Fields
Wracking my brains to come up with anybody famous named Fields, and thus get the ball rolling on this review in characteristically good-natured style. There’s world class boozer W.C. of course, Rochdale warbler Gracie, and Labour Party turncoat Frank, but other than those three, I’m completely stumped. Does Strawberry count?
Such capricious meanderings aside, Fields also happens to be the name of a somewhat splendid little progressive rock group from 1971, whose short-lived tenure was equalled only by a lack of creativity when coming up with a title for their one and only album.
A minor-league supergroup of sorts, Fields put ex-Rare Bird organist Graham Field; ex-King Crimson drummer Andy McCulloch; and vocalist and guitarist Alan Barry together in the same studio for the first and final time.
The resultant album, Fields, may hold no real surprises for the seasoned prog vet, but it is, nonetheless, an excellent and highly accomplished listen.
The cover depicts a bird of prey pinning an unfortunate rabbit to the ground, one presumes, with the intention of tearing it to bits for supper. Nature is red in tooth and claw, as they say. This rustic scene points to much of the subject matter throughout the album, which sports an environmentally aware lean on occasion. There’s a feeling of things lost and the dawning of an unwelcome new era, none more so than on Fields undoubted highlight, ‘Not So Good’.
Incorporating a reworking of the opening bars of Hubert Parry’s ‘Jerusalem’ throughout, ‘Not So Good’ protests the sacrifice of a simpler way of life in the pursuit of “progress”. Progressive rock protesting “progress”, not as ironic as it might sound. After all, prog may have committed the occasional atrocity during the seventies, but it never destroyed great swathes of countryside with ugly tarmac and cold, imposing concrete.
Like I said, ‘Not So Good’, for me, is the highlight of Fields, a gentle piano melody lulling the listener along before the drums, guitars and organs kick in. And this album is by and large an organ-led work, which is none too surprising when you consider it was very much Graham Field’s piece. As he states in Sid Smith’s edifying liner notes, “Some things you do, you’re not so keen on but I love this album. To me, it’s Rare Bird III.”
Elsewhere, the album maintains a high standard, with the medieval flavoured ‘Three Minstrels’, the organ and Mellotron histrionics of the opener, ‘A Friend of Mine’, and the opulence of ‘A Place to Lay My Head’ particularly worthy of mention.
The musical blend that this three-man unit have cooked up works an absolute treat and it’s a pity that political infighting at CBS meant the withdrawal of financial backing, resulting in this being the lone studio excursion for the outfit. Parts of a follow-up album were recorded but without the money to complete it, Fields unfortunately split, leaving the likes of you and I to wonder what could’ve been.
Fields by Fields is reissued by Esoteric and available to buy from Amazon.co.uk
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i love this LP! The original came with a cracking poster but also sadly tended to be badly pressed, so the CD reissue is very welcome. It would be great to hear those tracks from the unfinshed second album.
Certainly would, Keith. Although, as they didn’t appear as bonus tracks on an Esoteric reissue, I hold out little hope.