Midlake returns after extended absence with 'For the Sake of Bethel Woods'

Midlake's fifth studio album, FOR THE SAKE OF BETHEL WOODS, arrives via ATO Records in the US and Bella Union in the UK on March 18. Pre-orders are available now. The Texas-based band’s first new music since 2013’s Antiphon, the album is prefaced by the first single, “Meanwhile…,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services; an official lyric video is streaming now at YouTube.

“’Meanwhile…’ is a song referencing the time in between what transpired leading up to our hiatus in ‘14, and what inspired us to reconvene in ’20,” says lead singer Eric Pulido. “The former being an unhealthy and unsustainable place that called for pause and the latter a serendipitous visit from Jesse’s late father (Dave Chandler, depicted on the album cover) in a dream encouraging him to reunite with the band. Everyone had their respective experience during the uncertain time apart culminating in a confident and celebratory return to form.”

WATCH “MEANWHILE…” OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO
LISTEN TO “MEANWHILE…”
PRE-ORDER FOR THE SAKE OF BETHEL WOODS

Midlake will celebrate their long-overdue return with a North American tour schedule. For complete details and ticket information, visit www.midlakeband.com/tour.

Produced, engineered, and mixed by GRAMMY® Award-winner John Congleton (St. Vincent, Explosions in the Sky, Sharon Van Etten) at Elmwood Recording Studio in Dallas, TX, FOR THE SAKE OF BETHEL WOODS marks Midlake’s fifth full-length release and first time recording with an outside producer.

The cover art was designed by pro skateboarder/filmmaker/visual artist Brian Lotti and features a photo of keyboardist/flautist Jesse Chandler’s father, who died in 2018.

“At age 16 my father and his friend hitchhiked from Ridgewood, NJ to the Woodstock festival in 1969,” says Chandler. “This image of him with his hand to his face appears in the 1970 Woodstock documentary, as the camera pans across the crowd during John Sebastian’s set. My father actually ended up moving to Woodstock, NY – where I grew up – in 1981. For me, the picture of that kid, my dad, forever frozen in time, encapsulates what it means to be in the throes of impressionable and fleeting youth, and all that the magic of music, peace, love, and communion bring to it, whether one knows it at the time or not. (I think he knew it).”

Formed in Denton, TX, the band debuted with 2004’s Bamnan and Slivercork, followed two years later by 2006’s The Trials of Van Occupanther. Midlake adopted darker psych-folk terrain on 2010’s The Courage of Others while also backing John Grant on that same year’s album, Queen of Denmark. Guitarist Eric Pulido stepped into the role of lead vocalist with 2013’s Antiphon, joined by new members Jesse Chandler (keyboards, piano, flute) and Joey McClellan (guitars).

Since then, Midlake have been active on an array of fronts, including the all-star project BNQT, founded by Pulido and featuring Fran Healy (Travis), Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), and Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), backed by Chandler, McClellan, and Midlake drummer McKenzie Smith.

Midlake is: Eric Pulido, Eric Nichelson, McKenzie Smith, Jesse Chandler, and Joey McClellan.

Track list:

Commune
Bethel Woods
Glistening
Exile
Feast of Carrion
Noble
Gone
Meanwhile...
Dawning
The End
Of Desire

Shows: 

11/26– Fort Worth, TX – Tulips
11/27 – Austin, TX – 3TEN
12/30-31 – Pelham, TX – The Caverns *

* The Flaming Lips 2 Night New Year's Underground Celebration
More dates to be announced soon