From Denton, Texas to points around the globe, hope has been in short supply. While it may be just beyond our reach, Midlake on their new album, A Bridge To Far, realise it is also a necessity. One that has never been needed more. Like breathing, we can’t live without it. “Hope is a need to look beyond, above what is,” according to singer Eric Pulido. Discovering something more has become a necessity.
Finding something timeless is at the core of everything they do. Merging instruments and vocals in combinations both old and new simultaneously. The flutes at the heart of ‘Days Gone’ establish a new pathway playing into the Midlake songbook, while guitars fluidly blend country with progressive phrases as the vocals enter a world of their own.
The lyrics to ‘A Bridge To Far’ deliver a sense of hope flying in the face of realities screaming just the opposite. Minds are under siege, reeling from the bloody offensive tearing at the soul. “You’re tired, don’t want to bleed again,” gets to the heart of the dilemma, yet a sense of strength community appears as the sing, “Go bravely arm in arm.” There are ways forward that can be found.
Urgency fills the frame of ‘The Ghouls’. Guitars ring out as the drums pound, rocking yet also uncertain. Wading into the maelstrom with layered vocals providing gauze for the psychic wounds, the lyrics offer, “Maybe ordinary suits the ghouls.” Still, nothing is ordinary about the way the song tears with a vengance, fierce and fiery.
Stepping back from the brink on ‘Guardians’, the duet between Pulido and Madison Cunningham swirls, falling and rising on waves of keyboards. Deep in the mix a horn tugs and twirls as the song comes to an end. ‘Make Haste’ toys with the realm of jazz, bass popping while the piano plays arpeggios.
The urgency at the heart of ‘The Calling’ is undeniable. Insistent guitars battle the drums and bass in a fitful frenzy, lyrics noting the fleetingness of time. Paired saxophones add to the urgency of the moment. It is a testament to the power of Midlake that they are equally at home rocking and raving as they are in moments of soft subtlety. They make the most of each moment no matter what the song requires.
Closing with one of their softer moments, ‘The Valley of Roseless Thorns’ questions everything. Reaching a soft crescendo Pulido asks, “In the end, what was all this for?” Unfortunately, some questions are left unanswered. However, they need to be asked. Midlake have created one of their finest works on A Bridge To Far, and not every query needs to be answered immediately. Not when they create songs with such power.