Sad midwest punk music
You know what my favorite mood is? Despair. BUT LOUD.
Hey. Come here a minute.
Listen to this:
That’s the late, great Mixtapes. I was lucky enough to watch this batch of beautiful Ohioans play one last show before disbanding forever, but luckily Maura is in a bunch of great bands right now, and does solo stuff, and frontman Ryan Rockwell recently released a tremendous solo album. And a great video!
Mixtapes was far from my introduction to Sad Midwestern Pop Punk (pop punk has been my absolute favorite genre of music since at least 1995, so I’ve been around the block a time or two), but they perfectly encapsulate one of the best moods/vibes you can possibly put in my body: the feeling of being young (or old) and feeling like a complete fuckup, yearning for solid hangs or someone who understands you and wondering how you’re going to get to the other side of it. The advantage that Midwestern bands have over the rest of the country: they’re cold, too. The coldness is important.
There are more bands and our No. 10 Coen Brothers film after the paywall. Intrigued?
