When frontman/songsmith Tim Smith last year announced that he was finished, Midlake fans anxiously held their collective breath. But you can breath easy again now as the remaining bearded bards, now led by frontman/guitarist Eric Pulido, have written up a whopper of a fourth album ‘Antiphon’. It remains vintage Midlake, with melancholy folky melodies and heartwarming close harmony, but introduction and title song ‘Antiphon’ gives away a more psychedelic approach, with a synth line turning up here and there.

Midlake blew out the candles in the Club at Pukkelpop ’13 and did so with two new members on board: Joey McClellan as snare-driver and Jesse Chandler on keys, but who regularly pulls out a flute too. Excellent once again. Humo mentioned afterward that “the ride with Midlake was flawless, as always”, while De Standaard kept to “Excellent musicians, lots of good harmonies. Good concert from a well grounded band”.

On November 4, the psychedelic flames will be fuelled in the better record stores and, as always, Midlake swears by label and AB-purveyor Bella Union (Beach House, Fleet Foxes, John Grant) for the European distribution of ‘Antiphon’. For America they'll be working with ATO Records for the first time, the label of Dave Matthews (without ‘Band’ at the end of his name) that carries impressive acts like Alabama Shakes, Gogol Bordello (in AB on 7/12) and My Morning Jacket in the ranks.

Looking forward to a fine evening full of pure melancholy in the trusted Midlake wrapping…

From out of The Big Apple: songsmith Israel Nash sprinkles us with his his melancholy, psychedelic country/folk-rock. Loose Music (with the likes of Neko Case, The Felice Brothers and M. Ward in their ranks) is the label that ships his albums all over the world and we're thankful for it. Songs for attentive listening, dipped in a warm bath of Americana, ideal stuff for this time of year.