It seems darn-near impossible to create, execute, and publish new music within the restrictions and limitation of a global pandemic, yet alone, achieve a collection of music that encourages the listeners to explore their emotions, surroundings, and departing feelings while remaining still, but this was accomplished by Field Manual, an Americana band hailing from Macclesfield, England.
This surgically focused band has willed songs that speak to the wanting-to-break-free hearts of fans stretching from the UK to as far as the East Coast of the USA. Easily, but professionally, Field Manual’s music pulls at your heartstrings and elevate your mood allowing the listener to travel through echo, FX, melody, and lyric. The nine songs that achieve these effects are:
- Morning Light
- Souvenirs
- Long Way Home
- Take Time
- Sitting Space
- Home
- Closer
- Trouble
- Call You Out
What sets Field Manual apart from current Americana bands is their willingness to push the envelope. On this EP, Field Manual stays with the typical outline of Americana music with their Bluesy melodies and Folk lyrical storylines, but the added fusion of Rock and Grunge guitar riffs and chord progressions, makes this the opposite of out-of-focus – Souvenirs is spot-on infectious.
The stand–out tracks are the title track, the mellow Dylan-esque “Take Time,” “Sitting Space,” “Closer,” and “Call You Out.” Yet, there is a song on this EP that will fulfill anybody’s soundtrack to life.
Not since Springsteen has modern music had such in-depth formation of melodies created by brass, guitars, and nostalgia. Coming off the heels of a global pandemic, Souvenirs is just that, a keepsake of collected memories and events sewn to righteous music, harmonies, and melodies. In short, this is a prelude to the next trip Field Manual is going to take us on – I cannot wait.
https://www.facebook.com/Fieldmanual/
https://open.spotify.com/album/1kSHvveMOhhv7TAk0rtobu?si=r2rGwO-9QJORO94PUmsetw
