FIELD MUSIC

As for the most noticeable influences, I have to point out to a Steely Dan sort of air emanating from the vocals in track 4 Out Of The Frame. Also the ghost of XTC flies over several spots, most identifiable than ever in tracks 6 No Pressure and 7 This City.

Of course, the prog element is more in the aforementioned instrumental details to be found than in the composition itself, which is more like a well executed practice of pop song craftmanship, never indulging however in a lap of banality nor a dull moment either. On the contrary, good and original melodies paired with thoughtful lyrics, and wrapped in acidly sweet vocal harmonies is what we can expect to receive this time, and when the evening is coming through the windows that's not a minor gift.

The tracks are arranged in a chronological order of sorts in a historical sense of when they happened. As the songs range from about 30 seconds up to just over 4 minutes, these are more like musical snapshots, and in these songs is a great variety of well-composed pictures of the world. The music is quite accessible, yet interesting and more challenging than your typical pop/rock music. Yes, there is an 'alt' edge to them, but there is also so much more to them than that. Proof of this is in songs such as 'Between Nations' which is a great example of the non-traditional lyrical and song structure. It doesn't rely so much on the verse-chorus structure even though the songs are melodic. In each song, you hear a great balance of instrumentation with whisps of beauty as the guitar tones in 'A Change of Heir' amid the fair mix of keys, bass, drums and background guitar. It's not all about being serious either, as in the catchy rhythm of 'Do You Read Me?' that takes a pop feel and mixes in some progressive 'unpredictable' moments. The vocals are easy to follow with just the right touch of vulnerability and the harmonies are very interesting. 'Only in a Man's World' has a infectious riff in the bass that will easily get in your head, and this is followed by the funky jangly guitar and stomp rhythm of 'Money is a Memory', then ending with the pensive, piano-led 'An Independent State'. There is plenty of variety here to keep everyone happy. The music is somewhat reminiscent of bands like 'Arcade Fire', except the songs have more distinguishable personality from one track to the other as the duo experiment with tones, percussive textures and such.

The original duo of musicians have through the years shifted around the backing musicians in their band line-ups. In the case of this album, there is some great vocals and piano work by Liz Corney and bassist Andrew Lowther, both who also worked with Field Music on the 'Open Here' album released in 2018. Also, Kev Dosdale, who also worked with the band at times in the past lends help with providing some guitar work. Most of the music on the album is organic with the electronics only being secondary, so the sound of the album is definitely more of a traditional band style, and that really goes a long ways in the natural sound of the music.

The tracks on the album move from one to another, just like moving from one museum exhibit to another, and that is the feeling you get as the album progresses. It's also sort of a trip through the 20th century and how the first world war shaped a lot of the happenings in that century. The alternative edge is apparent through the album, but the artsy feel keeps it all interesting and innovative. For being a museum exhibit project, this is one intriguing and fascinating album, one that never grows stale or boring like some exhibit projects can get. These songs definitely work well without the visuals of the exhibits, they stand on their own quite well, and chances are, you won't even realize you are getting a tour through history. This is one that I think will become more enjoyable as time goes on, and as such, will probably prove its greatness as the year continues. For now, it is a very strong 4-star album, but that might even change with more listens. As for myself, I really enjoy this album and its varied pastiche of styles and colors. It will definitely be on my list of albums to come back to often.

"They" say that The Beatles are the most influential band in popular music, and while that would not be much evident in my usual diet of raw black metal and avant-jazz, it may be difficult to deny the influence of a band when groups are still looking to them for guidance. That's not to say that indie rock outfit Field Music are a 'clone', but the echo of Paul McCartney's psych-era melodies was clear to me even upon the first listen of their fourth record, 'Plumb'. Diverse and engaging, Field Music are open season for anyone seeking a forward-thinking take on indie rock.

By the time I was halfway through my first listen, I thought of likening Field Music to a collision of the vocal melodies of the Beatles, the doodling guitars of Yes, and the catchy- yet-complex songwriting of indie contemporaries Arcade Fire. There's also that dreamy quality of Danish prog-poppers Mew... I could go on. Regardless of these comparisons, Field Music do enjoy a comfortable medium between catchy, melody-oriented art and a degree of complexity that keeps the music fresh. 'Plumb' is largely vocal-driven music, but the orchestrations often achieve an impressive level of depth. Although 'Plumb' comes a few decades too late to have the same sense of innovation in pop music as The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's', the depth to the arrangements are comparable on 'Plumb'.

The brothers Brewis are undoubtedly a talented pair, and while they are each tackling multiple instruments on the album, nothing here sounds weak from a performance standpoint. Although I could speak of the pleasantly atmospheric pianos or the 'Sgt. Pepper's'-derived string work throughout the album, the real highlight of Field Music's work here are the vocals. Both brothers lend their voice to the music; one sounding somewhat like Paul McCartney, and the other sounding quite a bit like Win Butler from the Arcade Fire. See where these comparisons are coming from? As pop music goes, I haven't heard too much that appeal to my interests in modern times like Field Music does. Their work is immediate and catchy, yet bolstered with the sort of depth and instrumental variety that it's still maintained my interest. The style may be light on innovation, but when Field Music execute their sound so well, it becomes easy to forgive.

Field Music is an art rock band from Sunderland UK led by brothers Peter and David Brewis. "Plumb" is their 4th studio album and in contrast to the previous double album, logs in at a sprightly 36 minutes. I've not heard their older work but this album is purported to lean more "progressive" than the others.

Effervescent was the first adjective to pop into mind after hearing the delicious "Plumb." While the band lists influences such as Roxy Music and Talking Heads, their wide-eyed and ambitious sonic palette brought to mind everything from McCartney vignettes to "Pet Sounds" to Bjork's debut to XTC's "Skylarking." The songwriting approach is what sets "Plumb" apart from so many indie rock albums, which follow the formula of sniffing out a great groove and then latching on for several minutes. By contrast the Brewis brothers throw plastic explosives at their notebook of ideas, and what comes at you feels like a festive carnival at night while on some mind enhancing potions. Track development zigs and zags with a bubbly personality making the tracks as unique as they are addicting. They do not follow the typical linear song structures but instead change course almost constantly within tracks so that things are rarely predictable. Lush instrumentation blends with samples, orchestration, sound effects, vivacious vocals, infectious guitar lines and large bass presence. When the melodic payoffs do come about they are rich and easy to digest. Some of my favorite moments sound positively ripped from another generation, classic pop moments with sweeping strings and heartfelt harmonies...classic but not pining retro, as the overall feel remains confidently modern. While there are a few average moments "Plumb" overall is highly diverse and consistent. Though as some have pointed out, that diversity of ideas can sometimes feel rushed leaving good ideas not quite fully examined. This makes the short album much more effective as an album, much less so as single tracks on your personal player.

Despite a couple of unfortunate lyrical choices and a willingness to cross the "too cute for their own good" line in a few places, "Plumb" is a very solid release which will spice up any block of your listening time. Great cover art too. 7/10