The Trials of Van Occupanther is the second album by American rock band Midlake. It was released on July 25, 2006, on Bella Union Records. It is a suite of lush, heavily melodic songs laden with multi-part harmonies, given evocative lyrical imagery set in woodlands, boats and log cabins, telling oblique but moving tales of pioneering, travel and isolation. The sound of the album has been compared to classic '70s rock outfits such as Bob Welch-era Fleetwood Mac, Crosby Stills and Nash and America, but there is still a heavy reliance on analog synthesizers carried over from their debut full-length album, 2004's Bamnan and Slivercork. Midlake was formed in 1999 by a group of jazz students at the University of North Texas. Their initial work – under the 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 (vocals, guitars, keyboards) quit playing saxophone and began writing songs that were heavily influenced by bands such as Jethro Tull, Radiohead, and Björk. 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. Tim Smith is featured on the Chemical Brothers' 2007 album We Are the Night, contributing vocals to the track "The Pills Won't Help You Now". In February 2010 the band released The Courage of Others, which has garnered generally good reviews, notably "album of the month" in Mojo.
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