The Courage of Others
Formed by jazz students who attended the University of North Texas College of Music, Midlake perform an American take on British folk music. Their tight harmonies and minor key brooding give them a sound that’s caught in an English fog looking towards Scotland. “Core of Nature” is great ensemble playing, but it’s singer Tim Smith’s primarily solo vocal on “Fortune” that yields true forlorn beauty. In just two minutes, it sends things back centuries or at least to the ‘60s. “Rulers, Ruling All Things” adds drums and electric guitars for a move towards heavier terrain. “Children of the Grounds” adds an earthy jangle to the winding vortex of black magic harmonies. “Bring Down” throws in a gorgeous descending melody with organ supplying the steady grounding while a simple flute takes things to the sky. “The Horn” works on pure druid magic. The title track sounds like Sebadoh getting back to the land. Not bad for a band from Denton, Texas, or anywhere else.
The recent breakout band follows its delightful 2006 album, The Trials of Van Occupanther, with a long-awaited new folk-pop record.
Texas folk-rock band Midlake has a name that’s unremarkable at first, but grows on contemplation. It’s descriptive, really—a one-word summation of how the band makes its fans feel. Aside from the obvious comparisons to Steeleye Span, Fleetwood Mac, and Radiohead, Midlake’s sound is less about its influences than the…
Midlake’s third album, The Courage of Others, resides in the same woody, bearded Laurel Canyon neighborhood as their previous release The Trials of Van Occupanther.
The much loved Midlake finally resurface following 2006’s lost, and quite strange, classic ‘The Trials of Van Occupanther’.
The third album from the Texan quintet trembles with awe of sublime nature, writes <strong>Maddy Costa</strong>
Midlake - The Courage Of Others review: The Courage of Others finds Midlake firmly situated in 1972 via 1821, a challenging but altogether rewarding experience.