As always, the game is simple. Describe your favorite records of the year. Count backwards.

Everyone compares Midlake to Fleetwood Mac. While it's true they sharee a chilled out classic rock sound, I always instead compare them to Iron and Wine, a band they sound nothing like.

Like Mr. Beam, Midlake is content to make beautiful background music. It's great music to work by. It's not pushy, nor does it needily demand your attention. In some cases, that would be the classic backhanded compliment. Not here.

Occupation is simply to powerful to be denied. It might now arrogantly demand your attention, but at this album's peaks, you simply cannot look away. Songs like Roscoe and Branches build upon a steady, pulsing backbeat until they almost, almost, almost, but not quite burst at the seams.

It's these moments of tension where Midlake delivers the goods.