2014's
Marigolden
saw the Wisconsin-based indie ensemble adding a conservative dash of pop to their homespun brew of Midwest Americana and collegiate folk-rock.
Summertime Songs
,
Field Report
's third studio long-player, goes all in on wholesaling their sound via a ten-track set of temperate, electronics-tinged folk-pop confections with underpinnings of classic and modern rock -- the overall vibe falls somewhere between
Tunnel of Love
-era
Springsteen
Coldplay
, and
the War on Drugs
. Bandleader and namesake
Christopher Porterfield
(
is an anagram of his last name) has stated that the LP was conceived during a period of personal tumult within the group -- the one bright exception being the birth of his first child -- and there is a deep sense of anxiety that flows through standout cuts like "Blind Spot," "If I Knew," and "Tightrope," but each deep dive into the abyss is tempered by an underlying theme of hope and forgiveness. Aptly named,
manages to transcend the myriad hardships that birthed it with hard-earned compassion and genuine sonic warmth. ~ James Christopher Monger