# 5. Midlake - The Courage of Others
(Bella Union, February 1st 2010)
Four years after the fantastic album, The Trials of Van Occupanther, Midlake returned this year with another outstanding album. Where The Trials of Van Occupanther was steeped in classic seventies AOR like Fleetwood Mac and America, The Courage of Others has quite a different feel. Tim Smith has said that he discovered a lot of early seventies british folk bands like Fairport Convention, Pentangle and The Incredible String Band and that resonates in the music.
The seventies AOR sound isn't all gone, but The Courage of Others is a lot darker and more woodsy. The use of flutes in almost every song took some while getting used to, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. A classic album without any real standout tracks, each and everyone are as important as the next one.
A truly outstanding album, almost sacral in a way. It's one of those albums that just transports you to another place, in this case a whole different era. The songs are quite filmatic so I can kind of see my self walking a long in a very green but dark forrest. Also one of the most played albums this year at home. From it's release in February to December I think it rarely has gone a week without listining to this album.
Midlake - Acts of Man
(Bella Union, February 1st 2010)
Four years after the fantastic album, The Trials of Van Occupanther, Midlake returned this year with another outstanding album. Where The Trials of Van Occupanther was steeped in classic seventies AOR like Fleetwood Mac and America, The Courage of Others has quite a different feel. Tim Smith has said that he discovered a lot of early seventies british folk bands like Fairport Convention, Pentangle and The Incredible String Band and that resonates in the music.
The seventies AOR sound isn't all gone, but The Courage of Others is a lot darker and more woodsy. The use of flutes in almost every song took some while getting used to, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. A classic album without any real standout tracks, each and everyone are as important as the next one.
A truly outstanding album, almost sacral in a way. It's one of those albums that just transports you to another place, in this case a whole different era. The songs are quite filmatic so I can kind of see my self walking a long in a very green but dark forrest. Also one of the most played albums this year at home. From it's release in February to December I think it rarely has gone a week without listining to this album.
Midlake - Acts of Man
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