Mid-State Orange - Flag Festival

by Cila Warncke

published: 9 / 5 / 2002

Label: Drive In
Format: CDS

"Slick" and "poppy", but ultimately unconvincing indie pop in the style of the Lucksmiths from Australian group, recording in London

Review

Though they’ve recorded in London, Mid-State Orange are very much an Australian band. Formed by Louis Richter and Ryan Merry, and supplemented by a changing cast of band members, Mid-State Orange can best be explained by Australia’s national fascination with Abba. Not, mercifully, that Mid-State Orange sounds anything like Abba, but both are as shiny and reliable as that other Swedish export – Volvos. Mid-State Orange specialise in slick, poppy indie a la mode of (excellent fellow Ozzies) The Lucksmiths. Not particularly edgy stuff, but they can be convincingly woeful and unapologetically upbeat by turns without ever sounding glib. To their credit they understand something which eludes too many indie bands – that good music can be nice and approachable as well. Abba grasped this perfectly, churning out impeccably produced and intensely hummable songs; songs that sound happy even when their lyrics tell a different story. Mid-State Orange adopt this ethos, and while it makes for comfortable listening you may begin to wish, after a few plays, that there were a little more to sink your teeth into.