BAY AREA BEAT • New Music from The FIELDS and WILDER ROAD

The FIELDS • Indie Rockers in Full Bloom

The first paragraph of the press kit for the new release by The Fields states the album was recorded in producer / multi-instrumentalist Andy Jeglic’s basement to “maintain complete creative control.”

First impression of this three-year effort is “mission accomplished.”

A “super group” of sorts, Jeglic is joined in this endeavor by Josh Sampson, Justin O’Kelly and Connor Peil.  The quartet cut their teeth in various indie rock bands over the years, including such outfits as Orc, The White Oranges, The Distorted Waltz and ADABOY!.

The new material, which was recorded over a three year-period, falls squarely into the Americana genre.  For those familiar with the previous efforts of the members of the quartet, this is somewhat of a departure from the edgier sounds of the aforementioned outfits.

As described by Jeglic, the material started with a core of a four piece roots rock band.  The polished and pastoral result layers in other sounds including mellotron, mandolin, woodwinds and brass instruments.  The resulting set is a satisfying listen that holds many of the touchstones of modern Indie rock.  If you enjoy bands like Wilco, Fleet Foxes, Blue Merle or Dawes this will be an album you probably will want to give a spin.

Album opener Without Water is a tone setter, with ethereal guitar parts in a laid back interplay with rich harmony vocals.  The sound is layered, lush and laid back. With lyrics like “I thought you ought to know, I’ve been loving you so long / And so on and so on,”  it’s a relatable tale of trying to be cool when you are in fact, in love.

“Permanent Heaven” features a haunting refrain line “it doesn’t look better from the window I can tell,” while contemplating the contrast between a permanent Heaven and permanent Hell, punctuated by a gritty and rocking guitar solo.

Lead single “American Beauty” is another standout track with layers of rich vocals over a swirling clean guitar figure.  Its earnest vocal singing “the longer you go, the more you know” supports the “figuring things out” vibe of the song.

“Windsor Knot,”  “Little Old Houses” and “Mirage” lean into a slight southern rock vibe, with the syncopation and sass to match.  “Mirage” in particular is a guitar work-out that might even draw the attention of classic Allman Brothers or Blackberry Smoke fans. 

“Rustbelt Meadows” brings back the mellow, opening with the contrast of a lightly fingerpicked part over a haunting slide guitar that morphs into an emphatic mood change over dramatic drum fills and a bluesy single note solo.  

As you might guess from a song called “Sonnet #1” , it is a sweet piece of acoustic-based goodness.  It reminds me of the meld of folk and traditional music that was pioneered by bands like the Fairport Convention.  It includes some of the most impressive vocal arrangements on the album, ranging even into an orchestral feel in its most dramatic moments.

Album closer “Song For A Sailor” is another excellent example of versatility of the band.  To my aging ear it reminds me of the ambitious nature of prog rock songs by Styx, Kansas and Spock’s Beard, with a well-placed mandolin part reminding us of how the indie rock bands expanded their palette and basically exploded the model on which those legacy bands were founded.

Like many of the people reading this article or listening to this release, I was already familiar with these guys before they teamed up for this project.  If you search back into the REVIEW archives you can find articles and reviews of their previous efforts. 

I’ve watched and listened as they have developed from a bunch of young guys trying to gain a foothold in our regional original music scene into a formidable force like The Fields. 

To me, the growth, development and exploration this release represents for all of the members of this band is the most notable part of the story.  One of the best things about being a musician is that you can continue to learn and you can try on different versions of yourself over your lifetime.  Reinvention is a big part of the creative process. Plus, playing in a band with your friends is one way to mature without fully giving in to growing up.

The Fields will release their new album to the world on August 2nd, supported by a release show at Bemo’s Bar in Bay City.  The album is available on all the traditional streaming services and will be available on vinyl through their website www.thefields.band.

Wilder Road Rolls On

Bay City barnstormers Wilder Road are back with their latest self-titled release.  The power trio has put together an eight track affair of indie guitar rock.

Guitarist / vocalist Kevin McCann, who could double as a stand-up comic with his deadpan sense of humor, explained the process.

“Originally we recorded a couple of songs with Andy Doran out of Hemlock for an EP/Demo project. We adore Andy, and those sessions were the foundation and impetus for everything that followed.”

“As Andy was soon anticipating the birth of his first child, he didn’t want to risk exposing his child to our music. We liked recording with ‘Andys,’ so that naturally led us to Andy Reed of Reed Recording Company.”

All kidding aside, McCann was quick to point out the contributions Reed made to this project.  

“The reasons that drew us to Andy Reed are obvious: his reputation, his experience, and the quality of his output. Turns out he is also an amazing human being. Kind, intelligent, and funny; everything you could ask for in a person. He contributed all of the keyboards that you hear on the album. Some of the songs we brought to him were many years old, some were weeks old. The guidance he provided, while still trusting us as artists, was beyond compare.”

For those unfamiliar with multi-track recording, it is a process where the final song is built up from individual performances recorded one at a time.  It is quite common for the drums to go first, as they are the backbone of most rock and roll arrangements.  For Wilder Road this meant drummer Corey Mackenzie leading off.

As McCann recounted, “I can’t say enough about the great job my bandmates did as well. The pressure was on Corey, because his drum parts were always recorded first, and he was just amazingly powerful and tight, and really brought out the emotion in each track. I’ve made music with Corey for almost half my life.”

McCann was also quick with his praise for bassist / vocalist Mike Schepper’s contributions to the tracks.    “Vocally, and especially with his ability to layer vocals, Mike took these tracks to levels I did not think we could reach. It was such a rewarding process to watch how he was able to make these songs blossom and reach their full potential.”

The overall result is a rocking affair filled with cool guitar hooks and powerful lyrics.  From album opener “Damned Either Way” through the closer “I Don’t Mind” it’s an energetic set that shows what can happen when you crank up a Gibson SG through a classic tube amp, Reed Recording is the place to do it.  Standout vocal tracks like “Slip Away” may even remind people of how bands like King’s X used Beatlesque harmonies over minor key rock melodies.  Intriguing stuff and an interesting mix for sure.

As McCann confirmed, “Andy really brought out the absolute best in each of us.”

While the plan is to support this latest release through live shows in the near term, this is just the beginning for the trio.

As McCann pointed out, “Three of the first  five songs we recorded are actually in reserve right now and are being saved for the next album. I think it was even before we started recording we decided that we wanted a cohesive sound on our albums, and we knew we could save some of them, knowing they were gems, because this wasn’t just going to be a one-off thing.”

You can find Wilder Road’s eponymous release on Spotify or other major streaming outlets.