It's been nearly three years since Midlake's The Trials of Van Occupanther topped our 2006 year-end local-albums list and enjoyed critical praise from, oh, everybody else. So you can imagine how painful the wait for new material has been for fans of the Denton band. But today we get a glimmer of hope, if only a glimmer.
From a press release:
MIDLAKE SET TO RELEASE AMBITIOUS, ENGROSSING NEW ALBUM 'THE COURAGE OF OTHERS' - THEIR FIRST IN OVER THREE YEARS - ON FEB 2 VIA BELLA UNION
FIRST US TOUR DATES SINCE 2007 ANNOUNCED
On Feb 2, 2010 Bella Union will release the eagerly anticipated new Midlake album 'The Courage of Others,' the follow-up to the group's 2006 breakout 'The Trials of Van Occupanther.' The eleven original songs on 'Courage' were written by Tim Smith and produced by Midlake at their new custom-built studio in Denton, TX. The band's lineup remains: singer Tim Smith, Paul Alexander on bass, drummer McKenzie Smith, and guitarists Eric Pulido and Eric Nichelson.
'Courage' builds on the complex textures that made 'Van Occupanther' a touchstone, revealing breathtaking soundscapes and bygone eras. Equal parts intimate and epic, the album evokes a cloistered world of its own with dreamlike melodies, stunning vocal harmonies and ambitious arrangements.
Midlake took a two year break from the road to focus on the new album, but will tour extensively in 2010, with an initial string of dates and a return to SXSW - genesis of the 'Van Occupanther' groundswell in 2006 - already confirmed.
Comments (1)
'bout dang time! Me luvs me some Midlake