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|  | Artist: Midlake
Label: Co-operative Music
Category: Digital Music Album
Buy New: £5.49
as of 30/7/2010 14:53 BST details
Seller: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Rating:  45 reviews
Sales Rank: 1366
Genre: alternative-music
Media: MP3 Download
Running Time: 2512 Minutes
ASIN: B003542NQC
Publication Date: February 1, 2010
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 11-15 of 45
 More variety of style needed March 24, 2010
Mr. S. J. Harradon (Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this after hearing a track on the Bob Harris show, and with Bob's high praise for the band.
I like the musicality and simple production which is very complementary to the musical ideas. Sadly, the moment the vocals begin, the tracks merge into a dour and melancholy mood which pervades the album. I would much prefer there to be more variety in the vocal performance and a break from the constant minor key feel to all of the songs. I can understand why fans rave about this band, but I will be happy to listen on shuffle, one track at a time, as the whole is too depressing.
 Run through the woods with Midlake March 15, 2010
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Midlake, on their third album, make music for the little forest people. Persevere, listen to the whole album at least ten times, and the tunes come sparkling through. They really do. I've made you a mask from rabbit skin and a hat from an old sheep's skull. Smell the damp earth. Take a deep breath. Fill your lungs. Come run with me. Look around us at the woodland animals. They're running with us too. There's a deer. And there's an wild boar. Run fast enough and we'll rise into the air. We'll fly with the eagles. We soar with the buzzards. Play your flute. I'll gently strum my guitar. Together, with Midlake, we will be happy. Forever.
unconvinced March 3, 2010
Mike J. Wheeler (Kingswinford, England)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Like many others I came across Midlake after listening to their previous album, 'The Trials of van Occupanther'. And like many I was positively bowled over by that particular album. So after what seems like an eternity we have the follow up, 'The Courage of Others'. My initial reaction on playing this a couple of weeks back when I first got it was one of slight disappointment. I played the album in the car and nothing about it really stood out. But that quite often happens with an album that grows with more plays. Trouble is it hasn't really grabbed me despite a good few plays. It's not that this is a particularly bad album it's just that it is, to be brutally honest, a little bland. I get the fact that they're enamoured with 70s British folk a la Pentangle/Fairports. Trouble is this has neither the 'honesty' or 'feel' of either of those bands at their best. In fact both had very variable output in any case in my opinion and this is comparable to some of the mediocre Pentangle stuff that I remember rather than the best of it.
The first few tracks are played at the same slow pace and delivered with a similar 'disinterested' vocal. Only on 'Children of the Grounds' does this album pick up to compare to van Occupanther and when it does, on this track it is good. Earlier on 'Winter Dies' is pretty good as well but does sound rather like something already done by Espers. I know those who love this album will hate this review but I have really given it a good few listens now. It's not a bad album at all, but in terms of living up to its predecessor it doesn't I'm afraid. Perhaps it needs more listens? The jury is out at the moment on that one but I shall endeavour. Disappointed - so far. (5.5/10)
 The emperors new clothes February 25, 2010
B. Garner (bath)
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
I simply cannot believe the amount of praise that has been heaped on such a dull and unimaginative album.
It's just plain boring - every song sounds exactly the same, nothing stands out.
Even down to the album artwork, the band have tried to encapsulate the spirit and sound of late 60's/early 70's psych and prog rock, but in my opinion the end result is a vacuous, overlong album of drivel.
I was just trying to get my newborn to sleep and stuck this on. Out like a light within 5 mins. Nuff said really...zzzzzzzzzz.....
An old hippie says "Wow! Far Out Man!" Brilliant :-) February 24, 2010
M. R. N. Shackelford (Worthing, UK)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Confession: I am 53 years old and love Fairport Convention, (early) Steeleye Span, the Oyster Band, the fabulous Trees (etc. etc. you get the picture) as well as Van Der Graaf Generator and King Crimson (so I am NOT a dyed-in-the-wool folky).
I heard the previous album (Van Occu-thingy) and was not terribly impressed - it seemed like a pastiche of 70s stuff - Fleetwood Mac or whatever.
So I didn't buy this immediately. But various reviews suggested that this was something different - although there seems to be a great divide between "This is really rather fine" and "What a let down after the last one". So, calculating that as I was "let down" by the last one - there was a chance that there is something in this one.
And yes. After two listenings (straight after each other), this is a delicious CD.
My wife, on hearing it, assumed it was a UK band from Somerset (or similar), and was rather surprised to discover this ancient Olde English Folke Music was coming from Texas.
Superb musicianship, ranging from electric guitar, through flute, harpsichord to bassoon flows gently through these pastoral tunes (and the drummer really understands how to provide a sympathetic backing to this style of music, unlike the AWFUL drummer who I saw with J.Tull last year).
To be fair to some of the comments, the tracks are a bit similar. But that is the way it goes if you are playing folk music. There is not a lot of loud riffing, or rap, or funk, or whatever else is mistaken for music these days.
Showing reviews 11-15 of 45
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