Nearly twenty years. Twenty. Years. That’s how long Midlake have been in my life. I first discovered them through their second album, The Trials of Van Occupanther. At the time I remember revelling in its uniqueness in the musical landscape of the time. Autumnal yet so warm, proggy but folky and indie at the same time. The songs remain timeless to this day and always take me back to that time in my life. I have enjoyed their subsequent albums; I particularly revelled in 2022’s For The Sake Of The Bethel Woods with its Woodstock charm and folksy canvas. That said nothing has touched that amazing album from way back in 2006. Until now.
For over two decades, Midlake have quietly built a world of their own. Rooted in the college-town charm of Denton, Texas, their music has always been a place of refuge for me. Now, with the release of their sixth studio album A Bridge To Far, they sound revitalised, warm, reflective, and brimming with quiet confidence. As you can imagine, my expectations were sky-high. And I’m happy to say this one feels special. It’s autumnal, yes, but also surprisingly adventurous, folk roots shot through with prog, jazz, and a gentle sense of hope that threads through everything.
Recorded in their home town of Denton, Texas with producer Sam Evian, the record sounds organic and alive. The band who are Eric Pulido / Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bells, Jesse Chandler / Background vocals, piano, Hammond organ, mellotron, Rhodes, casio organ, bells, flute, alto flute, bansuri flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax, recorders, McKenzie Smith / drums, percussion, Mike Luzecky / electric bass, upright bass, Eric Nichelson / Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bells and Joey McClellan / Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals say that,
“This is an album about hope.
Not in some abstract sense, but as a human necessity. Hope is a need. To look beyond, above what is. We can all relate on many varying levels.”
We could all do with a bit more hope in our lives, let’s drop the needle and let it in.
‘Days Gone By’ opens the album in the most Midlake way possible hushed flutes, acoustic guitars and those voices in harmony. The melody feels as if it’s been living in them for years, waiting for this album to come to fruition The jazzy intervals resolving back to their pastoral folk sound are new and really hit the spot. This is a great way to set the tone for the album.
Then comes the title track ‘A Bridge To Far’, all soft harmonies and shimmering guitar. It’s deceptively simple, but the way it expands in its final minute is pure Midlake magic. The lyrics “Climb upon a bridge to far, go anywhere your heart desires” land somewhere between self-motivation and wistful reflection. It’s a song about risk and renewal, and at times it has the kind of energy you would only hear in a Fountains of Wayne ballad. Two songs in and they’ve already won me over.
‘The Ghouls’ might be my personal favourite. Driven by snappy drums, clipped keyboards and pulsing bass, it’s the album’s first proper jolt of energy. Pulido has spoken about it representing the temptation to demonise the challenges we face. The song takes that theme and turns it into something urgent and cathartic. There is a real harking back to the sound palate of The Trials of Van Occupanther in that piano and keyboard riff. But only there which is so clever. The rhythm section lock in beautifully while the guitars swirl in their usual hazy precision. It’s as catchy as anything they’ve written.
‘Guardians’ brings a lovely shift in tone. Featuring Madison Cunningham on vocals, it’s warm and gently haunting. The two voices weave together like light and shadow, and the call-and-response gives the song its heartbeat. It leans heavily into the jazzier aspects of their songwriting. I’m very much like Vince Noir on the subject of jazz. “I fear jazz! I fear the lack of rules” lol. All joking aside whilst it isn’t my favourite genre I love how it’s used here.
Things really open up on ‘Make Haste’ as the band takes us into more expansive territory. Lush layered harmonies and shimmering textures are the order of the day. It carries echoes of Antiphon but with more openness. The band sound like they’re relishing every note.
‘Eyes Full of Animal’ adds a new dimension entirely. Built around a taut bassline and intricate percussion, it edges toward something that might have emanated from the heyday of Laurel Canyon. The band are on form here, tight and pulling no punches, especially in that soaring chorus. It shows how far they’ve come since Van Occupanther, unafraid to bend their own rules.
‘The Calling’ feels deeply personal. Pulido has said it’s about his own struggle to follow the path he’s meant to walk, and you can hear that tension in every chord. The brass that bursts through halfway adds a joyful brightness, like Arcade Fire do. This isn’t classic Midlake. This is a new approach for them and once again they nail it
The pace slows again with ‘Lion’s Den’, darkly meditative but full of space. It’s the sound of a band completely in control of their mood. Smith’s drumming is especially lovely here, delicate but insistent, always nudging the song forward. The use of harmonies here is quite unique. Only used as colour or as a flourish. Once again something new on this album that works so well.
Then comes ‘Within/Without’, and it’s a showstopper. Sweeping strings, yearning chorus, the works. Man, this is Midlake at their cinematic best. The arrangement builds and recedes like a tide, and Pulido’s delivery is full of ache and acceptance. If the album has a spiritual centre, this is it.
Finally, ‘The Valley of Roseless Thorns’ closes things on a short, almost hymn-like note. Yeah, it’s a short one, but it’s full of finality and peace. The lyrics speak of trials and self-renewal, and it fades like the last light of day. It’s a perfect ending to an album about hope, not blind optimism mind, but the quiet determination to keep moving forward.
After all these years, Midlake still sound like no one else. A Bridge To Far is their most cohesive and confident work to date. Let it serve as a reminder of why we fell for them in the first place, but also proof that they’re still looking toward new horizons. The warmth, the musicianship, the grace, folks, it’s all here, wrapped in that unmistakable Denton glow. Midlake have proven that some bridges aren’t too far at all; they just lead us exactly where we need to go.
A Bridge To Far is out now via Bella Union. You can check it out over on the Midlake Bandcamp page.
You can follow Midlake on social media here…
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