Breaking through with 2006's The Trials Of Van Occupanther, the laid-back, 70s soft rock-inspired folk-rock of Midlake wouldn't normally have warranted a place on this site. But with new record The Courage Of Others, things have shifted in the Midlake camp. Even from the cover, which sees the band looking like they've auditioned for Sunn O))), it's apparent The Courage Of Others is a much darker record. The warm, autumnal Americana of The Trials Of Van Occupanther has been replaced by a darker, more brooding sound, unquestionably more British in its influences. It's the sort of mysterious psych-folk that certainly wouldn't have looked out of place on a heavy bill in the 1970s, and indeed, The Courage Of Others resonates with the same sense of doom that inspired Black Sabbath 40 years ago. As that band marked the death of the hippy dream, so The Courage Of Others is a marked contrast with The Trials Of Van Occupanther's idealistic longing for a simpler time. The music may sound medieval at times, but the lyrics are unusually contemporary for this sort of music. The subtle environmental themes of The Trials Of Van Occupanther are pushed to the forefront here, and when frontman Tim Smith declares on Winter Dies that there is “one more year for a man to change his ways” it seems obvious that he's lamenting the impending environmental catastrophe. Although Midlake's message isn't exactly subtle, it always takes a backseat to the music, The Courage Of Others never feeling like a polemic in any way.

Acts Of Man sets the tone for the rest of the record, all mournful flutes, solemn finger-picked guitar and Tim Smith sounding like our own personal prophet of doom. The Courage Of Others is a relatively simple, lean record, Midlake paring their sound down considerably. Yet they've not lost their sense of dynamic, the choruses of the likes of Winter Dies having every much impact at the climax of The Trials Of Van Occupanther's standout and Midlake's “greatest hit” Roscoe. What the more stripped-down sound has enabled the band to do, however, is to work on their songwriting. Tighter arrangements result in the band keeping their songs on track, where The Trials Of Van Occupanther occasionally wandered off into some kind of woozy jam-rock haze, the band seemingly having flashbacks to their jazz-student past. Not that their history ever seems particularly apparent on The Courage Of Others. The musicianship is above average, sure, but the band never seem showy, although Tim Smith busts out a few distorted guitar solos towards the end of the album that seem a little out of step with its' pastoral nature. The tremelo picked lead of Children Of The Ground is particularly jarring over the the gentle acoustics, sounding as if a random folk metal band showed up for a few bars. Still, it's a minor quibble and one that doesn't detract from the quality of The Courage Of Others.

The Courage Of Others is one to divide Midlake's fanbase. It's entirely different to their prior works, but perhaps that makes it an ideal starting point for newcomers to the band. It's leftfield, dark and mysterious music, which I believe makes it perfect for any reader of this site looking for a break from their usual listening.