The Middle East (band)
| Company type | Indie folk band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Founder | Rohin Jones |
| Defunct | 2024 |
| Headquarters | Townsville , Australia |
Area served | Australia, International |
| Products | Music albums and performances |
The Middle East was an Australian indie folk ensemble established in Townsville, Queensland in 2005. The group initially attracted attention through local performances before rapidly achieving both national and international recognition via online music platforms. In early 2008, they independently released their debut album, The Recordings of The Middle East. After a brief disbandment, they regrouped in 2009 and signed with Australian indie label Spunk Records, which re-released the album in a shortened EP format.
Their first official full-length studio album, I Want That You Are Always Happy, debuted in Australia and New Zealand on 8 April 2011. The band’s planned farewell concert took place on 31 July 2011 at Queensland’s Splendour in the Grass festival. Since then, they have reunited twice, once in 2019 and again in 2023.
History
Around 2005, vocalist and guitarist Rohin Jones created the band as a summer collaboration with friends. The name, originally chosen without specific meaning, later came to reflect their origins on Queensland’s eastern coast. Due to a scarcity of similar local acts, they frequently supported punk and hardcore groups at venues including James Cook University. The band dissolved in 2008 when guitarist Jordan Ireland relocated to Europe but reassembled in 2009 upon his return to perform alongside Bill Callahan (musician).
By early 2009, the band experienced a surge in international attention through word-of-mouth and influential music blogs, notably the U.S.-based I Guess I'm Floating. Their track "Blood," penned by Jordan Ireland in 2006, emerged as their hallmark song and appeared in films such as Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) and A Perfect Pairing (2022). Additionally, Pitchfork provided a complimentary download of "The Darkest Side" from their initial release.
Following their signing with Spunk! Records in early 2009, The Middle East embarked on extensive tours across Australia alongside labelmate Emma Russack while navigating lineup adjustments. They received national airplay on Triple J and earned the station's Unearthed Artist Of The Year Award. Their performances included major festivals like Splendour in the Grass, Big Day Out, Big Sound, Homebake, Laneway, Meredith, Falls Festival, and Woodford Folk Festival. Their debut album also saw a U.S. release, broadening their global reach.
In 2010, the band toured both the U.S. and Europe supporting artists such as Beach House (band), Laura Marling, and Pavement (band), appearing at prominent festivals including Coachella, Fuji Rock, Bonnaroo, and Sasquatch Music Festival. Most of I Want That You Are Always Happy was self-recorded during breaks between tours, primarily in Denton, Texas. Upon returning to Australia, they toured locally with Cat Power and British group Doves (band).
At the August 2011 Splendour in the Grass festival, The Middle East declared it would be their "final performance," citing internal factors and dismissing any continuation as a mere "money grab." Industry professionals commended their choice to conclude while still highly regarded.
In March 2019, the band reunited for two concerts at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid Live celebrations marking Spunk Records' 20th anniversary alongside artists including Jack Ladder and Holly Throsby.
In August 2023, they announced opening appearances for Zach Bryan's 2024 U.S. tour—their first overseas shows in fourteen years—and performed two additional Sydney Opera House concerts for Spunk Records' closing event alongside Explosions in the Sky and Aldous Harding.
Musical style
The Middle East's musical output encompasses a wide array of genres and influences, incorporating aspects of country, blues, punk, rock, folk, chamber pop, psych folk, post-rock, and ambient music. According to Allmusic, their sound can be described as "rich, orchestral indie pop," merging the grandiose atmospheres found in contemporary rock groups such as Múm and Sigur Rós with the understated qualities of modern indie folk. Their arrangements utilize a diverse range of instruments including electric and acoustic guitars, drums, various hand percussion instruments, piano, glockenspiel, banjo, and trumpet. A prominent feature of their music is the emphasis on vocal harmonies—particularly close harmonies delivered by several band members. Pitchfork notes that certain songs are "simple finger-picked acoustic pieces with alternating and harmonizing vocals that evoke a feeling of weary optimism."
Despite this stylistic variety, the group has voiced dissatisfaction with their musical identity, believing it remains somewhat easy to categorize and that they have yet to create something entirely distinctive.
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| I Want That You Are Always Happy |
|
11 |
Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Recordings of the Middle East |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Recordings of the Middle East |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "The Darkest Side" | 2009 | The Recordings of the Middle East |
| "Jesus Came to My Birthday Party" | 2010 | I Want That You Are Always Happy |
| "Hunger Song" | 2011 |
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are held annually by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) to celebrate outstanding achievements by composers and songwriters since 1982.
!
|-
| 2010
| "Blood" (Jordan Ireland, Rohin Jones)
| Song of the Year
|
|-
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards recognize excellence and innovation across all styles within Australian music each year.
|-
| 2011
|I Want That You Are Always Happy
| Breakthrough Artist - Album
|
|-
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (AMP) is a yearly award of $30,000 granted to an Australian solo artist or band for an album released within that calendar year. This accolade was initiated in 2005.
|- | 2011 | I Want That You Are Always Happy | Australian Music Prize | |-
J Awards
Founded in 2005 by Triple J, the youth-oriented radio station of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the J Awards annually recognize outstanding accomplishments in Australian music.
|- | 2009 | themselves | Unearthed Artist of the Year | |- | 2011 | I Want That You Are Always Happy | Australian Album of the Year |
Queensland Music Awards
Since 2006, the Queensland Music Awards, formerly known as the Q Song Awards, have annually acknowledged both emerging and established musical talents from Queensland.[1]
(only wins listed)
|- | 2011[2] | I Want That You Are Always Happy | Album of the Year | |-}