New Band: Field Report

A good way to get me to listen to an artist is to mention that he used to play with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. A good way to get me to keep listening is to make some exceptional music. Check and check for Field Report.

Before Justin Vernon went off to the woods to record his debut album, he was in a band based out of North Carolina called DeYarmond Edison. Their album Silent Sighs was a really good folky album. If I had known them at the time, I'm sure I would have been sad to hear about their breakup. However, since breaking up, a lot of amazing music has come from the various members of the band. Justin Vernon somehow turned Bon Iver into a huge success, which is great for him as he seems like a good guy. I love that his success has allowed him the freedom to collaborate to his heart's content and try out all sorts of different things (how many other people in the same year can sing a hit song with Kanye West and guest on a "folk opera" with Anais Mitchell?). Three of the other members went on to create the band Megafaun and collaborate with Vernon and countless others in Polica. What I didn't know about DeYarmond Edison until pretty recently is that for a while there was also a fifth member, Chris Porterfield, who played pedal steel. Well apparently they are the band that keeps on giving.

Chris Porterfield is set to release his debut album later this summer under the name Field Report (an anagram of his last name). To date, he has only three unmastered demos available for listen, but they've definitely got me hooked and excited for his album. The songs are exceptionally well crafted folk songs with guitar that just seems to draw me in to a place of comfort. Everything including the hushed vocals builds around that. I can't explain it, but there are certain songs that just make me feel like if they never ended I could just sit in pure relaxation forever along with them.

I can't really choose a favorite of the three, but this one name dropping Fergus Falls, Minnesota will do for now. Check it out below, and then head to Field Report's website here to stream or download the other two tracks.