Sometime Around Midnight Soundalikes

July 10, 2017 10:51 PM

I really really like "Sometime Around Midnight" by The Airborne Toxic Event. What other songs are like this?

I love the slow build, the guy's voice, and the instrumentation. Can you suggest similar songs?
I'm already listening to the band on Spotify.

posted by kirkaracha to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

Response by poster: I mean, obviously someone loves U2.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:55 PM on July 10, 2017

You might like the National. Check out "Terrible Love" or "Fake Empire" for starters.
posted by synecdoche at 5:09 AM on July 11, 2017

Best answer: I also like this song, and while I don't think they're amazingly direct comparisons, it made me think of Only If You Run by Julian Plenti (aka Paul Banks of Interpol - if part of the appeal is stuff that starts out sparse-ish and builds into something a lot bigger by the end, you might also enjoy Evil by Interpol), and Cold Wind by Arcade Fire.
posted by terretu at 5:41 AM on July 11, 2017

Okkervil River! Especially tracks from The Stage Names (see Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe or John Allyn Smith Sails) or its companion The Stand Ins (see Lost Coastlines), but plenty of their songs might work for you. (Black doesn't reaaally have the slow build, but it's got a similar catharsis that I love.)
posted by jeudi at 5:59 AM on July 11, 2017

Best answer: It's not about romantic betrayal, and it's not as lushly orchestrated, but the slow build and emotional punch of Bedhead's Powder gets me every time.
posted by Sonny Jim at 10:12 AM on July 11, 2017