Midlake

Midlake and Rogue Wave have announced Fall 2010 tour dates which will begin on September 19, 2010 in Lawrence, KS. They will be joined by Peter Wolf Crier on all dates.

Midlake is also releasing a digital-only EP on September 21, 2010 containing alternate and live versions of songs from The Courage of Others.

Tour Dates
9.19 The Grenada Lawrence, KS
9.20 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
9.21 Turner Hall Milwaukee, WI
9.22 Ladies Literary Club Grand Rapids, MI
9.24 Opera House Toronto, ON
9.25 Westcott Theatre Syracuse, NY
9.27 Royale Boston, MA
9.29 Webster Hall New York, NY
9.30 Theatre of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA
10.01 9:30 Club Washington, DC
10.02 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC
10.04 Orange Peel Asheville, NC
10.05 Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN
10.06 Mercy Lounge Nashville, TN
10.10 Austin City Limits Festival Austin, TX

Banjo or Freakout

We’re back with a full set this week chock-full of new videos by new and established artists. Videos this week are by: Banjo or Freakout, Le Sexoflex, Hurricane Bells, Spoon, Syntaks, Andrew Belle, State Radio, Postdata, Wild Beasts, The Soft Pack, Sleigh Bells, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Los Campesinos!, Bear In Heaven, Midlake and These New Puritans.

Video of the Week

Banjo or Freakout – “Upside Down”

Sunday Sixteen

Le Sexoflex – “Poop On Face”

Le Sexoflex – Poop On Face from Le Sexoflex on Vimeo.

Hurricane Bells – “Monsters”

Spoon – “Written In Reverse”

Syntaks – “Blue Sunshine”

Andrew Belle – “Don’t Blame Yourself” (live)

State Radio – “Knights Of Bostonia”

Postdata – “Tobias Grey” (live)

Wild Beasts – “We Still Got The Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues”

The Soft Pack – “Answer to Yourself”

Sleigh Bells – “Crown on the Ground” (live)

The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Drain The Blood”

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – “The Sound”

Los Campesinos! – “My Year In Lists”

Bear In Heaven – “You Do You”

Midlake – “Acts of Man”

These New Puritans – “We Want War”

The Joy Formidable

I’ve been trying to come up with something to write about today other tour updates or album releases. Damn original content writer’s block. Here goes nothing …

- The big two albums so far this year, for me, is Midlake’s The Courage of Other and Beach House’s Teen Dream. Right behind those two albums are The Soft Pack’s debut LP (as The Soft Pack since they released an album as The Muslims) and Spoon’s Transference.

- If I had my way I’d listen to music all day our in the middle of nowhere. But since I have to make a living I – on a good day – maybe have an hour or two to listen. It’s better than nothing … but damn I’d be nice to have more time.

- This morning I heard a track by the band The Joy Formidable. One listen to one song, but I really dug it. It reminded me of the lost sound of Brit rock in the early 1990′s – Lush with heavier guitars.

- The best think about MySpace, back in 2003, was the “listening to” feature. Remember that? Where you good upload the album art and name of band and album you were listening to via Amazon?

- I’ve always liked EPs better than LPs. Maybe my attention span works better for six songs than 12.

- Baseball spring training is only a couple of weeks away.

And so it goes.

Album of the decade?

If this were 2009 rather than 2010, I would be calling Midlake’s The Courage of Others one of the best albums of the decade.

But it is 2010. Four days into the second month of 2010 – or less than one-tenth of one-percent of the upcoming decade to be exact. Which makes the following statement one that may seem a bit precocious and premature:

Midlake’s The Courage of Others is one of the best albums of this decade. Even though we are only 1/120th of the way into it.

Yes, it is a strong statement. But I firmly believe that ten years from now I’ll be typing that it was indeed one of the best albums of the 2010′s. And I’m sure others will as well.

It’s been four years since the last Midlake album. During that time the band toured, recharged and listening to a lot of British folk music.

The resulting album is a beautifully crafted album that is as strong in its musicianship as it is in its lyrical content. Those familiar with the band’s past work will be able to detect the growth and maturation of the band’s sound. It is impossible not to hear the influence British folk throughout the album.

I’ve rarely been one to review on technical merit. There are others much more talented at that aspect of music journalism than I. But the album is melancholy and melodic; complex yet peaceful.

It is what it is – a wonderful album that has rightly laid claim as one of my favorite albums in years. It is a masterpiece worthy of the highest praise.

Editor’s Note: To read the DeadJournalist.com Interview with Midlake in 2006, click here

Midlake - The Courage of Others

Midlake has announced dates for their 2010 tour in support of their forthcoming album, The Courage of Others, which will be released February 2, 2010 via Bella Union.

Midlake has spent the past two years writing and recording the new album, the first since The Trials of Van Occupanther in 2006.

Their 2010 tour culminates with an appearance at SXSW, Midlake’s first at the festival in three years.

Tour Dates
JAN 05 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
JAN 06 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Engine Room
JAN 07 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
JAN 08 – St. Augustine, FL @ Café Eleven
JAN 09 – Mt. Pleasant, SC @ Village Tavern
JAN 10 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
JAN 11 – Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Café
JAN 12 – Little Rock, AR @ The Rev Room
MAR 01 – Tucson, AZ @ Plush
MAR 02 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
MAR 03 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
MAR 04 – San Francisco, CA @ The Great American Music Hall
MAR 05 – Arcata, CA @ The Van Duzer Theatre
MAR 06 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
MAR 07 – Bellingham, WA @ The Nightlight
MAR 08 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
MAR 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
MAR 11 – Denver, CO @ The Bluebird Theater
MAR 12 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon

Midlake - The Courage of Others

Midlake, a long-time favorite of DeadJournalist.com (and an interview alum), will be releasing their new album, The Courage of Others, on February 2, 2010.

In advance of the album, Midlake’s Tim Smith put together a playlist of some of the British folk songs that inspired the band while recording their new album. Those songs are available below via lala.com.

Track Listing
“Fotheringay” by Fairport Convention
“I am the Mercury” by Jimmie Spheeris
“Cruel Sister” by Pentangle
“Thomas The Rhymer” by Steeleye Span
“Job’s Tears” by The Incredible String Band
“Queen Of Dreams” by Strawbs
“Morgana” by John Renbourn
“It’ll Take A Long Time” by Sandy Denny
“Road To Ronderlin” by Matthews Southern Comfort
“Old Black Hat With A Dandelion Flower” by Feathers

From Yo La Tengo's Web site: "Atlanta's Masquerade was always just like a home away from home to us, if the people in your family always spelled your name wrong and built the stage right above the pumping techno soundsystem. (June 10, 1995, Atlanta, GA)"

As we wind down this holiday weekend and make our way back to reality, here’s this week’s DeadJournalist.com Sunday Night Videos.

This week’s Video of the Week is from Lo La Tengo from 1997 because “Sugarcube” is one of the best indie videos of the decade. And I had to add Atari Teenage Riot as a nice little tie-in to round out the set.

Other videos this week include: Kurt Vile, Jemina Pearl, Atlas Sound, The xx and The Sounds as well as Thoa with the Get Down Stay Down, Midlake, Crystal Castles, Broken Social Scene and The Unicorns, among others.

Video of the Week

Yo La Tengo – “Sugarcube”

Sunday Sixteen

Atlas Sound (featuring Laetita Sadier of Stereolab) – “Quick Canal”

Kurt Vile – “Freak Train”

Jemina Pearl (featuring Iggy Pop) – “I Hate People”

The Sounds – “Beatbox”

The Unicorns – “Tuff Ghost”

Crystal Castles – “Untrust Us”

The xx – “Crystalised”

LCD Soundsystem – “New York, I Love You”

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wind Phoenix (Live on KEXP)

Midlake – “Roscoe”

Broken Social Scene – “Cause = Time”

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down – “Bag of Hammers”

Port O’Brien – “I Woke Up Today”

The Antlers – “Two”

Skunk Anansie – “Secretly”

Atari Teenage Riot – “Atari Teenage Riot”