Returning for their third album, Middle Kids enter 2024 at the top of their game. A band always capable of creating songs that are just as deep as they are sing-a-longs, the Sydney band are back with Faith Crisis Pt.1, a thirteen track dive into a frontwoman Hannah Joy questioning her faith.
For a band that has always included faith or religious references in their tunes (first single “Edge of Town” is an obvious nod, while “On My Knees” and “Beliefs & Prayers” are pretty overt in their concepts and context), it’s no massive surprise the stories of Faith Crisis Pt.1 centre so heavily around the challenging of your belief system and moral standings. On opening track, the delightful but too short “Petition”, Joy delves into the feelings she has about not being able to control the pain her child was experiencing, as if to question the powers-that-may-be on why they would do this to a defenceless child.
Irrespective of whether you’re a believer or not, there’s always strength in being able to question your belief in something. Blindly following something (whether that be a religion, a relationship or even a sports team) without objectively critiquing it doesn’t do you any justice. For Joy and her husband/ bandmate Tim Fitz, this is prevalent on “Dramamine”. Written together, the song delves into understanding that sometimes it’s not the almighty figure in the sky you should be seeking solace in; it’s the person by your side. “Dramamine” has a level of woozy romanticism that stretches back to the earliest of Middle Kids song and makes it one of the better moments on the album.
Notably, Faith Crisis Pt.1 is filled with hits and choruses that will be stuck in your head for days on end. From the restrained yet flamboyant “Blessings”, to the confessional and almost-shouty “Terrible News” (the brass and guitar layering is the key to making “Terrible News” not terrible at all), the album is hidden with gems from front to back that will surely end up on plenty of end of year lists.
The highest peaks on the album comes in the form of “Highlands”, “Philosophy” and album closer “All In My Head”. Three very different songs in their content and delivery, they showcase the strengths of Middle Kids as performers and songwriters. “Highlands” has a youthful bounce and balance about outgrowing a place you’ve lived in, all the while showcasing the strength in Hannah’s vocals. “Philosophy” is a social commentary of how unsocial social media and the internet truly is. A platform for showing a facade of untruths for many people, “Philosophy” calls out social media for making people think they need to showcase how exciting their life is, rather than the mundanity of it all. Lastly, album closer “All In My Head”, featuring Dave Le’aupepe, is a reflective piano ballad that touches on mental health and self doubt. The tender delivery, matched with the timing and context of the song, allows “All In My Head” an opportunity to tie together all the themes and stories of the album in a succinct and solemn three minutes.
Middle Kids may have had a crisis of faith in creating their newest album, but this crisis hasn’t transferred into a lack of quality on Faith Crisis Pt. 1. A reliable, catchy and solid release that might fall just short of the heights of their first two albums, I doubt very much you’ll question your faith in Middle Kids when listening to the album.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Faith Crisis Pt. 1 is out on Friday 16 February.
Middle Kids are heading out on a national tour this May and June in support of Faith Crisis Pt. 1. For more information on tour dates and ticket information, see below or head here:
Friday 10 May – Forum, Naarm, Melbourne Vic
Saturday 11 May – Theatre Royal, Dja Dja Wurrung, Castlemaine Vic
Thursday 23 May – Astor Theatre, Whadjuk Noongar, Perth WA
Saturday 25 May – The Gov, Kaurna, Adelaide SA
Thursday 30 May – Odeon Theatre, Nipaluna, Hobart Tas
Saturday 1 June – The Tivoli, Turrbal, Brisbane Qld
Friday 7 June – Enmore Theatre, Gadigal, Sydney NSW
