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Revision as of 13:48, 25 May 2023


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News

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29th October, 2024
Tour - The Midnight are announced as part of the lineup for the 2025 Tecate Pal Norte music festival in Monterrey, Mexico. The Midnight will perform on April 4, the first day of the festival.
18th October, 2024
Tour - The Chrome Nights North American Tour concludes in Denver.
4th October, 2024
Music - The Midnight's remix of Lost And Found by Chromeo is released. The remix is included on the deluxe edition of Chromeo's album Adult Contemporary.
1st October, 2024
Merch - The Midnight: Shadows graphic novel is released.
6th September, 2024
Music - Chariot is released as a single.
5th September, 2024
Tour - The Chrome Nights North American Tour begins in Vancouver.
15th July, 2024
Music - Days of Thunder was released 10 years ago on this day. Happy 10th anniversary to The Midnight!
18th June, 2024
Tour - A London show has been added to the Summer 2024 EU/UK Tour. The show will be at Electric Ballroom on July 22.

Archived news

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Tyler Lyle

Lyle in 2022
Tyler Lyle
Lyle performing live with The Midnight in 2022
Lyle performing live with The Midnight in 2022
Background information
Birth nameJamison Tyler Lyle
Born (1985-12-01) December 1, 1985 (age 38)
Carrollton, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
  • Folk
  • Americana
  • World
  • Country
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2007–present
Member of
Websitetylerlyle.com

Jamison Tyler Lyle[1] (born December 1, 1985) is an American musician who is the primary guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist for The Midnight.

Born and raised in rural Georgia, Lyle began his career in music as a young adult and became regionally known after winning a songwriting contest in 2010. This led to the self-release of his debut album, gaining him national exposure, and he also began writing for other artists.

Lyle moved to Los Angeles in 2011, and in 2012 his A&R representative arranged for him to meet Danish producer Tim McEwan for a songwriting session. The two had an instant connection and began making music. Lyle and McEwan became a duo known as The Midnight and self-released their first extended play (EP) in 2014 and have continuously released new music since.

Outside of The Midnight, Lyle continues to release solo work and regularly tours around the United States. In 2016, he began a semi-regular podcast titled From The Secret Lair that includes music and self-commentary. He is married and has one child.

Early life

Lyle was born and raised in Carrollton, Georgia, the son of Mark and Deborah Lyle.[2] His father is also a musician and is the house-guitarist for the George Britt Band, who plays at the Lowell Opry House in Carrollton.[3]

Lyle was frequently around music growing up, being exposed to the musical genres of Country, Gospel, Bluegrass, and Classic rock.[4] His dad was the music minister at the family's church, and he grew up singing in the choir.[5] After initially having no interest in a music career as a child, Lyle began playing the guitar in high school, learning tabs from his father and online.[6]

Lyle attended college at Asbury University in Kentucky for one year before transferring to Georgia State University, earning a degree in philosophy in 2008.[7][8][9] After college, he used some money from a student loan to move to Prague and got certified to teach English as a foreign language.[10][11][8] He then relocated to Paris and began attending Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University to satisfy the requirements for his student visa.[12][9] When he wasn't working as a teacher or taking classes, Lyle performed at various bars and pubs around the city and began writing more music.[6] He later returned to Georgia in 2009 to begin a music career.[9] To support himself, he worked a variety of odd jobs including roofing, landscaping, food delivery, and advertising.[13][14][15]

Career

Beginnings as a solo musician

Lyle performing at home in 2010

Lyle self-released his first album in 2007 and later released an EP in 2009.[16][9] He would gain larger exposure in June 2010 after winning the Open Mic Shootout at the music club Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia.[3][17][18] Previous winners of the contest include John Mayer, Clay Cook, and Jennifer Nettles.[19] Lyle performed four original songs at the event: Closer to Me, Pretty Lady, Nashville, and The Secret.[20][21][22][23] He used the $1000 cash prize from the contest to fund the creation of the album The Golden Age & The Silver Girl, which released the following year in July.[24] The entire album was recorded in just one day and it was later recognized by NPR World Café as one of the top albums of 2011.[25][26][27]

Right after he finished making his debut album, Lyle moved to California to be closer to a new manager he had started working with,[28] and he later signed a publishing deal with Pulse Recordings.[10][11][29] He lived in an old house in Laurel Canyon that once belonged to Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie before moving to an apartment by the beach in Santa Monica with a roommate from college.[25][11][30] Lyle continued self-releasing music throughout 2012 and 2013, and in 2013 he was the recipient of the Harald Adamson Lyric Award for pop music from the ASCAP Foundation.[31] During this time, he continued making occasional appearances at Eddie's Attic and toured throughout the country with other musicians, additionally playing shows at several music festivals including SXSW, Noise Pop, and MusicfestNW.[25]

Lyle has said that his musical influences include Paul Simon, Garth Brooks, and his father Mark.[32]

The Midnight

Lyle performing live with The Midnight

In 2012, Lyle met Tim McEwan at a songwriter’s workshop in North Hollywood [33] arranged by his A&R representative Katie Donovan.[34] Bonding over a mutual love of 80's rock,[35] they began writing songs together and at McEwan’s suggestion based their sound on 80’s synth. The first song they wrote was WeMoveForward,[34][36] and their first release as a duo under The Midnight moniker came in July 2014 with the extended play Days of Thunder. Lyle serves as the band's primary vocalist and guitarist is credited with writing the majority of the band’s lyrics. He has been the main vocalist in every The Midnight song containing vocals except for Synthetic and Comet, which were sung by McEwan. Many of The Midnight's songs have their roots in songs originally written and released by Lyle on one of his albums or his podcast, From The Secret Lair.

Regarding his approach to writing for The Midnight, Lyle has said:[37][38]

I write The Midnight lyrically (mostly) as the fantasy that I never experienced. I lean a bit utopian sometimes and let the images get grander than I experienced. I was on the debate team. I had a lisp. I was really into Syphon Filter. The fun is in the make believe.


I write everyday. Some of it goes in The Midnight folder. Some of it goes off into far far away places. It works best when Tim has a cool musical skeleton and I have a cool lyrical skeleton we can smush together and build together.

Continued solo work and other ventures

Lyle performing at a solo show

Outside of The Midnight, Lyle continues to record and tour as a solo artist. Most recently, he embarked on a four show tour in the US in 2022 and his latest album, The Transcendentalists Part One, was released in June 2023.[39][40] Not long after his move to Los Angeles, Lyle formed with Andrew Smith and Jack Moore the group Smith, Lyle, and Moore, whose first EP was released in August 2020.[41] In 2012, he co-wrote two songs for Court Yard Hounds that appeared on their album Amelita.[2][42] His songs have been heard on the US television shows Hart of Dixie, Private Practice, and Gossip Girl.[43][44][45]

In January 2016, he began a monthly podcast titled From The Secret Lair.[46] Each episode generally consists of around three to six songs accompanied with commentary by Lyle.[47] The discussions touch on several topics, including his methods as a musician, sources of inspiration, philosophy, literature, and his southern upbringing. The first season featured 23 episodes that were recorded from his apartment in Brooklyn, New York.[48] The second season began in November 2020 and ran for eight episodes, with production moved to his home studio in Atlanta, Georgia.[49] The third season began in April 2023 and had nine episodes.[50]

Personal life

Outside of music, Lyle's interests include books, Tarot card reading, philosophy, and bourbon/whiskey. In September 2014, he married Anna Jimenez.[51][52] Jimenez contributed backing vocals to The Midnight's song Los Angeles.[53] Previously residing in Southern California and New York City, the Lyles now live in Atlanta, Georgia with their son, Beau.

References

  1. ↑ "Jamison Tyler Lyle of The Midnight performs during the 2019... News Photo - Getty Images". Getty Images. July 12, 2019. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "winter is for Kierkegaard and mapping out these shining stars | Fuel/Friends Music Blog". Fuel/Friends Music Blog. March 7, 2012. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Music + Dance: Tyler Lyle, "Moon Dust" - ARTS ATL". Arts ATL. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Midnight "rock and roll with synthesizers" on Deep Blue | Student Magazine - Student Pages". Student Pages. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; May 15, 2021 suggested (help)
  5. ↑ "We are The Midnight and we're playing Electric Forest for the first time. Ask us Anything! : ElectricForest". Reddit. May 21, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Interview: Storyteller and Songwriter – Tyler Lyle |". Music for Lunch. July 1, 2015. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. November 5, 2020. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Singled Out: Tyler Lyle's Winter Is For Kierkegaard | Tyler Lyle News | antiMusic.com". Anti Music. May 28, 2015. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Notes From The Parade | Tyler Lyle". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Tyler Lyle Charms with Flannel and Smooth Music - The Student Life". The Student Life. February 8, 2013. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Thoughts | Tyler Lyle". Tumblr. August 1, 2010. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Tyler Lyle - Quora". Quora. April 3, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ "We are The Midnight and we're playing Electric Forest for the first time. Ask us Anything! : ElectricForest". Reddit. May 21, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ "The Midnight Live Stream Video, April 10/2017 - YouTube". YouTube. April 10, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ↑ "Tyler Lyle BTS interview - YouTube". YouTube. October 24, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Retrowave Sessions Ep 2: The Midnight - YouTube". YouTube. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 24, 2022 suggested (help)
  18. ↑ "Eddie's Attic | Details & Rules - Eddie's Attic". Eddie's Attic. April 1, 2022. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Eddie's Attic | Open Mic - Eddie's Attic". Eddie's Attic. April 1, 2022. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Closer to Me, Tyler Lyle at Eddie's Attic Open Mic Shootout - YouTube". YouTube. October 27, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ↑ "Pretty Lady, Tyler Lyle at Eddie's Attic Open Mic Shootout - YouTube". YouTube. October 27, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ "Nashville, Tyler Lyle at Eddie's Attic Open Mic Shootout - YouTube". YouTube. October 27, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ↑ "The Secret, Tyler Lyle at Eddie's Attic Open Mic Shootout - YouTube". YouTube. October 27, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ↑ "The Golden Age & The Silver Girl | Tyler Lyle". Bandcamp. July 16, 2011. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 "Tyler Lyle Shows on San Diego LGBT Pride Community Calendar". San Diego LGBT Pride Community. April 1, 2022. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  26. ↑ "World Cafe: Looking Ahead To 2012 : World Cafe : NPR". NPR. December 30, 2011. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. December 30, 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Retrowave Sessions Ep 2: The Midnight - YouTube". YouTube. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 24, 2022 suggested (help)
  29. ↑ "Retrowave Sessions Ep 2: The Midnight - YouTube". YouTube. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 24, 2022 suggested (help)
  30. ↑ "Sometimes, for love to come, love has to go | Sounds For The Soul". Sounds For The Soul. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  31. ↑ "The ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Awards". The ASCAP Foundation. January 1, 2013. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  32. ↑ "We are The Midnight. Ask us anything. : outrun". Reddit. April 4, 2018. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  33. ↑ "THE MIDNIGHT: Tim McEwan And Tyler Lyle On Bringing 'Monsters' To Life!". Icon Vision. July 9, 2020. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Who Are The Midnight?: An Interview with the Masters of Modern Nostalgia". Vehlinggo. November 12, 2017. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  35. ↑ "The Midnight Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic". AllMusic. January 1, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Retrowave Sessions Ep 2: The Midnight - YouTube". YouTube. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 24, 2022 suggested (help)
  37. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. July 1, 2020. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. July 1, 2020. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. June 3, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  40. ↑ "The Transcendentalists | Tyler Lyle". Bandcamp. June 30, 2023. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; August 22, 2023 suggested (help)
  41. ↑ "Smith, Lyle & Moore Unravel the Makings of Debut 'EP1,' Release "Werewolf" - American Songwriter". American Songwriter. August 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Amelita - Court Yard Hounds | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. July 16, 2013. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  43. ↑ "My song "Anyhow" is going to be featured on the CW... | Tyler Lyle". Tumblr. May 7, 2013. Archived from the original on February 15, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  44. ↑ "Hey! What'dya know? "I Will Follow Love All The... | Tyler Lyle". Tumblr. May 6, 2013. Archived from the original on February 15, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  45. ↑ "tyler lyle | Cause A Scene Music". Cause A Scene Music. May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  46. ↑ "Tyler Lyle- From The Secret Lair (podcast) - Tyler Lyle | Listen Notes". Listen Notes. July 20, 2017.
  47. ↑ "Music | Tyler Lyle". Bandcamp. January 1, 2010. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  48. ↑ "23. My Ideal Bookshelf | Tyler Lyle". Bandcamp. November 15, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  49. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. October 31, 2020. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  50. ↑ "Episode 1: The Grail King | Tyler Lyle". Bandcamp. April 2, 2023. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  51. ↑ "Tyler Lyle marries Anna Jimenez under the Golden Gate Bridge in the Golden State with Sharon Jimenez and Bob... - Bring Hollywood Home Foundation fighting for California's Creative economy | Facebook". Facebook. September 20, 2014. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  52. ↑ "Tyler Lyle on Twitter". Twitter. September 5, 2020. Archived from the original on September 5, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  53. ↑ "We are The Midnight and we're playing Electric Forest for the first time. Ask us Anything! : ElectricForest". Reddit. May 21, 2019. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
‎

External links

Click the heading above to read more!

America Online

America online - single.jpg
"America Online"
Single by The Midnight
from the album Monsters
ReleasedMay 13, 2019 (2019-05-13)
Length5:49
LabelCounter Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Tim McEwan
Monsters track listing

Monsters

  1. "1991 (intro)"
  2. "America Online"
  3. "Dance With Somebody"
  4. "Seventeen"
  5. "Dream Away"
  6. "The Search for Ecco"
  7. "Prom Night"
  8. "Fire In The Sky"
  9. "Monsters"
  10. "Helvetica"
  11. "Brooklyn"
  12. "Deep Blue"
  13. "Night Skies"
  14. "City Dreams (interlude)"
  15. "Last Train"
The Midnight singles chronology
Arcade dreams - single.jpg
Arcade Dreams
(2018) 		America online - single.jpg
America Online
(2019) 		Deep blue - single.jpg
Deep Blue
(2020)

America Online[1] is a song by The Midnight. It is the first single and second track from their album Monsters. The single was released on May 13, 2019.[2]

The song was written by band members Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle and produced by McEwan. It has a running time of five minutes and 49 seconds and is in the key of B minor.

During a tour stop in the Spring 2019 Tour about a month before the single's release, the band talked with NewRetroWave about America Online:[3]

As a kid you’re sort of [disconnected] from the world… But when you’re in your teenage years, everything is sort of inner-conflict, relationships, all happening at once. The tensions of romantic love, acceptance in groups and things like that. …it’s not a sunset right? It’s more of a sort of blog track. I love going on vaporwave track playlists on youtube. I love the low-grade, low-fi, bitcrushed sound – it’s like that but with a bit more of a cleaner palette, a cleaner mix. So, that one will set the tone. Tyler is definitely on it, but in a bit more of a…vocodery way.

In an interview with Magnetic Magazine after the release of Monsters, The Midnight further stated:[4]

Tim: This sets the tone for our album. We’re in the era of connectivity. Gone are the days of being a kid, riding around on bikes, exploring the world around you. You’re a teen now and your nights are spent online in your bedroom, logged onto chat rooms, while the door to your parents is shut and you are searching for your own identity.

Tyler: This track was basically done and we’d decided to do it as an instrumental, but at the last minute I decided to try and write something. By that time we knew what the album was about roughly. This became the premise of the record- is love necessarily reciprocal- is hate? What is intimacy without proximity? Are we really connected at the bottom of all of this, especially when “all of this” is mediated by so many layers that seem un-human.

According to McEwan, the synth used in the opening of America Online is Serum with EchoMelt 2 added to get the uneven tape jitter effect.[5] The vocoder used is a mix of VocalSynth 2 from iZotope and BitSpeek.

The date on the single artwork for America Online is August 6, 1991, which is the day the world's first website was published by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN.[6][7]

Lyrics

If I love you, will you love me?
If I want you, will you want me?
I’m reaching, are you reaching out?

If I touch you, will you touch me now?

Through the wires to the heart
Phantom fingers fumble in the dark

I thought I did; I felt a spark

Are we all one beating heart?

If I love you, will you love me?
If I hurt you, will you hurt me?
I’m reaching, are you reaching out?

If I touch you, will you touch me now?

Through the wires to the heart
Phantom fingers fumble in the dark

I thought I did; I felt a spark

Are we all one beating heart?

Or are we strangers?
Am I a stranger?

Lyrics source[2]

Official versions

America Online

from Monsters

America Online (Instrumental)

from Monsters (The Instrumentals)

References

  1. ↑ "America Online | The Midnight". Bandcamp. July 10, 2020. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "America Online | The Midnight". Bandcamp. May 3, 2019. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  3. ↑ Zistler, Andrew (April 5, 2019). "The Midnight Talk Tour and Reveal New Single - America Online - NewRetroWave - Stay Retro! | Live The 80's Dream!". NewRetroWave. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  4. ↑ Middleton, Ryan (July 10, 2020). "The Director's Cut: The Midnight - MONSTERS - Magnetic Magazine". Magnetic Magazine. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  5. ↑ "We are The Midnight and we're playing Electric Forest for the first time. Ask us Anything! : ElectricForest". Reddit. May 21, 2019. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ Nix, Elizabeth (August 4, 2016). "The World's First Web Site - HISTORY". HISTORY. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  7. ↑ "info.cern.ch". CERN. August 6, 1991. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.

Click the heading above to read more!

Days of Thunder

This template is about the EP. For the song, see Days of Thunder (song).
Days of thunder - ep.jpg
Days of Thunder
EP by
The Midnight
ReleasedJuly 15, 2014
GenreSynthwave
Length37:18
LabelThe Midnight Music
ProducerTim McEwan
The Midnight chronology
Days of thunder - ep.jpg
Days of Thunder
(2014) 		Endless summer - album.jpg
Endless Summer
(2016)
Alternative cover
Days of Thunder Old Cover.jpg
Original album cover

Days of Thunder is the debut extended play (EP) by The Midnight. It was released independently by the band on July 15, 2014.[1]

No singles from Days of Thunder were released prior to the EP's release, but in 2016 electronic music label Silk Music issued remix singles for the songs WeMoveForward and Days of Thunder.[2][3] The singles included the original songs and remixes that would later appear on the 2017 remix album The Midnight Remixed.[4]

Background and composition

Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle met in 2012 at a songwriter's workshop in North Hollywood organized by Katie Donovan, Lyle’s A&R representative at the time.[5] Prior to meeting, McEwan had listened to some of Lyle’s previous work and liked Lyle’s folk sound. They bonded over a mutual love of 80s rock and after initially struggling to define their sound, decided to enter the synthwave genre at the suggestion of McEwan. McEwan had prior exposure to the burgeoning synthwave genre and was inspired by the movie Drive. The first song they wrote as a duo was WeMoveForward, and the same day they also wrote the chorus for Gloria.[5][6][7] Over the next two years, they continued writing and recording songs, leading to the release of Days of Thunder. Prior to the release of the EP, several songs that were being worked on by McEwan (who was known as iAmData at the time) and Lyle were previewed on McEwan's Soundcloud account, including WeMoveForward, Gloria, Synthetic, and Comet.[8][9][10][11][12] While WeMoveForward and Gloria made the Days of Thunder tracklist, Synthetic was held back for the next The Midnight release, Endless Summer. Comet would not get released until 2021 as part of the 5 Year Anniversary edition of Endless Summer.

The EP was not promoted with any singles but still managed to make a modest impact upon release. At the time, the synthwave genre of music was still emerging and in the early stages of gaining traction. Days of Thunder was given positive reviews on the websites DRIVE Radio and NewRetroWave, and also caught the attention of several Reddit communities throughout 2014 and 2015.[13][14][15][16] When The Midnight's first album Endless Summer was released in 2016, synthwave and its online communities were much more established, drawing many new listeners to Days of Thunder. Gloria, Days of Thunder, and Los Angeles became popular songs of the genre and continue to be regularly performed by the band at live shows.

Music and lyrics

The primary themes explored by The Midnight on Days of Thunder are escapism, love, isolation, existentialism, and nostalgia, particularly when looked at through the lens of city life.

The EP begins with The Years (prologue), a slow moving tribute to Lyle's wife Anna, whom he met after moving to Los Angeles in the early 2010s. The inclusion of "prologue" in the song title indicates it as being not only a precursor to the other songs on the EP but also establishing the relationship of Lyle and Anna as preceding The Midnight's formation. The main synth riff slowly crescendos as the song progresses to include drums, guitar, and a chanting vocal. The final lyric in the song, "aimless and upward", is a recurring motif in Lyle's solo work and unifies his musical background with the production style of McEwan.

Gloria increases the tempo and octane of the EP with pulsing synth stabs and heavy guitar riffs, with lyrics expressing a near existentialist cry for help. The song leans heavily into the the themes of isolation and escapism, trademarks of the synthwave genre. WeMoveForward has a significantly more progressive house feel and recounts a tale of love discovered at the beach. Proclaiming "we move forward, because we can't go back", the song emphasizes the ideal of living life in the present and taking chances.

Beginning with the sound of a car engine starting, the title track evokes high speed chases from 80s action films with strong synth patterns, loud percussion, and distinctive saxophone riffs, which would become a trademark of The Midnight's sound. Discussing the dark side of love, Days of Thunder also explores the idea of feeling alone in a big city, describing "the ghosts of the boulevard" as "living with lonely hearts". Kick Drums & Red Wine, another synth driven song, explores the ways people search for answers in life by pretending to be something they're not, with the narrator choosing to find relief through authenticity and "kick drums and red wine".

The EP concludes with Los Angeles, an ode to the birthplace of The Midnight written by Lyle upon moving from Los Angeles to New York City. The moderately paced song has a more sparse production compared to the previous songs on the EP, recounting memories shared at various places including the beach, Sunset Boulevard, and the canyons and mountains of Los Angeles. Often regarded as one of The Midnight's signature songs, Los Angeles ties together the EP's themes and the band's mantra of mono no aware with Lyle declaring, "if we live forever let us live forever tonight".

Official description

The Days of Thunder

There is a Japanese term: Mono no aware. It means basically, the sad beauty of seeing time pass - the aching awareness of impermanence. These are the days that we will return to one day in the future only in memories. How do we capture them? How could we possibly be able to fully appreciate them in the present? This project is our attempt to put time under glass.

The Midnight is a marriage between a songwriter from the Deep South and a producer from Denmark who both live in Los Angeles. The songs were written in North Hollywood and Santa Monica over two years and represent the first fruit of The Midnight. This is our love song to our city and a testament to the weight these years can hold.

[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle.

No.TitleLength
1."The Years (prologue)"6:08
2."Gloria"4:49
3."WeMoveForward"8:07
4."Days of Thunder"5:24
5."Kick Drums & Red Wine"6:21
6."Los Angeles"6:29
Total length:37:18

Release history and variants

Digital release history for Days of Thunder
Date Edition
July 15, 2014 Standard
Days of Thunder Old Cover.jpg

Days of thunder - ep.jpg
Artwork was changed to current revision in February 2016 due to potential copyright issues with the original image.[17] The artwork it was changed to was first used for the release of Lost & Found (The Midnight Remix).
March 20, 2016 Instrumentals
Days of thunder - ep.jpg
The instrumentals were originally uploaded to Soundcloud in June 2015 prior to getting an official release on Bandcamp and streaming services.[18][19]
May 7, 2021 Stems
Days of thunder - ep.jpg
Contains the six songs from the EP denoted with BPMs plus 94 stem parts comprising all songs. The stems are not royalty free but projects and remixes made with them are allowed to be used on non-monetized platforms.
Physical release history for Days of Thunder
Year Format Color/Design
2018 Cassette White
DaysOfThunderWhiteCassette.webp
First tape variant. Was first offered for sale at the Spring 2018 shows with the remaining stock being sold online.
2018 Cassette Transparent Red
TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder Casette Red.webp
Second tape variant.
2018 LP Transparent Red
TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder LP Red 5ec3b32f-a678-49b9-a88d-dadd48b92db8.webp
First vinyl variant. The EP was remastered for this release. Lost & Found is included as a bonus track. Preorders began in June 2018 and were shipped in September.
2022 CD -
TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder CD Main.webp

TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder CD Open.webp
Lost & Found is erroneously included on the printed tracklist. A download link to the song is sent when purchasing the CD.
2022 LP Blue Swirl
TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder LP-Blue-Swirl.webp
Second vinyl variant. Lost & Found is included as a bonus track.
2024 LP Evil Dead
TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder LP.webp
Third vinyl variant. Lost & Found is included as a bonus track.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Days of Thunder | The Midnight". Bandcamp. July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ "WeMoveForward (incl. Talamanca Remix) | The Midnight". Bandcamp. March 28, 2016. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Days Of Thunder | The Midnight". Bandcamp. August 1, 2016. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Midnight Remixed | The Midnight". Bandcamp. August 14, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Who Are The Midnight?: An Interview with the Masters of Modern Nostalgia". Vehlinggo. November 12, 2017. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Retrowave Sessions Ep 2: The Midnight - YouTube". YouTube. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  7. ↑ "The Midnight // Interview by (( URY Music )) | Mixcloud". MixCloud. August 23, 2016. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Adam on X: "iAmData and Tyler Lyle wanna soundtrack your 80s themed afternoon dance party. let them:" / X". Twitter. April 26, 2013. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  9. ↑ "'Gloria'- iAmData feat Tyler Lyle | songsfortheday". songsfortheday. April 26, 2013. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Peanut~Bekah on X: "WeMoveForward (iAmData & Tyler Lyle) by iAmData on #SoundCloud" / X". Twitter. Jan 15, 2014. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Jakob Weise on X: "Check out 'Synthetic' by iAmData - looking so much forward to hearing more of his solo stuff." / X". Twitter. August 5, 2013. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  12. ↑ "✨Kate✨ on X: "Comet (iAmData solo project) by @I_am_data #soundcloud ❤️ It" / X". Twitter. November 12, 2013. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  13. ↑ "The Midnight - My favorite radio station DRIVE Radio posted a... | Facebook". Facebook. July 30, 2014. Archived from the original on March 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  14. ↑ Sabiu, Andrea (August 28, 2014). "THE MIDNIGHT DROPS A NEW ALBUM - HOT OR NOT? - NewRetroWave - Stay Retro! | Live The 80's Dream!". NewRetroWave. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  15. ↑ "The Midnight - Days of Thunder (2014) : futuresynth". Reddit. September 2, 2014. Archived from the original on March 24, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  16. ↑ "The Midnight -- Days of Thunder [Synthwave/Synthpop] (2014) : listentothis". Reddit. August 24, 2014. Archived from the original on August 24, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  17. ↑ "The Midnight - It has come to our attention that we,... | Facebook". Facebook. January 31, 2016. Archived from the original on March 24, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Midnight - I will be uploading the whole Days of Thunder EP... | Facebook". Facebook. June 19, 2015. Archived from the original on October 28, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ "The Midnight - All the instrumentals for "Days of Thunder"... | Facebook". Facebook. June 20, 2015. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
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