Here’s a list of 7 reasons why this new track from St.Arnaud is going to the alt-country hall of fame.
1. The title “Midwest Superstardom”. Pure brilliance!
2. Humorous, fun, playful lyrics keep you guessing what they’re gonna sing next. And it’s never what you expect! What’s my favorite line in the song? There are too many clever turns of phrase to choose from, but I’ll go with this: “Sorry, honey, but we can’t go on vacation / Bought a stick of pepperoni at a South Dakota station”.
3. It’s impossible that you won’t invent your own harmony part on the lead in to the first time you hear the title line and let rip with “Midwest Superstardom”. And then, when the song ends, and you realize they only pull that trick once, and recover from the sad shock of that, you’ll immediately rewind right back to that spot and do it again!
4. They perfectly place so many country clichés, but St.Arnaud seems to have reinvented them all and makes them sound fresh again.
5. Delectable slide guitar smothers this song like dripping hot fudge on your Midwestern summer evening sundae treat.
6. The dreamy slowed-down section leads up to what dreams are made of: “Want to be on the second page cover of a regional magazine? That’s your welcome to Midwest Superstardom.”
7. The one-line vocal-only ending shines as the last of the slides fade out.
The bad news is that there aren’t any upcoming concert dates. But the good news is that there are two other songs on this three-part single for you to check out, and St.Arnaud’s eponymous 3rd album will be released in 2026! Can’t wait!
Take a listen to “Midwest Superstardom” below.
Written by Greg Gobel
