If you could bottle a storm, the result would be Field Report. The thunder vibrating powerfully, but quietly muffled against the glass. The lightning flashing, beautifully charged. Field Report knows how to keep the power and drama of their songs boiling just beneath the surface. The tension keeps the listener literally leaning inward, waiting for the song to break. Sometimes it does, but when it doesn’t, the effect is as pleasing if not more so.
It is a rare occasion when a band without a record shows as much musical prowess and cohesiveness as Field Report demonstrated at their recent performance at the Mohawk in Austin, TX. Then again, lead singer Chris Porterfield is no newcomer to indie music. He played pedal steel alongside Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon in DeYarmond Edison, as did Brad Cook of Megafaun who handled bass responsibilities for Field Report. The rest of the arrangement included drums, pedal steel, and keys.
The pedal steel and keys work in beautiful harmony for the band, twin sources of atmospheric sounds, organic and synthetic. They blend and blur together to form a gently pulsating aural palette. Field Report’s drums make steady use of timpani, softly building to crescendo. At the front of the mix is always Porterfield’s naked voice, cutting through the mix prominently, teetering between raw and polished, commanding attention. The approach and style immediately call to mind Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska with its dark quietude, hushed tension, and forays into wild vocalism.
“We don’t have anything to give you,” Porterfield addressed the crowd about half way through the band’s set. “We don’t have a record or anything; we just wanted to come out here and make some friends,” he continued to applause. Indicators are that the band succeeded in their mission as they held the crowd in captive attention, enrapt in songs such as “I Am Not Waiting Anymore,” and “Fergus Falls.” The band has only a few songs to be found on the internet, but what samplings there are provide ample reason to avidly anticipate the forthcoming release, slated for this summer.
Megafaun followed with their diverse take on indie Americana. The group displayed great skill in creating complex tapestries of sound that navigate between banjo-based folk-rock and more straightforward indie rock. Brothers Brad Cook and Phil Cook as well as drummer Joe Westerlund all played in DeYarmond Edison alongside Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Clearly, each member of this cadre of musicians from Eau Claire, Wisconsin possesses substantial musical talent. It seems that in this case, the parts may be just as great as the whole. The night showcased the skills and achievements of these musicians to date, but also forecasted an exciting future for these bands.
