Independent and Proud: The Band Midlake and New Music Discovery

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Takin' a Walk

Episode: Independent and Proud: The Band Midlake and New Music Discovery

Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Eric Pulido (Midlake)
Release Date: November 7, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode of Takin' a Walk features an in-depth conversation between host Buzz Knight and Eric Pulido of the band Midlake. The discussion explores Midlake's evolution, their creative process, Texas roots, the complexities of keeping a band together for two decades, and the making of their sixth album, A Bridge Too Far. Pulido offers candid reflections on band dynamics, the meaning behind their new music, and what it means to stay inspired and independent in today's musical landscape.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Significance of Walking and Inspiration

• Buzz opens by tying the podcast’s concept to creativity, asking who Eric would like to "take a walk" with (04:06).

• Eric's Answer: Would love to walk and talk with Abraham Lincoln for his historical wisdom, but also mentions Bill Maher for his blend of comedy and cultural commentary.

  “Maybe there's no wrong answers, but it's a big one. That's a tough one.” (Eric, 06:16)

• Eric relates his own habit of walking and running to the band's creative process, describing the physical act as a source of reflection and new ideas:

  "I've gotten a lot of ideas while on walks or runs...I'll sing a melody into a voice memo...even after the record's done, going on a walk and listening for mixed notes or things like that." (Eric, 07:17)

2. Band Chemistry & The Long Road Together

• Buzz asks what still surprises Eric about his bandmates after 20 years (08:01).

• Eric notes the enduring camaraderie and musical connection:

  “It's like riding a bike when we get together...no matter how long it's been, we just click right back in and just know one another very well musically to where it's not forced.” (Eric, 08:11)

• The evolution from constant collaboration to balancing life's demands is explored, especially as the members have grown older and started families.

3. Early Musical Influences & Denton, Texas Roots

• Eric’s musical foundation started at home:

  “My folks were into music...my dad was always a big fan of albums and bands from yesteryear, 60s and 70s...I always loved music and was just a self-taught musician.” (Eric, 09:43)

• Denton, Texas—the band's longtime base—provided a rich musical community and the spirit of collaboration (11:57):

  "Such a community of folks...this collection and community of artists and bands that would play around and try to also get out of Dodge and see where that journey could take us. ... It's always been a part of the bedrock of where we physically are." (Eric, 11:57)

4. The Creative Process: Then and Now

• Buzz highlights Midlake’s “meticulous craftsmanship” and the gaps between records (17:06).

• Eric details how their methods have changed from the all-consuming early days to a more balanced and intentional approach:

  • Early Days:

    • “No one knew who we were...we were devoted to writing, recording, rehearsing before we’d even made that first album...”
    • The band’s 2006 breakthrough, The Trials of Van Occupanther, resonated more in Europe at first (17:26).

  • Major Transition:

    • Struggled with creative block before Antiphon after Tim Smith’s departure:

    “...it ended in Tim departing. Obviously a gut punch, not in a personal way, but more of like, what do we do now? ... We wrote and recorded in six months, Antiphon. … It did feel like we recovered, but also felt like we need to land this ship.” (Eric, 21:41–22:41)

  • Current Approach:

    • More remote collaboration and embracing life outside of Midlake:

    “It was nice to have a reprieve, if not just a finality, and do those other things. And I think it helped inform what would or could come next.” (Eric, 22:41)

5. Band Dynamics, Independence, and Side Projects

• Buzz and Eric discuss the challenges and rewards of maintaining band relationships:

  “Relationships are so key and how you travel together, how you communicate...it can sometimes just be the other 23 hours of the day.” (Eric, 24:09)

• The band’s collective bar, Paschall Bar, is a symbol of their collaborative spirit and a creative project that grew out of touring experiences:

  “We didn’t know what we were doing...I think it just seemed like possible and something we would selfishly enjoy...we were glorified interior decorators...Just jump and then hopefully the parachute will deploy.” (Eric, 25:05–26:14)

6. A Bridge Too Far: Reflections on the New Album

• Eric expresses pride in completing their sixth record and continuing despite challenges:

  “You ask yourselves collectively as friends...do we have it in us to do another album? ... I would never want to give less than what I feel is merited.” (Eric, 26:51)

• The song "Ghouls" was inspired by a management meeting about the band’s "goals," playing with the words to capture their anxieties and hopes (27:32):

  “The song was to say don't fear these things. There's a light at the end of the tunnel." (Eric, 28:36)

• Hope and Melancholy:

  “We're not a band that wants to be doom and gloom, but I understand that minor key songs can sometimes bring out the melancholy. But I think even in that sentiment, there's hope on the other side of it.” (Eric, 28:36)

7. Genre, Identity, and Musical Evolution

• Buzz and Eric discuss the challenges of genre definitions in indie/folk/Americana music (29:12–31:10):

  “Genres are tricky ... I hope there's been a commonality ... but I hope there's also elements that kind of live beyond that and evolve into something that says, oh, it's just Midlake, you know, it sounds like Midlake.” (Eric, 29:32)

• Buzz reflects:

  “I know what it is. It just sounds really good, you know.” (Buzz, 31:02)

8. The Album’s Message: Hope and Goodness

• A Bridge Too Far as a metaphor for reaching and believing in something greater:

  “I want to believe that goodness wins...there's a path...Even in that song...it's the belief and hopefully even a vessel to say, there's goodness, there is hope, and to collectively embrace that over elements that get thrown at us all the time in this world.” (Eric, 31:38)

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Notable Quotes

• Eric Pulido on band chemistry:

  “It’s like riding a bike when we get together and play music...we just click right back in...” (08:11)

• On being inspired while walking:

  “It’s a great source of reflection and inspiration...if folks get moved while they’re literally moving, I think that’s a pretty cool mix.” (07:17)

• On band longevity:

  “Relationships are so key...you’re young and emotions are running high...it can sometimes just be the other 23 hours of the day.” (24:09)

• On the new album’s spirit:

  “I want to believe that goodness wins...there’s hope on the other side of it...hopefully someone else in their own walk of life can take from that, maybe their own meaning, but ultimately one that I hope is for good.” (31:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Who Would You Take a Walk With? – 04:06–06:44
• The Role of Walking in Creativity – 07:11–08:01
• Band Chemistry and Evolution – 08:01–09:37
• Musical Roots & Denton, TX Influence – 09:43–13:02
• Creative Process: Early Days vs. Now – 17:06–23:35
• The Paschall Bar: Band Side Project – 25:05–26:43
• Highlights of the New Album and "Ghouls" – 26:43–28:36
• Genre, Identity & Musical Integrity – 29:12–31:10
• Message of Hope & Legacy – 31:18–32:56

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Memorable Closing Exchange

• Buzz: "We are grateful for Midlake and all the great music you continue to give us. And congrats on the sixth album."
• Eric: "Yeah, we got there. Lucky number six."
• Buzz: "Yeah, go get 'em. Thanks for being on Taking a Walk, Eric."
• Eric: "Thank you, Buzz. I appreciate it." (32:56–33:12)

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Summary

This episode offers a heartfelt look at Midlake's journey, from their roots in Denton, Texas, through two decades of creative reinvention, lineup changes, inner doubts, and the perseverance required to make art that matters. Eric Pullido speaks candidly about the band's process, personal and collective evolution, and the enduring spirit of hope that defines their music. For fans and newcomers alike, this is a deep, authentic dive into what keeps an independent band thriving—and why their art still resonates.

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Transcript

[Eric Polito]

Taking a walk day and night, you know, again in between work, we were devoted to writing, recording, rehearsing before we'd even made that first album, Bamden and Sliver Cork, that came out in 2004. We were just very creative and trying to build and help facilitate this world.

[Narrator]

A bridge connects two places. But what happens when that bridge leads not just too far, but too far?

[Buzz Knight]

As in towards something distant and unknown. I'm Buzz Knight, the of the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Narrator]

Today I'm going to be joined by Eric Polito from the band Mid Lake, a band that has spent nearly two decades building sonic bridges between folk and rock and something altogether more mystical. Their sixth album, we're going to be talking about and we're going to explore how this Texas band keeps finding new territories to traverse even after all these years of wandering.

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

This is an I Heart podcast.

[Narrator]

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[Eric Polito]

I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. We got clear facts. Maybe we could calm down a little.

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[Eric Polito]

Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.

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[Podcast Host/Producer]

Taking a walk.

[Buzz Knight]

Eric, thanks for being on Taking a walk. Welcome to the show.

[Eric Polito]

Good to be here. Thanks for having me. Buzz.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, so it's called taking a walk. So I have to ask you first, if you had the opportunity to take.

[Narrator]

A walk with somebody, living or deceased.

[Buzz Knight]

Who would you take a walk with? And, and where might you take that walk?

[Eric Polito]

Oh man, that's a. Came out with a big one there.

[Buzz Knight]

Guns of blazing. Oh, wait, that's the wrong way to say it.

[Eric Polito]

Yeah, yeah. You know, we have a, there's a group that we were talking with, we have these celebratory lunches and I usually am the one that has to come up with the, the ask. You know, and one of my, my ask was, you know, kind of that, that question in, in essence where it's like if one person, living or dead, you have a conversation with. And I, I said Abraham Lincoln, which I know is probably a very like, I don't know, just like a, it's an easy answer. You know, there's probably. As I thought, as I thought more. One of the, one of the podcasts that I listen to a lot is Club Random with Bill Maher. And I know he can be a polarizing figure, but I really get a K. The comedic element mixed with obviously just the weight of the, the world and, and elements that exist. And so I'm gonna go out on a limb and just go ahead and say I'd like to take a walk and talk with Phil Barr. That's okay.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, I listen, I, I watch Club Random. I just to be official, I'm drinking water first of all. Not, not any of my booze of choice. And there's nothing lit up in this room either, including me.

[Eric Polito]

Right. But likewise. But it is early, so. Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

And I'm going to talk to you about the bar where you're situated in later on.

[Narrator]

For sure.

[Buzz Knight]

Abe Lincoln, by the way, is not a. A terrible one. I'm friendly with the author, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and she would always talk about folks like Abe Lincoln, like her guys. You know, those were her guys. So there's nothing wrong with Abe either, for sure. You know.

[Eric Polito]

Yeah. And I, and I realize, like, obviously if you had the opportunity to walk with someone that's no longer here and you didn't live amongst, like, you maybe would, you know, be more poignant. Take. Take that up instead of someone that you could possibly run into. But again, maybe, maybe there's no wrong answers, but it's a. It's a big one. It's a. That's a. That's a tough one.

[Buzz Knight]

It's a. Yeah, it's a big one out of the gate, but it's, it's a. It's a nice icebreaker as. As well.

[Eric Polito]

Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

We're going to talk about the new music that I want to certainly congratulate you and the band on, for sure. And I love the music. Your music is always really. It's felt like that it's perfect for long drives or walks to be able to sort of, you know, get lost and find great inspiration. Does that satisfy you, telling you that a listener feels that way about the music?

[Eric Polito]

Of course. Of course. I mean, you know, I'm an avid walker and runner.

[Buzz Knight]

I.

[Eric Polito]

More walking than running these days, but I, I kind of mix in both. And it, it's inherently just gets the blood flowing and, And I feel like I've. I've gotten a lot of ideas while on walks or runs and I'll stop and I'll type something into my phone or I'll sing a melody into a voice memo. And even after the record's done, going on a walk and listening for mixed notes or things like that, it's really. And there's a couple other guys that run a lot on the band. And it's, it's. I don't know, it's. It's. It's kind of a. Just a. A great source of reflection and inspiration that we find that mixes well. So if that happens on the other end of folks getting to hear it and getting moved in a certain way while they're literally moving, also, I think that's a pretty cool mix.

[Buzz Knight]

So after nearly 20 years of making music together, what still surprises you about your, your bandmates?

[Eric Polito]

You know, what surprises me is that it's, it's like riding a bike when we get together and play music. We don't, you know, obviously we're, we're older now or you know, have kids and, and have other elements of our lives and dynamics that just, it's not like it was when we just, you know, played music every day and went to the bar every night and just hit reset, you know, every, every day with a job maybe mixed in. But now it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's really nice when we're able to get together and I'm always just encouraged by, no matter how long it's been, we just, just click right back in and just know one another very well musically to where it, it's not forced. You know, we, we wrote a lot of this remotely. We would get together and have some writing sessions when we, when we could and we were all in one one place. But it really was the making of the album when we said, okay, here's the collection of demos that we have. No real priority of order, but let's just start, you know, going through and everybody respectively doing their own, you know, listening and having ideas and such. And then we got in there with our, the producer, Sam Heavy and, and we just played in the room while he, you know, he was, you know, tracking everything and it was just real freeing and not forced and hopefully that comes across in the recording.

[Buzz Knight]

Totally does. So tell me about your earliest musical inspirations.

[Eric Polito]

Personally, my folks were into music at an early age and there, you know, there was always records around and, and you know, I just remember my dad was always a big fan of albums and bands from yesteryear, you know, 60s and 70s. And so I, I knew of that stuff growing up. But I was also, you know, growing up in Houston, Texas in the 80s and very well we're well aware of country music going on at that time as well. And just the evolution through the years, I just ate up everything. I, I always loved music and was just a self taught musician, you know, I didn't really know much of anything outside of. I loved just to sing and I love to play and kind of I had a piano that was more like furniture at the house growing up and my step grandmother would come over and have a piano lesson book to teach me just the rudiments of some, some songs, some easy songs. And it was kind of like the first step towards wow, I can take this thing that I've heard and, and, and really love and just sing along as anyone would and try to put it together in notes and then eventually getting a guitar and learning chords and, you know, singing and, and whatnot. It actually wasn't until I graduated and moved to Denton and took some classes at UNT because the rest of the guys were so well schooled, you know, with the background of jazz studies at that I always feel like I was playing catch up, you know, because everything before was just self taught. So I'm probably somewhere in between at this point. But. But yeah, those early introductions of just pop music, you know, through the, that golden era was really what, what set my foundation and I, and obviously you could even say our band has hearkened back to some references from those years ourselves and inspiration and reference with, with albums that we've made.

[Buzz Knight]

And then speaking of musical journeys and journeys, obviously the Denton, Texas part, a place that's, you know, rich in musical history. How has that specific place, Denton, had that influence?

[Eric Polito]

It's been a great influence and especially early on with such a community of folks that not only maybe went to school at unt, but then, you know, ended up sticking around, forming a band, maybe kind of this collection and community of artists and bands that would, you know, play around and try to also get out of Dodge and see, you know, where that journey could take us. But it was always and has always been even we used to record out of the house that we all live together. Once you get married, that's kind of harder to do. And we got a studio just a stone's throat from this bar that I'm sitting at now. And it really just became, you know, a part of the, the bedrock of, of where we physically are, you know, every day and, and, and the sites that you see and the people that you run into, obviously that's evolved some now over time. As I said, not everybody lives in the same town. We all have respective, you know, other obligations and such. But I still feel like that exists here and it's kind of another generations to carry on.

[Podcast Host/Producer]

We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Narrator]

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[Eric Polito]

Limu Is that guy with the binoculars watching us Us?

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[Eric Polito]

I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. We got clear facts more maybe we could calm down a little.

[NBC News Announcer]

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[Podcast Host/Producer]

Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

You know, the band has always been known for this meticulous craftsmanship and taken a long time between, between albums. Let's talk about just in general, the creative process and then what it looks like these days. Especially, you know, talking about the new.

[Eric Polito]

Music so early on, you know, was a different process. And like I said earlier, some of that is it's a double edged sword because you have this time, you know, obviously nobody knew who we were. We were trying to hone whatever, you know, sound or, or, or, or what we wanted to, to be. And a lot of that obviously revolved around our, our chief singer songwriter, Tim Smith. And we were all, it was just five of us at the time, day and night, you know, again, in between work, we were devoted to writing, recording, rehearsing. Before we'd even made that first album, Bam and Sliver Cork, that came out in 2004, we were just very creative and trying to build and help facilitate this world. 2006, when ban occupanther came out between that era also, not only was it a time of unknowing what we were going to be or have as a label anymore because our first record didn't go so well, but also starting to reference something that even though it's ubiquitous now especially it was kind of like a new era, I think of inspiration for younger bands of this indie folk type of renaissance and digging into some of those bands of 70s especially. And it really struck a chord and we, we were taken aback because our label was based in, in the UK and Europe and so we were doing better over there than we could even in our home country, much less state, you know. And so we were just traveling a lot over there and playing and growing. We start seeing people singing the song back to us and it was, it was awesome, you know, just so cool to see what was being built and then the pressures of like, okay, where do we go from here? We toured for about two years and I felt like, especially if you just looked at the albums of 2006, then you didn't put out an album till 2010 that definitely wasn't always, you know, writing a recording because we, we didn't, we didn't switch gears. Well, we were either touring on the road or we were at home, you know, going into the studio like a day job and kind of just working On. On music that way, because by that time we had a studio that wasn't at the house, but still our own gear that we had kind of added to. And. And we were also changing some of those. That evolution of reference where you. You start to go into some of the still folk, but it's like British folk, you know, and really diving into that and you can hear that on the courage of others. And then touring that album was really successful as well. And now having a few albums under our belt to kind of share and choose from the discography in a live set. It was that next two years trying to make the album that was going to be called Seven Long Sons, where we were spinning our wheels, we were playing out more and that was actually kind of fun to play while also working on music and then coming back to the studio and going, man, we just can't capture that song that we did live like that in the studio. And of course you could say, well, you're not live in front of an audience. You're in a studio that's just kind of cold and not as alive. And so we really struggled through those two years, even though I felt like we were capturing some cool moments. And ultimately, as you may well know, ended in Tim departing. And that was a huge. Obviously a. A gut punch in a way, not in a personal way, but more of like, what do we do now? Where do we go from here? And I think, as I've said before, it's probably part, you know, stubbornness and, and hopefully just some diligence and, and, and, and responsibility and saying, no, I want to. I want to finish what we started, whatever that might look like, if it's that album or. Or we had made an agreement with our record label and. And we said we were working on music, so let's just start working on a whole new album. And we did that and wrote and recorded in six months, Antiphon. And that. That was great. I mean, it did feel like, you know, we recovered, but also felt like we need to land this ship. Like, it's just we were able to do what many maybe didn't think we could, but we went through the cycle, we're done. And we did. So we put the ship and docked it and I think all set on different journeys. That was very intentional and purposeful, whether that be starting a family, whether it be doing other collaborative projects, solo projects, just taking a pause from. From Mid Lake. It had been for me anyway, since 2001, without, you know, really stopping, even though there were gaps in between records we were always working on Midlake and so it was nice to have a reprieve if, if not just a finality and do those other things. And I think it helped inform what would or could come next. And of course that was Bethel woods. And I think after we did that album, it kind of helped set up the possibility to do this, this, this last one. I think the industry in and of itself is, is. Is one, as you probably well know and any artist knows it could be one difficult to kind of navigate. But we always felt like if we could do something we, we felt proud of and come together and, and create, we'll do that. And I'm just glad it didn't take as long, maybe longer than it, it should. But in between these two albums, I'm glad to follow up and now be going out and playing some shows again with the guy. So. I know that was a long winded answer, but to cover the basis.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, but people don't understand, I believe the complexity of dynamics of creative process, of creative pressure of the road. So all these things really factor in personal lives, you know, other priorities. So I, I'm really appreciative of you sharing because it's, it does give us a glimpse inside the dynamics that are, you know, unmistakably challenging, I think, for bands, you know.

[Eric Polito]

Sure, yeah, it's. I'm. I'm thankful for the guys past and present it, you know, as, you know, I mean, I think, you know, relationships are so key and how you travel together, how you, you communicate with one another, it becomes paramount when you're, you know, thousands of miles away and just with the same folks every day and, and you're young and emotions are running high and, and most of the time is that it's, you know, only an hour or two of, of playing and like I've said, we've always been able to play well together. It can sometimes just be the other, you know, 23 hours of the day, you know.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, which is why you're sitting in a pretty cool looking place in Denton, Texas that we were talking about before we started. It's a collective place, otherwise known as a bar that you guys own, right?

[Eric Polito]

Yeah, it's called Pascal Bar and we opened it in 2011. So it was actually while we were making the record after Courage and we had a little money in the bank and I think we were all aware at that time of we need to do other things and try to be, you know, good stewards of, of this, this business as it were, of, of just like We're a group of guys that have collective money coming in. Should that just be something that we all split up? Do you save it? Do you invest it? Do you create another business? And we didn't know. We didn't know what we were doing really. I think it just seemed like possible and, and something we would selfishly enjoy, whether it was a good day or a bad day, like, let's go to the bar. And like I said earlier, it was. We were glorified interior decorators. We loved in our travels seeing different types of decor and, and obviously historic decor and European pubs or you know, just castles and mid century, you know, elements of furniture. And so it was just kind of fun to find things collectively and kind of build out a space within an old building. This building was built in 1877 and dress it up in a way that we thought would be cool. And then my brother actually who was living in Houston, moved up here and helped run the bar. And collectively we just kind of figured it out like most people do. Just kind of just jump and then it's kind of how it was with the band. Just jump and then hopefully the parachute will deploy.

[Buzz Knight]

It's deployed for sure. Talk about what you're most proud of on a bridge to far, you know.

[Eric Polito]

Outside of just being able to make the album. Because to be honest, after the last album, and I know this seems like a recurring theme with us, if not other bands, you kind of especially. Because I would never want to give less than, than what I feel is merited. You ask yourselves collectively as friends who love one another and, and, and respect one another, like, do we have it in us to, to do another album? And, and I say that I know that someone might roll their eyes at that, but I say that because it's not. We're not the Beatles, obviously. We can't just make an album like there's going to be expectations of us to, to promote that album and go support that album. And there's a lot of that that is joyful. But I know given anybody's respective situation on their own, there's other elements packed into that. And so I think it was something that we kind of took and started to write based on a conversation that we had collectively had with our management as well. And that that actually was the inspiration for the song Ghouls because we had a, a talk about our goals and we're like, let's talk about our goals. And so I kind of thought it'd be a fun, you know, pun to kind of in a Way kind of like demonize it, but also say, don't be afraid of. Of. Of this. This demonized, you know, goal, you know, so that. That one obviously was the first one we released. And it was. I thought it was apropos that, that it did come out first because it was the first of the. The inspiration of making the whole album. And it kind of over those next couple years, just we kept working through those ideas.

[Buzz Knight]

I mean, I find the song haunting but also hopeful, you know, that.

[Eric Polito]

That's usually the. The juxtaposition that I like to have. Well, or at least I hope that hope is on the. The back end of every sentiment in a song. I mean, I definitely. We're not a, A, A band that wants to be doom and gloom, but I understand that minor key songs can sometimes bring out the melancholy. But I think even in that sentiment, there's. There's hope on the other side of it. And, and again, that was. The song was to say don't fear these things. You know, there's. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Buzz Knight]

Don't you feel this time in terms of how independent and folk and Americana is growing in acceptance? Don't you feel in particular it's a really great time to be in the. The zone that you guys are in?

[Eric Polito]

Yeah, I, I mean, I, I hope so. I. I don't. I always. Genres are tricky, you know, and obviously I'm. I'm as, I guess familiar or. Or guilty as the next to. As you well know with what you do is like you're trying to convey something, you know, to somebody else. Saying it sounds like this, you know, and it's, you know, an indie folk rock psych, like so on and so forth. And you start adding kind of monikers to. To describe something, then you say, oh, just. It sounds like this band or this band married this band for better or worse. I feel like. Well, I feel like we have evolved and referenced different things over time, but I hope there's been a commonality, you know, that, that, that. That someone that's listened to our music can. Can hear. I've probably lost all objectivity and can often revert back to, oh, we're an indie folk band, you know, and sometimes I. I sit back and go, are we like, is that what this sounds like? I do think there are. There's a lot of music in our discography that fits that mold. But I hope there's also elements that kind of live beyond that and, and kind of evolve into something that says, oh, it's it's just mid lake, you know, it sounds like mid lake.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, I find myself stopping short sometimes in the genre exploration, because then I stop and go, okay, I know what it is.

[Eric Polito]

How about that?

[Buzz Knight]

It just sounds really good, you know.

[Eric Polito]

That's a, That's a good one, too. It's good.

[Buzz Knight]

It's just good. Just good music, you know.

[Eric Polito]

Absolutely.

[Buzz Knight]

You know, in closing, I know this new album, it's. It's a testament kind of to the.

[Eric Polito]

Bond.

[Buzz Knight]

You know, believing in something beyond reach and what for you personally is something reaching, you know, beyond believing in something and reaching beyond that reach.

[Eric Polito]

Well, I mean, kind of like you said, like, I, I want to believe that. That goodness wins, you know, that. That there's a path. There's always a path, even though I know it's not the same for. For everyone. And that's not always physical. It's mental, it's. It's emotional. But even in, in that song, A Bridge Too Far, it's. It's the belief and, and, and. And hopefully even a vessel to say, you know, there's. There is goodness, there is. There is hope, and to almost try to collectively embrace that over elements that get thrown at us all the time in this world. And waking up and saying, I'm just glad to be alive and to see this big ball of fire come up every day, and my expectation of it saying, well, I should be grateful, you know, that. That what we do have, what I have. And part of these songs are sometimes, many times, just reminders to myself, you know, and hopefully someone else in their own walk of life can, you know, take from that, maybe their own meaning, but ultimately one that I hope is for good.

[Buzz Knight]

Eric, we are grateful for Mid Lake and all the great music you continue to give us. And congrats on the sixth album.

[Eric Polito]

Yeah, we got there. Lucky number six.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, go get him. Thanks for being on Taking a Walk, Eric.

[Eric Polito]

Thank you, Buzz. I appreciate, appreciate it.

[Podcast Host/Producer]

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking A Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator]

Taking a Walk is made possible by the support of our great sponsors and we thank them, including Chase Sapphire Reserve. My gateway to the world's most captivating destinations is from Chase Sapphire Reserve, Cloud AI. Try Cloud for free at Claude AI Buzz and Lexus Experience amazing at your Lexus dealer. Now music history is full of hidden connections, just like everything else worth understanding. If you're someone who can't help but dig deeper, who sees problems as puzzles worth solving, Claude is for you. It's built for people that don't settle for surface level answers. Claude works with you on whatever you're curious about, helping you explore ideas and connect dots in ways that might surprise you not by thinking for you, but with you. See why the world's best problem solvers choose Claude as their thinking partner and try Claude for free @Claude AI buzz this episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. When I use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, I get eight times points on all the purchases I make through Chase Travel and even access to one of a kind experiences like music festivals and sports events. And that's not even mentioning how the card gets me into the Sapphire Lounge by the club at select airports nationwide. No matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC subject to credit approval. Terms apply.

[Eric Polito]

Okay, only 10 more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line, but first, there the last one. Enjoy a Coca Cola for a pause that refreshes.

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