It’s autumn. It’s Sunday. It’s raining outside. And somehow, despite being from the somewhat sunnier climes of Texas, Midlake‘s new LP A Bridge To Far seems the perfect soundtrack to a good old fashioned miserable English afternoon.
While they may have shed a lead singer and songwriter in Tim Smith part way through the 2010s, Midlake have managed to keep following the same trad direction of their early years and yet still yield albums that don’t wallow in self-reverance for the 60s/70s sound they are rooted in.
A Bridge To Far is amongst their strongest work, especially where the band evoke a woozy Laurel Canyon folksy vibe. But recent years haven’t all been a pleasant valley Sunday for the band. As frontman Eric Pulido explains, lead single ‘The Ghouls’ was written during a period of uncertainty about the band’s future “after a conversation within our camp about everyone’s respective goals. The temptation to demonise the realities or challenges that exist and yet to face them head on and create something extraordinary”.
It seems that tension was what they needed, as the track is a winner – a rhythmic relative of fan favourite ‘Roscoe’, it’s doused in cold, modulated guitar as the vocals switch from soporific to urgent. Although that urgency is belied by the accompanying video, one of the most unimaginative “band playing in the studio” efforts you’re ever likely to see.
But the soporific feel is a good thing, by the way. It’s pursued as a golden thread across the album, albeit generally with more considered, laid back accompaniment than ‘The Ghouls’. As Pulido explains, this has come from a more “instinctive and unforced” approach in the studio: “Everything felt effortless and authentic. We didn’t overthink things”.
The result is a warm, convivial feel, especially on tracks like opener ‘Days Gone’ and ‘Guardians’ which channel CSN without feeling cliched. Female guest vocalists including Hannah Cohen, Meg Lui and Grammy-nominated Madison Cunningham provide harmonic balance throughout the album.
The daydream is momentarily broken by the feverish ‘The Calling’ with duelling saxophones that the band themselves acknowledge “brought an unexpected burst of colour” to the sessions. Then back to David Crosby’s porch sometime around 1969 for the final three tracks, ending with pared back ‘The Valley of Roseless Thorns’.
A Bridge To Far is a balanced, accomplished piece of work – melodically strong and yielding of greater musical depth on repeated listening.
