Midlake - The Trials Of Van Occupanther

Your parents are always going to have some influence on the music you listen to. Maybe not immediately. But eventually, they will. When I was a teenager, if it didn't rock, I really wasn't interested. The sickly saccharine sounds of The Carpenters and Christopher Cross (whom my parents subjected me to relentlessly) made me want to hurl. Now here I am, roughly the same age as my parents were at that time, and I am thoroughly enjoying the latest release by Midlake. Now of course, this album is nowhere near as syrupy as the aforementioned artists, but one must wonder if the band was somewhat influenced by those 70's AM-radio hits that can be found on certain Time/Life collections hosted by the dudes in Air Supply.

"The Trials Of Van Occupanther" is an excellent sophomore release by the boys of Denton, Texas. Whereas their previous work drew comparisons to the likes of Grandaddy and Flaming Lips, this new one will likely make us think of Fleetwood Mac and America (which may not sound like a good thing, but it is.) Opening track, "Roscoe" opens with an instantly contagious piano sound before whirling around in a spacey soothing haze. "It Covers The Hillsides" reminds me a bit of a strange amalgamation of Teenage Fanclub and the Alan Parsons Project. It's simply beautiful and adventurous at the same time. The rest of the songs continue to soothe with smart playing and tranquil vocalization that will warm you up like a huge arm wrapping itself around you. This is a fantastic album that is tailor-made for relaxing at the end of a cold winter day, cuddled up by a warm fire.

Downloads: Roscoe mp3 /Head Home mp3 / It Covers The Hillsides mp3
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Purchase "The Trials Of Van Occupanther" here.