Middle Kids - Today We’re the Greatest

Alternative – Released March 19, 2021 – 12 songs, 41 mins

LUNDI’s album drop:

Alright boys I’m playing it pretty safe this week but it is an album from a band I believe neither of you have listened to. I really loved their previous album and have been digging their lead single off this one. Album this week is Today We’re the Greatest by Middle Kids.

REID

Lundi is correct, Middle Kids are a new band for me. Another Australian group! Let’s see what they’re all about.

Bad Neighbours is a solid opener. Right off the bat it’s obvious that Hannah Joy, the singer, has an amazing voice. The first time I heard it, I got a hint of Florence Welch at the higher parts in the chorus. The comparisons ended there though, they’re very different singers. Cellophane (Brain) and R U 4 Me? are both good songs despite being very different. Questions is next and was in a small group in contention as my favourite track. It gave me some Of Monsters and Men vibes with the horns. The next six songs offer highs and lows and I’ll leave it at that to avoid redundancy (shout out to Golden Star). Stacking Chairs has ‘single’ written all over it and Today We’re the Greatest is a great album closer and my favourite (whoa Hannah!)

I enjoyed my first listening experience with Middle Kids. The album flowed well with a good mix of fast and slow tracks. Not sure what their other albums have to offer but Today We’re the Greatest is quite diverse and is an interesting listen. 

Overall Rating – 7.4/10

Favourite Song – Today We’re the Greatest

ROZ

Ah, another Aussie band. Bloody fuckin oath, I swear it feels like all of the musicians today are coming from that place. Is it something in the water? Is it the fear of giant spiders and killer insects that keeps everyone indoors and in their music studios to make music? That's my theory anyway. Either way, here is my review for Today We're The Greatest.

The album starts off with Bad Neighbors, which gave me a good idea of where this album was going to go - girl with a nice voice, some real nice acoustic picking, and overall a pretty laid back indie sound. This is a sound I dig a lot, and it's especially great for easy listening during a heavy work week. There were three big standout tracks for me on this album: Cellophane, R U 4 Me, and I Don't Care. 

Cellophane had a fantastic hook and I really liked how it was put together, the background synth/drone especially. I'm a real sucker for synthesizers and mixing digital sounds with natural ones, so this skyrocketed it to the top of my list. R U 4 Me sucked me in by being a genuinely catchy song; I was really digging the acoustic guitar getting laid down as well. Finally, I Don't Care had me bobbing my head nonstop, super catchy as well. "I don't fucking care I gotta do what I want to!" - boy I wish, thanks COVID. Asshole.

Other than that, there were a few interesting moments but a lot of generic indie ones too. I liked the trumpet elements in Questions, I liked the banjo elements in Lost in LA, and I enjoyed the overall vibe in Golden Star. I respect the fact that they show diversity in their instrumentation which they incorporate into a lot of their songs - it shows that they're a talented band. A few tracks fell flat for me however, especially the closer Today We're The Greatest, which I expected more from. 

This album sort of falls into the same category as last week's Peach Pit You and Your Friends, albeit not as good. While I did genuinely enjoy a majority of the tracks on this album, I wouldn't go out of my way to see them at a festival and it didn't break any new ground musically; It will be getting scored with these factors in mind.

Overall Rating – 7.2/10

Favourite Song – Cellophane (Brain) 

LUNDI

Australia keeps doing it man. Middle Kids are no Tame but they are another example of the folks down under pumping out quality indie rock music over and over. Thanks to the Aussies for not succumbing to the life of pop stars and rap mumbling. 

On Today We’re The Greatest, Middle Kids put forward a strong sophomore album. Hannah Joy leads the three piece as she writes all music and records lead vocals while still finding time to play lead guitar and piano. Her creativity shines through and something about her voice adds something special that makes this album an excellent listen. 

The album itself is more on the slower side of things which disappointed me after hearing upbeat standout track R U 4 Me on Sirius but the majority of the songs have grown on me over multiple listens. Bad Neighbors and Run With You are additional quality tracks while the song Golden Star falls very flat for me and I can’t help but find the chorus to I Don’t Care a bit lazy as it has a lot of potential. 

Overall Middle Kids aren’t reinventing the game here but they will be a band to watch for me after two strong albums. Today We’re The Greatest should help put them on the map and hopefully we see them creeping onto some North American festival lineups in the near future. 

Overall Rating – 7.5/10 

Favourite Song – R U 4 Me?