:: Midlake - The Courage Of Others

Midlake

After the success of their incredible breakthrough and hugely loved album, ‘The Trials of Van Occupanther’, Midlake are back with their third record ‘The Courage of Others’, which would easily have to be one of this year’s most hotly anticipated releases. While their previous effort was in part inspired by iconic acts like Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac, and deserved all of the praise and rapture it received, where would the Texan quintet go next? Well, it seems nowhere really. They haven’t progressed forward but they haven’t gone backward either, they just seem to be sitting somewhere in the middle. Don’t get me wrong, the band’s latest album is very much Midlake with their typical warm electro-acoustic sounds but in comparison to their previous effort, this one just feels flat and empty. It’s too one paced and rarely changes from that one slow speed, it lacks any truly engaging songs that draw you in or make you want to hit the repeat button, while it’s also missing the electric guitar and bass changes of differing song speeds, as well as those subtle, delicate sentiments and beautiful moods that the piano and keyboard moments of its predecessor so brilliantly contained. They’ve opted instead, for less tender piano and keyboard moments, less guitar and bass speeds and rhythms, and less vocal change ups. I was excited to hear they had a new record on the way and I really wanted to like this album, I really did but I just feel I’ve heard it all before and as a result became quite listless and bored with it. It’s a shame really, as ‘Van Occupanther’ was such an amazing album.