Midlake made their breakthrough in 2006 with Roscoe, the lead tune from the Texas band’s second album The Trials Of Van Occupanther.

Only yesterday a friend of mine was musing here about songs for this time of year – music that captures the spirit and conveys the mood and feel of autumn.

Her favourite, which she described in synaesthesia terms as “orange,” was this one: Midlake’s song Roscoe.

Today, by coincidence, I received their brand new single The Calling in my mail – and it’s another autumn banger.

Driven along on an insistent rhythm, its gentle melody – one that reminds me of Roscoe – gently worms its way into my mind, and my affection, punctured now and then by an exuberant horn section.  

Beneath that lies a lyric that explores surrendering to one’s true path. It even mentions falling leaves!

I loved Midlake when they first appeared back in the early 2000s, and I especially loved Roscoe, which seemed to herald a new wave of folk-flavoured American music that included Fleet Foxes, championed by our own Bella Union label.

I loved their 2006 breakthrough album The Trials Of Van Occupanther – Roscoe was the opening track – and I loved their music backing John Grant on his breakthrough, Queen Of Denmark four years later.

But I have not followed Midlake’s career closely since the departure of singer and songwriter Tim Smith more than a decade ago, with his place at the helm taken by Eric Pulido.

So it’s a delight to find he seems to have settled seamlessly into the role and they are back sounding much the same as they did when I last tuned in.