Episode 54: Midnight Promise

On this week’s Open Mic Spotlight podcast, Chattanooga pop-rock trio Midnight Promise drop by the studio to talk about the process for how they collaborate on each track, the familial atmosphere that the band cultivates and how their differing musical tastes push them to experiment with various sounds. With influences as disparate as ‘80s metal, Pink Floyd and Rihanna, the band’s work doesn’t easily fit into any one category but runs through a collection of pop and rock inspirations that shake and rattle the bones of their collective musical histories. Expressing a certain universal emotionality, the band doesn’t shy away from grand statements but embraces the overarching sentiments which guide their music.

The band winds through a collection of eclectic and surprising covers including “Liza Jane” by Vince Gill, “You Don’t Know How It Feels” by Tom Petty and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” by Van Halen. Their original songs feel just as unexpected and free from the sort of banal aesthetic that functions within the typical mainstream pop-rock landscapes. You can also hear percussionist Gene Ingram talk a bit about his years spent playing vintage 1864 bare-hand baseball. The band creates a casual and effortless acoustic rhythm in the studio, paring down some of the rockier elements of their music as they re-envision their songs in this specific environment.

Thank you to Jesse Jungkurth for mixing and editing this episode. Thank you to Joshua Pickard for writing for this episode.