Customer Reviews

Courage of Others

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

For a band as entirely oblivious to the whims of their fans as Midlake, it should come as no surprise that The Courage of Others again redefines the band's sound with barely a nod at what came before. Like their breakthrough record The Trials of Van Occupanther was a near-180 from the psychedelic rock of their debut Bamnam and Slivercork, their latest takes four years of incubating the rustic influences of artists as varied as Nick Drake and Pentangle and turns it into a strangely hypnotic album, one that is as different from what came before as it is likely to differ from whatever follows. It's easy to pin down the foundations that The Courage of Others is built upon, but it's far more difficult to realize whether Midlake has succeeded in distilling their own version of it all.

On the surface there seems plenty to like here for fans of Van Occupanther, but it quickly becomes apparent that the pop heart clearly present in past tunes like that record's "Young Bride" or "Bandits" has been tossed away in favor of a much more focused, much less accessible sound. Singer Tim Smith's distinct vocals run the show here, painting a portrait of past times and reviving the ghosts of `60s-`70s folk-rock with the uncanny ease of a weathered listener, and the band's traditionally countrified sound takes things one step further here. The album art should give anyone a pretty good indication of what's to come: Druidic rituals set to music, the worshipping of nature and living by the land, bucolic guitars weaving languid lines out and about around the omnipresent flutes and mournful, multi-tracked vocals.

It's not something to be taken lightly, and at times the experience can drag as such an utter dedication to a sound can tend to do. Van Occupanther succeeded because of its rich array of sonic textures that still managed to hearken back to an overall sound, a feel for the album that gave it a classic identity. The Courage of Others without a doubt has just such a unique identity, likely even stronger than what came before, but at times this comes at the expense of dragging, as when songs like "Small Mountain" and "Rulers, Ruling All Things" might overwhelm with the dourness of it all.

But it's the wholehearted attention to detail, the relentless pursuit of a tranquil sound meant to transport the listener straight back into the Appalachian woods, this kind of headphones album that makes The Courage of Others a decidedly experimental sort of success. It's uplifting to hear the softly flowing harmonies of a song like "Fortune," the anthemic climax to "Children of the Grounds" or the heartrendingly frank truths on the titular track. Midlake have shown again and again that they are a band not resistant to change but guided by it, always refining and redirecting their sounds as they see fit; after all, this is a band firmly situated in 1972 via 1821. It's the kind of forward thinking that should be praised more often than not, and while they would be advised to cut back on the flutes next go-around, The Courage of Others is a challenging and altogether rewarding experience.

Following the brilliant "Trials of Van Occupanther" comes a more diliberate and beautifully understated "Courage of Others". Some have called it 13th Century music for the 21st Century. Perhaps that captures the spirit of the album. Like Van Occupanther, the texture and tone of "Courage" are layered and aurally stunning. The songs are pastoral, timeless and deep. Having seen their live shows, which are great, the beauty of Midlake's carefully layered sounds are sometimes missed and not fully appreciated when listening to their CDs. The vocals throughout Courage continue with very subtle chorused sounds of two, three and more vocals which play on top, around and underneath Tim Smith's voice. The results are gorgeous. Similarly, the playing and musical instrumentation, have the same layered textures of guitar, keyboards and flute, which are tender and warm.

I think that some who are looking for another "Roscoe" or "Young Bride" might be dissappointed that there are no instant grabbers on "Courage", but let "Children of the Ground", "Acts of Man", "Winter Dies" or "Rulers Ruling All Things" play a couple of times and you will realize the breadth of this outstanding album. Simply stated, this is a beautiful, graceful work that, with repeated listenings will stand the test of time. Outstanding!

My experience of Midlake is almost the opposite of some reviewers. I was blown away by Van Occupanther and was looking for more of the same. I got the bands earlier releases and couldn't stand them - this was the same band?! Thought I was over Midlake. Then I read a review of The Courage Of Others and decided to give it a spin. It met and then exceeded my expectations! My son listens to a lot of different stuff and he too was hooked on Van Occupanther. He said because it was one of the few albums that created a consistent mood throughout. When he was in a certain mood, it was a fav album to turn to. This collection of songs fulfills the vision of V.O. even further. I'm pretty sure that was the point, and what they were striving for. If you don't get it, you just don't.

I was eagerly anticipating the release of this album, as I was a huge fan of all of Midlake's previous records/EP's. As I listened to the first song on the album "Acts of Man" I started to get excited because it was well written, produced, heavily textured...then the next song came on and the next and I started to notice a pattern. This album almost comes off souding like one long song. It may be a striking, dark, emotional song, but the album still lacks the variety of previous works. The interesting changes within songs that made Van Occupather and Banman so interesting to listen to are not here either. This is not a "Bad" record by any means, but it was definitely a bit of a let down.

I've been anticipating this album for years. I've been an avid fan since the release of Van
Occupanther. I spent 2008, 2009 and the beginnings of 2010 scrapping for the few photos,articles
and interviews - looking for a mere hint of what The Courage of Others might sound like. If you
are expecting the warm tones, upbeat rhythms and whimsical lyrics, you will inevitably be let down.

In Midlake's defense, they mentioned in a few articles that they were aiming for a darker feel.
However, instead of that desired "darker feel", the music comes across as lackadaisical - while
listening to the album the first time through, I didn't feel much of anything.

The recording quality is very similar to Van Occupanther. The Courage of Others has the same retro,
classical feel with the tight, compressed drums - but the album is slower, darker and simpler. The
album is less experimental with fewer solos/instrumentals (which is what attracted me to them in the
first place).

As long as long as I've waited, and as much attention as its been given, I feel let down. I say it's
worthy of 2 1/2 or 3 stars, but not much more. I miss the retro grooves such as "Bandits" and "Roscoe".
It makes me wonder if Midlake will every get back to that same sound - I sure do miss it.

Midlake made the album that they wanted to make. In many ways this could be seen as career suicide. Just as their fan base is growing, and they are gaining some national attention, they make The Courage of Others. This is not an album meant to launch them into another tax bracket. But, this is a great personal album with a different kind of power, not seen often in today's alternative music scene.
I wholly admire them for this. Because it shows why they are making music, and that this same integrity may be found in it as well.

The Courage of others,in my opinion is a better album than the previous two. Each album quite a bit different from each other. I believe they get better each time. On this one, they seem more assured and seasoned. Tim Smith has found his voice. On this recording he doesn't sound like anyone else to me (not Neil Young nor Thom Yorke). This makes me happy.

This is a slow album that is best listened to as one piece. Every song is very similar in feel and tone. Its the kind of album that, the more you listen, the more it grows on you. It is at times sad, esoteric and ernest. There is something going on with this album that hits you at the subconscious level. This, I think, is the album's strong point. There's a primal tranquility and a purity that seeps in as you listen. The song Fortune seems to me almost religious. The closer you listen and the more you yield, the more this album gets into you. I love this album. Take the time and I think you might agree.

I know that some people will not care for this album very much. Some of the fans will feel let down. But some will enjoy it more and see that it is indeed a stronger album all around - and far more rewarding.
Cheers to you in the second group of fans. I hope you are exited as I am to see where they go next.

You have to give this a second listen. As a self-obsessed fan of their Trials of Van... album, i will admit that i got bored after the 4th song or so, questioning myself "is this it??" But, upon a second and third listen, i think you will find that, like many other reviews have already stated, this is a much more focused, dark and grandiose sound. It isn't as poppy as Trials, but it is heartbreakingly beautiful. I love this album just as much as Trials, but in a very different way. It has taken me away to mountainous woods, and stowed me away in a log cabin..

Even though the Trials of Van Occupanther was one of my favorite albums of the past five years, after hearing The Courage of Others I'm having trouble listening to Van Occupanther as a complete work. Courage sets the bar THAT high. I'd been waiting anxiously for Midlake's new album for well over a year and had read that they were moving in a new direction, but that didn't prepare me for such a transcendent experience. After only one day on my ipod it felt like I'd known these songs most of my life. It is a beautiful, haunting work - epic in scope and relentlessly textured - that rewards repeated listens and seeks to be ingested as a whole. Stunning.

If you liked Trials of Van Occupanther, this is more of the same goosebumpy vocal stuff. If you're like me, you'll be having a fine time embarrassing yourself trying to sing along with the harmonies.

The Courage Of Others is a worthy follow-up to The Trials of Van Occupanther, the latter being quirkier in nature. The 70s influences are still clear, but the songs are more polished, richer, and more complex. Lyrically, it is more brooding, with references to a lost way of life more congruent with nature and the mourning for the destruction that erodes the possibility of a return that way of life. When Smith sings in Acts of Man, "oh, let them go on, on with their own hidden ways" you feel the plea, yet it never comes across as corny. Smith sings at another point on the album, "all I want is to be left to my own ways," and you feel how simple that should be, yet how out of reach it is. Midlake's vocal harmonies, which were strong on Van Occupanther, are even better here, buoyed by beautiful arrangements and rich texture. Courage...does have one or two slightly dull, murky spots, which Van Occupanther's variety helped it avoid, so it falls short of five stars for me, but all in all this is a gorgeous album. Midlake's talent is evident, and they are certainly one of the better bands to surface in recent years.