Midlake began in 1999 by a group of jazz students at the University of North Texas. The original lineup consisted of Tim Smith (vocals, guitars, keyboards), McKenzie Smith (drums), Paul Alexander (bass), Eric Nichelson (guitar), and Evan Jacobs (keyboards). Their initial work (under the working name The Cornbread All-Stars) consisted of funk/jazz explorations heavily influenced by Herbie Hancock.
Later the band began to lean more toward an indie rock sound. Tim Smith quit playing saxophone and began writing songs that were heavily influenced by bands such as Jethro Tull, Radiohead, Travis, and Grandaddy. Smith says about that: "We don't want to get called a Radiohead rip-off band. I think Radiohead is a lot closer to my natural tendencies as a songwriter than a band like, um, Jethro Tull. I listen to way more Jethro Tull than I do Radiohead these days, but I could write 10 Radiohead songs before I could write one Jethro Tull song. I want to sound more like Jethro Tull, but I just can't. That's a big struggle."
Jacobs left the band and Eric Nichelson took over on keyboard. Jason Upshaw joined the band as a guitarist. Live recordings from this period, recorded at Denton's Panhandle House studio, were never released as the band felt they had moved beyond the material.
Soon before their debut EP, Milkmaid Grand Army, was recorded, Upshaw was replaced on guitars by Eric Pulido, a longtime friend of drummer Smith, to form the current lineup. Their debut full-length album, 2004's Bamnan and Slivercork, was recorded at home in Denton, Texas and mastered at Abbey Road Studios. It showed a move in the direction of lo-fi psychedelic electronica, embracing influences such as Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips. The album even caught the ear of skateboarder-turned-actor Jason Lee, who produced and directed the music video for the song 'Balloon Maker', and who continues to support and promote the band.
In 2006, after nearly a year and a half of recording and re-recording, they completed their second release for Bella Union – The Trials of Van Occupanther. The album was met with generally positive reviews.
The 3rd album release by the band is called The Courage of Others. It was released on February 1, 2010. The album sleeve pays homage to Andrei Rublev, a 1966 film by Russian writer and director Andrei Tarkovsky.
In this album Smith focusing on the human condition, death, courage (as per the album’s title), and nature. The band put aside the wonderfully corny synthesizers they used on the last record in favor of a 100-percent organic approach that fits their bearded poets of the mountain image. The album received overwhelmingly positive review.
www.midlake.net
Roscoe
Midlake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chosen specially for you and I
Who will live inside
The mountaineers gathered timber
Piled high
In which to take along
Driving many miles, knowing they'd get here
On the roof leaks they got started
And now when the rain comes
We can be thankful
Ooh ah ooh
When the mountaineers
Saw that everything fit
They were glad and so they took off
Thought we were due for
A change or two
Around this place
When they get back they're all mixed up with no one to stay with
The village used to be all one really needs
Now it's filled with hundreds and hundreds of
Chemicals that mostly surround you
You wish to flee but it's not like you
So listen to me, listen to me
Oh, and when the morning comes
We will step outside
We will not find another man in sight
We like the newness, the newness of all
That has grown in our garden soaking for so long
Whenever I was a child I wondered what if my name
Had changed into something more productive like Roscoe
Been born in 1891
Waiting with my Aunt Roseline
Thought we were due for
A change or two
Around this place
When they get back they're all mixed up with no one to stay with
1891
They roamed around and foraged
They made their house from cedars
They made their house from stones
Oh, they're a little like you, and
They're a little like me
We have all we need
Thought we were due for
A change or two
Around this place
This place
This place
When they get back they're all mixed up with no one to stay with
When they get back they're all mixed up with no one to stay with
The song "Roscoe" by Midlake tells the tale of a group of mountaineers who travel for miles to settle in a new place. Stone cutters have prepared a house for them to move into, made specially and intentionally for this group of people. The mountaineers gather timber and take it with them, knowing that it will be necessary for them to start their new life. Upon arrival, they are exhausted, but they quickly begin fixing up the house. When the rain comes, they are grateful that the roof doesn't leak. The village they have moved to isn't what they were expecting; it's filled with chemicals and pollution that they wish they could escape. However, they find comfort in the newness of the things they've grown in their own garden. The song concludes with the realization that when the mountaineers return, they won't have anyone to stay with.
Line by Line Meaning
Stone cutters made them from stones
Expert craftsmen meticulously crafted these stones
Chosen specially for you and I
The stones were carefully selected to build a special dwelling for us
Who will live inside
This structure is intended for us to live in
The mountaineers gathered timber
The adventurous individuals collected wood from the local mountains
Piled high
They accumulated a large amount of wood
In which to take along
This wood was intended to be transported to a specific location
Driving many miles, knowing they'd get here
After a long journey, they arrived at their destination with confidence
When they got here, all exhausted
Upon reaching their destination, they were tired and drained
On the roof leaks they got started
They began work on fixing the leaks in the roof
And now when the rain comes
Thanks to their efforts, the rain no longer poses a threat to our home
We can be thankful
We express gratitude for the safety and protection we now have
Ooh ah ooh
A musical interlude
When the mountaineers
Referring to those who journeyed to build our home
Saw that everything fit
They realized that everything they had gathered and built was perfect for our home
They were glad and so they took off
After completing the structure, they felt satisfied and departed
Thought we were due for
We felt it was time for
A change or two
To make some alterations
Around this place
In this area where we live
When they get back they're all mixed up with no one to stay with
Upon returning, they are disoriented and have nowhere to settle
The village used to be all one really needs
In the past, the village had everything necessary for a simple life
Now it's filled with hundreds and hundreds of
Currently, it is overrun with an excessive amount of
Chemicals that mostly surround you
Harmful substances that are prevalent in the environment
You wish to flee but it's not like you
You desire to escape, but it's not practical or feasible
So listen to me, listen to me
A plea to listen and understand
Oh, and when the morning comes
At the break of dawn
We will step outside
We will venture out of our home
We will not find another man in sight
There will be no other people around
We like the newness, the newness of all
We appreciate the freshness and novelty of everything
That has grown in our garden soaking for so long
Plants in our garden have grown and thrived for an extended period of time
Whenever I was a child I wondered what if my name
During my childhood, I pondered what would happen if my name
Had changed into something more productive like Roscoe
Had been altered to something more effective like Roscoe
Been born in 1891
If I had been born in that year
Waiting with my Aunt Roseline
With my relative named Roseline
They roamed around and foraged
Those people wandered and scavenged for resources
They made their house from cedars
Their home was built from cedar trees
They made their house from stones
Their dwelling was fashioned out of stones
Oh, they're a little like you, and
They share some similarities with you
They're a little like me
And some with me
We have all we need
We have everything required to live contently
This place
Referring to our living space
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eric Pulido, Paul Alexander, Eric Nichelson, Tim Smith, Mckenzie Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AllisonGhost
"Roscoe"
Stone-cutters made them from stones
Chosen specially for you and I
Who will live inside?
The mountaineers gathered timber piled high
In which to take along
Traveling many miles knowing they'd get here
When they got here all exhausted
On the roof leaks they got started
And now when the rain comes we can be thankful
Oooh ah ooh
When the mountaineers saw that everything fit
They were glad and so they took off
Thought we were due for a change
Or two around this place
When they got back they're all mixed up
With no one to stay with
The village used to be all one really needs
Now it's filled with hundreds and hundreds of chemicals
That mostly surround you, you wish to flee
But it's not like you, so listen to me, listen to me
Oh, and when the morning comes
We will step outside
We will not find another man in sight
We like the newness, the newness of all
That has grown in our garden
Struggling for so long
Whenever I was a child
I wonder what if my name had changed
Into something more productive
Like Roscoe been born in 1891
Waiting with my aunt Roselin
Thought we were due for a change
Or two around this place
When they got back they're all mixed up
With no one to stay with
1891
They roamed around and foraged
They made their house from cedars
They made their house from stone
Well, they're a little like you
And they're a little like me
We have all we need
Thought we were due for a change
Or two around this place
This place, this place
When they got back they're all mixed up
With no one to stay with
When they got back they're all mixed up
With no one to stay with
@waZzupMC
I don't understand why this beautiful song is not famous all the world over
@danielgranato9002
one of the best songs ever made
@tartansauce4879
It's pretty damned tight. The lyrics. The sound. Man...
@matthewguralsky
Seriously. First heard it like a week ago and I keep coming back. It’s a perfect song.
@mpiccoli2178
Yeah!
@bigone5757
True Story.. Listened to it over the years every now and then and it gives me shivers
@ninogaggi
Daniel Granato hear hear
@davisevan11
It’s funny how 17 year old me didn’t appreciate this and 29 year old me sees this song’s brilliance
@craigsanderson4330
I feel the same after first hearing in 2010 when I was 29!
@defitigerking8539
It’s funny 😂 cuz 17 year old me loved this song but 31 year old me just thinks it’s a Fleetwood Mac with more a little Testosterone