Measure

Field Music

Release Date: 15th Feb, 2010
Label: Memphis Industries
Genre: Indie

The third official album recorded under the Field Music name by brothers David and Peter Brewis. This ambitious 20-track long player is certainly a varied collection – sometimes a danger to the ‘flow’ of an album. From the distinctly Wings-sounding ‘Them That Do Nothing’, the styles pass through laid-back blues-rock (‘Each Time Is A New Time’), orchestral interludes (the title track) and ‘Lights Up’, which could almost have been recorded by a sleep-deprived Snow Patrol. There are ideas and potential here, but over the vast amount of songs, feels like too much has been packed in. With some judicious editing, this could have been a real dark-horse in the Album of the Year stakes, especially with songs as strong as the menacing ‘Curves of the Needle’, the light and airy ‘Precious Plans’ and the strident guitar-pop of ‘Share The Words’. Unfortunately though, there is too much unnecessary padding on show to really ensure they are contenders.

Reviewed by Pete Muscutt

About The Artist

Field Music

Artist Homepage

Field Music are an experimental pop band from Sunderland, UK, led by brothers Peter and David Brewis. In February 2012 Field Music will release their 4th album, "Plumb". A new track from the album, "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing", was released as a free download in November 2011. After an extended hiatus, Field Music reconvened in 2010 with a new line-up featuring guitarist/keyboardist Kev Dosdale and bass player Ian Black (original member Andrew Moore having taken time out to train as a chef) and released a double album, "Field Music (Measure)". Newcastle musician Andrew Lowther has assumed bass-playing duties to tour Plumb, with Ian currently taking time out to earn a real wage. The band's first album, the eponymous "Field Music", was released in 2005, followed in 2006 by a collection of b-sides and early tracks entitled 'Write Your Own History'. During this time they toured with fellow bands from the North East England, such as Maximo Park and The Futureheads, as well as sonic adventurers from further afield, including Melbourne's Architecture in Helsinki and Portland's Menomena. In 2007, they released 'Tones of Town', a critically acclaimed song cycle, which captured a particularly English variety of post-industrial frustration. However, sensing that a quick follow-up could lead to a dilution of ideas and purpose, the band announced a hiatus shortly after the album was released. In this time Peter and David each released solo albums as The Week That Was and School of Language respectively. All of their albums were self-produced at their own studio in Sunderland.

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