Midlake is a band lost in time. Eschewing the modern age and technology, the band seems more comfortable in a time when frontiers were still new, trees were plentiful and men were men. 2006’s The Trials of Van Occupanther was filled with images of nature and tales of pioneers. The Courage of Others continues with this setting. If Van Occupanther was Midlake’s fall album, The Courage of Others is their winter. During “Small Mountain” ,Tim Smith sings of “a way of life that will surely be gone.” It’s a bleak time, worlds are colliding; a recurring theme of the album is that of burgeoning industrialism threatening the traditional agricultural lifestyle. In addition, this is the voice of the common people, the farmers and woodsmen. This unique perspective sets Midlake apart from other bands