Follow-up albums are tricky things. There’s the “Sophomore Slump” phenomenon, or the pressure to recreate magic and success to please labels and fans. Most importantly, however, there’s the pressure to stay true to one’s artistic vision.
“It’s a bigger leap for the listener than for us,” explains Midlake guitarist Eric Pulido, “because we recorded and toured Van Occupanther for a while, then we recorded for over a year, working on things, throwing other things away, to gradually get where we are now. So it did seem like a real progression.” And a progression it is. Their new album, The Courage of Others, marks a major step forward for the five-piece band, and also a step back sonically. It’s a different sound, but recognizably Midlake. “It’s where we are now” Pulido continues, “It might not be what everyone was expecting, or the one that everyone touts as the most popular or critically acclaimed, but that’s where we are now.”
While on tour for Van Occupanther, the band became deeply engrossed with artists like Fairport Convention, Jimmie Spheeris, and Matthews Southern Comfort, and the influence carried over into the studio. “I knew of Fairport Convention, but I hadn’t really listened to them, or Pentangle, or Steeleye Span, or several of the other bands that were really under-the-radar for us. We just started listening to that stuff so much more and found a sound and emotion that we wanted to resonate,” Pulido says.
That sound is evident in the first few seconds of “Acts of Men”, the album’s opener. Sparse acoustic guitars, plaintive vocals, and slower tempos replace the propulsive keyboards, hooky guitars, and driving drums that provided the soul for much of Van Occupanther’s material. Now, that isn’t to say the album is dull, or a complete downer. In fact, it is deeply moving and often beautiful, especially on the songs “Fortune” and “Bring Down”. Electric guitar isn’t completely abandoned for pure acoustic folk, it’s just relegated to being another layer. The Richard Thompson homage “The Horn” features the only real lead guitar on the record. Instead of pop gems like “Roscoe” (selected by Rolling Stone as the 90th best song in the past decade), the listener is treated to darker songs like “Winter Dies” and “In The Ground”. Flute replaces synthesizers, danceable drum beats have vanished, and simple two-part harmonies replace the lush layers of earlier work.
But it’s not fair to judge “The Courage of Others” solely by comparing it to its predecessor. It stands as a statement of growth for the band. “We’re maturing as a band, as people…” Eric Pulido explains. “…We were listening to those British bands more and more in the studio and we thought…we need to play together more, and take them home, and dig into those bands…I think the thing you learn, and we’ve learned gradually, the sum is greater than the parts…You’re trying to put in your creative voice to achieve [an emotion], but trying to get on the same page as a band. We were thinking, ‘What can I do to get this overall feeling right?’ and it might just be strumming one chord, you know? Or, maybe I need to lay out or drone. How can I drone better?”
That growth contributes to one of the biggest hallmarks of The Courage of Others: its use of dynamics. With an album that might otherwise seem to “drone” or be downtrodden, the rejection of individual parts in favor of the group dynamics allows the album to retain an emotional core. The songs ebb and flow naturally, like a river that appears placid at times but will rise up against the rocks underneath and flow forward with more power. The only single instrument that really stands out is Paul Alexander’s masterful bass lines. While never flashy, they contribute just enough additional movement to reinforce the pulse of each song and keep the current flowing.
Furthermore, Van Occupanther had some sense of looking forward, of working towards something; a sense of hope. That’s largely missing on Courage. Midlake lyricist and vocalist Tim Smith explains, “…there’s a part of me that might view the world in that way…hopeless…to try to save the planet or the country or the economy. I’ve been disenchanted with jobs and companies and how things go down.” The record’s lyrics reflect that frustration. The opener “Acts of Man” requests: “And when the acts of men/Cause the ground to break open/Oh, let me inside…”. “Bring Down” implores, “Sound out nothing more/Wait for all to end/In silence behold/Now that the joy has burned out/And it’s gone”. “Rulers, Ruling All Things” tells us “The rulers have won leaving all things undone.” What’s done is done, and all we can do is wait out our time.
With all the optimism found in the New Year, these are still uncertain times. Our financial institutions and governments fail us, and even our ecosystem appears to be in shambles. Courage gives us affirmation in commiseration. But, don’t get the wrong idea. “I’m not a depressed person at all. I might be a bit melancholy, but I still appreciate the good things around me,” Smith says. “Maybe someday I’ll get around to the more hopeful…”
