone for the rest of the EP.
“Ghosts” is a track that continues the EP’s momentum with vocalist Blackey Deathproof’s almost Pat Benatar-like voice telling a story of longing for a way out, and learning you sometimes get burned getting there: “All my life, I’ve been longing for a way out, a way out, perhaps you got to learn, sometimes you gotta burn.”
Honest Brutal Glorious’s sixth and final track is the one song that really sticks out as being different from the rest of the EP. “Stay” is an acoustic anthem that pulls at the heartstrings. “Found someone new, beautiful, so glad you’re doing fine, hate thinking she’s kissing what’s mine.” It’s a song so many people can relate to – and it’s the perfect way to end the emotional and musically rich journey Honest Brutal Glorious has brought you on.
Overall, we give this EP a 10/10 rating, and highly recommend that you go check it out and support Midnight Mob by buying Honest Brutal Glorious on iTunes today. Haven’t had your fill of Midnight Mob yet? Well, keep reading, because we have an exclusive interview with them below.
HC: What was the inspiration behind this EP?
MM: Honest Brutal Glorious is inspired by tragedy and triumph. We were in a really bad spot in 2013. It started with totaling our van, escalated to a co-founding member leaving, then was followed up with not being able to find another drummer for over a year, getting a shot in throat to be able to record and other inconvenient nuisances that continued into most of 2015. After all of this, we kept it together and pulled each other forward even if it was only inch-by-inch until we overcame it. Honest Brutal Glorious is the result of two years inching forward.
HC: How does this EP differ from the rest of your releases?
MM: Each EP was a true snap shot of who we were at the time. We are too ADHD to be anything but. This time around we definitely have come into a stronger sense of who we are individually and as musicians. The situations we went through got us to trust each other and get behind a clear message. I believe that comes through much clearer than previously. We have a much more mature perspective of our own music and what we want to put out there.
HC: What’s your music making process like? Where do you begin?
MM: We’ve tackled it a few ways. Usually, Carly or Squeeze will have a few riffs and arrangements kind of put together and we’ll either jam it out altogether or work it out acoustically. Sometimes a song is just created on the spot out of nowhere. “Swing On” was born in the moment.
HC: What do you feel has been one of your biggest accomplishments in your career so far?
MM: Honestly…this EP. I still can’t believe we have managed to stay together this long after some of the things we went through. We are so beyond amazed that this collection of music came out, never mind that it sounds 100 times better than we imagined.
HC: Do you have a favorite tour memory?
MM: There are so many amazing memories it’s hard to pick one. There have been a few tear-filled memories where fans have come up to us and expressed how our music has helped them. BUT, I feel like our tour in September, as a whole was collectively my favorite memory. We played Booms Day fest in Alabama, Dewey Beach Music Conference, and played some shows in between. Something about this tour felt different. It was so fun and I felt very focused on what our goals were. It was the first tour we did since finishing all the recordings and we even were listening to final mixes on the road. It’s like we finally stepped into that new exciting place where we knew who we are and had this peaceful confidence. Whenever we play the South, I have this warm fuzzy home away from home feeling. The people we played that festival for in ‘Bama are so amazing and we met some great bands that we goofed off all night with, along with a hula-hoop dancer…and the food is awesome. I think I could live in a meat smoker and be happy the rest of my life. Every show we played we had such a blast jamming with other bands afterward and making friends with some incredible people. Same for Dewey Beach, only that one we got to hang with people we hadn’t seen since our original drummer left we got to present the “new Midnight Mob.” It was a real turning point and the whole time I just felt blessed to have the experience with my “family.” I never wanted to come back.
HC: You’ve accomplished a lot throughout the course of your career so far, but what’s one of your ultimate career goals that you have yet to accomplish?
MM: We really want to help people. We’d love to be able to do that on a larger scale and be able to give back in some way. Another goal would be being on a tour with the Foo Fighters or Queens of the Stone Age, that would be pretty rad too.
HC: What’s the most important piece of advice you have for aspiring musicians?
MM: Take a big old slice of humble pie, stay together, and be kind to everyone, especially other musicians. Listen and really think about any criticism you receive. It’s so important to learn from others and be able to put your ego aside. Also, choose a band name that can be found on the Internet easy. If you’re buried 10 pages deep on a Google search because the name you chose is such a common phrase or word then you’re not going to have much traffic or people will get tired of trying to find you.
HC: If you could describe Midnight Mob as a drink, what would it be, and why?
MM: Hmmmmm… off the top of my head, if you mixed a healthy fruit smoothie with coconuts, and mango then put dark chocolate unsweetened chocolate syrup in it with some gingery monster energy drink, cayenne pepper, and ground up pieces of concrete that would be a refreshing Midnight Mob. I guess because we’re this interesting blend of sweet, healthy, good for you, with something dark and drippy mixed with a spicy old school kick in the face, something that will make you jump around like a little kid instigating a heart attack and…the concrete just seems necessary.
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