Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Commontime (album)

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Released
  
5 February 2016

Length
  
57:55

Artist
  
Field Music

Genre
  
Alternative/Indie

Recorded
  
2015 at FMHQ

Producer
  
Field Music

Release date
  
5 February 2016

Label
  
Memphis Industries

Commontime (album) cdn2pitchforkcomalbums22792homepagelarge7eb

Similar
  
Field Music albums, Indie rock albums

The noisy days are over field music


Commontime is the sixth full-length studio album by English prog-pop band Field Music, recorded in their Sunderland studio and released on Memphis Industries Records on 5 February 2016 on CD and orange/green-coloured vinyl. The album marks the return of former keyboardist Andrew Moore, in a smaller role, and a shift towards the R&B and funk-like style earlier exhibited on David Brewis's second solo record as "School Of Language" (Old Fears) and "Let's Write a Book" and "A New Town", previous singles by the band.

Contents

The album's lyrics were heavily inspired by the new family lives of both brothers since Plumb, with at least two songs being explicitly addressed to the brothers' children ("The Morning Is Waiting" and "Stay Awake"), and it was Peter's son's love of Hall & Oates and American number-one singles that shaped the less fractured, more accessible structure and style of the album. Elsewhere, "Trouble at the Lights" is described as being about Peter Brewis's "dislike of Range Rovers and the political class of people who seem to drive them".

Lead single, "The Noisy Days Are Over", received a brief endorsement by musician Prince on Twitter.

commontime by field music album review


Reception

The album was well received by most critics, at various times being compared favourably to comparisons to XTC, Genesis, 10cc, ELO, The Neptunes, Todd Rundgren, Talking Heads, Lambchop and Hot Chip whilst also being praised for its qualities original to the band, and the progression and maturation of the Brewis brothers' songwriting style. However, at 58 minutes, some critics felt the album ran too long and verged on repetition, with music blog The Skinny criticising a "lack of diversity" between tracks.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by David and Peter Brewis.

  1. "The Noisy Days Are Over" – 6:27
  2. "Disappointed" – 3:04
  3. "But Not for You" – 3:48
  4. "I'm Glad" – 3:44
  5. "Don't You Want to Know What's Wrong?" – 3:17
  6. "How Should I Know If You've Changed?" – 2:56
  7. "Trouble at the Lights" – 5:33
  8. "They Want You to Remember" – 3:42
  9. "It's a Good Thing" – 4:25
  10. "The Morning Is Waiting for You" – 3:56
  11. "Indeed It Is" – 3:15
  12. "That's Close Enough for Now" – 3:56
  13. "Same Name" – 5:45
  14. "Stay Awake" – 4:07

Personnel

  • Peter Brewis
  • David Brewis
  • Andrew Moore – keyboards on "The Noisy Days Are Over", "They Want You to Remember" and "That's Close Enough for Now"
  • Pete Fraser – saxophone on "The Noisy Days Are Over"
  • Simon Dennis – trumpets on "The Noisy Days Are Over" and "The Morning Is Waiting for You"
  • Liz Corney – backing vocals on "How Should I Know If You've Changed", "It's a Good Thing" and "The Morning Is Waiting for You"
  • Jennie Brewis – backing vocals on "How Should I Know If You've Changed", "It's a Good Thing" and "The Morning Is Waiting for You"

    • The 'Crude Tarmac' String Quartet

  • Ed Cross – violin
  • Josephine Montgomery – violin
  • Chrissie Slater – viola
  • Ele Leckie – cello

    • Songs

    1The Noisy Days Are Over6:27
    2Disappointed3:04
    3But Not for You3:48

    References

    Commontime (album) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA