The Detroit-based duo is far from new to musical experimentation, having successfully blended together compositional structures and strings of chords drawn from genres as disparate as psychedelia and 80s electronica, but there is something almost philological in the way this latest track is constructed that speaks to a desire to channel their voice into something deceptively simple. Perhaps this is also born of the confidence of artists who have been honing their sound for a pretty long time now, and are comfortable enough with it to let it speak for itself, without the need for too many frills; certainly the chemistry between David S. Monk and CasSondra Powers can be clearly heard throughout this track, in the seamless way that its different components harmonise with each other, flowing together into a sound that is as wide and airy as the fields in its title and showcasing the duo’s well-established skill in creating an immersive ambience with their music.
It would be perhaps surprising to claim that ‘Sleepy Fields’ is a successful example of folk rock adapted for our time, considering how slow-paced, even how craving for stillness, the song feels; but it is precisely that stillness that makes it a perfect fit for our contemporary era, a foil rather than a soundtrack to its endless rushing and pressures. In a time where everyone feels like they are constantly racing after something and constantly gasping for air, this song is an unexpected bubble of peace where everything can stop; in a time when music feels the constant pressure to be high-energy and provocative, this moment of quiet contemplation, punctuated by the soft ripples of a bluesy guitar and supported by the broad lull of the vocals, feels like a much-needed pause. This is where the greatest contrast with the ‘classic’ folk of the 70s and 80s is stronger: where that was lively and often intense, this track is restful and soothing, drawing from compositional structures that are very likely carried over from the artists’ past dabblings with soft pop and Americana in equal measure. The relatively simple structure of the main melody line makes the track a smooth, easy listen; the texture and complexity comes rather from the treatment of the vocals and the little touches hidden within the song, from the occasional, tiny distortion popping up like a bubble to the fluttering instrumental bridges. There is something in it reminiscent of cult artists of the calibre of Lucinda Williams or The Handsome Family, but with a far brighter quality and a more soothing spin.
Lovers of hazy dream-pop and soft country will find this track equally appealing, and perhaps the purists of psychedelic rock will not instantly recognise its influence on it. Still, that influence is nevertheless there, in the track’s very openness and its ability to incorporate those little surprising sounds. The song is a testament to the versatility of the genre’s tools. It lends itself especially well to repeat listening, a soundtrack for a lazy morning or a moment of quiet on a rainy day when all you want is to dream of Summer. It is also, particularly in the way that the guitars carry the bulk of the song without ever becoming too intrusive, a good example of how less is something better, and how pursuing a more stripped-down, straight-to-the-point structure does not necessarily mean sacrificing the authenticity of one’s own sound, when it is done with confident and genuine enjoyment of the craft. ‘Sleepy Fields’ comes across as a bright, welcoming moment of musical stillness at the centre of a never-stopping whirlwind, and the power in that softness is very much heard.
Chiara Strazzulla
Image: ‘Sleepy Fields’ Official Single Cover