The Battlefield

It’s easy to conjure the forlorn with the sound of a pedal steel. It’s a little harder to conjure glowing warmth as well. But Los Angeles’ the Battlefield have the singular gift of imbuing the beautiful sadness of the country weeper with the soulful resolve of the Americana singalong.

Nowhere is the Battlefield’s signature style and talent more striking than on “Into The Smoke And Maze,” set to appear on their forthcoming album, Tipping Point (due out July 10). In stately 6/8 time, the band make fantastic use of space in the verses—putting the pedal steel alongside the beautifully brittle gravel of lead singer Matt Ducey’s voice—before heading straight to your heart with the expertly interwoven harmonies of the chorus.

Fittingly, the band achieved this sound with some real-life inspiration. In Ducey’s own words:

“This song was written in the car while driving from San Francisco to L.A. The drive was really hard because a big part of me didn’t want to go back to L.A. where I’d been living for over a decade. I was struggling. I felt burnt out and confused about the direction my life was taking. I missed the scenic beauty of Northern California where I had grown up. L.A.’s vast urban sprawl of freeways & roads, the smog and all of my seemingly hopeless wandering through life in that landscape led me to the phrase: “Why do I go into the smoke & maze?” We all have moments of doubt and difficulty in our lives, having to make choice, having to make changes, questioning the path we’re on and feeling a little lost and lonely but knowing you’ve got to keep moving forward. This song comes from the angst within us during those times.” - Elmore Magazine

The haunting and gritty three-piece known as The Battlefield bury their sound in ghostly melodies and reverberating instruments, framed around troubling, yet honest, portrayals of the human existence. Protesting the musical and societal norms, Matt Ducey, Jenny Weaver and James Addison have reached their Tipping Point, an earthy project set for release this Friday (July 10). They’ve grounded their music through a desire to showcase the harrowing and sometimes gut-wrenching reality of the world around them. They are never afraid to embrace and caress the beauty in front of them, but they do it in a way that turns the music inward. Their vivid lyricism, too, is pinned together with a powerful vulnerability and a piercing vocal. “You’ve never seen my best. All my weakness is lying on barren ground,” they lament on their brand new track Don’t You Turn It On, which witnesses an exclusive premiere on Popdust today.

The saloon-anchored track is only scratching the surface of an album as truly emotional as it is exhilarating and untamed. “Physical attraction can be powerfully intoxicating. Often we become addicts to this intoxication and act in ways that are against our better judgement,” band mate Addison shares with us about the new song (listen below). “We forget to listen to our hearts or just flat out ignore them. “‘Don’t You Turn It On’” is the story of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong lover.”

Tipping Point was recorded in LA’s Red Rockets Glare Studios and produced by Raymond Richards (Local Natives, The Wild Reeds). Head on over to Pledge Music to pre-order the album now. In support of the new collection, The Battlefield have mapped out a slew of shows all across the West Coast. Check out those dates now:

7/11 – Los Angeles, CA Hotel Cafe – CD Release Celebration

7/24 – Salt Lake City, UT The Complex at The Grand (w/ Turnpike Troubadours)

7/26 – Larkspur, CA The Folkish Festival

7/28 – Ashland, OR Oberon’s Tavern

7/29 – Portland, OR Laurelthirst

7/30 – Seattle, WA Conor Byrne Pub (w/ Rabbit Wilde + Crow & the Canyon)

7/31 – Bellingham, WA The Green Frog (w/ The Sam Chase)

8/1 – Vancouver, CA Studio (formerly Joe’s Apartment)

8/5 – San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill

8/6 – Pismo Beach, CA The Shell Cafe (Featured guest – Songwriters at Play)

8/7 – Paso Robles, CA Pour House

8/9 – Santa Cruz, CA Please Stand By (KPYG live radio show)



Take a listen to Don’t You Turn It On below: - PopDust

Americana trio The Battlefield opens its debut album Tipping Point with slow-building tension. “The Rise” swirls and steams and if it never quite takes off (touches of the David Crowder Band’s “Be Lifted or Hope Rising” could have helped), it clears mental space for the rest of the album. It’s a perfect opener, in its way, but an odd choice for this album. Where nearly all the rest of the disc is folk harmonies, character studies, and movement, “Rise” is nerves and torchlight and grind.

Any misdirection from the opener is quickly fixed by the album’s best track, “Nevernight.” The folk-pop only brightens a little. “Our work isn’t done,” warn the singers, and the group still lives with nervous energy but converts it into a compelling vision, where collective dancing and singing allow an upwards glance and a soaring refrain: “The stars at night / Are big and bright.” The lyrics are so simple on page and so winning in the vocals, all without the group overplaying their hand. There’s hope here, but it doesn’t wash out the art — the two elements combine.

Sonically, the title track continues that work near the end of the album, but the attitude changes. Now the music signals something bright, but only because that’s essential in the complicated world of the singers, dealing with political and personal wrongs and trying not to talk “about both sides of the coin.” The music plays as somewhere to go into when you find yourself near the tipping point (for better or worse) as things fall apart.

While those upbeat numbers provide two of the album’s most noticeable tracks, The Battlefield relies more on their well-constructed harmonies and updated traditional sounds in their explorations. “Walk on By” gives Jenny Weaver (who sounds more country than bandmates Matt Ducey and James Addison) a chance to step out front while pausing enough for listeners to hear exactly how the harmonies come together. The three voices find a way to fit tonally without compromising their distinctive sounds.

The group shifts the overall tone of its music as it explores various aspects of life. While the album’s a broad sweep at life (ambitious in its breadth, and energetically born out of new artistic relationships), each song’s a narrow focus. “Never Grow Old”, one track that does fit in with “Rise”, tells the story of a soldier who has come home only to discover his beloved’s funeral. Its cautious pace winds by against the increasing tension of the music until the musicians can no longer contain themselves. Rather than uncoiling an overwrought coda, they simply play what they need to and move on.

Whether in songs of deliberation like “Into the Smoke & Maze,” of reflection like “The Cannonade,” or of faith like “Brother Benjamin,” The Battlefield shows a consistent ability to merge formal constraint with emotional exploration. The band is rarely cathartic (and, when so, seemingly out of necessity), but not staid, even in their craftedness. For a group that comes readymade to soundtrack a Civil War film (and “The Cannonade” and “Never Grow Old” both grow from that world), the trio feel rooted in contemporary concerns. While rolling out of guitar-and-banjo porch songs, Tipping Point reaches for something bigger and gives The Battlefield a memorable launch of its own.

Justin Cober-Lake - Dusted Magazine

We love the Battlefield around these parts, and for good reason, as the Los Angeles trio makes beautiful Americana/folk music. And when they came to us with a sweet new song just in time for the holiday season, how could we say no? Perfectly timed for Thanksgiving weekend, “Last Train Home” is a cute yet melancholy portrait of loneliness during the holidays.

“Christmas time is so vibrant & festive,” says Jenny Weaver. “However, all the lights, decorations, music & merriment can be difficult for those who are lonely or missing that special someone. ‘Last Train Home’ plays with the concept of that, exploring the struggle of a person who recognizes the beauty & magic of the Christmas season all around them, yet is unable to take part and enjoy it because they don’t have the person they love with them. Although the possibility exists that they may still be able to be together. Even though it maybe ‘foolish for to hold out hope, that you’d grace this place and knock on my door’—there’s a clear sense of eagerness. All the while the music carries along in a fun and steady shuffle (almost like that of a train); a classic cheerful Christmas sound (sleigh bells & all); with a refrain that you’re sure to be singing back after your first listen.” - Pop Matters

We got a submission the other day that asked if they could get in “the bus.” To which I replied, “Bus?” To which they then replied “wow, my bad sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry how can i make it up to you?” I then proceeded to give them a short lecture as to why they were out of line. You see, the name of our vehicle is in our title, so calling it anything but what it is comes off as quite disengenuos and a bit disrespectful. As I told this submitter, we’re getting large amounts of submissions every day, so why would one want to go out of their way to offend us while asking us for help? It seems pretty silly, especially when you consider how many bands there are in ratio to how many outlets there are that serve the purpose of helping to support those bands. If we can find Americana folk music as good as The Battlefield living in Los Angeles, then we can find any kind of music anywhere we look. There is absolutely no shortage of talent.

I remember the days when we as a company would go back and forth debating if we should allow a band to play in The Van whom we really didn’t believe in or enjoy, but at the time, we were at a lack of options. People didn’t know about us yet, so the debate was, should we film them just to film them, or should we only film music that we appreciate? In the end we stuck to our guns and focused solely on bands that we found worthy of our time. We’ve kept that policy ever since and it’s worked out quite well for us. So when I got a submission from a band proclaiming to be a folk act from Los Angeles I didn’t bat an eye, I just hit play, and I liked what I heard. So I sent it over to my partner, Dave, and said “this is pretty solid,” and that’s how it all begins. So keep that in mind when submitting, a good first impression never hurts, but the music is what will get you in the door. - Jam In The Van

Formed in 2013, Los Angeles trio the Battlefield specialize in a sumptuous blend of folk, Americana, classic country, and the adult contemporary side of pop music. And even a little ragtime. Lively, rustic, and soulful, Matt Ducey, Jenny Weaver, and James Addison trade lead vocals and serve up rich harmonies on their debut album Tipping Point, which we premiere in its entirety today.

“Pat Benatar’s ‘Love Is a Battlefield’ was the song that inspired our name, but to us, The Battlefield represents the conflict in our hearts & minds as well as the daily issues of modern life,” the band tells PopMatters. “While matters of the heart are certainly explored on our debut album, many of our songs deal directly with today’s issues and current events. ‘The Tipping Point’ takes on global warming, ‘Nevernight’ is a commentary on big oil & the impact of the industrial revolution, and ‘Brother Benjamin’ is the story of the homosexual son of a preacher wrestling to reconcile his faith and sexuality. Somewhere within the human spirit, there is a place where church and saloon meet. We like to play there walking the line where darkness meets light.” - PopMatters

The Battlefield is an up and coming, L.A. based, Americana Band comprised of three talented singer/songwriters: Matt Ducey, Jenny Weaver and James Addison. Their tight vocal harmonies, contemplative lyrics and stirring melodies reflect the famous folk & gospel artists of America’s past.

Formed in June of 2013, The Battlefield has built an impressive resume. In less than a year they’ve performed from coast to coast, booking shows in over six states and fourteen cities at many reputable venues such as: House of Blues, Hotel Cafe, Piano Bar, the L.A. Vegan Beer & Food Festival, Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), Eddie’s Attic (ATL), The Folkish Festival and Hotel Utah (SF).

Additionally, they’ve recorded and released two singles,”Into The Smoke & Maze,”and their intoxicating cover of Bruce Springsteen’s,”I’m On Fire.” They’ve gained fans and significant industry attention for their talents on stage as well as their involvement with charitable organizations like Playing for Change and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The Battlefield is currently booking Southern California shows and preparing to record their debut full length album.

How would you describe your music to those who have not had the pleasure to be introduced to your sound yet?

Harmony Heavy Folk/Americana/Gospel – an audience member recently said we sounded like Mumford & Sons + Lady Antebellum.

Where did you all grow up? How did your location influence your style?

Jimmy- I grew up in Durham NC. In the early-mid 90’s, neighboring Chapel Hill had a post punk scene mirroring those of DC and Seattle at the time. I listened to Fugazi, Nirvana and Archers of Loaf for example. In contrast, I was raised in a religious family where Old Southern Baptist Gospel Hymns were constantly being played on our home piano. My style is a unique beverage – equal parts Alt Rock and Gospel, as well as a few other important miscellaneous musical ingredients.

Matt- I grew up in Northern California, in the suburbs north of San Francisco. I think back on being in the car driving through the beautiful scenery of West Marin and listening mostly to music from my parent’s record collection from the 60s & 70s. A lot of the demographic in that area is baby boomer/hippies/counter-culture kids and their music was heavily influenced by that scenery. (A lot of those musicians ended up moving there). I never intended to write folky, country-ish type songs from the 60s & 70s… but that seems to just have happened naturally for me.

Jenny – I grew up in Houston, TX, so I was surrounded by country music. Every restaurant sounded like a Honky Tonk at night. Traditional, old-school country (Merle, Waylon, Patsy…) has always been a love of mine. My favorite radio station is currently Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM which broadcasts out of Austin, TX. As a child I was pretty obsessed with my parent’s record collection. My mom loved strong female voices – Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris & Linda Rondstatt were a huge influence. The two albums that I distinctly remember of my father bringing home (that rocked my little world) were Springsteen’s “Born in The USA” & Huey Lewis “Sports.”



What’s the vibe of The Battlefield? What could we expect at your shows?

Our shows have a theatrical feel. Somewhere within the human spirit there is a space where church and saloon meet. We like to play there. The audience can expect to hear a timeless sound that is reminiscent of folk & gospel music of America’s past.

What’s your favorite song that you guys have written and what was the influence?

As a group, we all agree that the creation of “Brother Benjamin” was our most profound writing experience thus far. The inspiration came from a dream Matt had in which he heard part of what eventually became the song’s chorus, and his friend’s son Benjamin had just been born the day before. He wrote down the line, “Welcome, Brother Benjamin, to the cruel world.” We were up in Big Sur on a writing retreat when Brother Benjamin’s character was revealed. We found ourselves asking the question, “Why is this world so cruel to Benjamin?” The story that came into focus was much bigger than what any of us had imagined.



What was the first piece of music that you fell in love with growing up?
Matt- “The Nutcracker” –Tchaikovsky
Jenny- My mom singing “You Are My Sunshine”
Jimmy- “Polonaise in A flat major” – Chopin



If you could meet any musician that isn’t alive anymore, who would it be? Why?

Jimmy- Elliott Smith. It would no doubt be a depressing meeting, but if I could meet him as a sober teen this would be preferable. His chord progressions have had a profound effect on the way I write music.

Jenny – Jeff Buckley. I’ve always been deeply affected by the way his voice channeled emotion directly from his being to the soul of the listener. His music softens the pieces of me that this world tends to harden.

Matt- This is the hardest question for me! There are so many! Sorry if this is cheating but it’s kind of a tie for me between Tchaikovsky and Woody Guthrie. Tchaikovsky is just my most favorite composer and Woody Guthrie is the godfather of American folk music and he lived such an interesting life.

How has the tour been so far? How has life on the road been treating you? Can you share with us any memorable stories from the road so far?

The tour has been a huge learning experience. The road is an exciting adventure but it can be exhausting and trying at times. We’re learning the importance of taking care of ourselves, physically and emotionally. Jimmy got strep throat and had to stop off at urgent care for an antibiotic shot in the ass… but unlike our last tour, nobody’s been left at a rest stop… yet

If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?

Jenny – My KoAloha ukulele.
Jimmy- My chapstick!!
Matt – A top of the line Swiss Army Knife.



What is in your current music playlist? Any guilty pleasure songs?

Jenny – I’ve had NEEDTOBREATHE’s new album “Rivers in The Wasteland” on repeat since it was released this past April. Before that it was Jason Isbell’s “Southeastern”… Guilty pleasures…hmm… I’m a Tech N9ne fan… but I feel no shame.

Jimmy – Thrice “The Alchemy Index” water album.

Matt- Usually some Ryan Adams, Sam Cooke, Beatles, Bob Marley will pop up in my iTunes shuffle. Guilty Pleasure… this is pretty ridiculous but recently I’ve been having a good laugh with Juicy J – “Scholarship”.



Do you have any hidden talents we don’t know about that you would like to share with our readers?

Jenny – I teach S Factor which is something I would like to share with every woman on the planet (www.sfactor.com).

Jimmy – I’m a closet Botanist and an amateur calligrapher. I know my fine wines and I am an expert at flossing!

Matt- I like to cook and as I eat mostly vegan I get very creative with my meals to make sure they are nutritious and delicious. I consider myself to be pretty savvy on the skillet.



What’s on tap next for The Battlefield this year?

When we get back to LA we’re heading into the studio to record our debut album. We’ll be launching our crowd-funding campaign any day now and once the money’s raised, we’re going to be focusing the majority of our energy on creating the best album possible. - All Access Music

‘WHAT IS LOVE,” FOR $500, ALEX

The Ashland fire marshall has set Oberon’s capacity at 63, but with 12 on the dance floor, the place can seem pretty crowded. Three-piece LA based folk group, The Battlefield, will be taking the stage in the small venue on Tuesday, July 28, but only a few nights before they will be playing to an 800-person stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Switching between crowds of 800 and 20 could seem like a difficult transition, but it’s all part of the band’s plan to spread notoriety along the west coast.

“We love funky little bars,” said Jenny Weaver, one third of the band’s vocal makeup. “We play a broken-down drum set for smaller shows and it makes the performance that much more fun.”

Contrary to their name, that fun includes a mesh of sweet-sounding vocals accompanied by banjos and guitars in the vein of Fleetwood Mac or Mumford and Sons. The organic, down-home melodies and sweetly-crooned harmonies soar above the soft plink of the banjo.

Downtown Ashland is The Battlefield’s fourth stop on tour following the launch in LA. Though the group performed on the East coast last year, this trip coincides with the band’s debut album, The Tipping Point, which was released last week.

“So much of our inspiration (for the album) came from nature,” Weaver said, “I’m excited to frolic in the Pacific Northwest on our days off!”

With friends and connections in the San Francisco Area, the Battlefield has played plenty of shows around the Bay but never any further North. The release of the band’s first CD was done all through independent production, a difficult decision that Weaver says all bands face these days.

“Music is like the Wild West these days. Being independent allows us more creativity in the production but we lose some of the advantages that labels provide.”

The cliche of record labels controlling an album might not be as strong as it once was thought to be, but the big money companies have the ability to bring in support for bands when they are recording.

Studio artists and co-writers are often contracted through labels and are on call when production is taking place. Fortunately, through the band’s choice to stay independent, they were able to hand select their producer Raymond Richards, who they felt brought the album together masterfully.

“It’s important to align yourself with people who share the same vision,” Weaver said, “ You have to have a producer who you can put your trust into.”

Be sure to get to Oberon’s early as their set to begins at 9pm and only 63 attendants will be allowed in before the fire marshal shuts the place down for being, ahem, “a battlefield.”



The Battlefield

9pm, Tue., July 28

Oberon’s Three-Penny Tavern, 45 N. Main St., Ashland

FREE - The Rogue Valley Messenger

The Bellingham Herald

Los Angeles songwriting trio The Battlefield just released a record called “Tipping Point,” and they will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, July 31, at the Green Frog, 1015 N. State St. to celebrate the release.

The Sam Chase, as well as Crow and the Canyon, will join them at the gig. All three bands play acoustic originals and covers with flair and originality.

Formed in June 2013 by Matt Ducey, Jenny Weaver and James Addison, The Battlefield’s folk music reflects messages of protest, praise, love, and loss.

San Francisco’s Chase and his band, whom he lovingly refers to as The Untraditional, and sometimes The Functioning Alcoholics, often perform songs in an offbeat, theatrical fashion that reflect his years as a punk rocker.

Crow and the Canyon excel in sad songs, drinking songs, dancing songs, and, of course, heartbreak songs.

Cover is $8. More on the bands: wearethebattlefield.com, thesamchase.com, crowandthecanyon.com

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/entertainment/article28371163.html#storylink=cpy - The Bellingham Herald

The Battlefield return to TRiP on Friday night to preview tunes from their forthcoming album

By Bliss Bowen

The Battlefield draw from country, gospel, folk and alternative rock in arranging their three-part harmonies. Photo by Juan Monsalvez
The Battlefield draw from country, gospel, folk and alternative rock in arranging their three-part harmonies.

When guitarist/banjoist Matt Ducey invited co-worker and occasional bandmate James Addison and country singer Jenny Weaver to play his birthday show at North Hollywood’s Federal Bar, little did he realize he was planting seeds for an Americana band. But when the three chimed together in harmony, they were surprised to realize they shared strong vocal chemistry.

Barely two years after that “jamboree performance,” the trio of actors turned musicians — collectively known as the Battlefield — are preparing for the July 10 release of their debut album, “Tipping Point.”

They’ll preview tunes from it when they return to TRiP Friday.

“Jimmy approached me at that Federal Bar show and I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’” Weaver recalls. “He may have been slightly inebriated. [Laughs] I had a song I’d written in three-part harmony, so we got together for fun, and when we started singing there was barely any talking — it just happened seamlessly. We started booking gigs immediately.”

“I heard Jenny’s voice and I knew that she would be a good buffer between our voices,” Addison says. “I have more of the brass to my voice; Matt’s more of the gravel, the character. Jenny is the butter to our bread.”

Adapting their individual songs to three-part harmonies — including Ducey’s yearning “Into the Smoke & Maze,” a highlight of their shows— they set about composing new songs together. Which can be tricky with three songwriters in the room. Accepting a two-set club gig when they only had one set’s worth of material lent urgency to their mission.

“We went up to Big Sur and we made it happen,” Weaver says. “That was pretty much our first year as a band: flying by the seat of our pants.”

They cite folk ensemble the Wild Reeds and Run River North as other L.A.-based bands with whom they feel a sense of creative roots-meet-pop kinship. Backgrounds in musical theatre and acting also helped shape the Battlefield’s sturdy melodies and storytelling, while deeper influences came to the fore as the three drank and jammed around a Big Sur campfire: native Texan Weaver’s country idols (“Waylon, Willie, Dolly, Patsy”), Addison’s North Carolina Baptist gospel background and alternative rock leanings, plus Ducey’s Northern California folk tastes.

“We have the desire to tell stories and talk to humanity about what humanity is,” Weaver says. “There are so many ways to do that, whether it’s writing songs or playing characters. And being onstage is so similar to theater. You have that audience, that immediate energy.”

Plans to “write a really happy song” went south when Ducey started plunking out a banjo riff that evolved into the plangent “Never Grow Old.” As Weaver sang, “Sleep, sleep my angel,” she says, “we suddenly realized we were writing a ghost story. It developed into this story of a Civil War soldier who returned home from battle to find his fiancée has died, and he walks directly in on her funeral, and that’s where the story begins. Jimmy and I sing in the voices of the dead bride, who ends up luring her lover into killing himself to join her in death.”

The Romeo and Juliet overtones did not escape the self-described “recovered actors” and Shakespeare fans. Their theatrical experiences inform not only their storytelling inclinations, but also their image consciousness and business savvy. They wasted little time making band photos and videos for “Into the Smoke & Maze” and the gospel-hued “Brother Benjamin.”

“Working as actors out here in a professional environment has taught us a lot about marketing ourselves and branding as a group and even Battlefield as concept,” Addison comments. “Your successes are very tangible. You have personal relationships with your promoters and venues, with other musicians. It takes a lot more work in acting to get to that level.”



“It’s our own creation and we have control of it, as opposed to the business of trying to be a professional actor,” Ducey observes. “We’ve got so much momentum that we’re able to put into it. It feeds our creative soul a little more in that sense. We’re able to book ourselves into shows, and write our songs. We don’t need someone to give us the job.”

He calls the experience of booking their summer tour a necessary “learning process” as they gradually learn the DIY ropes and find their place in L.A.’s supportive Americana community.

“We’ve had this album finished and mastered for what feels like an eternity now,” Addison adds, “and it’s something we’re all incredibly proud of. We really have high hopes and expectations for it.”

The Battlefield perform at 11 p.m. Friday at TRiP, 2101 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica. $5. Music starts at 9:30 with Steven Casper, then David Serby. Call (310) 396-9010 or visit wearethebattlefield.com. - The Argonaut

The fourth annual Big Horn Music Festival will serve up a big slice of Americana, from folk and country to bluegrass and blues, in the scenic setting of Mount Baldy this weekend.

“I don’t know of any other festivals where you have to ride a 20-minute ski lift up a canyon to get to the festival’s location,” said, Donovan Lyman, the festival’s music director. “The fact that it takes place at 8,000 feet on the top of a mountain is obviously another thing that makes it unique.”

The lineup includes such acts as the Other Words, Nigel Walsh, Preston Smith, Becky Kessler, Tawny Ellis, Jesse Cross, Levi Dean & the Americats, Blind Horse Canyon and the Battlefield.

“This will be our first time playing a weekend festival,” said the Battlefield’s Matt Ducey, adding that friends who have played the event before told him “it’s so unique and it’s definitely rustic, but it’s such an interesting experience, you’re taking a ski lift up to the top of the mountain to the stage.”

The Battlefield is an Americana band formed in 2013 by singer/songwriters Ducey of Sherman Oaks, Jenny Weaver of West Hollywood and James Addison of Los Feliz. Their sound traverses the entire spectrum of the genre, including country, folk and bluegrass, but it also draws from rock and gospel.

“Part of it is because we haven’t decided specifically what part of (the genre) we want to be in and, ultimately, we want to be able to have variety and let our songs exist in whatever element or realm they want to,” Ducey said. “We’re not trying to force any genre.”

The Battlefield performs original songs and covers they have rearranged to better fit their style. They recently added Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s 1971 song “Ohio” to their regular repertoire and are now preparing Steven Tyler’s new solo single “Love Is Your Name.”

“It’s an interesting time for music,” Ducey said. “There’s been this mass surge toward electronic and produced, synthesized music and at the same time there’s been this reconnection with much more rootsy acoustic music that just involves great harmony and melody and simple instruments that you could have played a hundred years ago.”

Just off the road, the Battlefield is focusing on day trips out of the L.A. area while planning a Pacific Northwest tour. But for now, they are excited about the Big Horn Music Festival.

“It’s got a touch of adventure, even on the edge of living dangerously, but it’s going to be a lot of fun for everybody,” Ducey said. - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

The Battlefield brings its eclectic take on Americana to Venice for the group’s first Westside gig

By Michael Aushenker

Tapping into rich traditions of folk, gospel and rock for a take on Americana music that’s driven by melodic three-part harmonies, The Battlefield has released a single, toured the southeastern U.S. and played the House of Blues in Hollywood. Not bad for a band that, six months ago, didn’t even have a name.
Matt Ducey, one of three singer-songwriter L.A. transplants comprising The Battlefield, had his heart set on Civil War Hero. But, as band mate Jenny Weaver pointed out, that sounded too much like one of her biggest influences, The Civil Wars. At a stalemate, Ducey embarked on a long drive. Somewhere between his native Marin County and Los Angeles, Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” came on the radio, and the phrase just clicked.

On Saturday, Ducey, Weaver and James Addison open up a new front for The Battlefield with a show at Witzend in Venice — their first Westside gig. The term Americana has lately come to describe a broad category of music inclusive of everything from Johnny Cash to the alt-country group Son Volt.
The Battlefield’s sound derives from influences as diverse as Ryan Adams, the aforementioned Civil Wars and indie folk rockers the Lumineers. There’s even a bit of the ubiquitous Brit rockers Coldplay.
“Coldplay’s music helped me realize that I wanted to [become a professional musician] and take it to another level because it’s so emotive,” Ducey said. To create the group’s unique sound, all three members contribute to writing each song.

Ducey grew up near San Rafael and Addison in North Carolina, but it’s Addison who provides the group’s alternative rock leanings. Weaver, also from North Carolina, brings a country music influence.
The group is also lyrically diverse. The Battlefield’s songwriting address topics that range from breaking ties with exes to global warming to more narrative pieces, including songs about the gay son of a preacher struggling with his identity and a Civil War “Romeo and Juliet” story. Ducey and Addison met each other working food service at the W Hotel in Hollywood, but the idea for forming a band came after seeing Weaver sing and play ukulele at the Federal Bar in North Hollywood. “We had a meeting at my house and tried playing one of Jenny’s songs,” Ducey said. “We knew this was going to work.”

While the three maintain day jobs, Ducey is at work on his own EP and Weaver recently released a solo album, but the Battlefield remains at the forefront of their ambitions. “There really is a power that comes from a strong collaboration that you don’t find working by yourself,” Ducey said. “Just the sound of our voices harmonizing is very infectious. It’s almost like a drug. It feels so good to have a connection with other people like that.”

The Battlefield performs at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Witzend, 1717 Lincoln Blvd., Venice. Doors open at 7 p.m. for a bill that also includes New Blues Revolution, Katie Cole, the Nashville Gang and Jon Piazza. Admission to the all-ages show is $10 and requires a minimum purchase of one item. Call (310) 305-4792 or visit witzendlive.com or wearethebattlefield.com. - The Argonaut

Love is a battlefield: This we know. But Battlefield is also a Los Angeles-based Americana band made up of singer-songwriters Matt Ducey, Jenny Weaver and James Addison. According to a press release, “Their tight vocal harmonies, contemplative lyrics and stirring melodies reflect the famous folk and gospel artists of America’s past.” The trio recently passed through Asheville: “We played at Jack of the Wood this past October and were blown away by the local support we received,” Weaver said in an email. The band’s June tour (launched just a year after its inception) brings it back to Western North Carolina for a show at The Root Bar on Friday, June 6, at 10 p.m. reverbnation.com/venue/therootbar. - Asheville Mountain Xpress