Chaos is not an era but a definer of woeful times. Chaos Era, the debut album from Midnight Rodeo, should not be taken too literally. Not every release has to be an era, but there is cause for some celebration as the indie pop group releases their debut album. Judgment day here, suggestive retro tones there, Midnight Rodeo knows exactly what they are doing. The Nottingham-based group has an old-style tint to their work, which has worked wonders for The Lemon Twigs and recent works from Richard Hawley. It proves itself invaluable for the dedication heard throughout Chaos Era, an album produced in sessions sometimes lasting sixteen hours. Midnight Rodeo deliver themselves wholly to the project, complete committal and nothing less for their eleven-song debut. Their efforts are not lost in the mix. These are strong songs with considered writing and effective instrumentals.
Those looking for the next big event in alternative rock, look no further than Chaos Era. A remarkable achievement on Midnight Rodeo’s debut. Not just because there are crisp guitar workings within, well-layered amid the fascinating adaptation the band is making to rapid changes in the real world, but because of how pertinent their comments are. Opening song Dixon eases us in, and Clean Shirt drives home the first of many brilliant, truly pertinent points. Growl has that loose 1970s-like guitar structure. Guitar music is, once more, alive and well. Only the ignorant think it is dead. Midnight Rodeo are challenging the structure of guitar music and historic rock and roll, and listeners are all the better for it. A punchy number like Daisy is a shining example of what a band can do when freed from the expectations of genre standings, moved away from the unrelenting, similar-sounding bands of now.
Just when you think the band can push no further, Captain’s Table appears. An outstanding song, the very best of the album and a song which spotlights the wonderfully wide-ranging instrumental style Midnight Rodeo has. Not only that, but the sharpness of their lyrics, the familiar, joking knock of being told you have a face for radio, is expanded on as a romantic putdown. Strange Eyes follows a similar tone, but instead of turning away from the possibilities of intimacy, it is the quiet rumbling of a new relationship which takes hold. That undecided future is all part of the charm Midnight Rodeo provides. They are trying to make heads or tails of an ever-expanding, always-changing world around them. Doing so proves borderline impossible, but that is all part of the charm. Midnight Rodeo is on the same ride as us, and getting off it is a shared priority.
Chaos Era is one of those albums that needs playing loud, and often. Chaos Era proves itself to be more than an era. It is a statement of intent from a band whose rise is almost guaranteed. Midnight Rodeo provides a sharp mixture of old-school tones and fresh ideas in a genre bereft of bright new sparks. They join the ranks of a suitably cool sub-genre whirring away in rock and roll. Understanding the fundamentals of their instrumentals is not enough, and Midnight Rodeo knows it. They expand far beyond what most bands do on their debut. This is a statement of intent, a truly confident effort where the band are assured of their sound because, as can clearly be heard, they are a striking new unit on the scene. Midnight Rodeo finds a way to explore the grooves of their unique rock sound on Chaos Era, an outstanding album with plenty of highs.
