Midlake "Young Bride"
Monday, April 17, 2006
“Young Bride” (mp3) (along with big blog favorite “Roscoe”) is the song that elevates Midlake’s second album, the proggishly titled The Trials of Van Occupanther, from the realms of post-Fleetwood Mac Mom Rock (see here for details of the neologism) toward an alluring level of songcraft just a little above most current trends within indie rock. It’s so many things at once—the just-wonderful vocals, courtesy of Tim Smith, manage to simultaneously reference the bold ornateness of Rufus Wainwright and the fragile earnestness of Thom Yorke while the overtly inquisitive lyrics aim to glean some measure of information from a singularly mature yet apparently taciturn woman: “My young bride, why are your fingers like that of the hedge in winter?” Instrumentally, the lockstep rhythm section (with drums that sound like they’re filled with sand) disallows the song from doing what it seemingly wants to do, which is break free of its tether and ride its ethereal strings to a place where the sky isn’t oppresively gray. It manages to be mystifying while referencing so much of the customary—preternatural art created in a woodland setting.
The Trials of Von Occupanther will be released on Bella Union Records.
Van Occupanther is the band’s 2nd record.
Can you cut your word count by 75% and just give us thoughts in an outline?
“I’ll take Sleepytime for 1000, Alex.”
Thanks for the correction, and the anonymous snark. Seriously, never tire of it.
No, and the answer is hell no! Cut the word count by 75%, you better not… This is quite simply the only real literary music blog on the whole damn planet. The man can write, so let him write. Don’t let your fear, of words and eloquent fantastic writing, belittle someone who has a special talent to convey thoughts into proper words and sentences. Love live the eloquent perfectly written posts by marathonpacks (he is my idol you know)!
And what is it you indie kids say these days? Word. or is it sentence.
is this a concept album?
is there a storyline i’m failing to grasp?
what do you think?
i consider gathered in spring another highlight.
btw dead on and oblivious to me the rufus reference.
I thought marathonpack’s description was uncannily spot on -I’ve rarley heard a better critical evocation. Your grasp and imagery caught it precisely. jim
Could anybody show the lyrics of Young Bride?