Middle States Happy Fun Party CD

The Middle States HAPPY FUN PARTY; an invitation to good times, or, desperate cry for help? Perhaps both. Recorded and mixed by Tom Herbers (Andrew Bird, Low)the Middle States blindly burn though this thirty-odd minute collection without time to breathe . From time spent playing Elvis and Eddie Cochrane while busking in Berlin, and co founding “Vortex Navigation Company” (on the Australian Camera Obscura label) Wes Morden nails it down rock style. Terry likes to say that it’s “Guided By Voices meets Buddy Holly”, But Wes thinks it might sometimes be like “Slade meets Hermans Hermits” Same difference. From the opening drum stick count off of “In Charge” to the final cello note of “Bring Down the Day” the Middle States keep moving from one mood to the next. Laced with nods to 60’s Jangle and powerpop (No Curse, No drunk, No Fight and Winds of Eiderdown)to the soft-loud dynamic of more recent times (Thought Control). The poppy “Friday Night” bursts the bubble of hometown heroes, while “Tumbleweeds”, with it’s Americana flavor, looks at what it means to be metaphorically and psychologically lost. “Bring Down the Day” is for when it;s past the time to give up on something. Served together, Happy Fun Party is like a well prepared rock and roll buffet. #10 HIGHEST ADD 8/6/08. 5 WEEKS IN CMJ 200CHARTING AT 36 STATIONS IN THE US AND CANADAPEAK AT #112 8/19/08"If you like your power pop and rock served Midwest-style, you'll definitely want to crash Middle States' Happy Fun Party." -www.absolutepowerpop.com“local power-pop combo returns with a great new record…while many long-time-coming records can teeter under their own weight, Happy Fun Party has aged like wine, its 10 tracks each feeling essential and lived in.” 2/5/09 Steve Mc Pherson.The Onion /Twin Cities Decider http://twincities.decider.com/articles/interview-wes-morden-of-the-middle-states,23401/" …The album is an enjoyable batch of catchy rockers.” February 2008 Josh Mound Under the Radar (print only)“Middle States borrow and steal from a litany of sources (see the "Happy Jack" aping verses in "No Curse, No Drunk, No Fight") but Morden's influences never overshadow the hooks.”2/09 Ian Gormely Exclaim.ca http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/latestsub.aspx?csid1=129&csid2=870&fid1=36075“…clearly Middle States is its own band, a standard four-piece that delivers the goods on "Happy Fun Party." …just a quick, effective set of 10 songs that get better with repeated listens.” 2/6/09 Patrick Ferrucci New Haven Register (about halfway down)http://www.newhavenregister.com/articles/2009/02/06/entertainment/doc498c267cead4c371394945.txt“…I take great pleasure in announcing that Middle States’ “Happy Fun Party” is music for my people…. the Middle States formula is all at once refreshing and timeless-sounding. This is undeniable music.” 1/27/09 Mathew Perrine Duluth News Tribunehttp://shakeyourshores.blogspot.com/2009/01/cd-reviews-avenpitch-middle-states-and.html“…when Middle States hit all their marks, the life-blood appeal of power pop is as clear as it was in the hands of its most famous advocates. (John Schacht) Inland Empire (Orange County) http://www.ieweekly.com/cms/story/detail/the_weekly_jive/1981/“Tight, well-crafted pop tunes that are played with abandon. If there's a better way to make me smile, I just can't think of it right now…this is one serious calling card. Keep an ear out for these boys.” 2/13/09 Jon Wurley Aidabet.comhttp://www.aidabet.com/issues/304/304reviews.html#MIDDLE“…this band has a great album on their hands and Happy Fun Party comes highly recommended.” 2/17/09 Paul Pop First Coast Newshttp://www.firstcoastnews.com/life/music/news-article.aspx?storyid=131582&provider=rss“…rocks the way Pete Townsend, via GBV, would want them to” 2/4/09 Steve Fortsneger Illinois Entertainerhttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2009/02/04/middle-states-reviewed/“Guided by Voices meets Budd