It seems nobody is ever indifferent to Field Music. Fans of their distinctive albums and joyful yet precise live shows love their intricate melodies and unusual time signatures, but to others they are just pretentious pseuds. The way the brothers Brewis grin at each other as they roam a stage swapping instruments can be mistaken for them being too pleased with themselves – I think they just love what they do. Dismissing them, and leaving before the end, my friend quipped that they might write a musical next…..
Perhaps with Plumb they have:
From the opening bars of “Start the day right” there is a whiff of musical theatre about this album. Close your eyes and you can see the Brewis boys arms outstretched West End musical style. But this is not a big departure, if you didnt like the 3 albums released since they formed in 2004, you wont like this. It is unmistakeably, brilliantly Field Music.
2nd track “Its OK to change”(of course they havent) has a signature nagging baseline and fades to an eerie sound of running water at the end which bleeds into “Sorry again mate”, mournful tuba and the usual close harmonies. Church bells on “A new town” add to the eerie mood but this track is just an interlude really. Such slivers of music are a feature of the record creating atmoosphere(and explaining why an album shy of 40 minutes has 15 tracks.
The middle stretches of the album are characterised by more prominent guitars, bigger chords and piano such as on “Choosing sides”
“Who’ll pay the bills” is classic Field Music reminiscent of XTC, an easy comparison but they are no mere copyists, lush strings and orchestration on “So long then” is inimitably them. as is the beautiful mournful vocal interlude of “How many more times” in which they enquire solemnly, how many more times will you see the moon?
This is expansive ambitious music which repays repeated listening, there are fewer obvious pop singles than on earlier albums but “A new thing”, available pre release as a free download on the website is a contender, closing the Album on an upbeat note. My favourite though is ” Just like everyone else”(one thing you cant say about Field Music who are quite unique) a trademark nagging bassline and insistent drumbeat which put me in mind of Secret Machines masterpiece “What used to be French”
This is a wonderful record- Classic Field Music, the same but different to what they have done before. If you like it look out for Brewis solo efforts; David released “Sea from shore” under the name School of Language in 2008 and Peter released an album under the name “The week that was“ the same year
This year, a new Peter Brewis solo work “One copy” can only be heard at The Lauriston Gallery in Sale(until January 17th), because there is only one copy…………now maybe that is a little bit pretentious?
Field Music release new album ‘Plumb‘ on the 13th of February on Memphis Industries.
2011 was the year in which U2 finally got to play Glastonbury only to be blown off stage by Coldplay. Oh…. and Steps announced they were reforming! I can’t remember if it was ‘due to public demand’ or not.
In July 2011, nine years after they formed, Manchester’s Marconi Union released their fifth album, Beautifully Falling Apart (Ambient Transmissions Volume 1) and the first for the Just Music recording label.
Marconi Union is Richard Talbot, Jamie Crossley and Duncan Meadows. They formed in 2002 when Talbot and Crossley met while working in a record shop and the following year released their debut album Under Wires and Searchlights, on the Ochre Records label. But it wasn’t until 2005 that they released a second album, Distance, this time on the All Saints Records label. The following year they played the Big Chill Festival and Eden Sessions, as well as giving their first interview.
Further albums were released through their official website – A Lost Connection (released as a digital download in 2008 & CD in 2010) and Tokyo (2009).
Duncan Meadows joined Marconi Union on a permanent basis in 2010 and together they released Beautifully Falling Apart (Ambient Transmissions Volume 1). The album drifts even further in to ambient layers landscapes of serene beauty while managing to effortlessly entwine elements and whiffs of dub, electronica, glitch and even Ennio Morricone’s Spaghetti Westerns. As with much ambient music the album plays out like an imaginary film soundtrack.
My favourite album is Distance which shows a moody, darker side to Marconi Union while they were still toying with lighter beats stimulating the soundscapes rather than the atmospheric purity of Beautifully Falling Apart (Ambient Transmissions Volume 1) that errs away from electronica and towards a contemporary classical music.
Marconi Union are making wonderfully deep, thought-provoking music that should simply be heard and appreciated by more people; which is possibly the reason why Just Music will be re-releasing their first two albums in 2012, along with plans to release a new album next summer.
Beautifully Falling Apart (Ambient Transmissions Volume 1) has six beautifully relaxing tracks that blend into one another leaving the listener in a sublime state of relaxation.
Over the past nine years Marconi Union has quietly whispered their way into the consciousness of those looking to ambient music rather than X Factor 15 minutes of fame. No fanfares. Their fan base is growing organically through word-of-mouth, without hype. Their music is continuing to develop a style all of its own with each release. If you haven’t already indulged your ears in the beauty of Marconi Union, make it one of your New Year’s resolutions.
Album Re-issues
On 30th January 2012, Just Music will be re-issuing two albums by Marconi Union: Under Wires and Searchlights & Distance.
WOWee ONE (Bass portable speaker, best product ever sold on British Airways) have just released their newest speaker, the SLIM WOWee ONE for the UK only.
The mobile bass speaker can be connected via a USB to listen to music on on your mobile phone, laptop or mp3 player.
The WOWee ONE is a compact portable speaker that delivers incredible quality sound, including low-end bass frequencies and handles a dynamic range of signal inputs. Compatible with iPod, iPad, iPhone, and mobile phones. Includes built in rechargeable battery.
Free to Enter Competition to win a WOWee One Bass Speaker
To enter all you need to do is answer the following easy question:
Q: What is the name of the latest WOWee portable speaker?
Submit your entries to comps@buzzinmedia.co.uk with the subject line: ‘WOWee Music’ (other subject lines will not be entered) with your full name, address & contact number.
This Buzzin Music Competition ends on 10 January, 2012.
The editor will randomly choose one winner from the correct answers. The editor’s choice is final.
The Birthday Suit is the solo project of Idlewilde guitarist Rod Jones, while the Scottish indie-rock music band is on hiatus. This instantly sets alarm bells ringing, as a ‘band on the side’ can often mean the passion and energy necessary are missing.
The Eleventh Hour by The Birthday Suit is released on Sing It Alone Records.
However, these fears are instantly allayed as the album plays. Yes, it does have a lot in common with the Idlewilde sound, but that’s to be expected – and yet The Birthday Suit still has its own identity while lacking none of the intensity.
The Eleventh Hour was released in November and is the The Birthday Suit’s debut album. It’s a mix of upbeat and melancholy, with strong guitar riffs and melodic harmonies throughout.
The first track, Do You Ever? is one of the rockier pieces of the album, which often strays into a more of a folky sound before heading straight back again. It’s fun, it’s interesting, and it draws you to listen to the rest of the album.
Their track On My Own is the type of song you just can’t help but find yourself nodding your head to. With the lyrics ‘And I don’t care if you don’t care for me no more’, it tells of the end of a relationship and the struggles with moving on alone. You’ll find yourself agreeing with the sentiment within the first chorus.
This upbeat track is directly followed by Sell it All, which is a shock to the system with its almost gloomy intro. It soon picks up a little though, and the poetic nature of the piece works well with the sincere empathy of the record.
Overall, the album is honest and appealing. Through Rob, it’s retained many of the elements that made Idlewilde so popular in the first place, while showing off a whole new side – especially in the form of female vocalist Jacqueline Irvine. This is definitely not just a side project to stay entertained – the heart and soul in obvious throughout.
Mark Stewart makes an apocalyptic return amidst an increasingly agitated atmosphere and is releasing his latest single, “Nothing Is Sacred” as a free download.
The track is a damning indictment of greed in a year riddled by riots, revolutions, occupations and increasing collapse of the global financial system. A collaboration with Crass vocalist Eve Libertine, German elector monsters Slope and Dan Catsis from The Pop Group on bass “Nothing Is Sacred” has a howling funk-rock and unyielding political attack evolved from the sessions for Mark Stewart’s forthcoming album, and is the now-deleted AA of his limited 7” cover of the T.Rex classic “Children of the Revolution”.
Mark Stewart is one of those rare artists that has not only remained steadily prolific over the course of three decades, he continues to inspire with his pioneering sonics, viciously astute social observations and uncompromising manifestos.
Nick Cave, Alec Empire, Bobby Gillespie, Trent Reznor and Tricky amongst many others have cited him as a major influence, as well as a host of current provocateurs like Factory Floor, fellow Bristol producers Kevin Martin (The Bug, King Midas Sound) and Kahn.
His 11th-hour appearance at St. Vincent’s recent London show duetting on his early Pop Group track, “She’s Beyond Good and Evil” elicited a breathless response from critics (“a firefight of vocoder-distorted vocals and funk-rock rhythms” – The Guardian) and St. Vincent herself: “I did not want that song to end ever! It’s crazy to get to play with one of my heroes, I kinda can’t believe it.”
“Nothing Is Sacred” by Mark Stewart is available as a free download from www.markstewartmusic.com.
