#453 : Dave Fields - Force of Will

2020 – Dave Fields 

By Phillip Smith; July 11, 2020

 

I’ve been a fan of Dave Fields since reviewing his All In album which was released in 2014.  This New York City blues-rocker is such a remarkable musician, he never ceases to impress me with each new release.  He has risen to a whole new level with Force of Will, his latest album.  This record featuring ten tracks of all-original songs and is an amazing listen. 

Fields fabulously kick-starts the record off with a high-energy anthem of affection called “I Love My Baby”.  His infectious guitar riff and soulful vocals are accompanied with a delightful bluesy blast of harmonica from Bill Ferris.  Following up is hard-driving rocker “Big Block”.  Jam-packed with gobs of luscious, screaming guitar licks and astounding thunder-filled beats from drummer Van Romaine, this one is a monster. 

With a soulful slow-cooked delivery, Fields doles out gut-wrenching, down-home blues with “Why Can’t You Treat Me Right”.  Bassist Bjørn Hägset and drummer Käre Amundsen recording their parts from Molde Norway provide the rhythm section for this track. 

 Like Van Halen’s “Eruption” which lead into their cover of the Kink’s “You Really Got Me”, Fields’ “Delmar” is a short yet intense guitar instrumental leading up to another mind-blowing instrumental called “Jack Ham Her”.  The latter, with Erik Boyd on bass and Romaine on drums, grabs my full attention as it quickly reminds me of how in awe I was of Joe Satriani when I first heard Surfing with the Alien.  These two astonishing tracks tremendously caught me by surprise.   

Records like Dave Fields’ Force of Will keep me optimistic on the future of music.  The album is a great listen from start to finish.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : davefields.com

 

Dave Fields - Unleashed

2017 – FMI Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 28, 2017

Another stellar album from New York bluesman Dave Fields has hit the airwaves.  Unleashed is a perfect blend of seven live cuts and seven studio cuts, each one bringing out the best of Fields’ outstanding guitar performances.

Unleashed takes off with a groovy live instrumental called “Anticipating You”.  A terrific performance from Vladimir Barskey on keys, a cool funky bassline from Erik Boyd, and percussion from Doug Hinrichs sets a Stax-like stage for Fields to jam his heart out too. Using that Stax sound as s springboard perfectly segues into the next tune, a cover of Memphis-great Don Nix’s, “Going Down”.  Tackled with a fiery intensity, Fields doles out a big fat dose of superb guitar playing.  For Jimi Hendrix fans, Fields also gives a killer performance on “Hey Joe”, and “The Star Spangled Banner/Hey Joe (reprise)”. 

In two-parter “Jagged Line Pt 1” and “Jagged Line Pt 2”, Fields offers a glimpse inside his own life and struggles.  Beautifully composed, this pair of songs walks the tightrope between blues and rock, lyrically leaning more toward blues and musically taking the rock and roll route.  I get completely drawn in to Fields’ lyrics on “My Mama’s Got the Blues”.  This song drips with hard times and authenticity.  Also grabbing my full attention is the lovely and carefree “New York City Nights”, a jazzy selection paying homage to the Big Apple.     

Fields scores big on this album. Unleashed is destined to be a sure-fire hit release.  

Dave Fields - All In

2014 – FMI Records

By Phillip Smith; Dec 13, 2014

All In, the latest release from New York City bluesman Dave Fields, is a great guitar-centric album to settle in with, for a good listen.  The songs are fresh, and Field’s guitar playing is magnificent.  He not only plays all instruments on most of the eleven tracks, he produced the album as well.

Fields ushers the listener into the album like a lion, with a ferocious guitar intro and no-nonsense blues in “Changes In My Life”.  More of the same bluesy goodness can be found on “Wake Up Jasper”.  Fields tackles Robert Johnson’s “Crossroad” in a more gritty nature than usual, and breathes new life into this timeless tale of regret and damnation.  One can feel the raw energy surging through the guitar as he plays.  Fields then takes Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog”, flips it one hundred eighty degrees, and turns it into a fun danceable number with an infusion of funk. 

Two other favorites include, “Voodoo Eyes”, and “Dragonfly”.  Infectious grooves and soulful guitar licks accompanied by Vladamir Barsky on organ give “Voodoo Eyes” a retro late-sixties vibe.  I love the way “Dragonfly”, an elegantly melodic song, slowly builds to a fantastic eruption of sound.  This track which features Kenny Soule on drums and Tony Tino on bass, seemingly draws a lot of inspiration from the band, Yes.

One can surely tell, Dave Fields went “All In” on the creation of this album.  It’s definitely worth checking out.