PLUMB

"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.

Share this FIELD MUSIC review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Conor Fynes
• Report this review (#714471)
• Buy FIELD MUSIC music online with PA partners
• Show all FIELD MUSIC MP3/Stream
• Go to FIELD MUSIC page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Plumb page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for FIELD MUSIC related discussions