A new young band, from a town far from hipster ‘burgs, self-releasing an album, deserves the benefit of the doubt. One should just applaud them for being able to keep it together to put together a whole record of music & put it out (though, admittedly, it’s easier to both record & especially to release these days). But Redwood Fields, from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada (that’s north of Maine & east of forever threatening to secede Quebec for all you geographically-impaired Americans), largely don’t need your extra compassion, as their Accidentals would be a strong album from anybody – with one exception.
It can sound harsh to pick on one member of a group, especially when neither he nor any others in it are famous (it’s okay to pick on Bono, for instance), but throughout Accidentals, it is the vocals that are lacking. Flat, somewhat stuck in the throat, and just generally not ‘sung’ enough, they bare all the hallmarks of the guy who wrote the songs singing them, not a singer (who may or may not write the songs). This unfortunately takes away from otherwise strong slices of indie, like the pressure to opener “Foundations”, rock of the title track (which has the best vocals on the album, as it’s a male-female duet, and the lady more than holds up her end of the bargain), and the effective atmospherics in back-to-back “Neurasthenia” and “Distant & Obtuse”.
In their instrumentals and composition, Redwood Fields are already a well-established act – just maybe let the girl take the mike (which is always so much cooler, anyways…).
[editor’s note: one member of Redwood Fields, Brendan MaGee, has written for QRO Mag before]
Redwood Fields – Accidentals
