Middle Kids (L-R): Tim Fitz, Hannah Joy, Harry DayThe Australian indie-rock band Middle Kids are breaking molds with their latest release, Faith Crisis Pt 1. The band, consisting of Hannah Joy (lead vocals, guitar), Tim Fitz (bass guitar), and Harry Day (drums), garnered a devout fanbase in the past several years, and their lush new album is making waves yet again.
In 2016, their debut single, "Edge Of Town," was featured in Rolling Stone and found a fan in Sir Elton John, resulting in further airplay and press. Following an EP, their debut album, Lost Friends, was released in 2018, earning a nomination for Best Rock Album at the Aria Music Awards and winning the J Award for Australian Album of the Year. Their second full-length album, Today We're The Greatest, was released in 2021 and won the Aria for Best Rock Album.
Faith Crisis Pt 1 is their most candid and innovative album to date, exploring themes of faith and uncertainty, and how we navigate through those times. It's finding joy in the struggle and coming out the other side, with oft profound undertones highlighted by jovial melodies.
With music fusing rock, pop, and electronica, paired with Joy's lush vocals, Middle Kids' mesmerizing songs have captured audiences worldwide. Joy can reach into your soul and know what you're feeling, then perfectly orchestrate those emotions through a song. Their connection with listeners is evident on their new single "Bootleg Firecracker," where fans show up in the video and are treated to a real fireworks display. Their catchy songs and devout following give Middle Kids a solid footing to the the next leg of their journey, with a tour beginning in Australia followed by the US.
Songfacts caught up with Tim Fitz, who is married to Hannah Joy, to talk about the process of creating Faith Crisis Pt 1, and the journey it took to get there.
Nicole Roberge (Songfacts): Faith Crisis Pt 1 strives to answer the question: How do you rebuild a belief in something that's broken? What song on the album guides us to that answer?In 2016, their debut single, "Edge Of Town," was featured in Rolling Stone and found a fan in Sir Elton John, resulting in further airplay and press. Following an EP, their debut album, Lost Friends, was released in 2018, earning a nomination for Best Rock Album at the Aria Music Awards and winning the J Award for Australian Album of the Year. Their second full-length album, Today We're The Greatest, was released in 2021 and won the Aria for Best Rock Album.
Faith Crisis Pt 1 is their most candid and innovative album to date, exploring themes of faith and uncertainty, and how we navigate through those times. It's finding joy in the struggle and coming out the other side, with oft profound undertones highlighted by jovial melodies.
With music fusing rock, pop, and electronica, paired with Joy's lush vocals, Middle Kids' mesmerizing songs have captured audiences worldwide. Joy can reach into your soul and know what you're feeling, then perfectly orchestrate those emotions through a song. Their connection with listeners is evident on their new single "Bootleg Firecracker," where fans show up in the video and are treated to a real fireworks display. Their catchy songs and devout following give Middle Kids a solid footing to the the next leg of their journey, with a tour beginning in Australia followed by the US.
Songfacts caught up with Tim Fitz, who is married to Hannah Joy, to talk about the process of creating Faith Crisis Pt 1, and the journey it took to get there.
Tim Fitz: It's a tough one. All of the songs have something to say about the question, but I don't think any have the answer. It's the nature of the faith journey that all humans are on that there is rarely a clear answer.
Songfacts: What prompted you to answer this question through an exploration of faith, and how does music help you through difficult times?
Fitz: It was quite subconscious. Hannah and I were listening to the album on a long drive after it was finished and we just realized that all the songs tied into this big story of Hannah's life journey, and moments of crisis.
It's so mysterious how music helps us through hard times. When we're doing well, music is a fun part of life. But when things are really, really hard, it seems like music and nature are two of the only things that can comfort us.
Songfacts: How does the band collaborate on the music?
Fitz: Hannah will often write a song, or the beginning of a song, and then work with me on the production of the demo. We'll then play the song a few times with Harry learning and adapting the drum part, and then record it.
Songfacts: "Bootleg Firecracker" is an explosion of emotion with playful lyrics that really sneak up on you:
I'll be your midnight bootleg firecracker
I could blow up in your hand
It could be great or a disaster
That's the point that I am after
It's a clever song with subtle intimacy. How did you craft this song?
Songfacts: "Bend" has a vulnerable strength. Was it hard to expose yourself so much through this song?
Fitz: Hannah has this gear that she can slip into where she presents life in such personal and painful accuracy. It's devastating, and those songs do powerful things. From what I see, it is also hard and takes a toll to reveal and release something like that.
Songfacts: Is there a song that fans have most connected with?
Fitz: "Bootleg Firecracker" really felt like it connected.
Songfacts: What song on Faith Crisis Pt 1 represents you the most?
Fitz: This is too hard!
Songfacts: "All In My Head" is a song you wrote many years ago, but weren't sure what to do with until you pared it down. What was the evolution of that song, and how did you know its home would be on Faith Crisis Pt 1?Fitz: It started as a kind of thrash '90s rock song. In the studio, Joy suggested we try it as a piano ballad, because it's such a vulnerable song lyrically. It didn't work, so when we got home, we tried again on our little piano and it clicked. Our friend Dave [Le'aupepe] sang on it and took it to a beautiful place. We didn't know whether it would work with two singers, but it was magic.
Songfacts: What is easier, joyful songs or ones that delve into difficult topics?
Fitz: It's easier to sing angst that sounds true, and harder to make a joyful song land. The best songs are a mixture of both.
Songfacts: What has been the hardest part in getting these songs out into the world?
Fitz: Things always take a little longer and are a little more expensive than you think they're going to be.
Songfacts: You experienced critical acclaim with Lost Friends and Today We're The Greatest. Was any of that on your mind when you went to write Faith Crisis Pt 1?
Fitz: It meant a lot for those first two albums to be well-received. We always want to do our best work, and I think that creates a certain pressure. We feel like this is a sonic and songwriting step up from our first two albums, so you can't hope for more than that. Everything else is out of our control.
Songfacts: 2023 was a busy year. You toured in the US with Jimmy Eat World and Manchester Orchestra, and you'll be back here in June 2024. What are you looking forward to this time around?
Fitz: Our favorite thing is touring the USA. We are looking forward to everything. Playing the new album is going to be really exciting. We're about to start rehearsals to work the live versions of the songs out, so wish us luck!
April 1, 2024
Tour dates and more info at middlekidsmusic.com
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Sunniva Bondesson of Baskery
Matt Ellis of Villages
Larkin Poe
Photos: Michelle Grace Hunder (1), Pooneh Ghana (2, 3)
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