Caros audiophiles, this week I offer a group which until last week I had never heard but which I immediately liked.
Midlake, I discovered, are a Texas band who only came to be noticed in 2006 with an album called Trials of Van Occupanther.
They originally were jazz musicians but claim to be influenced by early 1970s classic/progressive/folk rock bands such as Jethro Tull and King Crimson and also by contemporary artists like Radiohead.
Personally, on certain songs I also hear very definitely the distinctive guitar sound of Fleetwood Mac around the time of Rumours, and the lead singer reminds me of Rufus Wainwright and Neil Young.
More than this it is too soon for me to say, but I present two songs, from their new album The Courage of Others, which so far have made for me the most impression, and hope that you may enjoy:
Acts of Man:
If all that grows starts to fade, starts to falter
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wake
Let all that run through the fields, through the quiet,
Go on with their own, on with their own hidden ways
When all the newness of gold travels far from
Where it had once been,
Worn like the earth over years,
And when the acts of men
Cause the ground to break open
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wait
Great are the sounds of all that live
And all that man can hold
If all that grows starts to fade, starts to falter
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wake
Let all that run through the fields, through the quiet,
Go on with their own, on with their own hidden ways
When all the newness of gold travels far from
Where it had once been,
Worn like the earth over years,
And when the acts of men
Cause the ground to break open
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wait
Great are the sounds of all that live
And all that man can hold
Rulers, Ruling All Things:
I have been cruel and kind without knowing
I fell into silence overwhelmed by these days
For I had been shown empty rulers, ruling all things
Thinking the world was mine to lay hold of
I breathed in the promise of maiden and man
But each had their own illusions to hold on to
I only want to be left to my own ways
The rulers have won leaving all things undone
I've stood in awe of the whole creation
Gathered among them was the morning
Giving all it's rest
Thinking the world was mine to be lost in
I ran with freedom and sang in between
For I have the path of wonder
There before me
I fell into silence overwhelmed by these days
For I had been shown empty rulers, ruling all things
Thinking the world was mine to lay hold of
I breathed in the promise of maiden and man
But each had their own illusions to hold on to
I only want to be left to my own ways
The rulers have won leaving all things undone
I've stood in awe of the whole creation
Gathered among them was the morning
Giving all it's rest
Thinking the world was mine to be lost in
I ran with freedom and sang in between
For I have the path of wonder
There before me
A proxima,
PO
PO
