Midlake was formed of a group of jazz students from the University of North Texas. The original lineup consisted of Tim Smith (vocals, guitars, keys), McKenzie Smith (drums), Paul Alexander (bass), Eric Nichelson (guitar), and Evan Jacobs (keys). Their initial work consisted of creating funk/jazz explorations that were heavily influenced by Herbie Hancock under the comical working moniker The Cornbread All-Stars.After the funk began to wear thin creatively, the band decided to take more of a pop approach. Tim put down his saxophone and began writing songs that were heavily influenced by bands like Radiohead, Travis, and Grandaddy. About this time Evan Jacobs decided to move to Austin to pursue other musical endeavors and Eric Nichelson took over duties on keys. Friend of the band Jason Upshaw was added to the lineup to pick up some of the guitar duties. Some live recordings of the material from this period (functionally called The Panhandle Sessions because they were recorded at The Panhandle House recording studio in Denton) were made and never released, due to the general feelings of the band that they'd moved beyond the material.Soon before Milkmaid Grand Army was recorded Jason was replaced on guitars by Eric Pulido, a long time friend of drummer Smith, to form the current lineup. Since their inception Midlake has striven to grow artistically and create a unique sound. In 2004 they released Bamnan and Slivercork which was recorded in their house in Denton, Texas. It showed a move in the direction of lo-fi psychedelic electronica, embracing influences such as Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips.In 2006, after nearly a year and a half of recording and re-recording, they completed their second release for Bella Union - The Trials of Van Occupanther. This recording continues a journey of sonic self-discovery with sounds that harken back to the sounds of 1970's vintage folk-pop and rock, most notably Fleetwood Mac under Lindsey Buckinham's artistic direction.