No.

have listened to both a number of times - even bought Courage purely on the basis of rapturous reviews - Mark ellen included

To my ears it drones.

Easily my favourite LP of the year so far.

I bought it on the basis of the glowing reviews.

I wish I hadn't.

It's OK, and there are 1 or 2 standout moments....but overall, I find it pretty dull. Many of the songs are very same-y - similar lyrical themes, similar tempo, similar melody.

I gave it repeated listens in the hope that it would start to live up to the hype....but it didn't.

A disappointment.

I went to see them a few years ago (hardly anyone there of course!) and quite enjoyed what they were doing, it was clear there was some ambitious songwriting going on and a pop edge which lifted them above the massed alt-folk/alt-country ranks of plaid shirts and beards. They were an Indie band from Texas reaching for latter day Fleetwood Mac..who knows what they would do next.....

A few years later it seems that all things alt-folk, Americana and shaggy and boring seem to still proliferate....only with even longer beards, saggier jeans, longer solos. Alas Midlake have narrowed their horizons and gone along, deep into the forest of boredom, and seemingly ditched whatever it was made them interesting back then.

I kind of got swept along to see them with some friends recently. Midlake shuffled on stage with absolutely zero stage presence, played for far too long with no peaks or troughs just the same tempo and sludgy vibe. I could take no more of this earnest recreation of early 70s Country Rock and escaped to the bar pretty early on. Even my fellow gig goers who are far more tuned into all things Green-Man and 'mellow' said it was really boring too...

Sorry!!

that might be a low five

problem is , all songs are in the same key, are they not?

Does not make boredom a certainty but you're well on the way.

of either squire.

I prefer Van Occupanther but then, along with Sufjan's Illinois, that is joint favourite album of mine over the last few years. I would agree that Courage could do with a little variation but still think it knocks other so called brilliant albums into a cocked hat - eg Animal Collective.

John Grant's Queen of Denmark has been getting rave reviews on these pages. I think it's just a bit fey and camp - still good though.

but it took me a while to get into it, the droney, samey, comments above were applicable in those first weeks but then I saw them live and it just clicked into place and I've not looked back since. I don't think it will ever surpass 'Occupanther' though, that had the right combination of being wonderful and the first album of theirs I had heard [plus it was a giant leap from their earlier work when I eventually heard it] so it existed in it's own Midlake vacuum as it were. Topped off by seeing them perform most of it live, it is one of my all time favourite albums. 'Courage feels like it has the legs to get into my top 20 and stay there, but just below 'Occupanther'.

Here is the latest in a series of unofficial videos to accompany songs from the album. 'Bring Down'

If you enjoyed that there are more here. http://www.youtube.com/user/paulosham1

I still prefer Van Occupanther but Courage is a fine, fine album.

And both are miles better than the very shite Bamnan and Silvercork.

and would like to recommend Vetivers LP from last year which i still play a lot. It helps that i listened to the Vetiver album during frequent trips to Bigbury beach (Devon ) last year and i can smell the sea when i listen to it.

I am sure most people have LPs they associate with times/ places.

There is a sameness (of key and feel), but some of the textures are gorgeous, and the lyrics are interesting. VO has a couple of stand-out tracks, but some of the rest are a bit odd and nondescript. Prefer Courage, definitely a progression.