Commontime (album)
Commontime | ||||
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Studio album by Field Music | ||||
Released | 5 February 2016 | |||
Recorded | 2015 at FMHQ | |||
Genre | Indie pop, funk | |||
Length | 58 minutes | |||
Label | Memphis Industries Records | |||
Producer | Field Music | |||
Field Music chronology | ||||
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Singles from Commontime | ||||
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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.
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".[1]
Lead single, "The Noisy Days Are Over", received a brief endorsement by musician Prince on Twitter.[2]
Reception
Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 79/100[3] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
The Times | [4] |
The Guardian | [5] |
NARC Magazine | [6] |
Pitchfork | 7.8/10[7] |
MOJO | [8] |
MancUnion | [9] |
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[4][8] 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"[10] between tracks.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by David and Peter Brewis.
- "The Noisy Days Are Over" – 6:27
- "Disappointed" – 3:04
- "But Not for You" – 3:48
- "I'm Glad" – 3:44
- "Don't You Want to Know What's Wrong?" – 3:17
- "How Should I Know If You've Changed?" – 2:56
- "Trouble at the Lights" – 5:33
- "They Want You to Remember" – 3:42
- "It's a Good Thing" – 4:25
- "The Morning Is Waiting for You" – 3:56
- "Indeed It Is" – 3:15
- "That's Close Enough for Now" – 3:56
- "Same Name" – 5:45
- "Stay Awake" – 4:07
Personnel
- Peter Brewis - Field Music
- David Brewis - Field Music
- Andrew Moore - Keys 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 vox on "How Should I Know If You've Changed", "It's A Good Thing" and "The Morning Is Waiting For You"
- Jennie Brewis - Backing vox 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
Commontime tour live band:
- Kev Dosdale
- Andrew Lowther
- Liz Corney
Charts
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
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Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[11] | 156 |
UK Albums (OCC)[12] | 36 |
References
- ↑ "Features | A Quietus Interview | Father Figures: An Interview With Field Music". The Quietus. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ David Brewis. "Purple prose: Field Music on their love of Prince | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ "Reviews for Commontime by Field Music". Metacritic. 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- 1 2 "Album reviews". Thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-02-05. (subscription required)
- ↑ Alexis Petridis (1970-01-01). "Field Music: Commontime review – infectious warmth from the critics' favourite indie duo | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ Corcoran, Mark (2014-06-20). "ALBUM REVIEW: Field Music – Commontime | NARC. | Reliably Informed | Music and Creative Arts News for Newcastle and the North East". Narcmagazine.com. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ Rachel, T. Cole (2 February 2016). "Field Music – Commontime > Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- 1 2 Tyler, Kieron. "Field Music's Commontime Is MOJO’s Album Of The Week". Mojo4music.com. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ Nicholas, Jacob. "Field Music – Commontime > Review". mancunionn.com. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ "Field Music: Commontime - Album review". The Skinny. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Field Music – Commontime" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2016.