Redwood Fields - Accidentals
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| Redwood Fields - Accidentals |
Ugh, I hate myself for this. I
usually start listening to bands before I read about them to give myself the
chance of an unprejudiced opinion. I swear, my first thoughts on Redwood Fields
were "hmmm, pretty nice, a bit like a stripped back Arcade Fire".
Hand on my heart I didn't know they were Canadian, I'm not 'that guy'. Anyway,
I love Arcade Fire in a complex way (they soundtracked a very traumatic day in
my life but that's a story for another time) so Redwood Fields are going to
have to go some to compete but opening your debut album with "Welcome to
this back ass town, with all this shit all around" is a pretty good start.
Those are the opening lines to the delicious indie stomper that is
'Foundations', fused with British influences (see Bloc Party and Editors) and a
stomp along chorus you can't deny that it's a great statement of intent. The
more mellow 'Sappy' follows up with a lilting rhythm and a positively plodding
keyboard line that has you swaying gently from side to side like you might at
the end of the night in an indie disco when you realise that you're drunk and
the music has been great but you'll be going home alone again tonight. Album
title track, 'Accidentals', is an altogether more rousing affair (perfect for
that defiant stagger home) which is tamed only by the soothing twin vocals of
Cedric Noel and Heather Ogilvie.
The bittersweet opening of
'Jacqueline' and the gentle but relentless swell of the song belie a band that
has taken their time to craft each individual song with each note carefully
placed and each beat in exactly the right place. The beast of this album,
there's always one, is 'The Runaway Always' which, for my money, could have
been the album closer. No matter though, wherever you find it, you will
instantly sense its heartfelt yearning and pleading as Noel repeatedly sings
"would you think about, think about, think about me" to someone who
has already left. 'Neurasthenia' has a beautifully 80s ballad feel to the intro
with Kate Bush keys and guitars that have probably been in retirement since a
love scene in Three Men and a Little Lady - it's gorgeous and gets more so as
the song ever so slowly drifts out in to ether. There are times when Redwood
Fields get all shoegazey and dreampop on our collective asses and the finest
example of this is the subdued splendour of 'Distant & Obtuse' which could
be the soundtrack to a painful break up between two teenage sweethearts
following a comedic but ultimately tragic misunderstanding. The songs builds to
a chaotic crescendo of Pixies-esque proportions before splashing down in a
desolate lake of serenity. Final track, 'Ailments' (is there a more indie title
out there? I think not), is a song full of self doubt and newborn regrets sung
gently over bouncy drums and meandering keys that has a certain optimism about
it in a Belle & Sebastian/Teenage Fanclub kind of way. Redwood Fields are
the kind of band that will pass a lot of people by but those that take the time
to stop and listen will fall deeply, fanatically and clinically in love with.
It is their cross to bear.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/RedwoodFields?fref=ts
Live Dates:
9th August - Dooryard Festival, Woodstock, NB (w/ Banded
Stilts)
10th August - Peppers Pub, Saint John, NB (w/ Cellarghost)
16th August - The Company House, Halifax, NS (w/ Quiet
Parade)
17th August - The Capital Bar, Fredericton, NB (w/ Quiet
Parad + North Lakes)