Fields - If You Fail We All Fail (Atlantic)
3/5
By: Chris Pratt
Something about this latest release from this Anglo-Icelandic quintet whisks my mind back to those heady days of the late '90s, when noisy, young whippersnappers such as Seafood, Llama Farmers and My Vitriol had a tight grip on my stereo. Perhaps it's the very English appropriation of early US indie-rock sounds that's evident here, or maybe it's the age-old effect of sticking sugar-sweet vocals in amongst ragingly fuzzed-up surroundings - I'm not quite sure. Unfortunately, it turns out that some things you loved as a youngster don't have quite the same, awe-inspiring impact on older, wiser, grumpier ears.
Fields aim high with their super reverb-heavy sound, but their tendency to bury every instrument under lashings of cavernous echo often obscures melodic details that deserve to be crisp and distinct. You can't deny the epic scale of the arrangement (especially the extended version on the flip), but if you strip back all the distortion and effects, you'll find an innocuous little song that -whilst tender and likeable - shan't change anyone's life.
The one inexcusable Fields make here is the near-criminal under-use of Thorunn Antonia's intimate, elfin vocal chords. I appreciate that Nick Peill is the chief songwriter and the undisputed heart and soul of Fields, but he needs to learn that if his band is to live up to their undeniably strong potential then he's going to have to swallow his front-man pride and bring Antonia to centre stage - even the small contribution she gives here is hypnotic and heart-stopping all at once.
Artists in this article: Fields
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