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For Boston: A Music Scene Rallies in Support of Marathon Bombing Victims
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When Bostonians talk about the day after the Marathon bombing, one adjective is murmured more than m...When Bostonians talk about the day after the Marathon bombing, one adjective is murmured more than most: quiet. The coffee shops of Downtown Crossing were open, everyone shuffling through on their way to work just blocks from the bomb site, understandably distracted in an impermeable haze. Eye contact wasn’t something people shied away from for once, as strangers nodded to each other with a fast “excuse me” if an elbow wound up where it shouldn’t. Commuters riding the T to work took their time, and nobody was blasting their music too loud on headphones for disgruntled seatmates to hear.
Boston was back to business as usual, as much as it could be, in the wake of such a jarring event, but there was a bit of a split in the music community when it came to understanding what the hell they were supposed to do.
For some, playing or hosting a concert didn’t feel right. The “Do we cancel/Do we not?” question faced venues, bookers and bands on both sides of the Charles River. Do you take it upon yourself to play through the emotional turmoil wrought by an attack on your city—the show must go on, so they say—or do you quietly close for the night in solidarity? Or do you reflect, stay home and check your phone one more time to make sure that all of your friends are accounted for, even if they were nowhere near Boylston Street just hours ago?
How do you simply do what you do when it requires your utmost physical and emotional commitment when you’ve just spent a seemingly endless string of hours glued to the TV? How do you sing to a room full of people who are reeling in the cacophonous din of hasty headlines and conspiracy theories when you’re still reeling yourself?
For members of the Boston music community, the reaction was more or less an empathetic amalgamation of these two sentiments, one that coalesced into a benefit show that raised nearly $8,000 for Massachusetts General Hospital in a matter of hours. When the band scheduled to play at TT the Bear’s Place in Cambridge’s Central Square canceled their Tuesday night set in light of the tragedy, Michael Marotta, editor of music blog Vanyaland and the former Music Editor of the Boston Phoenix, and Richard Bouchard, TT’s local talent buyer, put their heads together to see how they could use the empty room for good—and they knew they had to work fast.
“The moment I saw that TT’s was available, I messaged Bouchard about doing a benefit that night,” Marotta said. Between the two of them, Marotta and Bouchard put together a lineup that included Mean Creek?, The Field Effect?, Endation, Earthquake Party, Dan Nicklin of Oldjack (pictured)?, Cameron Keiber of the Beatings/Eldridge Rodriguez and Ruby Rose Fox. “That was around 3 p.m. A few frantic hours of organizing later, we opened doors at TTs with four bands and four solo performers. I think everyone asks, ‘How can I help? What Can I do?’ I’m not a doctor, I’m not a counselor, but I’m involved in music. I book shows, I write about music, I know bands and venues—this is was how I could help. This was my way of helping my city.”
Bouchard added, “We both worked the phones and our Gchat to get people involved. As we were doing that, unbeknownst to us, the club was making plans to help—one of the door guys organized a raffle that started with a gift certificate to a barbeque restaurant and ended up including over 30 prizes ranging up to $1,400 in value. The bartenders decided amongst themselves to donate their tips to the cause. By the time Michael and I arrived at TT’s, we had a huge raffle under way, were informed by the manager that all of the normal room costs were being waived by the owner, and that the club would be making a $500 donation.”
The bands rushed in with equal verve, doing their part to provide the audience with at the very least a distraction in the form of a rock riff or two. For Dan Nicklin, lead singer of Oldjack, his solo set struck a particularly poignant chord—Nicklin’s wife and infant children were planning on watching a friend cross the finish line the day before, and thankfully were nowhere near it when the bombs exploded. “I was singing a song I wrote for my oldest son, which I don’t ever play publicly. There’s a line that tells him to ‘close your eyes and I will be here in the morning. ‘It hit me then how much some innocent people lost the other day. I broke down in the green room after. The shock finally faded into sadness.”
“Cameron Keiber singing ‘Giving Myself Over To Boston’ filled me with pride,” Bouchard said. “By the end, scream-singing along with The Field Effect to ‘Headwrecked’ when singer Doug Orey declares ‘Good morning Boston, you don’t look the way you did last night, but I don’t mind,’ and Mean Creek’s powerful ‘You Were Wrong,’ about knowing you’re exactly where you belong, was more cathartic than I could have imagined.”
Between the raffle, the donations and the venue’s generosity, the benefit at TT’s brought in $7,740 for the Emergency Medical Services Department at Mass General. “I usually work the door at TT’s,” said Chris Keene of Mean Creek, who headlined the benefit that night. “I know from first-hand experience that a local show on a Tuesday night, usually, is poorly attended, so I found it very touching to see so many people come out to the show and give a large amount of money without thinking twice about it. To watch nearly 200 people file into the club on last minute notice and putting $20 bills in the donation box, it was clear people really cared about this and went out of their way to do something about it.”
As Boston begins the long, painful healing process, TT the Bear’s Place, the benefit it hosted and the bands who played it represent something far greater than a bunch of artists gathering to sing a few songs to distract people for a few hours. The Boston music scene rallied as a community and contributed what they could in a time of crisis, because when the city needs them—when “The show must go on” feels more like an irrelevant cliché than a business practice, when the silence is deafening—they will be there, cracked voices, broken strings and all.
“There is a lot of guilt associated with going out in the aftermath of tragedies like this,” Marotta said. “But in the Boston music community, this is what we do: we go to shows, we see bands, we support each other. This was a way for people to see friends, our friends in bands, our friends at the club, behind the bar, all over Boston—and give back and contribute to not only this city’s ongoing healing, but our individual own.”
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What's F'n Next? | The Field Effect
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By Michael Marotta 12.12.12
By now it's cliché to write about music having a "driving"force, or d...By Michael Marotta 12.12.12
By now it's cliché to write about music having a "driving"force, or describing it taking you to a certain place where mundane daily occurrences could not. But there's something about the Field Effect that just feels like movement. Impassioned guitar-rock that's more sophisticated than the power-chord party-bro sounds coming out of the far corners of North America, it's mature without being grounded, excitable without overextending itself. It's just smart, driven rock and roll that creeps under your face and lets you see the world from their musical cockpit.
"I can see the Field Effect leading a new generation of classic Boston rock," says Jim Gilbert of the Sheila Divine. "They are an old-fashioned four-piece putting everything they have into making an impression on the audience."
The first true Boston band to be put in regular rotation on the re-launched WFNX.com (apologies to the since-relocated Passion Pit), the Field Effect's debut full-length, Cartography, is indeed a relentless rock crusade. Led by the skinny-riffed single "Ogunquit, ME" (choice lyric: "I fell for you like rain"), the record is putting an exclamation point on the band's first two years together after meeting at Berklee. If the band is going places, Cartography could be the (literal) roadmap.
"It's the art of making maps," says frontman/guitarist Doug Orey, defining the album's moniker. "For some reason, my last couple of relationships have been long distance, some longer distance than others, some more serious than others. We discussed the themes in the lyrics, and the things that kept coming up were maps, distance, and locations."
But as Gilbert suggests, the Field Effect's home is the stage, where they rarely stay still. "We get very wrapped up in it, we get very involved," says Orey. Adds bassist Annie Hoffman: "A band's live show has to make you love the record even more."
>> MICHAEL@PHX.COM
THE FIELD EFFECT + FREEZEPOP + EMILY PEAL + SIDEWALK DRIVER :: Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston :: December 14 @ 8 pm :: 18+ :: $12 :: 617.779.0140
LISTEN HEAR THE FIELD EFFECT'S COVER OF "LAST CHRISTMAS" BY WHAM! ON WFNX.COM
Read more: http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/148880-whats-fn-next-the-field-effect/#ixzz2EwyFGUyZ
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The Best Bands in Boston Square Off: Ready to Rumble
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The Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble is more a festival than a battle of the bands. It’s a celebration of the sc...The Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble is more a festival than a battle of the bands. It’s a celebration of the scene put on annually by WZLX DJ Anngelle Wood.
No losers, but there is a winner — the first-round bell rings at 9 p.m. on Sunday at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge, and the finals are April 26. Here’s a rundown of all 24 acts competing for the crown and why each deserves to win. . .
The Field Effect: Led by Doug Orey and his mighty hooks, these up-and-comers (how are they on every great bill?) do straight-ahead rock that’s clever but blunt, loud but listenable. Plus: Those hooks!
Why They’ll Win: Half the city already digs them; the other half will in two weeks time.
The song: “Ogunquit, ME” is a “Summer Nights” for Weezer fans.
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An A to Z guide to the preliminary week of the 2013 Rock And Roll Rumble
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The Rock and Roll Rumble returns tonight for its 34th annual dance, bringing together 24 bands from ...The Rock and Roll Rumble returns tonight for its 34th annual dance, bringing together 24 bands from around New England and allowing them to be part of a friendly competition that beneath the surface is just one big music festival. In joining some other recent Rumble previews that are definitely worth your attention (nice work Allston Pudding and the Boston Herald), here is the Vanyaland A to Z guide of what’s in store for the week ahead at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge, beginning tonight and wrapping up the preliminary week on Saturday, April 13. . .
. . .F – F is for The Field Effect (Night 5, April 12). The most fuckable band in Boston is the likely odds-on favorite to win the whole thing, but their rock value plummeted 43% with the recent shuttering of WFNX. Both panties and boxers worn inside TTs and along Brookline Street will disintegrate by the minute-mark of standout guitar-pop gem “Ogunquit, ME.”
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24 Reasons Why I Can’t Wait For The 2013 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble To Start
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It’s Rumble season. Every year around this time I’m filled with an equal mix of anticipation and nos...It’s Rumble season. Every year around this time I’m filled with an equal mix of anticipation and nostalgia. That’s the kind of event The Rumble is. You get to check out 24 of the best bands playing around town in one* fell swoop while making memories that will haunt you you’ll remember for a very long time.** With that in mind, here are 24 reasons why I can’t wait for the 2013 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble to get underway on Sunday night. These are in no particular order, but I numbered them 24 to 1 because that’s what all important lists do. Oh, and here’s the full schedule in case you missed it. . .
4. For the bands, The Rumble is a great way to get in front of people who may not have any idea who you are and win them over. Rumble crowds are good like that. I’ve seen The Field Effect take on some pretty diverse audiences in the past six months. Their enthusiasm is undeniable. Win or lose, The Field Effect is going to walk away with a boatload of new fans. . .
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100% Guaranteed Locks For Who Will Win the Boston Rock & Roll Rumble
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The Boston Rock & Roll Rumble begins this Sunday. It's a venerable old institution that has ...The Boston Rock & Roll Rumble begins this Sunday. It's a venerable old institution that has launched the careers of many of our favorite Boston bands over the last couple decades, and, more importanly, shattered the dreams of many of our worst ones. This year is no different in its mix of cool new finds, potential national contenders, and horse shit. Who will win? Hard to say. I haven't seen all of these bands, but I did just spend the last hour or so listening to all the ones I am unfamiliar with and now I'm an expert on them all because that's how music writing works. Here are my picks for who has a shot at the title this year based in part on quality, and in part on what I am assuming the judges will be looking for (via being generally old). Follow the links (via the Rumble page here) to check them out yourself. SUPPORT THE SCENE and everyone is a winner. The only guaranteed losers are people who had to look at the horrible layout of this post but I'm done fighting with it after an hour. I lose the blogger Rumble DGAF. . .
The Field Effect Probably win the whole thing.
. . .Semi-finals: Ruby Rose Fox, The Field Effect, Coyote Kolb, Twin Berlin, Camden, New Highway Hymnal.
Finals: Ruby Rose Fox, The Field Effect, Coyote Kolb
Winner: The Field Effect
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Top 75 Standout Jams of 2012
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The Field Effect “Ogunquit ME” – Straight up one of the most memorable tracks of 2012, off December’...The Field Effect “Ogunquit ME” – Straight up one of the most memorable tracks of 2012, off December’s Cartography LP. “I fell for you like rain” one of my favorite lyrical lines of the year. . .
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Top Local Albums of 2012
The Field Effect - Cartography
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Year in Favorites 2012
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The Field Effect – Ogunquit, ME from Cartography, Dec 2012 (previously released on bandcamp, Aug 201...The Field Effect – Ogunquit, ME from Cartography, Dec 2012 (previously released on bandcamp, Aug 2012)
Big year for TFE and they are just getting started. Here’s to the best new band of 2012, cheers to a bigger 2013.
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The 212 songs of 2012 -- National hits! Local raves! "Call Me Maybe!"
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“Ogunquit, ME,” The Field Effect — Local polished power pop and probably the best ever song about a ...“Ogunquit, ME,” The Field Effect — Local polished power pop and probably the best ever song about a Maine beach town.
- Jed Gottlieb
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The Field Effect - "Cartography"
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An upbeat and singular essence pervades the entire being of “Cartography” and possibly any other nea...An upbeat and singular essence pervades the entire being of “Cartography” and possibly any other nearby being (including us, fellow listeners and travelers). The spring in this track’s step is infectious and the melody is like multicolored rays of sunshine all bouncing around the wall and just sort of brightening up everyone’s lives in the meantime.
The lead vocal is unique in tone and delivery, maintaining both a sonorous timbre as well as a conversational delivery. You discover yourself actually liking the vocal, like when it announces “Let’s go!” you’re all “Awesome! Where?” without a second thought.
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The Field Effect @ Brighton Music Hall 3.23.13
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Oh, hey, look! It’s The Field Effect blowing people away and winning over new fans. This time it hap...Oh, hey, look! It’s The Field Effect blowing people away and winning over new fans. This time it happens to be at Brighton Music Hall as part of the Walter Sickert And The Army Of Broken Toys album release celebration, but it could be any one of their shows. The Field Effect have a way with first impressions. It’s fun to watch. Next week they rumble. This could get interesting.
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WALTER SICKERT & THE ARMY OF BROKEN TOYS (BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL 3/23)
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. . .The Field Effect were more than up for the task. Bursting immediately onto the stage (after som.... . .The Field Effect were more than up for the task. Bursting immediately onto the stage (after some more semi-nude entertainment), the band started with a new song, bringing their high-energy, high-volume indie rock into the hall. The rest of their set became a high voltage singalong, as their catchy lyrics and infectious rhythms took the room by storm. Frontman Doug Orey’s earnest, soulful voice was in full swing in the heartfelt “Cotton” and the uptempo “Headwrecked,” which, he astutely stated, is “a song about getting drunk with your friends.” Everyone was taking his advice.
Orey’s incredibly relatable lyrics put together with the band’s driving, catchy riffs were what got me hooked on The Field Effect in the first place, as they barreled their way through “Ghost Of” and a new song, “Lions.” The tightness of the band was really showing, as bass player Annie Hoffman bounced around on stage, keeping perfect rhythm with drummer Adam Hand. It honestly just looked like damn good fun on that stage, watching Orey and his mountain man beard belt out these heartfelt songs. They would take things a little slower with the next couple of songs, playing their own tribute to WFNX and the Phoenix with “Dancing With Earthquakes,” and “Porcelain.” The slowed-down vibe of these two songs prepared me perfectly for the finale of their set. As much as I love bouncing up and down for an hour, I’m not in the best of shape right now, so it was nice to just sit back and groove for a couple of songs.
TFE closed out their night with the faster “Till I Say When” and their crowd-favorite closer, “Ogunquit.” For me, this really showed what this band was all about. “Till I Say When” is a fast, yet melancholic song that combines bouncable rhythms with lyrics of loss and hope. It is this balance that The Field Effect bring to all their songs. “Ogunquit” is another example of this. They close out most (if not all) of their shows with their record’s opener. I don’t know a lot of bands that have the cajones to pull that off, but they do. This hopeful song of a summer beach town in Maine blew the doors off the hall with its epic singalong chorus and its dynamic shifts. I know the crowd was a little bitter to see The Field Effect leave the stage. . .
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WALTER SICKERT & THE ARMY OF BROKEN TOYS/ THE RATIONALES/ THE FIELD EFFECT/ RUBY ROSE FOX Brighton Music Hall, Allston MA 3/23/13
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I arrive at Brighton Music Hall before any bands have started playing and I’m impressed at how many ...I arrive at Brighton Music Hall before any bands have started playing and I’m impressed at how many people are already here this early in the evening. There’s a burlesque act onstage, to which I’m only half paying attention as I seek out familiar faces in the sizable crowd. Ruby Rose Fox starts their set and plays a few old-timey lounge-pop songs that sound great, but they lose me when they downshift to a slower tempo mid-set.
Ruby Rose Fox finishes with little fanfare, making way for more burlesque, and then the Field Effect. Tonight you can’t hear any vocals if you’re standing to the side of the stage, so I’m forced to move to the rear of the crowd, but a few songs later I’m swooning with music-love. Take the chorus of “Dancing with Earthquakes,” a song about a girlfriend moving to California: “I set my clocks back to feel closer to you.” COME ON! My heart! The deal is sealed with a cover of the Weakerthans’ “Aside.” Yup, new favorite Boston band right here, and I’m now officially stoked to see them at the Rumble in a couple weeks. Someone near me gripes that the band overstayed its welcome by three songs, but I think this set was the night’s standout.
The show is sold out by this point, and BMH is packed. The Rationales play next, and something has clicked for these guys since I saw them about a year ago. They’ve always been good, but they sound especially great tonight. Everyone around me seems totally entranced by the music—this is not the half-paying-attention-while-texting kind of crowd. At the risk of sounding like a nerd, I feel reminded that this is what it’s all about—why I wile away my weekends by getting tinnitus at dimly-lit rock clubs whilst my peers are downtown drinking Bud Lights from aluminum bottles and getting hit on by dudes in flat brim hats. This is good rock ’n’ roll. This is Boston.
After a David Bowie/ Labyrinth burlesque performance, which includes a shower of blood spewed from a headless baby doll, Walter Sickert and his multitude of band members arrive onstage. Tonight’s occasion is the release of their crowdfunded record “Soft Time Traveler,” and the ardor of those benefactors is present here tonight. This being my first Walter Sickert experience, I’m not sure what to expect, though the burlesque and general vibe of the evening certainly conditioned me to be less overwhelmed than I might have been (earlier, I overheard a woman exclaim, “Honey, a woman just asked me to lace up her corset in the bathroom—aren’t you jealous?”). Sickert, sporting a massive crown of feathers and steampunk goggles, is joined by a trippy Victorian carnival of a band, which includes a human marionette who jerks and sways creepily throughout the entire set; a young child dressed as a jester holding a xylophone for its vehement player; someone wearing a horse mask and period clothing; an upright bassist, an accordionist, and a ukulele-ist; and of course, a swirl of burlesque dancers. A guy near me remarks that they’d be a great band without the spectacle—I do agree that the theatrics are distracting, as the music by itself is transcendent, alluring, and kaleidoscopic. The finale, fittingly, is a cover of “Paint It Black,” which is executed raucously but proficiently amidst the distraction of boobs flying everywhere and the unrestrained enthusiasm of the crowd. (Emily Diggins)
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The Field Effect
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There are a ton of amazing bands in Boston to choose from, but I just can’t stop listening to The Fi...There are a ton of amazing bands in Boston to choose from, but I just can’t stop listening to The Field Effect’s debut album, Cartography, which dropped about a month ago. From upbeat, power rock songs like “Ogunquit, ME” to heart wrenching, simple and slow tunes like “Dancing with Earthquakes,” the entire album is irresistibly relatable and sticks in your head. On stage, they’re an explosion of energy from start to finish. The Field Effect was the first band to play live in the WFNX.com studio on the night of our re-launch, and aside from making kick-ass music, they’re some of the nicest and most enthusiastic people you’ll ever meet. Download Cartography on iTunes now, and you’ll be singing it in your sleep by the weekend.
Website: www.thefieldeffectmusic.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefieldeffect
Bandcamp: thefieldeffect.bandcamp.com
~ Sabrina Boyd
AMD/WFNX.com
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The Field Effect vs Boucharding
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March comes in like a lion this Friday night as we welcome the pill debut of the Field Effect. The e...March comes in like a lion this Friday night as we welcome the pill debut of the Field Effect. The explosive Boston indie rock quartet has quickly found a home in our city's ever-evolving music scene, and finally crashes our Great Scott stage roughly 21 weeks or so after we first got monster road-tripping single "Ogunquit, ME" stuck in our head.
Coincidentally, we were initially tipped off to the Field Effect last summer, when Richard Bouchard of Boston Band Crush, who joins us Friday for his birthday Boucharding celebration, wrote about the band in his guest commentary in the Phoenix's Best Music Poll 2012.
"Their sound is massive but never overbearing, and they play it with boundless energy, delivering each note with a sense of pure joy," Bouchard wrote. A few months later, Michael wrote, in the same pub, that "Oguinquit" is "a hard-charging college-radio guitar-pop joyride that's light on the workday sludge and heavy on the top-down daydream polish." Since then, the Field Effect have released their debut LP Cartography, performed with the Promise Ring, landed in regular rotation on WFNX Radio ("Ogunquit, ME"), and essentially became the alt-rock station's house band with appearances at their Halloween Eve re-launch broadcast, Misfits holiday party (to perform their cover of Wham's "Last Christmas"), and the recent Valentine's Day bash, changing their name to the Feel Defect and playing a set of '90s emo covers (at the request of Michael V, no less).
Now, the first Boston band to be featured in the Phoenix's What's F'n Next spotlight joins our rock and roll shitshow, and who knows what will go down. At the very least, we're gonna hear one of the best tracks to come out of Boston in the past few years in "Ogunquit," performed by four of the best people ever. It's a celebration, join in.
And as we do, DJ Ken & Michael V spin the modern indie dance party before and after the band. See you Friday, Saturday's already been cancelled.
xo the pill
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Ahead of the Game : Summer Lovin'
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A hook plus a story equals a great song. The Field Effect’s “Ogunquit, ME” has a sweet power pop hoo...A hook plus a story equals a great song. The Field Effect’s “Ogunquit, ME” has a sweet power pop hook, but the story is better. “I got involved with a girl right before she moved to San Francisco and the last night she was on the East Coast she was in Ogunquit,” frontman Doug Orey said. “The setting of a small beach town coupled with the head spin of a fleeting romance was just the perfect storm and the next day I wrote the basic framework for ‘Ogunquit, ME.’ ” Who doesn’t love a summer romance — especially in the dead of winter. Hear the sunshine when the Field Effect plays the Middle East in Cambridge tomorrow. Tickets: $10; mideastclub.com
— JED GOTTLIEB
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Editors Pick: The Field Effect + Velah + The Rationales + Freddy Hall and the Best Intentions
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It goes without saying the Field Effect are the new BFF of WFNX. The photogenic Boston rock quartet ...It goes without saying the Field Effect are the new BFF of WFNX. The photogenic Boston rock quartet showed up to our radio station’s online re-launch party decked in Power Rangers t-shirts, then proceeded to blow the roof off our new studio in the Phoenix newsroom. They even dropped a Weezer cover at like 2 am. Support one of our city’s great new bands when they hit Radio on a stellar bill with Velah, the Rationales, and Freddy Hall & the Best Intentions..
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“Friends of Andre” — a benefit for Andre Obin
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On November 14, a fire destroyed much of local eletronica whiz Andre Obin’s Somerville apartment and...On November 14, a fire destroyed much of local eletronica whiz Andre Obin’s Somerville apartment and studio. Thankfully, he has some great friends in the music community and the wonderful Vanya Records has put together an amazing compilation of locals to help him out — buy the album here, buy it now! Nearly 20 tracks, from all kinds of great acts (New Highway Hymnal! Earthquake Party! RIBS! The Field Effect!) and 100 percent of the cash raised goes to help Andre.
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Last best show: Sidewalk Driver, The Field Effect, Mellow Bravo…
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I got to the show five hours late and still managed to catch seven great bands. SEVEN! How is that e...I got to the show five hours late and still managed to catch seven great bands. SEVEN! How is that even possible? Radio owner Aimee McGrath and booking savant Richard Bouchard know how to throw a party.
Let me ’splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
OldJack and Mellow Bravo should always play together. ALWAYS. The one-two punch knocked me on my keister. And Dan should always sing a song with Mellow Bravo. And Mellow Bravo should always used those cool retro OldJack mics. (Psst, word is the two bands will play again soon, news to follow).
Parlour Bells’ “Airwaves” is a contender for song of the year. I’d yet to hear it live. Really cool.
BrownBoot is a mess in the very best way.
I was told by two people that The Field Effect is “taking it to the next level.” Don’t know what this means exactly but I can’t disagree.
More bands should do lo-fi industrial. Or was that indie prog? Or retro ’90s math metal? Whatever, I dug Cancer Killing Gemini.
Can’t wait for that Tasteful Nudes stuff. Mellow Bravo’s Keith Pierce played a few mandolin riffs from his other project for me. Totally rad.
Sidewalk Driver. What can I say? Just this again and again and again forever and ever.
See you all in 11 months and three and a half weeks.
- Jed Gottlieb, The Boston Herald
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MP3 of the Week: The Field Effect "Ogunquit, ME"
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The summer days are dwindling down faster than Red Sox playoff hopes, but there’s still time for one...The summer days are dwindling down faster than Red Sox playoff hopes, but there’s still time for one last sonic road trip out of the suffocating city. THE FIELD EFFECT want to take us on that trip to the seaside towns up north via “Ogunquit, ME,” a hard-charging college-radio guitar-pop joyride that’s light on the workday sludge and heavy on the top-down daydream polish. The fast-rising Boston indie-rock quartet were first hyped by Boston Band Crush in the blog page of our Best Music Poll 2012, and have released this new track as a teaser from their upcoming October full-length. Fresh off sharing the stage with the Promise Ring at the Paradise, the Field Effect are back in action August 21 at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge alongside the Devil’s Twins and the Sour Doo Dahs; while we await the new record, cling to the final days of summer with the “Ogunquit, ME” mp3 below.
-Michael Marotta
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Bands From the Blogosphere: The Field Effect
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Right now, we can't get enough of the Field Effect. They're young, they're exciting, they're incredi...Right now, we can't get enough of the Field Effect. They're young, they're exciting, they're incredibly talented; and in a city spilling over with amazing bands, they've got the potential to lead a new wave of Boston rock. The four-piece is made up of Berklee grads and studio dwellers, so their recordings are top notch; but where they really shine is the live show. Their sound is massive but never overbearing, and they play it with boundless energy, delivering each note with a sense of pure joy. Watching them perform, we can't think of another band that strikes us as being as totally, unabashedly happy as they look. It's live music, it's supposed to be fun, and we hope they never forget it.
_Richard Bouchard
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review - THE FIELD EFFECT (Paradise 2/4)
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The Field Effect is an interesting band. I think what interests me most about them, as strange as it...The Field Effect is an interesting band. I think what interests me most about them, as strange as it may sound, is how practical they are. The quartet isn’t dressed up in gimmicks, swayed by image, or even turned on by reverb or lo-fi. While all of those things grab my attention quite regularly, I have a great appreciation for a band that makes songs for people to listen to. And not just for “their” people to listen to, but for every person to listen to. The Field Effect achieves a clean and technical sound, but does so because each component adds a particular mastery to the overall equation. Nick Grieco contributes spider-fingered sophistication on lead guitar, picking the right opportunities to pounce, and others to sit back and fill out the mix. Adam Hand’s attack drumming style gives him a fierce left hand, even when just keeping the tempo, but he’s at his best when he locks up with bassist Annie Hoffman, who maintains an impenetrable low-end while being the most vivacious presence on stage. Finally, Doug Orey’s rhythm guitar is an added extra, as his most pronounced quality is his massive singing voice.
Last Friday, the Field Effect played the Paradise, opening for the Sheila Devine. It proved to be the perfect move, especially with the release of their new EP, This EP Will Self-Destruct, just a few days away. The group was allotted a pretty beefy set, too, throughout which they packed the venue to a very cozy turnout. There was great momentum to their performance, whether it came with the more sonic and hard-driving “Kurt Vonnegut,” or the slower building “Annapolis,” the Field Effect delivered an engaging chunk of their repertoire, and seemed to win the audience over in a big way. To harken back to my previous points, it wasn’t any sort of buzz that had these people tuned in. It was the tight translations of their radio-friendly alt-pop that harnessed the crowd’s energy and delivered a memorable show. They may have been the first of the night, but they definitely accrued a new wave of fans.
-Perry Eaton
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The Field Effect -- This EP Will Self-Destruct
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As a self-proclaimed alt-pop aficionado from Jersey, (alt-pop is one of the few instances where bein...As a self-proclaimed alt-pop aficionado from Jersey, (alt-pop is one of the few instances where being from New Jersey actually gives credibility) I was quite impressed by the five song EP entitled This EP Will Self-Destruct from Boston based The Field Effect. The album had a pull that kept me humming all the hooks all day long. Yet, what is more impressive is that the album is fun, energetic, and heartfelt but done in a manner that is mature, cohesive, and not in your face. The EP breaks down and builds up impeccably, each song meticulously placed with a clear intent.
The album starts off with the band’s single “Kurt Vonnegut.” The song reminds me of one of my favorite bands of the genre, Jimmy Eat World, but more warranting to the listener to get up and dance. Moving on to the next track, “One F” which shows off The Field Effect’s range of creativity within their genre drawing a sound that remains faithful to their alt-rock sound but has elements of contemporary indie-rock with a dreamy and hopeful vibe. Guitarist Nick Greico and singer/guitarist Doug Orey play well off each other allowing for moments of perfect pop song writing allowing for Nick’s tasteful and practical guitar lines to lead the vocal melodies from part to part, throwing in a nifty guitar solo here and there.
Then comes the track Annapolis, a somber heartfelt ballad that marks the middle the EP as the band masterfully brings the energy down, keeping the listener intrigued and allowing for the next track “Til I say When,” to pack an even bigger punch. "Til I Say When" is the type of track that’ll make any listener upset the song is not blasting out of their car driving around town in the middle of spring. The song creates space only to go full force into the chorus making it all the more memorable, which is a theme of the album.
The album ends with the five minute epic song “Sleeping Alone” that takes every element the EP has and twists it into a sad but truthful ending. “What scares me most/is sleeping alone.” Lyrics like these keep impressing all the way until the end as the band rip themselves open and put everything they have on the table with these five songs. This EP is sure to take you on a journey full of enjoyment, sentiment, dance, and thought. Make sure to catch the Field Effect at Great Scott on Saturday, March 17th!--Michael Giordano
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Last Hurrah Crush: Holiday Spectacular Crush at Brighton Music Hall on Friday
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The Field Effect continue their meteoric rise to prominence, and will be using the night to celebrat...The Field Effect continue their meteoric rise to prominence, and will be using the night to celebrate the release of their first full length, Cartography. Few bands can match their enthusiasm and energy, and we foresee great things to come for them. . .
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Show Crush: Streight Angular / Ms Mr / The Field Effect at TT's Sunday
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"Last week we were in the Phoenix, having been asked to let you know about a band that we felt may h..."Last week we were in the Phoenix, having been asked to let you know about a band that we felt may have been missed in their Best Music Poll. We chose The Field Effect [pictured], and talked briefly about how powerful their live show is, and the feeling of unbridled joy that seems to take them over when they play. Their performances are marked with powerful, rapid fire guitar riffs; big, beefy bass lines; and carpet bomb drums, making it truly a sight to see. Well, their next live performance is almost upon us. They’ll be joining a couple other awesome bands this weekend for a Sunday night show at TT’s, so if you haven’t had a chance to check them out yet, now is a good time. . ."
-Richard Bouchard
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Show Crush: The Lights Out / Dead Cats Dead Rats / The Field Effect at Radio Friday
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"The Field Effect play with an energy that’s rarely matched by anyone – other bands, cokeheads from ..."The Field Effect play with an energy that’s rarely matched by anyone – other bands, cokeheads from the ‘80s, new puppies, etc. They’re a relatively new band, but watching them, it already seems like they’re on another level; the lyrics are intelligent and witty in the right places, they’re one of the tightest bands we’ve come across in a while, and they exude a sense of genuine joy from the first note to the last. . ."
-Richard Bouchard
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Show Crush: Arto Vaun / The Field Effect / Soft Skull / Scout at Radio Tonight
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. . . As is customary, he’s lined up some friends to make the night special. He’s got energetic, ant.... . . As is customary, he’s lined up some friends to make the night special. He’s got energetic, anthem pop masters The Field Effect, who deliver a polished and frenzied rock; a gigantic sound that seems to come from nowhere and devastate everything in its path. . .
-Richard Bouchard
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Show Crush: Emily Peal / Bent Knee / Apollo Run / The Field Effect at the Middle East Upstairs Thursday
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. . . Helping her out will be. . . energetic, loud as hell The Field Effect, who have been taking ov.... . . Helping her out will be. . . energetic, loud as hell The Field Effect, who have been taking over this city with a barrage of clever lyrics and powerful riffs. Plus they’ve got the city’s hottest working drummer. The whole thing is presented by the fine folks over at MassMic.org, who recently relaunched to deliver simple but awesome playlists every week. Check ‘em out!
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International Pop Overthrow
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"A cool new band mixing elements of indie rock and shoegazer effects to create a powerful melodic bu..."A cool new band mixing elements of indie rock and shoegazer effects to create a powerful melodic buzz that's all their own! With introspective lyrics and raw vocals punctuated by driving rhythms, fuzzy guitars and big choruses, their music can't help but draw you in!"
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Live Review: International Pop Overthrow 2011
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"We've got some indie-ROCK, courtesy of a young quartet known as The Field Effect, whose energy and ..."We've got some indie-ROCK, courtesy of a young quartet known as The Field Effect, whose energy and neuron-bending chord changes will definitely find favor with many of you. Doug Orey is a fine front man, with a very pliable voice, and the band is definitely rockin' the Precinct stage right now!"
supersonic
