Those Midlake boys sure are a rustic bunch. They seem like the kind of folks that only break their schedule of endless camping trips and whittling sessions to write some songs about the mountains and bandits and the old country. Apparently the whittling block has seen a lot of use the last couple of years, as the Denton, Texas-based group has refrained from releasing a record since 2006’s The Trials of Van Occupanther (TMT Review). Perhaps they’ve busy been observing the growth patterns of the North Red Oak Encroaching Fern. Perhaps you think that’s a real plant and not something I just made up.
Whatever it is that has been possessing Midlake’s attention the last three years, it's over now, as the band has finished their third LP, The Courage of Others. Recorded at their custom-built studio in Denton, the record is set for a February 2 release via Bella Union. In the days leading up to the album’s release, the band will embark on a short East Coast tour. Or at least a tentatively short tour, as more dates are said to be announced soon. Being the group’s first live dates since 2007, the trek breaks another long silence for Midlake. Unless, I suppose, they played a show in a secluded forest somewhere. I wouldn’t be too surprised.
The Courage of Others tracklist:
1. Acts of Man
2. Winter Dies
3. Small Mountain
4. Core of Nature
5. Fortune
6. Rulers, Ruling All Things
7. Children of the Grounds
8. Bring Down
9. The Horn
10. The Courage of Others
11. In The Ground
Midlake tourdates:
01.05.10 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
01.06.10 - Tallahassee, FL - Engine Room
01.07.10 - Orlando, FL - The Social
01.08.10 - St. Augustine, FL - Cafe Eleven
01.09.10 - Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern
01.10.10 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle
01.11.10 - Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone
01.12.10 - Little Rock, AR - Rev Room
