Sometimes it takes a strong muscle of courage to stand up and change a formula that's proven to work. For Denton, Texas, indie rock band Midlake, that's exactly what they did for its latest album, "The Courage of Others," released earlier this year.
Fresh on the heels of its 2006 album "The Trials of Van Occupanther" -- a critically acclaimed album that saw the band turn its psychedelic tinged rock from its debut into '60s-/'70s-era Fleetwood Mac-like folk rock -- the band faced the pressure of making a quality follow up. As sessions for the new album wore on, singer Tim Smith and the rest of Midlake realized their expanding tastes in music (featuring a helping of English folk music) had begun to lead them into new musical territory and they had to step back to gain perspective.
After months of wondering along the clouded path ahead, like a bunch of hikers among a tangling mess of trees, their music finally began to take shape. Featuring a lush, adventurous and powerful English folk rock sound full of thought-provoking lyrics, "The Courage of Others" offers an album that captures where the band is right now while sonically appearing timeless.
Started in 2000 by a group of close friends, Midlake has changed with whatever direction the musical winds carry it, leading to three uniquely diverse albums. Before the band plays Turner Hall Ballroom on Monday, OnMilwaukee.com talked with guitarist Eric Pulido about his band's dynamic nature and finding the courage to grow as musicians.
OnMilwaukee.com: The name Midlake really captures the spirit and diversity of your catalog. How did you go about choosing the name?
Eric Pulido: It was an odd thing, really. When you're trying to come up with a band name everything sounds kind of dumb or cheesy. The band was struggling to find a name and then Tim, the singer, came up with the name. He told everybody that a band named Midlake was coming to town and sounded like Radiohead and Bjork, and we were into -- and still are -- into those bands. He said they were coming to town and we thought, "Why can't we think of a name like that?" He kind of let the story drag until the weekend came and basically told everybody, "Uh, there's no band named Midlake coming but I think we found our name."
OMC: The band has a diverse selection of music influences like the obvious Fleetwood Mac and Jethro Tull references. Could you talk how they fuel the fire in creating your own spin on things and create a pretty powerful atmosphere with it in the process?
E.P.: We've always worn our influences on our sleeves, where you really get into a certain style or genre or era of music, and we kind of dive head first and get really immersed in the music. Inherently that's going to come out in the music that you make, but you don't want to copy what other bands are doing. You want to try to have your own voice but we know good and well that we're not reinventing the wheel either. So it's kind of a fine line that you walk on, where you're wanting to get influenced by this music and create a similar kind of emotion or sound in some ways but still trying to have your own voice.
OMC: As mentioned in an earlier interview each album is a bit like a different style of music.
E.P.: Yeah. We were influenced by bands like Granddaddy or Flaming Lips on the first record. On the last one there was the whole American classic folk rock, West Coast of Neil Young, Crosby, Still and Nash, Joni Mitchell, America, Fleetwood Mac. This most recent one we really got into the British folk era -- late ‘60s, early ‘70s with Incredible String Band and bands like that.
OMC: What excites the band about eluding a simple classification?
E.P.: It's really something that's not really calculated. In many ways you're just moved by what you're moved by whether it's what you're listening to or influenced by. It's kind of a frustrating thing in a way when you're trying to make something because you're searching for something that's quite ambiguous. It's more kind of an emotion or feeling. You could break things down all day and think, "I want to make this song with all these different chords and to be dynamic and get into this prog-type of thing."
If it calls for it or moves you, than so be it. It's kind of one of those things where it just moves you and you can't explain it. It's like if you fall in love. Sometimes you can say, "I like this, that and the other thing about her but then there's that one I thing I just can't quite put my finger on, but I just love her." And same thing with music sometimes.
OMC: The band's latest album took a long time and went through many stages. Could you tell me how the project began and how it progressed into this epic English folk-rock record?
E.P.: Yeah, it was quite the progression .. more easily seen as us getting influenced by music that was of the same era but from a different place from the American folk movement. Bands like Jethro Tull or (Led) Zeppelin kind of touched upon British folk, and was like a bit of a gateway drug for us.
Tim especially started getting moved by that in his songwriting and we just weren't there as a band. We were still the band that had toured and made "Van Occupanther." There's nothing wrong with that by any means but when you're starting to get moved by a different type of music and your songwriting is getting influenced by that and you're still that band from the last album it took some time to figure out where we needed to go as a band.
I think that was a big part of it; it was just trial and error of not knowing where exactly we were going with it but knowing that we need to keep trying and keep playing together and keep writing music and songs. So that first year was full growing pains and then the next year things came together a lot better.
OMC: When did you know you had something?
E.P.: When we were trying to bash out some of the tunes, some which made it on the album. Tim had written "Acts of Man" and when we started working on that it all came together really quickly and really organically. It was a turning point in a way because we felt, "We can do this and this is a benchmark or feeling or mood that we need to go for with this album." It was a turning point also because it brought some life into the process and helped things move along.
OMC: Theme-wise the new album walks through the deep woods of humanity with songs like "The Courage of Others." Could you talk about how Tim and the rest of the band crafted powerful lyrics to fit the equally commanding music? How did that compare to previous albums?
E.P.: Tim wrote the lyrics, but I think they are powerful and more personal this time than in the past records. I do think they really paint a picture and add imagery that fits in well with the music. The music is influenced by British folk and Renaissance-type era in a way and I think the lyrics fit into a classic place. It's timeless, in that it could be talking about a thousand years ago or could be talking about now. I think in that way it goes hand-in-hand.
OMC: On each of the albums, the band has taken its time perfecting the songs and, as we've talked about, updating to the current sound of the band. Could you tell me about the band's recording process?
E.P.: Sometimes it can be quite fun and other times it can be frustrating and not fun. When you're in a band it's like family and we're trying to be creative together. Sometimes you agree and sometimes you disagree and sometimes you just want to hang it up and go home.
But ultimately when the day is done it does feel good and you have a sense of accomplishment in what you're doing. There's a feeling that we're trying to grow together and create something and that is something you do ultimately feel good about.
OMC: Going off the idea of the band being like a family, how would you describe the chemistry between everyone and how does that feed into this ever changing soundscape? How has it changed from album to album?
E.P.: We've known each other for about 10 years now and we've developed a chemistry, subconscious and what you feel when you're playing or feeding off one another. We have changed sound and developed a lot - we don't want to feel too comfortable with where we're at and not just call it in or go through the motions.
We always strive to push each other strive for something. But I do think that embodies itself in the recording process and definitely live when you're playing together, where you want to do something organic and play off of one another. I think it's developed over the years and has gotten stronger and as of late especially.
OMC: Any songs that had were especially special to create and perform?
E.P.: Yeah, "Core of Nature" was a strong song for us because it was also a turning point at the beginning of last year when we still had "Acts of Man" but were still kind of in a rut. We went out to a farm in Buffalo, Texas, and recorded for a week. That kind of brought things back into prospective and had got a good restart on finishing the record. That song was developed out there so it holds a special place in my mind.
OMC: How does the band go about taking this expansive sounding music and translate it to the live setting? What should the audience expect?
E.P.: It's been fun. We have a little more room now for improvisation and the organic nature of those songs. It's been fun to play those songs live and have a little more life than they do on the album in a way and bring them up, whereas in past albums we've played it just like we played it on the album. This time we've brought more life and they hit a little bit harder. Hopefully they'll see a strong emotional live show and we'll be playing a lot of songs from the new album and about half from the last one. We try to play a decent amount of the catalog. There are more guitars now - we used to have more keyboards. Hopefully they'll see that we've grown and matured and dig the show and like where the band is.
OMC: It sounds like there are plenty of moments from bands history, especially the recording of the new album. Could you tell me about a story or moment that's really telling of what this band's about?
E.P.: We went on tour with the Flaming Lips on the last album and it was a really inspirational time because they're influential to us musically but then meeting them personally. It was great with the advice that they gave and just seeing how they do things and how encouraging and supportive they were to us. We want to take that to heart and feed that to others that we come in contact with.
OMC: After this album it's probably tough to think about what's next. Any plans right now or long-term desires the band wants to achieve?
E.P.: Yeah, believe it or not we've already been working on ideas for the next album and are excited about it; actually plan on being done with that record by next year. We're well on our way to do things quicker for the next record and like I said there were growing pains on this last record that we needed a hump to get over but I think we're in really good place now. We'll work to continue that with the new album.
