Midlake are a band of Texan jazz students who have, over their three albums, renounced rhythm for a folk-revival-revival sound. The nominal influences on the latest, The Courage of Others, are the usual suspects: Pentangle, Fairport Convention and The Incredible String Band, though it sounds to me more like scene rejects such as Comus or Trees. Fingerpicked acoustic guitars ripple and chime, flutes drift about melancholically and Tim Smith sings like Beirut's Zach Condon if he had just overslept and missed the best part of the day. The tempos are leaden, the sentiments weedy. "I will never have the courage of others," Smith moans on the title track. "I was always taught to worry about things/ All the many things you can't control." Poor old him. Still, if you can stifle the urge to slap them, there are pleasures here. The playing is richly detailed, even if it never captivates like a Richard Thompson solo would. The production has a warmth and mossy softness that will make it quite inviting in danker climates. And you can't fault the consistency of vision: I've listened to the thing four times now and still can't tell the songs apart. Perhaps Smith underrates himself. Not everyone would have the nerve to release 11 hobbit-rock dirges which all sound the same.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
