Way back when several years ago, we heard this achingly beautiful tune by Queensland, Australian music collective The Middle East entitled simply “Blood”. As a middle easterner myself, I was automatically intrigued by the name before I heard the song, wondering what this group would sound like. And then I heard “Blood” and was somewhat blown away. It’s one of those tunes that just has the biggest, happiest outros you could ever dream of. That song was from their 2008 EP Recordings of the Middle East, and I was extremely excited to learn that they will be releasing a self produced full length LP entitled I Want That You Are Always Happy on July 12. In anticipation of the album release, the band has given us our first taste of what is to come, and I have to say it’s just as beautiful as I’d hoped it would be. “Hunger Song” is a fast-paced folk number full of forward-moving banjos and big, bold melodies, all anchored down by slow and flowing strings keeping it all in check. It’s interesting that this group is able to take even extremely depressing topics (in the case of “Blood” for example) and still turn them into melodies that just make you feel good.
