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New To Q - Kissaway/Midlake Review

Hailing from Scandinavia,  Danish quintet The Kissaway Trail got things off to a brooding start, layering lead guitar like a drone over double-time taut sounding drumming that recalls both flashes of Interpol and The National, both of whom they've previously supported. Though perhaps the similarity on their self-titled debut lay more in the missing link between all these bands, producer Peter Katis who's crisp drum sound is becoming something of a contemporary vogue.

Producer of the moment/last two years, Mr Katis is also responsible for mixing the forthcoming follow-up Sleep Mountain. Having not yet received the new album (due March), it was a surprisingly nice change in the internet age to hear the new songs unfold live before us, perhaps this is all credit to The Kissaway's songwriting style and arrangement skills. sounding more deft and subtle than on their past records. Building looping dreamy guitar phrases to a crescendo, then interspersing them with instrumental breaks that recall the sometime warm hazy intensity of, say, former tourmates Sigur Ros but without Jonsi's vocals. Single SDP is a perfect example of their shifting dynamics and timing, with the all too rare and surprisingly tasteful use of bells and a chorus that recalls Arcade Fire "we'll do it for our fathers, we'll do it for our mothers, we'll do it for our sisters, we'll do it for our brothers". Watch this space in March for potential anthems of 2010.... (or check out previous Q Track Of The Day - 61).

Headliners Midlake have all the surface requirements of an identi-kit American indie band, interesting instrumentation, excellent facial hair and the appropriate indie dress sense. That's about where the similarities end though, as the number of 70's tinged Fleetwod Mac-esque albums coming out of Williamsburg recently have (to my knowledge) been pretty limited. Instead the Texan six piece seem determined to take the path less fashionable but one where they seem comfortably at home revelling in the influence of bands like America, Jethro Tull and the like. Winter Dies from the new (and Fleetwood free) album The Courage Of Others is the perfect opener for the evening's proceedings, containing the lyric "I used to feel all things around me stir, grateful of all the things I received, taking in the sounds and ways of creatures upon the earth, great were the rivers I swam waning out of the sun" it's not a bad start point to give any new listeners an instant idea of the feelings of presence, time and age in their music.

"Hello there London, long time comin' to be back. It's really our treat to be here" come the visibly happy first words from the stage, swiftly followed by "and this is a song to say thank you" and the opening chords of fan favourite Roscoe from 2006's The Trials Of Van Occupanther, that starts off sounding like a sped up version of Nicks' and co.'s Dreams before the storying telling takes a decidedly more old-worldly turn. Things have moved on for Midlake since 2006 though, with lead singer Tim Smith professing to have added more British folk to his record collection in the intervening years, through bands like Pentangle and Fairport Convention. Whilst the analog synth remains, the drums are less reverb laden there's now a more earnest straight folk-rock sound to the new songs, with tales of bandits now being usurped by the bigger picture of the Earth and Mother Nature. Bring Down (complemented live by vocals from Stephanie Dosen) could've easily sprawled into overblown if it wasn't for the musical rein being held in with a tight grip, a consequence being that the songs still stay more accessible, which may prove to be helpful in increasing their fanbase given the general air of anticipation around this record. Perhaps the only criticism would be that some of the new songs start to sound a bit too easily readable in their building nature, sweeping towards epicness but Midlake have always been more of an album or mood band, than a singles-led adventure. Head Home deliberately concludes the evening and the audience file out having watched a band that are positioned for big things, whilst still making music very much in their own sphere.

11:13 AM | 29/01/2010