Midlake – A Bridge To Far – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Midlake’s sixth album arrives like a warm balm, just three years or so after For The Sake of Bethel Woods.  It opens with the soft vocals and flutes of the bucolic Days Gone, and the cosy atmosphere continues with the next track, the honeyed vocals and harmonies of the laidback title track.  They’ve had several great singles over their career, and here they have the classic-sounding Ghouls, driven by fast-paced keyboards.  It’s classic Midlake: essence of Don’t Fear The Reaper, a dash of CSN and a sprinkle of Rumours.

Guardians is another well put together song with a gorgeous female call and response that makes the song.  Make Haste is the kind of beardy folkrock they’ve patented, with tons of harmonies, while the propulsive, sinewy Eyes Full of Animal and The Calling have fantastic playing and instrumentation.  Even the jaunty brass on the latter works well.  The album is equally good when they slow things down, on the moody Lion’s Den and especially the sweeping strings and yearning chorus of Within Without, possibly the best song on the album.

The album is as good as any previous Midlake album; in fact, it might even be their best.  The songs feel timeless, and the album will wash over you like autumn sunlight.  It’s calming, healing music for stressful times.

Ghouls