I'm about three posts behind so let's do this. Just a quick note, Miami Vice rocked. Movie critics who hated it get the gas face.
So between hanging with the Editors crew, I caught, for a second time, one of the most exciting new acts to merge this year, Cold War Kids, and a band, Midlake, who have made a triumphant second album, The Trials of Van Occupanther. I didn't see headliners, Sound Team, who don't thrill me at all. My options: stay for them or go for the open bar at the Editors after-party. I chose wisely.
I'll start with Midlake since they are the act I wanted to see. I wasn't the only one -- Sufjan Stevens was there to behold their goodness. At its heart, the band out of Denton, TX have an atmospheric folk essence. When I was first listening to Van Occupanther, I kept on thinking of the quiet musings of Fleetwood Mac. It has this soothing quality, like a pat on the back when you're feeling down. That's partially due to their excellent use of harmony from lead singer Tim Smith and guitarist Eric Pulido.
Midlake's music is visually stimulating, thus the band plays with rear projections of animation and clips of period films. Looking at the pictures, it's pretty overwhelming to see all these keyboards and computers. It looks like they packed their home studio and brought it on the road. While I don't expect every band to recreate their album live, Midlake certainly didn't short-change their sound. You hear live all the piano, vocal and guitar effects that make their record so pleasing.
A song like "Roscoe" deserves to have all the elements heard. It's a slow song, but it has multiple layers that give it epic quality. "Young Bride" was the highlight for me. I caught myself bopping along to this sad lover's lament. It's like, "Rock on with your sad self." The title track also had that dazed, sad effect, where you find yourself lost in the music and watching the animation in the background that illustrated the story of a scientist who isn't respected.
They also played the little more up-tempo track "Head Home" which is set to the backing video of scenes from Tess. It reminded me of when I saw that film in high school hoping to get around reading the book. It didn't help. The band's management firm as videos on YouTube of their rear projections.
Cold War Kids never cease to amaze. I have a feeling this will be the last time they can play a small venue. Somebody will sign them before the next time they come around. Mercury Lounge filled up pretty quickly for their set, and emptied after they were done. Being right up front for their set, I could better feel the energy that they admit than the last time. Nathan Willett brings it, man. The whole band gets into this zone when they perform, like the music is possessing them. The guitarist and bass player knock into each other and sometimes challenge each other to play better. It's that southern preacher, back woods rock sound, brother.
I chatted with the band after the show to get a feel for them as people. All cool guys. As with most bands, the people you see on stage are not like the people you see off stage. The one thing the band is excited about is playing over seas in Sweden and Iceland of all places after this tour is done. I was excited that they had their EPs on sale for once.
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