We Got Another Banger From The Recently-Reunited Denton Band — And A Cinematic Music Video Starring Michael Peña To Go With It.

Welcome to Song of the Day, where we hip you to all the new local releases you should be caring about. By highlighting one new North Texas-sprung tune every week day, our hope is that you’ll find something new to love about the rich and abundant DFW music scene five days a week.

Midlake – “Bethel Woods”
RIYL: intentionally getting lost
What else you should know: Midlake on Song of the Day? Again? Well, it’s not every day that a great North Texas great band has prepped a strong reunion LP, with a new video featuring Michael Peña, the famed actor from the Ant-Man series, Narcos and End of Watch, among many other credits.

The briskly-paced tune has plenty of wonder and mystery, something Midlake has done so well, but not usually this fast. There is something about the band’s tunes that feel like it’s meant for a nice hike as daylight is about to give way to nightfall. It’s not happy nor cheery. More or less, reflective and open-ended.

At nearly five minutes, “Bethel Woods” recalls where people became massive fans of this band. Guided by an uptempo beat and a forceful piano dancing around a minor key, it’s the kind of sound that drew people in with their acclaimed second album, The Trials of Van Occupanther.

Let’s talk about the video itself. Directed by Brantley Gutierrez, the religious-themed/coming-of-age video seems inspired by the work of Terrence Malick. Meaning, lots of you-are-there, fly-on-the-wall shots of people living life, and not necessarily playing for the camera. Malick creates narratives out of just shooting his actors, best capture in films like Tree of Life and To the Wonder.

With this song, the excitement continues to build for Midlake’s forthcoming LP, For the Sake of Bethel Woods, which is still slated to arrive in March. The band has spent a long time apart, and it feels like now the band is even stronger than before.

Cover photo by Barbra FG

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