The Midnight River Crew – Perfect Strangers (2021)
Simply put, The Midnight River Crew is a collaboration of various professional musicians resulting in some rather fantastic folk meets indie-rock music. Hitting the indie music scene in 2015 with their debut album My City of Fire, the group began sharing a unique, eclectic sound with the masses. Featured on various online radio stations, playlists and publications, The Midnight River Crew is turning heads on an international scale. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Perfect Strangers’.
Combining the talents of Mark Johnson, Paul Midcalf, Judith Hillier and Isabella Coulstock, The MRC is a collection of highly talented multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters. Determined to not be cast as a “guitar-driven band”, MRC refer to themselves as “a melodic pop band with the violin as our lead instrument”. They choose to be unique and avoid the stereotypical guitar, drums and vocals approach…and this is certainly seen in ‘Perfect Strangers’.
Following singles ‘The Night Still Falls’ and ‘Mistress In The House of Life’, ‘Perfect Strangers’ adopts a more upbeat and jovial tone. Written by Mark Johnson, the track is a simplistic ballad touching on love, passion and adoration. The easy flow of the track makes it a toe-tapping one, but it is the fusion of Johnson and Coulstock’s vocals that truly push you into the realm of dreamy-eyed lovers.
With ease and grace, Coulstock’s rich vocals dance (sonically, of course) with Johnson’s bold voice. The conversational narrative allows one to easily engage with the characters on a personal level, as well as merely watching from the sidelines. It is this exploration of complex emotions that makes the song extremely intriguing. Yet, while there is intrigue it is very easy to listen to ‘Perfect Strangers’ as background music.
I had never heard of The Midnight River Crew before but their music certainly has a kaleidoscopic feel in its harmonious flow. ‘Perfect Strangers’ falls into the pop genre, but they are by no means “run of the mill” pop. A refreshing breath in a stagnating music scene, I could easily listen to The MRC’s boundary-breaking music at any time of the day.
For more from The Midnight River Crew check out their Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
