MIDLAKE
Every once in a while, a band comes along that undoubtedly evokes something special. You don’t know what the elusive ingredient is, but you are certain that they belong set apart from amongst the crowd of musical peers in which they lay. You quickly find yourself coming to the foregone conclusion that such a band’s music is to be revered and will remain relevant for some time to come. Midlake embodies this idealism in the hearts of many already and continues to adopt more and more believers today.
Midlake formed in the small, quirky Texas town of Denton. There, the five diligent musicians toiled to create a sound that was both pleasing and of their own. They were soon discovered by Bella Union Records owner Cocteau Twins bassist, Simon Raymonde. Simon fell deeply in love with the band, and together they began to cultivate a relationship focused on sharing Midlake’s music with the world. The band worked continuously day and night to create what would become their debut album, a work of incredible vision, talent, dedication and eccentricity: ‘Bamnan and Slivercork’.
Released in June of 2004, ‘Bamnan and Slivercork’ became a instant favorite of critics and fans worldwide. After a series of touring stints, both domestic and abroad, Midlake rapidly found themselves embraced by a much larger fan base than ever before. One notable member of this fan base is skateboarding legend turned actor, Jason Lee (My Name is Earl, Mallrats, Almost Famous, etc.). Jason joined forces with Midlake as a huge supporter, promoter, and collaborator, even directing and filming a video for their single, ‘Balloon Maker’.
Midlake then retreated home to begin work on their next musical venture. With a desire to reach deeper within and accomplish something even stronger than before, Midlake’s determined efforts produced ‘The Trials of Van Occupanther’. Tim Smith, Singer/Songwriter for Midlake says, “Compared to Bamnan and Slivercork, this album uses less keyboards in favor of acoustic guitar, piano, more vocals and electric guitar. The sound is something more related to 70’s folk rock but not in a gimmicky way, hopefully. I have a great affinity for those bands from the 70’s, the music just seems to move me more. So when writing this album of course those sounds came out in the music.”
The album, released in the summer of 2006, was greatly received and saw the band reach new heights like never before. On the strength of songs like 'Roscoe', 'Head Home', and 'Young Bride', along with a live show that left audiences worldwide in awe, Midlake continued to grow and establish themselves as an important band of our time.
With the release of their third studio album, 'The Courage of Others' this past year, Midlake delivered an album that not only met the anticipation and expectations that fans and critics alike held, but greatly surpassed it. What could be considered a departure from their previous work, 'Courage' was more melancholic and minor-key driven inspired by the likes of the British folk era of the late 60's and 70's. Midlake and the ensuing reviews however saw it as growth and in turn brought the band to even greater heights. On top of their recorded work, the live show brought on a new impactful element seeing Midlake soar as one of the great live acts to see in 2010. This was solidified by the prestigious MOJO Music Magazine when they honored the band with the 'Best Live Act' award at the 2010 MOJO Honours.
Now back in Denton, TX enjoying home, family, and the community that have embraced them so, Midlake does what they do best.return to work on another album that is sure to not only impress us, but take us to yet another place that we never knew existed. We shall all await with great anticipation.
