Open Here

The songs have a bounce. And the sound is organic, i.e., human. Along with lyrics that are optimistic without being glib, the whole thing is very likeable indeed. Not to mention the pumping rhythm section.

As brilliant as ever!

Channels Gentle Giant like no other band. But thats not all they are, these guys are unique and inventive and wildly creative. Open Here, just like everything else in their catalog, is fantastic.

New music from this great band!

Unashamedly my new favourite band. Not a new band, but new to me with this release (I feel like I've been living under a rock for the last decade or so as they're based only 10 miles down the road...) I only stumbled on them in the dying weeks of 2017 and they only hit my radar at all because I'm a fan of multi-instrumentalist Sarah Hayes, a guest player on this recording, who listed her participation their forthcoming gigs on her own website. Desperate for something new and good and trusting Hayes' involvement, I went digging with fingers crossed. The calling card that piqued my interest was "Count It Up", offered up as a teaser for the album ahead of release. It's a real grower, so it was off to the usual suspects (YouTube mainly) to get acquainted with the back catalogue to see if it was representative and... bingo. Right up my street. Field Music tick the same boxes for me as Sweet Billy Pilgrim did a few years before and during my adolescent years, XTC (particularly between English Settlement through to Skylarking), who shaped much of my aural tastes that developed thereafter.Back to "Open Here", which I pre-ordered few weeks ahead of release, filling the intervening time wallowing in their previous albums and solo offshoots. Should have been enough to keep me sated but I was keen to hear the new one with a gig ticket booked for the day after the album release. The CD arrived on release day and I devoured this for 24-hours solid to familiarise myself with the material before gig; I've had my fill of artists touring before the release in recent times and it just makes me yearn for the familiar. Needn't have worried, as I found the album to be very immediate, such are my tastes and predisposition to comparable bands. I was smitten with the album and the gig itself was nigh-on perfect, showcasing this release and featuring an expanded line-up, all of whom played on the recording. (The only reason I haven't listened to the album more since that astonishing gig is because the gig was streamed to the internet & has ended up on YouTube, and that 2 hour stream has become my go-to comfort blanket wherever I've needed headspace for the last 7 weeks and counting.)What this album proves (and previous albums more than hinted at) is how shrewd and self-disciplined the Brewis brothers are when it comes to when policing their own material: switching gears, styles, tempos, arrangements, structure. No idea on here outstays its welcome, nothing is laboured unnecessarily. If the ideas work and have been delivered, job done, move on; the quirky "Front of House" exemplifies this, and the titular "Open Here" crams in the elements, leaves space for all that exquisite instrumentation to breathe and still managed to clock in at 2m 19s with not an ounce of fat on the cut. Lyrically, there's more than a nod to the issues of the current day with this release (we live in strange times, after all) and that's possibly going to be too literal for some as they tread that fine line between observation and opinion, but this too is offset and balanced by more personal and reflective subject matter.They've been gradually expanding their instrumental palate pretty much from 2010's "Measure" onwards, and this time round there's the strings, brass and, right from the off, a hefty dose of flute. From the opener, "Time in Joy", to the closing epic "Find a Way to Keep Me" adorned with choral backing, there isn't a duff moment on here and at 39 minutes end-to-end, it's a welcome change from others who seek to fill a shiny piece of plastic with twice that amount (invariably without quality controls) simply because it's possible with that particular physical medium.That the Brewis brothers cite Todd Rundgren as an influence came as no surprise; Rundgren's production and arrangement stamp on XTC's pivotal Skylarking album may well be the culprit behind the many XTC comparisons they receive (and downplay). If you get the chance to see them live, don't miss out, they have a hell of a strong body of work. I wish I'd stumbled on them years ago.

I'm very impressed with this one, possibly my favourite Field Music disc so far, with just as much variation as the others, but more consistent successes throughout. The Brothers Brewis have clearly been around the houses, musically speaking, but the most obvious influences seem to be 10cc, XTC and Talking Heads. Fans of those bands should dive right in.Perhaps the most striking thing is the obvious restraint the band impose on these songs, holding back on their muso chops to let the intricate, funky art-school grooves develop, and then unleashing bursts of expansive ensemble playing.Really satisfying, beautifully arranged pop-rock.

Great stuff from the Sunderland brothers. Love their tunes, their subject matter, their attitude, their musical style.Open Here certainly cements their musical sound with this album, in spite of some additional tools within the soundscape. Sounds like they've had fun making it, judging by the results.Stand out track for me is "Find a Way to Keep Me", although I've always been a sucker for a long song ending...Well worth a listen.

I think this is their best so far.

ok