Everything Last Winter is the debut album of Anglo-Icelandic five-piece, Fields, who in just over a year since their first gig have honed their distinctive and somewhat progressive blend of indie-rock, and not only managed to gain themselves a deal with Atlantic, but a deal which has allowed them to release their records under their own Black Lab imprint, retaining their own musical freedom.
One of the things that strikes you most about the album is its seemingly huge layers of guitar: walls of sound that combined with the use of electronic sounds, make the songs sound massive. The album has been produced by Michael Beinhorn, who has previously worked with the likes of Mew, Soundgarden and Marilyn Manson, and he has done a great job in making sure that although the guitars are often face-meltingly loud, they do not become to intrusive to the structure of their songs. Highlight tracks such as previous singles ‘Song for the Fields’, and the amazing ‘If You Fail We All Fail’ are just examples of the bands method of harnessing quiet/loud dynamics and combining them with memorable chorus. On the other hand you have ‘The Death’, a blistering five minutes of distorted guitars, which is contrasted by other tracks such as the slow-building ‘Charming the Flames’, with its haunting electronic ambience, or the vocal beauty of ‘Feathers’.
The male/female vocal dynamic between Nick Peill and Thorunn Antonia are reminiscent of Seafood, the album being literally covered with majestic harmonies, they being one of Fields greatest charms. Musically, in their louder moments they call to mind My Vitriol, whilst other times the rustic and folkish tendencies of Mercury Rev, circa 2001, appear to wash over their music.
Overall, Fields have produced an exciting debut which certainly silences those critics who saw them as a band who were all talk and no action. Believe the hype, and be charmed by the Fields... Rating: 8/10
Everything Last Winter is out now on Atlantic records.
As well as two tracks from the album, I have also included SebastiAn's fine remix of 'If You Fail We All Fail'. Please enjoy his interpretation of one of the album's stand-out tracks.
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