Album Reviews New Music: everybodyfields
by Campfires & Battlefields
4 comments
Toad 2.0
The everybodyfields – Nothing is Okay
I like The everybodyfields, I really do, but if I’m honest I have to admit that I’ve struggled a bit. They come from Tennessee and they play a very pretty brand of country music, with echoes of the “grievous angel” tradition of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris or, more recently, of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Actually the male lead singer, a demented looking feller with bushy side-whiskers named Sam Quinn, has a voice that sometimes resembles Rawlings’ quite strikingly. At other times, alas, his voice sounds more like Lindsey Buckingham’s, and if there’s one thing I will not tolerate it’s people walking around sounding like Lindsey fucking Buckingham. Don’t get me wrong. I respect the Right Honorable Mr. Buckingham and I have no doubt he was a tiger in his youth, but when I hear his voice today — after so many years of exposure on MOR “Classic Rock” radio – I can’t help but think of erectile dysfunction. If this is a weakness peculiar to myself, then feel free to take it with a grain of salt.
At any rate, The everybodyfields have several important things going for them. They are signed to the superb Ramseur Records for one thing, making them labelmates of The Avett Brothers and the brilliant newcomer Samantha Crain. They also play beautifully, and Sam Quinn and female singer/guitarist Jill Andrews sometimes concoct truly spine-tingling vocal harmonies. Jill Andrews in particular has a top notch voice that reminds me of Sally Ellyson’s from Hem. She does most of the singing on “Lonely Anywhere,” which I’ve posted below and for which I have nothing but praise. “Tuesday” is primarily a Sam Quinn vehicle and it has some really excellent moments as well, especially when the fiddle and pedal steel hit the fan at about the 1:30 point.
What has troubled me a bit about this music is its very prettiness. I’ve largely gotten over it, but at first I really couldn’t detect much of an “edge” to their sound that differentiated it in my mind from the hosts of other competent, but not necessarily stirring, musicians out there. For example, when I listen to Gillian Welch I immediately discern a tension and spontaneity that I don’t hear to the same extent in The everybodyfields’ studio output. It’s sometimes almost too lovely, if you get my drift, or too clean. Actually, they’ve posted a few live tracks on their myspace, and to my ear these tunes have a greater immediacy than most of the songs on “Nothing Is Okay,” so perhaps it’s just a matter of the band being more of a live experience. Matthew and Mrs. Toad will be able to judge this better than I because The everybodyfields are scheduled to perform at pickathon in Portland at the beginning of August, and I understand that our friendly neighborhood amphibian will be in attendance. If he can hear any music over the sound of his own booze-fueled retching (Portland is known not just for its music, but also for its numerous excellent local brews) I’ll be interested to get his thoughts.
Anyhow, you can judge for yourselves.
The everybodyfields – Lonely Anywhere
The everybodyfields – Tuesday
Website | More mp3s | Buy the Album
Cheers DC, but if you want to do Americanese properly you have to call me “dude”. Y’know, I think part of the problem is just getting used to the “twang” and shininess of it all. I’m still in an adjustment period to this whole “country” thing. Perhaps I’ll get there.
There’s no fucking way on earth you are going to get me to call you (or anyone) “dude”, bro.
The Los Campesinos! gig was actually very fucking awesome. Their support, Parenthetical Girls, were an excellent find – very quirky, fey, affected, shambollic electro-pop/Morrisseyesque swooning. Bought an album & picture disc to say thank you.
LC!, as they’re referred, are an extremely tight band. There’s a million crude ways you can spin off from that sentence but let’s stick with the point. They’d be nothing without the lead guitarist (melody maker) the drummer (thoroughly together rhythmist, especially for one so young). But, overall, they changed my mind entirely. Extremely good live (singer’s voice still grates a littlke but its at least dampened by the pace/huf n puff – he’s asthmatic & sucked on his inhaler after one particularly frantic reading – & the buzz of a live gig). I can’t believe I have never seen them live before yet they inhabit the same city as me, inhabit(ed) the same bars & clubs (fuck sake, they even wrote a song including reference to a mate & his legendary indie nights called Twisted By Design) & I have to travel half the cocking world to figure out their worth. Madness. There was evidence of label money floating about & they seemed well catered for across the board. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Off to San Diego this morning until 11th (when I get to see The Builders & Buitchers) so any recommends are very welcome (cheers JC for the mail, but I received it well late).
It’s fair to say I witnessed a phenomenon happening. The SF crowd were in awe. Genuinely in awe. It’s been a while since I have been to a gig where I’ve expereinced that but to see a band, from my home town (at least by dint of uni course), in America – a notoriously tough skinned nut – being revered for all teir numbers not just ‘the one’…
Nothing wrong with a bit of pretty.
C&B,
I like these a lot. I understand your case against points, & in some areas agree, but I think there is a freshness about them that dogs a lot of other bands in the same field. Yes, a little shiny & produced but you can’t beat the quality of the songs. They indeed veer towards the twee-er side of this type of music, but I think that assists rather than detracts.
On a similar note I saqw Or, The Whale last night at The Independent in San Francisco. Awesome gig (yes, I can do Americanese too) BUT at times I felt as you did above – a LOT of pretty pretty with underwhelming results on some of the new tracks they have. Overall, it was a stunning example of new countrry (done with proper multi-part harmonies) done live.
I’m so elated by the experience (+, I fear, the multitude of whiskey sodas I was necking + jetlag) I’ve convinced myself to go & see Los Campesinos tonight at Bimbo’s 365 Club. Why convinced? Well, they ain’t a band I’m that interested in. I think they’re a bit cut & paste in terms of the peers they have nicked from to create their ’sound’ & it shows badly. Plus their PR machine are very keen to push them as a Welsh band (they go to university in Cardiff) whern none of them are even remotely Welsh. Irks me some that last one. Anyway, I feel in the need for more live music so if anyone knows of a better gig in thre SF area tonight let me know via thewaitingroom(@)btinternet.com (minus the parentheses of course).
Nice work C&B. Keep it up.