Midlake - The Courage of Others

Very few albums in 2010 divided opinion as severely as Midlake’s follow-up to the more or less universally-loved The Trials of Van Occupanther. From five stars in The Times to a lowly 3.6 rating from Pitchfork, the Texans’ decision to swap Fleetwood Mac for Fairport Convention became a bit of an “Oasis or Blur?” talking-point among bearded fanboys as the year wore on. Luckily for them, just about enough Ragged Worders were of the opinion that this represents “a breathtaking transformation” for the band to see The Courage of Others sneak into our top 100.