John Larson & The Silver Fields rock with new album

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The musical style of powerpop is an understated one. It’s pretty much a catchy, upbeat take on rock & roll that began as the precursor to alternative rock during the ’70s. There’s a case to be made that The Beatles have a heavy influence on the genre but it’s a fact that bands such as Big Star and The Feelies abided by this type of music during both of their heydays. A few bands in the Providence music scene mirror this sonic aesthetic and one of them is John Larson & The Silver Fields. Their new album Mile A Minute that came out on August 11 exemplifies the powerpop artform with stellar sound and substantial songs.

The album was recorded right over the border at Soundscape Recording in Attleboro, Massachusetts with producer & engineer Lou San Antonio. It has a lot going on in terms of instrumentation and arrangement with the guitars, bass, drums and keys each having a major presence. Larson’s lyrics often revolve around certain characters while flowing over the rhythms that fuel the songs. There’s a timeless vibe present as well where the music seems to transcend eras due to how it’s presented and the way the tracks don’t center on artistic trends and/or fads. It’s straight ahead, honest rock that doesn’t try to be more than what’s being brought through the instruments and amplifiers.

“Can’t Miss Kid” reminds me a lot of Todd Rundgren’s early ‘70s material due to how the keys lead up to the drums and guitars. It’s a great example of the timeless vibe I previously mentioned. There’s more of a grit in the guitars in “Jeannie” along with the keys having more of a synthy tone. The harmonies within the chorus are bound to stick with the listener once they give it a listen. I really enjoy the consistent riff within “Logical Conclusion”, it’s a driving force behind the track along with being an excellent element.

There’s a music video accompanying “Jeannie” that’s directed and edited by Warwick native & fellow musician Andy Stone which gives Mile A Minute a local connection. This album is one of those cohesive releases where you can’t go wrong whether you start listening from beginning to end, vice versa or right in the middle. It’s a great rock record with old school pop sensibilities and a clear production quality. That’s what I dig about it and I have a feeling whoever presses play would agree with me. To purchase Mile A Minute and give it a stream, log on to John Larson & The Silver Fields’ Bandcamp page at
johnlarsonandthesilverfields.bandcamp.com.

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