Midtown

Forget What You Know

Columbia Records

For the past several years, and particularly on their past two full-lengths, the members of Midtown felt trapped by label pressure to conform to the latest trends, to produce music for the masses. In other words, Drive-Thru and MCA wanted Midtown to be pop-punk. But deep down, Midtown wants to buck the pop-punk trend and create music for the band, that the band wants, that the band will be happy with. The result? A stellar rock record produced by one of the true gods of the music industry. Seeing as how Butch Walker produced “Forget What You Know,” many might assume that Midtown have pumped out yet another pop-punk effort, but the finished product hardly compares to anything Midtown has ever done before. I will say that due to this departure, the record did not make a great first impression with me. In fact, it took a few listens before the songs started to grow on me, but now, I am hooked. Throughout the record, the lyrics are dark and the music gets more experimental at times, but hidden beneath are the same hooks and catchy choruses that Midtown is known for. It just takes more time to uncover them. My personal favorites are “Empty Like the Ocean,” “The Tragedy of the Human Condition,” “Waiting for the News” and “So Long as We Keep Our Bodies Numb We’re Safe.” With Butch Walker at the helm, the production quality is of course outstanding. His attention to detail and ability to add electronic sounds without giving the record a super-slick feel (like “Living Well Is the Best Revenge”) makes “Forget What You Know” an absolute pleasure to listen to. The first single “Give It Up” is not nearly the best track on the record, which should make everyone eager to hear more. Now that Midtown is opting to play only this new material at shows, the band’s live performances will no longer be the bubbly pop-punk fests of yesteryear, but rather will be a damn amazing rock show. Kudos to Midtown for making a record on their own terms and sticking to what they believe in.

Leah Weinberg

Related Links:
Midtown Photos
Midtown Show Review
Midtown Show Review #2
Midtown -- Living Well Is the Best Revenge review
Midtown Interview
Official Website