Midlake has released their new song, "Noble," today. This latest track from their soon-to-be-released album, For The Sake Of Bethel Woods, is one of the most personal and moving songs from the LP. The song is named after drummer McKenzie Smith’s infant son “Noble” who was born with a rare brain disorder. For anyone who wants to donate or support Noble, please visit noble.midlakeband.com.
“Noble was born with a rare brain disease," says frontman Eric Pulido. "When he was born, they were told the life expectancy of most children with his disease was between six months to two years. The heavy nature of Noble’s condition and the new reality for my friend and bandmate McKenzie (and his wife and daughter) wasn’t something we took lightly. We were really excited to create this song for him and for Noble to not only acknowledge the struggle but also celebrate this amazing and beautiful boy. The wonderful news is that more than two years later, Noble is still here with us! He has beaten so many odds already and continues to amaze and prove to us how incredibly strong he is. His life is extremely challenging on many levels, so every day we have with him is a precious gift.”
“Noble” precedes the eagerly awaited arrival of Midlake’s upcoming fifth studio album, For The Sake Of Bethel Woods, due via ATO Records in the US and Bella Union in the UK on Friday, March 18; pre-orders are available now.
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Early acclaim for For the Sake of Bethel Woods:
“Layered, sophisticated and melodic.”
– MOJO – 4 stars ****
“Texan folk-rockers return in leaner, more dynamic form...For The Sake Of Bethel Woods secures Midlake’s future, running on a newly energized course.”
– Uncut – 7/10
"A deeply dynamic record and one that has the
broadest scope of influences of any Midlake album to date."
– The Guardian
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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 first time recording with an outside producer. The result is an album of immersive warmth and mystery from a landmark band once feared lost by fans, but here revivified with freshness and constancy of intent. A desire to commune with the past and connect with the present, lived experience asserts itself throughout songs such as “Bethel Woods” – named of course for the site of 1969’s original 37-acre Woodstock festival field – and the sky-scraping space-rock of “Exile.” That same resonant spirit is further embodied by the instantly memorable cover art, designed by pro skateboarder/filmmaker/visual artist Brian Lotti and featuring a striking photo of keyboardist/flautist Jesse Chandler’s father, who tragically passed away in 2018.
For The Sake Of Bethel Woods was heralded with the release of the official music video for the mesmerizing song "Bethel Woods." The video was directed by filmmaker Brantley Gutierrez (Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Diplo) and stars acclaimed actor Michael Peña (The Shield, Narcos, Ant-Man and the Wasp). The band has also shared live performance videos for "Bethel Woods" as well as the song "Meanwhile..."
The captivating performances – filmed at Dallas, TX’s Modern Electric Sound Recorders by director Rett Rogers (Nicole Atkins, Nathaniel Rateliff) and co-director Barbara FG – are part of a series of exclusive live sessions, “Meanwhile In Texas,” with additional installments set to premiere in the coming weeks.
WATCH “BETHEL WOODS” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
WATCH “BETHEL WOODS… (MEANWHILE IN TEXAS)”
WATCH “MEANWHILE… (MEANWHILE IN TEXAS)”
Midlake will celebrate their long-overdue return with an intimate pair of hometown live performances, set for March 9 and 10 at Dan’s Silverleaf in Denton, TX. After several high-profile appearances at this year's SXSW in Austin, TX, the band's wide-ranging world tour schedule will follow, with European and UK headline dates getting underway April 2 in Antwerp, Belgium; North American headline dates begin May 8 at Nashville, TN’s 3rd & Lindsley and then continue through the month. Additional dates will be announced soon. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.midlakeband.com/tour.
MIDLAKE
TOUR 2022
MARCH
9 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
10 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
16 - Geraldine’s @ Hotel van Zandt - Austin, TX
16 - SX San Jose - Austin, TX
17 - Radio Day Stage @ Convention Center - Austin, TX
17 - Bella Union 25th Anniversary Party @ Mohawk Outdoor - Austin, TX
APRIL
2 – Antwerp, BE - Trix
3 – Paris, FR - Alhambra
5 – Brighton, UK – Chalk
6 – London, UK – Roundhouse
8 – Newcastle, UK – University Student’s Union
9 – Edinburgh, UK – Assembly Rooms
10 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
11 – Dublin, IR – Vicar Street
MAY
8 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley
10 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
11 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live (Downstairs)
13 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios
14 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
16 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall
17 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
19 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
20 – Kansas City, MO – recordBar
21 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall
NOVEMBER
2 – Utrecht, NL – Ronda
4 - Groningen, NL – De Oosterpoort
6 - Copenhagen, DK – Pumpehuset
7 – Stockholm, SW – Nalen
8 - Oslo, NO – Vulkan Arena
9 - Gothenburg, SW - Pustervik
Midlake is: Eric Pulido, Eric Nichelson, McKenzie Smith, Jesse Chandler, and Joey McClellan.
MIDLAKE
FOR THE SAKE OF BETHEL WOODS
(ATO Records)
Release Date: Friday, March 18, 2022
