Song Review, “This Old Town” by The Midbeats, written by Andy Holland

In a word; ‘mod’. The Midbeats know what they’re about and they pay attention to detail, so if want to start following a new a new mod band, this is the one for you. The video shows an incredibly focused band who look great together and could even have played on the same bill as The Small Faces. If this make The Midbeats sound old-fashioned, they are anything but – this is young, energetic beat-pop which sounds vibrant and fresh, perfect for Spring in fact. Comprising of Matthew Dowell, Jake Palmer, Tom Heaton and Josh Pontin; The Midbeats are a tight Leicester-based unit featuring two guitarists, bass guitar and drums – they’re really vocally strong too, using Beatlesque three-part harmonies.

‘This Old Town’ is a really impressive song, it’s jammed with hooks, uses the same beat as Martha And The Vandella’s ‘ ‘Heatwave’ and has a tight arrangement. The guitar sound is similar to The Libertines but not remotely as shambolic – The Midbeats have a very polished approach to their music but still maintain an edge. This is emphasised by their harmonies, which are spot on throughout the track and even change slightly at the end of ‘This Old Town’ to pay homage to The Beatles’ ‘She Loves You’. The lyrics are sharp and tell that age-old working-class tale about wanting to escape from one’s dull home-town and move on. There’s a definite touch of Jam-era Paul Weller about The MIdbeats but – at least as far as this reviewer is concerned – The Midbeats have a far superior vocal sound to any of The Modfather’s projects. It’s rare to hear three good singers in a band and this may The Midbeats’ secret weapon. The Midbeats’ EP ‘This Old Town’ EP is out now

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