Midwest Hype - Dayglow

Midwest Hype ? Dayglow
2012, Midwest Hype

It?s been nearly ten years since the seeds of Midwest Hypefirst sprouted.  Singer/guitarist GeorgeMatthew Prellowitz met drummer Max Kepler and bassist Nate Miller and the threebegan jamming together.  Moving on theBall State University together, they later added Kevin Krismanich (keys), BenMorrisey (sax) and Scott Whitford (trumpet). The band?s eclectic mix of hip-hop, reggae, funk and jazz have made thema local Indie favorite in Chicago, and with the addition of MC Justin ?Ideal?Diehl in 2010, Midwest Hype seems as if they have finally come of age.  Their latest release, the Steven Gillis(Filter) produced Dayglow, plays onthe band?s strength and musical diversity to create a true listeningexperience.

Dayglow kicks offwith the wonderfully flowing mish-mash of ?Behind Our Eyes?, vacillatingbetween ska-tinged pop and rap.  The songis all about making the most of the day but never losing hope over chancesmissed.  The horn section helps to fillout the sound and make it all flow together. ?Elastic Booty Shorts? is all about having a good time and enjoying themoment.  With rap verses and aspoken/song chorus, this song has all sorts of commercial appeal given currentmusical mores.  ?All Is Water? digs inwith a sophisticated island groove blended with a pop-ballad sensibility.  In another era this would be top-40 gold; asit is expect this to be a concert favorite for the band (lighters and cellphones). 

Midwest Hype gets a generic reggae groove on for what turnsout to be a middle of the road pop ballad. The instrumentation here is complex and enjoyable, but the song itselfjust never quite takes off.  Things get abit edgier on the motivated and energetic ?Do Or Die?.  Everything falls into place for Midwest Hypeon this number, an eminently catchy and danceable number that plasters itselfto the inside of your skull and declares residency the first time you hearit.  Dayglowcloses on a full-on reggae groove in the form of ?People Of America?, acelebration of our ability to make the most of our own world.  ?People Of America? takes the current mood ofnational pessimism and turns it around, putting the responsibility for tomorrowwhere it has always been, in our own hands. Along the way, Midwest Hype pays tribute to Bob Marley?s ?Don?t Give UpThe Fight? with a four-line melody snippet that recurs as the primary theme.

Midwest Hype isn?t all hype on Dayglow, seamlessly blending rap, reggae, jazz, pop and R&Binto a multi-rhythmic confection that just might turn out to be pop gold.  There have been bands before Midwest Hype whohave tried to bring all of these sounds together, but it would be hard to findone who has done it better.  The ideasbehind Dayglow are positive, idealistic and full of the energy of youth.  Folks over thirty or gone cynical might havea hard time digging the lyrical wash that Midwest Hype creates.  Anyone still seeing the world through rosylenses will dig Dayglow hard.  Anyone who has moved on will be reminded ofwhat the world looked like when they were young.
Rating: 4 Stars (Outof 5)

Learn more about Midwest Hype at www.myspace.com/midwesthype or www.Facebook.com/midwesthypemusic. 

Source: http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2012/03/midwest-hype-dayglow.html

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