Hailing from Anderson, Indiana, indie rock collective John Louis & The Midwest has been slowly gaining local momentum as time has gone on. Now, with their debut full-length on the horizon, the quartet is only looking to broaden their fanbase, in both size and scope. We’re All Going to Make It, which was tracked in an Akron studio in the dead of winter and mostly self-engineered, not only speaks to the band’s talent, but also puts them on the map as a whole.

The upbeat opener “Motivation” sets the pace for the album with bright instrumentation, while “Chalk Dust” eases up just a bit. Here, the fun bridge seems to drop the listener straight in the middle of a studio jam session. With an abundance of la-la’s and oh-oh’s to sing along to, “Fish in the Sea” is a perfect song for shows, and although the ending may be overlooked by many, it’s actually one of the coolest parts of the entire song. “Matter of Time” is the riffing rocker bound to make listeners wonder why it isn’t making an impact on the radio. If that’s not enough to get them going, the bridge in “Matter of Time” is almost reminiscent of Beautiful Letdown-era Switchfoot.

“Where Has the Time Gone” is a slower, more reflective song, before the group picks back up where they left off two tracks earlier, with “Major League.” This is followed by the two weakest songs on the album. The bridge of “Drive” keeps things interesting in an otherwise-average tune; nothing really stands out in “Take Me Home” though. “Magician,” on the other hand, is a calmer song with chilling harmonies. The infectious groove and quasi-progressive feel of “Sell” places it among the strongest of the entire record. “I Swear” closes things out rather nicely, with the intriguing a cappella outro serving as the exclamation point to end the album.

We’re All Going to Make It features a fairly wide array of sounds, particularly for being a debut. At times the record can seem a little mediocre, but even those parts aren’t “bad” per se, nor are they enough to hinder the album from being an enjoyable listen overall. Indeed, with spring and summer vibes flowing through it, the inaugural full-length from John Louis & The Midwest is the perfect soundtrack as the weather continues to warm up.

Score: 3.5/5

RIYL: Mike Mains & The Branches, Relient K, Switchfoot
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