The Middle East
Track: Jesus Came To My Birthday Party
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Related: The Middle East.
The cat's out of the bag! Hints of Christianity were dotted throughout Townsville indie pop collective The Middle East's past recorded material - their 2008 album The Recordings of The Middle East, and last year's re-released EP of the same name - but never before has it been so overt. On 'Jesus Came To My Birthday Party', keyboardist Bree Tranter takes lead vocals for a tale concerning the Messiah's birthday visit: "When I was seventeen/I thought it was a dream/It was a long time ago". ("I haven't seen him in a while", she later admits, before spotting him in the eye of strangers while "down in the city" at night.)
A dirty guitar bookends the narrative, and is allowed an extended run midway through, but it sounds a little forced among the earnestly-strummed acoustic guitars and tambourine-assisted percussion. Dramatic bass notes underscore Tranter's delivery of, "It was a long time ago", and there's a whistled melody nestled underneath all the layers, but when you measure it against their past singles - the still-great 'Blood', and the creeping beauty of 'The Darkest Side' – it doesn’t carry quite the same emotional impact. Such are the dangers of burning so brightly upon entering the wider consciousness: everything that follows will be compared to those first moments of brilliance.
by Andrew McMillen
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Was this review really necessary?
Just comment, like everyone else does
how dare someone review something!
OMG, I know!
i agree, i didn't really feel like reading a review today.
perhaps we can tempt you with crowd shots from the weekends most happening parties?
consider me tempted.
Building hotrods, stealing girlfriends, going to parties, that Jesus, huh.
Hitting like the atom bomb. Meeting women at the well.
He gets around.
Seeing as my favourite Australian band is Chaos Divine, I find it strange and unsettling that I've listened to this song six times and now know the words.
This site has taken a shit load of my innocence.
Comparisons are odious.
I liked the song.
No it's true! I hear they also preach on street corners against the present danger of your soul burning for all of eternitywhogivesashitman?
I thought reviews were supposed to actually be about music.
Last time I checked lyrics are also part of the music.
Hey, thanks for stopping by!
Likes this song.
i can't get this melody out of my head. they have won
swervedriver released a song called 'the other jesus' and one called 'last train to satansville' what do you have to say about that reviewer guy?????? This is a pretty song and at the moment doesnt sound anything like all the eighties wannabe lame ass bull crap that is getting touted as modern music. I think its pretty good and they are fantastic live.
It won me in the end. Silly bloody lyrics though. EDIT.
Oh I get it. I just listened to their other stuff. This is their light song. They sure know how to build songs.