Alone At 3AM: Midwest Mess

Alone At 3AM
Midwest Mess
Suburban Home/SofaBurn Records [2012]









 Fire Note Says: Veteran Cincinnati band Alone At 3AM are ready for their shot a bigger audience with the engaging Midwest Mess!

Album Review:
Right from Max Fender's weathered sounding opening line "So you're going out dancing, leaving after work" in the opening track "Another Round" you just know that Midwest Mess from Cincinnati's Alone At 3AM is going to be a brutally honest Americana rock record. This track leads us right into "A Change Is Coming" that tells the story of an ending relationship as Fender just pleads "Don't insult my intelligence."

This heart on the sleeve type of song is consistently delivered from Alone At 3AM which gives Midwest Mess its pulse. This solid output will be no surprise to the band's long time followers as the group has been around for 10 years but newcomers to Alone At 3AM will certainly be hooked as their Drive-By Truckers vibe dances with a little Gaslight Anthem undertone and makes for an entertaining 30 minute listen.

The confident swagger from Fender, along with the band, keeps Midwest Mess pushing along that gets a nice boost from the occasional backing vocal of Sarah Davis which gives the album a nice diversity.  Midwest Mess is a record that is solid solely based on its lyrical substance alone as each track easily can resonate with its listener to some degree. The superb closing ballad "I Know Someone In The City" is another example of "less is more" presented here by Alone At 3AM that is not only the perfect ending but will have you quickly reaching for the repeat button to experience Midwest Mess all over again!

Key Tracks: "Weekends At The Cape", "Another Round", "I Know Someone In The City"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Drive-By Truckers
The Gaslight Anthem
Two Cow Garage

Alone At 3AM Facebook
Suburban Home Records
SofaBurn Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony