Midlake Announces Long-Awaited 3rd LP

Due in early February; to be preceded by short U.S. tour.

By Fred Mills

Okay, Midlake fans, here's the news you've been anticipating: Bella Union just announced this morning that it will be releasing the third Midlake album on Feb. 2. Titled The Courage of Others, it's the followup to 2006's acclaimed The Trials of Van Occupanther - which was more than merely "acclaimed," if you think about it; the record turned up on nearly every critic's year-end best-of list and was a mainstay at college radio and Triple-A.

The Denton, TX, band literally left the road for two years to work on the record, which was cut at their home studio by vocalist/songwriter Tim Smith, bassist Paul Alexander, drummer McKenzie Smith and guitarists Eric Pulido and Eric Nichelson. According to the label, the album "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."

The world needs more breathtaking soundscapes, indeed. Anyone who's heard the band's signature cut "Roscoe," from the last album, knows what we mean. For newcomers to that sound, you can hear what all the fuss has been about to date over at Midlake's MySpace page where a slew of songs are streaming.

‘The Courage of Others' tracklist:

Acts of Man

Winter Dies

Small Mountain

Core of Nature

Fortune

Rulers, Ruling All Things

Children of the Grounds

Bring Down

The Horn

The Courage of Others

In The Ground

Midlake 2010 tour dates so far (more to be announced soon):

Jan 5 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon

Jan 6 Tallahassee, FL Engine Room

Jan 7 Orlando, FL The Social

Jan 8 St. Augustine, FL Cafe Eleven

Jan 9 Mt. Pleasant, SC Village Tavern

Jan 10 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle

Jan 11 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone

Jan 12 Little Rock, Rev Room

 UK Dates:

Jan 22 Newcastle, England - The Cluny
Jan 23 Leicester, England - The Musician
Jan 24  Cambridge, England - Junction2
Jan 27  Norwich, England - Arts Centre
Jan 28 London, England - Tabernacle