The Beautiful Spirit and Vintage Mood of Midland’s “The Sonic Ranch”
Back before Let It Roll. Before the award nominations. Before “Drinkin’ Problem.” There was a song with a retro music video I discovered on YouTube that set my soul on fire. The title was simple- “Fourteen Gears.” The band? Midland. At the time, the band name conjured images in my suburbia-raised mind of vast plains and wind-swept summer evenings in the hot Texas heat.
Today, Midland is known for their brilliant blend of SoCal Eagles-inspired country rock with Gary Stewart honky-tonk. While their debut album On the Rocks featured an even balance of both sounds, their sophomore effort Let It Roll leaned heavily into the glitz and decadence of Los Angeles, even giving us an updated rendition of “Fourteen Gears.” I was happy with the direction the band was taking. Would I have preferred a bit more twang? Sure. But Let It Roll was awash with debauchery and fun and bright lights. There was just too much going on with the album to even remember what the beginnings of Midland sounded like. Now, as we sit here a little less than two years after the release of Let It Roll, Midland has sent a haymaker of a reminder of its origins with The Sonic Ranch, a collection of songs from the depths of the band’s creation.
The Sonic Ranch takes listeners back to the formation of Midland. The songs are loose, the production a bit jangly and free. And yet, it seems so fitting for the band. These aren’t just unfinished demos; the songs are finished products that simply needed mixed. Speaking to CMT, lead singer Mark Wystrach said about the record, “(it’s) rough by its nature. It’s loose and jangly, but its very soulful.”
“There was laughing, there was crying,” said Wystrach. “You are learning how to collaborate not just with one person, but with two different people and realizing that it was important enough that you had to go through all those steps.”
And all those steps paid off. For long-time fans of the band, hearing some of these rougher songs could be a bit jarring after watching the band lean more heavily into the SoCal sound over the past half-decade. But from the first notes of the original “Fourteen Gears.” the band has the listeners on the edge of their seat ready for what’s coming next. And I suppose that’s a big difference between the newer, slicker Midland and the rougher, unpolished Midland we get with The Sonic Ranch. Whereas their newer material was like a slow ride down Sunset, throwing it back to their creation has the listener ready for what’s next as soon as each song concludes.
Take, for instance, the sequencing of “Cowgirl Blues” into “Worn Out Boots.” “Cowgirl Blues” is a bit of a classic Texas shuffle that gets the foot stomping. With the first notes of “Worn Out Boots,” however, we get an introduction of an almost Willie Nelson-esque tune. The steel gives the listener as much twang as one could hope for in 2021. Just a total change of pace from the previous song. Sequencing an album doesn’t always mean the requirment of smooth transitions. Sometimes the best sequenced albums are those that give the listener a jolt every couple of minutes. And those jolts are what caught my ear after a couple spins of the record.
A striking point of The Sonic Ranch is the ease and comfort level we get from Midland. Keep in mind these are songs written and recorded at the very synthesis of the band. And yet the background vocals and harmonies we hear in songs like “Runnin’ Wild” make us believe these songs could have been recorded yesterday. The spontaneity of “Texas Is The Last Stop” is something we typically only get out of bands that have been together for decades. Let’s be very clear- Midland is a superbly talented band from vocals to instrumentation to production, and The Sonic Ranch features their capabilities on full display.
A standout track for me is “This Town.” The lyrics are classic honky-tonk, and the sound is solid, throwback neotraditional country. Picture early Clint Black or vintage Alan Jackson. It all builds to a crescendo with a cascading, lush chorus that foreshadowed the direction Midland would eventually take. A mature, professionally-done *country* tear-jerker. And please may particular attention to the piano. Just gorgeous.
Midland is able to play several different styles of music and do it well. Their sound is wide-encompassing. Their image is right up my alley. And they’ve proven to be thoughtful, intriguing artists in an era full of bland, boring acts. But the moment I heard a few songs from The Sonic Ranch, I remembered exactly where I was when I first heard “Fourteen Gears” and why I first was so intrigued with these guys.
Vintage is an overused word today. Anything that doesn’t sound like the radio is given the “vintage” description. And yet very few bands and songs actually live up to the term. Midland, however, meet all the criteria. Their spirit is on full display with The Sonic Ranch, and their love, appreciation, and respect for those that paved the way make not only this record but their path and career one worth respecting.
