Midlake - The Courage of Others (2010)

This is, I think, the first really great album to “come out” this year. Midlake is a folk-rock band from Texas that has gotten some acclaim due to their previous two albums, but until now, has not really caught my ear. Influences include British folk-singers (the likes of Nick Drake) which yields a more austere sound than typical Americana stuff. This album sounds as though it’s from another time, not necessarily a specific era of music, but it has a definite un-modern feel to it. It could be a soundtrack to a 12th century European city, for some reason that’s the sort of image it conjures. The vocal harmonies are a treat to hear, though they may take some time to grow on listeners. Also, they are clearly a rock band, as the drums and guitar melodies do not take backseat to the vocals. The guitars are lively, with an acoustic backdrop that is accompanied by flourishes of electric guitars. These songs all tend to have a strong rhythmic flow to them, and are somewhat upbeat musically, even though the vocals take a somber tone. It isn’t uptempo, but not dull and dreary either. Strings and woodwinds (flute on “Bring Down”) appear here and there as well. This album makes me want to give their back catalog another chance.

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