Two and a half years after their debut LP On the Rocks introduced the world to Midlands infinitely fun, boot-stompin Eighties-country-in-an-Instagram-filter sound, their new single finds the trio not planning to leave the honky-tonk anytime soon. Mr. Lonely is a mischievous, Texas dance hall-inspired tune in the spirit of Eddie Rabbitt written by the band (singer Mark Wystrach, guitarist Jess Carson and bassist Cameron Duddy) alongside Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.
Complete with a pedal steel solo from Paul Franklin and some boogie guitar, Mr. Lonely is a tongue-in-cheek ode to embracing the role of the being someones late-night phone call when their other date went south. Im the number that you know by broken heart, sings Wystrach. I aint Mr. Right, Im Mr. Right now.
If their first single, Drinkin Problem, was the woozy ballad for high ABV heartbreak, Mr. Lonely, from their forthcoming sophomore LP, is its line-dancing, on-the-rebound cousin. And if country radio plays it like they have the groups other releases, its likely to be one of the heavier doses of traditional instrumentation to come across the airwaves in years, where raging rock-inspired guitar solos and canned drums are much more commonplace than the steel stylings of Time Jumper Franklin.
The thing that keeps us sane on the road is working on new material, Wystrach told Rolling Stone Country last year. Our soundchecks are basically a daily therapy-slash-rehearsal when you have been on the road for two years straight.
Midland, nominated for Group of the YearandVideo of the Yearat the 54th ACMs, will continue their headlining Electric Rodeo Tour through the spring.