Midlake

Man, I don't know what they're feeding babies in Denton, Tx but that town sure seems to produce an inordinate amount of good music. In addition to Will Johnson's various bands (Centromatic, South San Gabriel) and his solo work, there's Mandarin, Explosions In The Sky, and now I've discovered the brilliant Midlake. Midlake plays like a surreal daydream. The kind of brief nod off in the middle of class or work where you dream you're awake and it isn't until Bozo the Clown walks by dressed as Zeus do you realize you'd better get your ass up. The boys in Midlake are music school kids who know how to play their instruments and record records, though I have it on good authority that they're still trying figure out how to translate the songs on their album Bamnan And Silvercork into an engaging live performance. But I suppose that's neither here nor there because the album is very strong. It's a hodge podge of acoustic instruments, keyboards and some electronics coming together to make a surprisingly cohesive listen. The vocals are of the detached, brooding variety though melodic and lyrically quite literate. This is a band with huge potential. I hope they stick together and continue to refine their sound. You can purchase Bamnan And Silvercork HERE.

4 songs from Bamnan And Silvercork:

Superstitious

Moppers Medley

Kingfish Pies

Balloon Maker

Additionally today check the band Shivaree at the excellent music blog Womenfolk. Great band.