Field Music have just shared another new track, “Disappointed,” following the insistent, sax-punctuated groove of BBC 6 Music A-listed “The Noisy Days are Over.” Having been premiered by Zane Lowe as his World Record on his Beats 1 Radio show this morning, “Disappointed” is now streaming at SoundCloud.
“Disappointed” is as straight-forwardly pop as Field Music get, a love story lost in a fog of mismatched expectations. As David, who takes the lead vocal on this one, says:
‘We were consciously embracing the simplicity and directness of the pop music we love, where most of the song is in the chorus and the singing is always right at the front.I’m imagining a couple trying to get together and not quite managing it because they’re a bit older and they’ve already built up complete lives as individuals. Their expectations of what love should be have become too byzantine to let themselves take a risk.’
Over the past four years, North-East siblings Peter and David Brewis have threaded their way through one extra-curricular project after another but were inevitably drawn back to working together on their own songs. “As much fun as we might have had on our own or collaborating, we missed just spending time in the studio, the two of us, trying things out and playing together.” explains David.
The space that Field Music vacated in those four years still appears to be empty. No one else really does what Field Music do: the interweaving vocals, the rhythmic gear changes, the slightly off-chords, but with the sensibility that keeps them within touching distance of pop music. But with Commontime, Field Music show off their unashamed love of choruses in a way they’ve only hinted at before.
Written and recorded in spontaneous bursts over six months in their Wearside studio, Commontime is built around the brothers playing and singing together again, but also features a wider array of players, including original Field Music keyboardist Andrew Moore, Peter’s wife Jennie Brewis and new member of the live band Liz Corney on vocals, plus a panoply of other players.
“We wanted to embrace being a duo and, perversely, that made us feel more comfortable about all of those conspicuous cameos” reveals David. Over the fourteen songs of Commontime, real life conversations are replayed, acquaintances come and go, hard won friendships are left to drift and diffuse snap shots of the everyday are pulled together into what must rank amongst Field Music’s best works to date.
Commontime is available to pre-order at www.field-music.co.uk on limited edition 2 x 180gram green vinyl + download code, CD, and download, whilst indie stores have an exclusive 2 x 180gram orange vinyl version. The album is also available to pre-order on iTunes with an instant download of ‘The Noisy Days Are Over’ and ‘Disappointed.’
The Field Music live band expands to a five piece live with Peter and David alternating between lead vocals, drums, keyboards and guitar, ably abetted by Kev Dosdale (guitar, synths), Andrew Lowther (bass) and Liz Corney (keys and vocals).
Their first US tour dates in 5 years have just been announced to complement their already announced UK dates. Full list of shows below:
TOUR DATES:
Jan 21 The Harley, Sheffield
Jan 22 Hebden Bridge, Caught by the River, Trades Club
Feb 25 Newcastle, The Cluny SOLD OUT
Feb 26 Newcastle, The Cluny SOLD OUT
Feb 28 York, The Duchess
Mar 03 Cardiff, The Globe
Mar 04 Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
Mar 05 Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Mar 10 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
Mar 11 Manchester, Band on the Wall SOLD OUT
Mar 13 Glasgow, CCA
Mar 18 London, Islington Assembly Hall
Mar 19 Southampton, Engine Rooms
Mar 20 Brighton, The Haunt
Mar 24, Washington DC, DC9
Mar 25, Philadelphia, Johnny Brenda’s
Mar 26, New York, NY, Rough Trade
Mar 27, Boston, MA, Great Scott
Mar 29, Seattle, WA, Crocodile
Mar 30, Portland, OR, Doug Fir
Apr 01, San Francisco, CA, Independent
Apr 02, Los Angeles, CA, The Roxy
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Commontime
(Memphis Industries)
Street Date: Feb. 5, 2016
Track List:
The Noisy Days Are Over
Disappointed
But Not For You
I’m Glad
Don’t You Want To Know What’s Wrong?
How Should I Know If You’ve Changed?
Trouble At The Lights
They Want You To Remember
It’s A Good Thing
The Morning Is Waiting
Indeed It Is
That’s Close Enough For Now
Same Name
Stay Awake