Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you contender #1 for Worst Album Cover of 2010.

Disclaimer: it’s usually my policy not to write negative reviews. Felt like this one was a valid exception to the rule.

I really wasn’t expecting the anticipation that came ahead of Midlake’s The Courage of Others being released. Sure, The Trials of Van Occupanther was a cool album and all, but I didn’t realise it had attracted as large a number of devotees as there seemed to be anxiously hankering out for this one.

If my last review was one of extremely low expectations being surpassed, this one is the polar opposite. I mean, daaaaamnnn.

I should have known as soon as I saw the awful cover art. But no, your hapless reviewer soldiered on and gave this album not one, but many listens.

Where to start! I mean, hasn’t the druidic folk thing kind of been played out to death already? Haven’t we got enough classic albums (mostly released in the 70s) with ambling fingerpicking and mumbled mystical lyrics that work better than this? Not to mention bombastic harmonies? Friggin’ multi-tracked flute ensemble arrangements? (no offense to the flautists). From start to finish, it plays like a bad 70s hippie-folk throwback you’d discover in the bargain vinyl collection, almost to the point of comedy. Well, it would be, if it wasn’t so dull.

This album has the following unwavering constants: minor keys, epic choruses laden in three to four part harmonies, and slow tempos. One song blurs into the next. I was pretty ecstatic every time I approached the end of each listen.

And here’s the problem: it’s not badly done. I mean, they’ve pulled it together sounding remarkably true to this whole vein of music. It just comes off sounding a little too wishy-washy, not to mention limp and largely lifeless. What a shame.

The Courage of Others came out on the 1st of February through Speak ‘n’ Spell Music, if you’re still keen.