Field Music // Plumb

Release Date: 6th February 2012

Field Music - Plumb (Memphis Industries) 

Field Music, not to be confused with The Field or of course the Field Day Festival, consist of two brothers from Sunderland. The pictures of them show them with umbrellas or alternatively, lots of keyboards. I think they may be the hipster’s choice. But hey, I’m 37 so what the heck do I know. Their 4th album, 'Plumb', offers 15 songs within 35 minutes, but they don’t feel like short songs as the whole album feels almost like an epic intertwined soundtrack type thing. This is what Steely Dan would sound like if they started afresh in 2012. Orchestral at times, at others sounding a bit like The Feeling, and with an underlying nod to jazz throughout with an occasional bout of Beach Boys-esque harmonies. The catchiest is '(I keep Thinking About) A New Thing', the first single from the album, reminiscent of Bowie to my ears, and definitely something you’ll hear on the radio henceforth. It’s a funny thing, but overall, although it’s well played, well imagined and advanced, it doesn’t feel very heartfelt. Perhaps a case of style over substance?

6/10 Lizz Page