Our lives are seen through the looking glass of our mind's eye. Sometimes our looking glass is out of focus, and we need something to bring life into focus and to help us make sense of it all. The everpresent dystopia has left so many things in our lives truly out of focus. For myself and so many other music lovers, it is music that acts as the lens that brings our world back into focus and lifts our spirits. From the opening notes of "We Were Alright" off of Arlo McKinley's debut album Die Midwestern, it connected with me, uplifted me, and brought my world back into focus, and let me, and others, know that everything is going to be alright. 

Following "We Were Alright" is the upbeat honkey-tonk title track "Die Midwestern" that resonates with people in a two-track resonance that tells us 'Yes, everything is going to be alright! I just have to move forward and persevere, and everything is going to be alright."

What draws us to the music in Die Midwestern is McKinley's connecting lyrics and engaging music. At first glance, I thought I would not connect to an album by a country musician's music, but that is where I was wrong. McKinley's sings from the soul, and his lyrics connect with the listener in such a sincere way that it truly connects beyond a specific genre - he talks of the human condition in brutal honestly. McKinley reflects on his songwriting process, "Songwriting has to be real. I'm 100% putting myself out there, I'm not writing fiction. To me, it is just about honesty. " 

Beyond the honesty of his songs, this album connects with so many because of McKinley's diverse influences from which he draws from- street soul, country, punk, and gospel. These influences allow him to with universal human conditions - love, yearning, heartbreak, addiction, despair for the current situation, and the optimism for a better tomorrow. McKinley's lyrics and vocal delivery connect with me in a way that reminds me of Elliott Smith's poignant songs.

Die Midwestern presents soulful, honest, and raw emotions that oscillate between the joy of love and opportunity, to regret and remorse. This album contains a vast breadth of McKinley's work, including some songs dating back nearly fifteen years. We give credit to McKinley and producer Matt Ross-Spang that assembled an album that melds the album's emotions into a journey that connects one visceral feeling to the next. I personally recommend listening to this album in a complete sitting as McKinley's pull on your heartstrings in powerful ways as it lovingly draws out heartfelt reactions from one song to another.

The title track reflects McKinley's relationship with Ohio, "I love it because it's everything that I am, but I hate it because I've seen it take my loved ones lives. I've seen it make hopeful people hopeless." "Bag Of Pills" is an autobiographical and frank account of the drug issues which affect his hometown, "I wrote it after I sold some pills so I could take a girl out. Those were rough times and also right around the time I started seeing a real drug addiction very close to me. After watching so many friends die from drug abuse it turned into me praying that it doesn't get any worse while knowing that it will result in my writing of the lyrics, 'life I don't want it if it's so easy to die.'" The album concludes with the emotional heartbreak and yearning found in "Ghost of My Best Friend." Just as McKinely sings yearningly "wish this night could last forever, wish this moment had no end," this album leaves you wanting more and yearning for the solace and resolve found in Die Midwestern.

McKinley has been steadily building his fanbase for several years now and, at 40 years old, nearly quit his music career. He pursued a solo career from 2014, with his own band The Lonesome Sound and achieved some success, including a nomination for Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Best Americana Act from the Cincinnati Music Awards. Still, his career stalled, and he almost gave up altogether, "I don't know why the world works the way it does, but I'm beyond grateful to be in this situation." McKinley adding, "I'm a little wiser in my ways and a 20 something me would've found a way to destroy the one dream that has stuck with me my entire life. Being a working musician." Despite the struggles of trying to make a living as a musician, McKinley persevered. He almost missed his big break several when he was offered an opening slot for Tyler Childers. Like many of us, McKinley dodged the persistent calls from an unknown phone number. As luck would have it, a mutual friend contacted him to let him know who this unknown caller was and McKinley connected with Tyler Childers.

It is especially worth noting that the last person to notice that McKinley shines like a genuine diamond was iconic and sadly missed American music legend, John Prine. McKinley was the final artist Prine and his son Jody signed together to their label Oh Boy Records before Prine passed away earlier this year. Prine loved the paradox dichotomy of the hard life lived presented through such beautiful songs, and he was very excited about his new signing and the eventual album release. Sadly John Prine did not live to see this album released. However, we are eternally grateful that Oh Boy signed McKinley, providing a label for McKinley to call home and helped lay the groundwork for this cathartic album.

Die Midwestern was produced by Matt Ross-Spang and recorded in the iconic Sam Phillips Recording Service.  Accompanying and complimenting Mckinley's powerful lyrics is an all-star backing band that includes Ken Coomer (Wilco), Rick Steff (Hank Williams Jr.), and Reba Russell (Johnny Cash, Roy Orbinson). With such an all-star production, it is no wonder that McKinley shines like a diamond as these songs are so beautifully presented to us.

Despite almost giving up on music altogether, McKinley is living proof that great songs will reach the right ears eventually - even if it takes 40 years. We recommend giving this album a play or two, or perhaps just on repeat for a day until your life comes back into focus, and a smile returns to face.