All The Places We've Been: Midlake Reflect On 'A Bridge To Far' Prior To UK Tour
Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Written by Jeremy Blackmore
Photo: Shaina Sheaff
When beloved Americana band Midlake convened to discuss their future a short time ago, they considered calling time on their 20 year career. It would have made their upcoming tour a valedictory affair; one last chance to commune and celebrate with fans. Instead, the ties that bind this close-knit Texan sextet resulted in their new album ‘A Bridge To Far’, arguably the best of the trio of records they have released since original frontman and songwriter Tim Smith departed in 2012. It’s a widescreen-yet-reflective, personal record that draws on both their alt-folk beginnings and the dusty desert rock of their more recent work.
Lead singer and guitarist Eric Pulido is talking to me from Paschall, the historic Denton bar the band have run as a collective over the past 14 years, another sign of their deep ties. “Our connection is a great motivation, because we all love one another,” he says simply. “We love making music together. It’s kind of a means to an end, where you know if we can continue or make a new album, well, then you get to see one another and go travel, and get to hang out with your friends and play music. So, it is something I’ve always appreciated, the ability to be able to go do that and to connect with people we wouldn’t otherwise. But, at the same time, we wouldn’t make a record if we didn't feel like it was right and good and an expression of the band.”
Lead single The Ghouls acknowledges that uncertainty over their future amid the tough landscape of the music industry. A play on words, it was born out of a band meeting to decide their goals. Says Pulido: “We all have families now, and other ventures that can easily pull us away, so to do it well and to do it right, we didn’t know if that was possible. So, we had talked about, ‘Should we just put it out there that we’re going to call it a day and maybe play some shows to celebrate that?’ We ultimately decided not to and to try to pursue doing it again. So, I am thankful. To get together and make that album was just a great time. It felt like a vacation.”
Midlake’s story has been one of evolution and resilience. Their early albums, fronted by Smith, encompassed 2004’s lo-fi electronica-infused debut ‘Bamnan and Slivercork’, 2006’s cult masterpiece ‘The Trials of Van Occupanther’ and the darker hues of 2010’s ‘The Courage Of Others’. Since Smith’s departure, Pulido has stepped up as frontman with three records of evocative Americana, while still retaining their classic folk sensibilities. Released in 2013, ‘Antiphon’ was followed by another lengthy gap before their shared kinship saw them return on 2022’s ‘For the Sake of Bethel Woods’ and now on ‘A Bridge To Far’.
“It definitely has been an evolution of sorts,” says Pulido. “Especially I feel like over the first three albums, if not because there were very specific references of influence we were going through. And there is a distinction between Tim’s first three records with the band, and then me. Even though I was in the band, singing backgrounds and playing guitar, [I have] transferred to the lead singer over the last three records. Over that time some of those references and inspirations change and evolve. But it was very natural.”
Pulido thinks ‘A Bridge To Far’ references their entire body of work with all its many, varied influences. “It’s like we've had some time together,” he says. “We’ve had a lot of references, let’s just play the songs and record them in a way that feels right. And, hopefully, when a listener is hearing this, front to back, there's a common thread. It’s Midlake, and it is kind of harkening back to some of those references that maybe were in the past, because it’s inside of us. I did want it to be dynamic, where it touched on some folky things that are of Midlake’s sweet spot and past, and then also lean into being the rock band that we are. These songs are going to translate live and be loud.”
The Calling finds Pulido addressing his personal struggle to apply himself fully to projects and the need to make the most of opportunities. It prompts discussion about his role as the band’s latter-day frontman. “You could make the reference of when Tim left the band,” he notes. “It’s like, ‘Well, I guess that’s it. We’re all hanging it up.’ But, no, we’re going to need you to do a little more, ‘Come on, Eric, you can do it.’ So, it’s an inner monologue: ‘Come on, pal, you get in there. You can do it!’”
He admits it was a challenge stepping into Smith’s shoes, but the support he received from his bandmates helped him through. “It meant a lot the guys believed in me taking over that role,” he says. “ Then it was a matter of going out and playing and hoping I didn't get tomatoes thrown at me or something. So, I did feel like the embrace of that helped give me confidence, because I know I’m not perfect. I know we all have faults, and I appreciate someone’s sentiment even now, if they miss Tim. Well, I miss him too, you know? I didn’t make this choice, so I’m just trying to do the best with what we’ve got.”
The band’s decision to enlist Sam Evian as producer came after the positive experience working with John Congleton on ‘For the Sake of Bethel Woods’, Pulido calling it “really freeing” to be in a live room and have a producer at the desk making executive decisions. He describes Evian as a great partner who also contributed vocally and musically, alongside singer-songwriter Hannah Cohen, with whom he runs Flying Cloud Recordings. Madison Cunningham duetted on Guardians, meanwhile, her vocals adding a new ingredient to a Midlake album.
“When we recorded Guardians, I did both voices overlapping,” explains Pulido. “That paved the way. Once I did those takes, the idea was that it could be cool to present another voice. What about Madison, whom McKenzie [Smith, drums] and Jesse [Chandler, keys] had recorded with. It came out beautifully, and it created this relational call and response, two different juxtapositions, really nicely. She’s got a beautiful voice, but it just played to the song and the sentiment really well.”
The beautiful album opener Days Gone By, which evokes Midlake’s early albums, is accompanied by a life-affirming video featuring Ted Lasso star James Lance, who fell in love with Midlake when he caught them at London’s Roundhouse on their last tour. Shot in a single take at dawn on the streets of New York before rush hour, it features the rising sun as co-star. Says Pulido: “It’s really a great connection we made with him. I think he’s a great human and talent. I really was thankful, not only for him lending himself for the video. We didn’t give any direction. That was their idea and I just felt like it gave such life to the song and deeper meaning. I really appreciated it and loved that. I do think it just sets the album off with the right tone. Lyrically, it’s a gratefulness for all the small and big things and seen and unseen things in this world.”
In contrast to the album’s folky beginnings, Eyes Full Of Animal is more visceral, albeit with a beautiful elevation going into the chorus. It recognises the animalistic elements that exist within us while striving to find a place of peace, personally and musically. The decision to close the album on a reflective note with Valley Of Roseless Thorns, featuring gentle acoustic guitar, piano and woodwind, was something Pulido insisted on. “That was my one sticking point: this has to end the album,” he says. “I felt like it was a nice way to do it. It is a reflection, really, with the band. And sometime in the midst of our existence being so caught in lamenting what is, rather than celebrating that.
“I think that’s always been a struggle for us, but I think it’s gotten better over time. Especially age, I’m sure, does that. As you get older, you can look back and appreciate it, and while you’re in it you can say, ‘Look, this isn’t going to last forever, either.’ So, even the cliffhanger line, “What was all of this for?”, that's pretty universal in our existential way. I think it’s asking the question, but yet still celebrating it in the midst of the unknown.”
Supporting the record, Midlake’s UK tour begins in Sunderland on January 31 before taking them to Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, London and Brighton, with Pulido looking forward to catching up with the British audiences that have long supported the band. “It’ll be a celebration of all the places we’ve been, getting to connect with people and see a little bit of the world,” he says. “Especially the UK, which has been so great to us. It’s great to be there and embrace them back.”
Midlake’s ‘A Bridge To Far’ is out now on Bella Union.
Midlake Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat January 31 2026 - SUNDERLAND Fire Station
Sun February 01 2026 - BIRMINGHAM Crossing
Tue February 03 2026 - MANCHESTER Gorilla
Wed February 04 2026 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Thu February 05 2026 - BRISTOL Thekla
Fri February 06 2026 - LONDON Electric Ballroom
Sat February 07 2026 - BRIGHTON Chalk
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