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|  | Artist: Midlake
Label: Co-operative Music
Category: Digital Music Album
Buy New: £5.49
as of 30/7/2010 14:26 BST details
Seller: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Rating:  45 reviews
Sales Rank: 1266
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 16-20 of 45
 The cover looks like a Thundercat! February 23, 2010
Cortina Trap
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Being the follow-up to one of my all time favourite album's 'The Trials of Van Occupanther', this album has a difficult task. How to move forward without losing that which made '..Occupanther' so special? At first I felt that they had failed, it was too dense, too cold. There was no light and shade, only darkness. But slowly the minor key mood drew me in deeper, the theme of nature runs through this album and listening to it can feel like entering a dark forest, one with only brief glimpses of light through the clearing, but as I spent more and more time moving ever deeper I began to want the darkness more than the light, I felt safer within the forest than outside where, 'The rulers have won, leaving all things undone'. It was like finding a camp of like-minded people. I decided to stay. Plus, the cover looks so much like a Thundercat's face!
These are songs built to last, and to live with.
By next week it may be five stars February 22, 2010
joolsm (Sunny Devon UK)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am perplexed and enchanted by this album, and after many listens I am still veering from the opinion that it is either a work of genius or complete folly. That's what I love about it, in the end. Every listen I hear something new. I am a child of the 60's and spent a lot of the 70's listening to bands like Barclay James Harvest, Camel, Focus and Jethro Tull. I can hear all these bands and more in this album. It was this fact that put me off on the first few listens. What was the point, I thought, in revisiting those sounds and melodies that have been heard before. But on further listens, there are new gems to be found here. There are hints of Radiohead, The Decemberists, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver and even Tool. The playing is exquisite, the songwriting excellent and the mood and energy uplifting and invigorating. So what if it does hark back to another age, in the end it is just delightful, mesmerizing music. First few listens - 3 stars, currently four stars - next week - who knows?
 Museum Piece February 15, 2010
Number 6 (The Village)
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
Midlake seem to have retreated into their wood cabin with their second hand vinyl collection of English folk rock on this one, and have no intention of coming out to play. I find it very unengaging - no variation, minor key, mid tempo, hard to differentiate the tracks. It feels more like an act of curation than creation. Very disappointed.
Clearly this is a marmite record - for those in my camp, have a listen to Shearwater's The Golden Archipelago for a slightly prog take on the folk-rock genre. Already sounds like a classic to me.
Courage to be different. February 13, 2010
Mr. David J. Garrett (uk, sheffield)
Hitting a desire for a more acoustic and folk orientated style of music led me to Midlake via a generous magazine review.
I bought this on release date as I felt like it. While they have some way to go to be truly awesome they certainly make a gorgeous noise. I'm not sure whether this is folk or rock or neither. Who cares. The carefully crafted words drift over the flute and more conventional instruments in a lovely hazy way. There is enough darkness in the style to keep me guessing as to the reasons behind the narrative and the song writing soars at times. A female vocalist as counterpoint would seal a 5th star for me. I detect hints of radiohead and Fleetwood mac but I would love a bit more Bert jansch and Mark lanegan and Isobel campbell thrown in. I ain't easy to please though....Buy and enjoy.
This is special February 12, 2010
fensaddler (Walsall, UK)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've come to Midlake not having heard anything that has gone before (Occupanther is on its way though), and bought both on the strength of listening to tracks online. I've given this one run through in the car on the way to work and part way back, and I have to say that this sounds like a very special band indeed. I heard snatches of Argus era Wishbone Ash, Barclay James Harvest, mid-period Jethro Tull, a bit a Fleetwood Mac and even touches of Family and Early Fairport Convention mixed in here. Plus a strong hint of more recent stuff such as Brad (Interiors). Timeless, wonderful stuff that I look forward to listening to again and again. And you say Occupanther is actually better than this? Ye gods, I fear diappointment...
And as a postscript,thank you to the reviewer above, who despite not liking this, recommended Shearwater as a band to listen to. Wasn't he right! But in my case, its possible to like both Midlake and Shearwater, which could get expensive...!
Showing reviews 16-20 of 45
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