The Middle East

The Middle East are a musical collective based in Townsville in Queensland, Australia. Forming in 2005, the group played locally and completed several East Coast tours throughout Australia. In early 2008 they released an album called The Recordings of The Middle East before splitting up. Eight months after this decision was made, the band reconvened and later re-released an abridged version of the debut album, The Recordings of the Middle East as an EP in May 2009 through Spunk Records (AU). This EP was released in North America on the 27th of October, 2009.

The genre of the band themselves is difficult to specify. Whilst their MySpace profile lists the band as "indie", elements of folk, pop, post rock, country and ambience can be found throughout their music. Instruments used include guitar - both electric and acoustic, drums, hand percussion, piano, glockenspiel and trumpet. Another distinguishing feature of the band's music is the use of vocal harmony - in particular close harmony performed at times by several members.

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