BEST NEW TRACKS: ARTHUR BEATRICE "MIDLAND"

by Calvin Paradise

12/13/13

The proud-to-be-underground London quartet Arthur Beatrice has built their buzz the new-millenium-old-way. And with their first single, "Midland," they have a best new track.

When your band name is a play off everyone's favorite Golden Girl, it's clear that you march to the beat of a different drum. Comprised of the lovely Ella Giardot, Orlando Leopard, and brothers Elliot and Harnish Barnes, the foursome formed in 2010, but didn't release any music til 2012. They released the Carter EP this July, which somehow had nothing to do with Lil Wayne. "Midland" is the first single off their debut full-length record, Working Out, which comes out February of next year.

Sonically Arthur Beatrice compares to The xx, although they'd describe themselves "like the Smiths meets gangsta rap!" While "Midland" is strictly a mid-tempo song (and I'm not just saying it because the word mid is in its title), it has far more of a pulse than most of The xx songs. We should probably wait to hear this bands full record before we start pigeonholing them. Their first single "Midland" is fantastic, we'll just have to wait for the rest. Hear what everyone is so excited about below:

ARTHUR BEATRICE "MIDLAND"

Lyrics to Arthur Beatrice "Midland" are below:

All I want is to be
warm and home
and well known
All I need is to be

Oh give it me all
I am entitled it now
And I've worked hard
Deserve it full well

Touch me now
Cleanse my skull
From all the things
That I have been told

Oh no more faults
Here take my pulse
It finds no time or place
Oh bother me not
I'd rather have hush
Than this game of perhaps
The tearful name of collapse