Midwife returns with her fourth studio album, No Depression In Heaven, which was written over several years during tours, often in the back of vans. The album, out September 6th, 2024 via The Flenser, expresses the essence of rock 'n' roll through the experiences of a life in motion. Madeline Johnston recorded it at home in New Mexico between 2021 and 2023, aiming for a raw, unpolished sound which prioritizes the spirit of the songs over perfection.
No Depression In Heaven goes into themes of sentimentality, the dynamic between dreams, memory, and fantasy, and the recurring subject of grief, which is a signature of Midwife's work.
First example off the album, the track Killdozer pays homage to a city devastated by gentrification, focusing on the story of Marvin Heemeyer, a muffler shop owner who embarked on a destructive rampage in a modified bulldozer before taking his own life in a small Colorado town in 2004. The song entices feelings of gloom and existentialist melancholy with its melodic and wistful expression of Johnston's artistic perspective.
The album's title is inspired by The Carter Family's song No Depression In Heaven, which addresses the Great Depression and mental depression, drawing parallels between earthly struggles and emotional turmoil. Collaborators on the album include Chris Adolf and Michael Stein of American Culture, Ben Schurr and Tim Jordan of Nyxy Nyx, Angel Diaz of Vyva Melinkolya, and Allison Lorenzen.
Midwife Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram
ZR