Midland - Stages Album Review
For many, their first memory of Midland is the Grammy-nominated 2016 hit “Drinkin’ Problem”—clever, funny, and catchy enough that the band might have seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder.
10 years on, Midland are releasing their fifth studio album with Blue Highway Records (formerly BMLG), named “Stages” - ‘the title is really a tribute to all the places where we’ve made our stand, but it’s also about all the phases and stages we’ve been through to get here’, says bassist/vocalist Cameron Duddy.
That scene is set immediately with “Marlboro Man”, a song about the band’s journey since they started in 2014. The lyrics are almost bleak, and the image of the iconic and rugged Marlboro Man reflects a tiredness onto the trio - “just cussin’ myself for who I am/alone again like that damn Marlboro Man.”
10 years on, Midland are releasing their fifth studio album with Blue Highway Records (formerly BMLG), named “Stages” - ‘the title is really a tribute to all the places where we’ve made our stand, but it’s also about all the phases and stages we’ve been through to get here’, says bassist/vocalist Cameron Duddy.
That scene is set immediately with “Marlboro Man”, a song about the band’s journey since they started in 2014. The lyrics are almost bleak, and the image of the iconic and rugged Marlboro Man reflects a tiredness onto the trio - “just cussin’ myself for who I am/alone again like that damn Marlboro Man.”
When you listen to an album as a reviewer, it is good principle to list in order as it was designed, but when I saw that the band had released a cover of “Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey” by The SteelDrivers, I had to play it first. It is hard to match the vocals of Chris Stapleton, impossible in fact, but the trio don’t try to take on that challenge and instead pick up the pace for the tune, giving it a sound that wouldn’t shock you if it was heard at the rodeo.
But are Midland reinventing the wheel here - no. Across the board, the album feels like something you would have grown to expect from the Texas trio - that’s not to say there is anything wrong with it, but in an era where acts are constantly reinventing themselves or taking us to new eras of their journey, this doesn’t feel like that.
“Shooting Memories With Tequila” epitomises that - a song filled with clever one-liners (Shooting memories with tequila but the bottle’s all I kill), is one that could have been a massive hit ten years ago on their first album.
But are Midland reinventing the wheel here - no. Across the board, the album feels like something you would have grown to expect from the Texas trio - that’s not to say there is anything wrong with it, but in an era where acts are constantly reinventing themselves or taking us to new eras of their journey, this doesn’t feel like that.
“Shooting Memories With Tequila” epitomises that - a song filled with clever one-liners (Shooting memories with tequila but the bottle’s all I kill), is one that could have been a massive hit ten years ago on their first album.
But perhaps there is something incredibly likeable about that sound. Midland’s music feels straight out of a Texas country bar. You’re sat, drink in hand, nodding and tapping along before you can’t help but be pulled to your feet to dance along. “Glass Half Empty” is a brilliant track, featuring a duelling violin and guitar solo that transports you straight to Nashville.
Interestingly, Mackenzie Carpenter’s 2025 smash hit with Midland, “I Wish You Would”, features on the band’s album. Considering how well the song performed (25 million Spotify listens at the time of writing), it’s not surprising the band wanted to capitalise on its success.
Another duet quickly follows on the LP, with “Up in Texas” featuring country music royalty Clint Black. When you haven’t heard a singer in a while, their voice can really stand out, and Black’s does that - his voice is truly mesmerising in this ode to The Lone Star State and will make you want to listen to more of his hits.
Stages is a classic Midland album that has a place in your discography. In their own words, music isn’t just something to play in your car. Music and listening to the trio is an aesthetic choice; it transports you to a Texas or Nashville bar and promises you a good time. For new Midland fans, this is a great way to listen to the band for the first time - for old fans like myself, you will undoubtedly enjoy some more brilliant songs from the trio.
