Needle Time

  Field Music - Tones Of Town [MI074LPX UK 2017 24-Bit FLAC] Originally released in 2017, the second album by indie rockers Field Music has the air of a dedication to their hometown, Sunderland. Their choppy rhythms and clever harmonies, dissected with British nostalgia take their inspiration from a hybrid of The Beatles & XTC, but done in a Wearside-kinda way, rather than a bit too much Mersey or Swindon! I have always appreciated that way the Brewis Brothers maintain full control with their music, doing things their own way without following the pack, retaining full artistic control at every stage of their development. I've mentioned their use of progressive time signatures before and this album is no different.  A House Is Not A Home and  She Can Do What She Wants were both singles and highly revered by this avid fan. Tones Of Town could be the hipster Sgt. Pepper , it could also be a dedication to the best 'greasy spoons' in Sunderland.  I relied on a CD ...

  Field Music - Plumb [MI0208LP UK 2012 24-Bit FLAC] In order to preserve sonic fidelity, this record has been mastered using significantly less compression and limiting than most contemporary records. For maximum listening pleasure, please turn your stereo system UP! It is refreshing to read the above on the sleeve notes of Field Music's fifth album, Plumb . This is a thirty-five minute, fifteen track album with so many interchanging time signatures, sophisticated harmonies and rapidly shifting arrangements that you could be mistaken that this is a seventies 'classic rock' album. Plumb is actually an homage to the band's working class roots in Sunderland - it is a brave record which many just won't get, especially those who misunderstand the term progressive rock. Field Music are very much a British indie band, they just wanted to do something different after another break in their careers to focus on family life. You need to listen to Plumb as a complete record, ...

  Slug - Ripe [MI 0340LP UK 2015 24-Bit FLAC] According to Discogs there are about 15 Slugs - here for you now is the Slug that matters most. A short term collaboration between Geordie local hero Ian Black and the Brewis brothers from Field Music. If you appreciate Marc Bolan, Sparks and warped seventies rock, this could be your Slug. You all need to hear  Cockeyed Rabbit Wrapped In Plastic and  Running To Get Past Your Heart . In the muddy mire of modern indie-rock, you'll find it hard to find a better collaboration album... and one which was so sadly overlooked on release. So, move over Franz,  shake off your loose teeth and allow me to oil your Greasy Minds . A1 Grimacing Mask A2 Cockeyed Rabbit Wrapped In Plastic A3 Sha La La A4 Eggs And Eyes A5 Greasy Mind A6 Shake Your Loose Teeth B1 Weight Of Violence B2 Running To Get Past Your Heart B3 Peng Peng B4 Kill Your Darlings B5 At Least Show That You Care

  Field Music & Warm Digits - BBC Radio Late Junction Session [DIST 26 UK 2012 24-Bit FLAC] In January 2012, Sunderland's Field Music joined forces with Newcastle's Warm Digits for a four track live radio session - the consequences were this shamefully overlooked 10" EP released later the same year. The collaborative foursome perform four improv-krautrock-influenced tracks to remind us of how great Can, Harmonia, Cluster, Neu! etc truly were and what good musicians the north eastern foursome are. Enjoy.... this is bloody good stuff. Just as a reminder if anybody overlooked my update last week. This is the last call for early rips as I will shortly be clearing back my Mega account of archives pre-March 2019 from Monday next week - basically my first 200 blog posts worth, so if you missed anything, now would be a good time to grab them. A1 Elements Of The Sun A2 Travelodge Blues B1 Snow Watch B2 Higgs

  Field Music - Commontime [MI 0387LPX UK 2016 24-Bit FLAC] Ripped from nicely mastered double orange vinyl (note to self - add Memphis Industries to the short list of labels who take care with modern mastering), here is the fabulous Field Music at their very best. This album takes pop, soul, prog, funk & rock and blends them all together into 14 tracks of very unique 'Sunderland Soul'.  As I mentioned when I ripped their debut a few weeks back, Field Music caught the ear of the late Purple One who championed their  The Noisy Days Are Over single on social media. Many were to compare the brother's vocal harmony style to Hall & Oates - Field Music were not shy to confess this influence in the press at the time of release. There is much more to enjoy here than anything influenced by the aging US soul-rockers, Disappointed is a gorgeously catchy & ironic love song, the complex  I'm Glad  and Trouble At The Lights are proggy but in a good way, Steely...

  Field Music - Field Music [MI 043LPX UK RSD2016 FLAC] Sunderland's Field Music are one of my favourite bands from the past 10 or so years. This is the RSD2016 pressing of their debut onto blue vinyl released on the band's own label, Memphis Industries. The original was released back in 2005. For the uninitiated, Field Music hold complete control over their own output; working through differing phases of their own very different style as it develops, taking the occasional hiatus to focus on their lives outside music, nurturing other local bands and recording their own solo works. You will find more complex key changes and time signatures on their albums than any other act since the seventies, however this is not prog, this is The Beatles meeting XTC alongside Steely Dan playing Prefab Sprout. It's Not The Only Way To Feel Happy could have been a massive hit by any of the fore mentioned. The band recently diverged into more soulful territories, attracting the interest of t...