Following the 2018 release of their highly successful album Kids, The Midnight recently gifted fans another full-length album titled Monsters. The LP features 15 new tracks as well as a collaboration with Jupiter Winters. And even weeks after its initial release, Monsters continues to captivate and impress listeners around the world with its unique production and cohesive theme. In an exclusive interview with CelebMix, The Midnight open up about the creative process behind this new album’s release, its influences and more.
How long was your new album Monsters in the works before it was officially released?
We started writing some of the songs as early as 2017 with the first batch of Kids songs. We quickly realized that the story we wanted to tell was too broad and ambitious to fit on one album, so a few songs from Monsters were continuations of those sessions.
How did you narrow down which songs made it on this album? Are there any songs that were cut but may still be released in the future?
This is the first time we had a definite scope of what we wanted to achieve thematically. There were a handful of songs that were left out, and some that will fit better on a future release.
What bands or artists influenced the vibe of Monsters either sonically or lyrically?
In Kids, lyrically at least, I feel like I was sparring with Paul Simon from his early solo career. I wanted to engage with his idea of America and his sense of cautious optimism about growing up. With Monsters, I was feeling inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s four records between Darkness At The Edge of Town (‘78) and Born in the USA (1984). “Prom Night” was an openhearted nod to Springsteen’s gift as a dark and complicated writer who could also write a full throated pop song without those two worlds seeming to contradict.
Do you plan to tour and perform these tracks live once everything settles down with COVID-19?
Yes!
Speaking of performing, which song or songs are you most excited to play live for your fans?
I can’t wait to play “Dance with Somebody.”
For the fans who have been supporting you for years, what message do you want to share with them?
The fan community is the reason we make music. They were the champions of the first record, so we made another. They demanded we play live and so we did. This entire journey is fueled by passion and engagement of our fans. Tim and I stumbled into this world a decade into the start of our careers in the music business. I know what it is to sell CDs out of the back of my hatch back in small towns across America, and Tim had a successful decade of production experience before we met.
We realize what a privilege this journey is. Music is magic, and it has healed us personally in ways that are hard to describe. The temptation as a band is to grow too fast or to want too much, or to care about numbers, but ultimately, our job is to leave the magic in the music with our sense of wonder, as co-collaborators and co-conspirators intact. We want the fans to know that we love you, we hear you, and you matter. I also want them to know that we will do everything we can to make sure that the magic stays in the music.
What new artists or bands have recently impressed you or caught your attention?
Dwayne Shivers, Jupiter Winter, Khruangbin, Phoebe Bridgers, Jessie Frye, Bibio and Jukebox The Ghost!
And for those eager to hear more from The Midnight, what can they expect or look forward to in the near or distant future?
Something unexpected!
Follow The Midnight on Spotify and Instagram.
Listen to ‘Monsters’ here.