ARTS

Nields work hard on newest release Play

Nields to play Finney

by Susanna Henighan

Play--The Nields new album Play
The Nields
Ani DiFranco's new album cover Up, Up, Up
Ani DiFranco>

On their new album Play the Nields sing for a moment about Ani DiFranco. Georgia O begins: "Driving into Santa Fe/ Dreaming of the day I'll make it mine-that day is coming/ Ani DiFranco on the tape player/ Thinking of the things I'd say to her if I could/ But I just keep humming."

While the Nields reign inferiority to folk-rock goddess DiFranco in their lyrics, a comparison of the two artists' most recent albums shows that perhaps the hierarchy spelled out in the Nields' song isn't quite deserved.

While DiFranco produces a handful of gems on Up, Up, Up, the rest of the album, which was released last month, fails to rise to the standard of the artist's previous work. The Nields, on the other hand, reach new heights with their latest, Play, an album that is both slick and exciting.

While the Nields speed up and twist their folk music in interesting ways, DiFranco slows hers down, adds unnneccesary noise and moves in new directions without the strength she needs to take her there.

Up, Up, Up charts DiFranco's movement away from the style she is best known for. Not content to rest on past successes and formulas, DiFranco continues to evolve in directions explored first in her 1998 release Little Plastic Castles.

Concerned more with her own artistic development than pleasing fans DiFranco moves away from the simple songwriting that won her fame and fans in the first place.

The album does have some bright spots. A few songs showcase the songwriter's sensitivity and insightfulness. "'tis of thee," "angry anymore" and "everest" rely on DiFranco's typically strong songwriting and simple musical compositions.

A few of DiFranco's more experimental songs succeed as well. A genius at creating powerful and complicated rhythms, DiFranco is able to use that ability on a few tracks like "virtue" and "know now then." Other songs, however, degenerate into noise-not something DiFranco does well.

The Nields present an entirely different kind of problem. Their music sounds fresh and energetic, almost to the point that they give their audience too much to listen to. What seems at first to be a simple song, album and band contains complexities that keep their audience coming back for more.

Without the burden of past triumphs, The Nields are still developing their strengths, while DiFranco must wrestle with hers.

Play is a smooth album. Its changes of pace, tone and mood are gradual, but powerful. The album isn't boring, slow songs are given strength with strong vocals and fast songs are accompanied with creative rhythms and smart songwriting.

The Nields sisters, with powerful voices, sound at times like pop-stars, and other times like folk singers. With enough jangle to be poppy, and enough thought to be folksy, the Nields' sound is truly unique.

A few songs stand out on the album. "Snowman," a poignant song about heartbreak, and "Check it Out," a guitar-driven, powerful song, show the breadth of the quintet's work.

The Nields' music has a goofy edge as well; it has a cheerful tone that comes across best in live performance, which Obies will have an opportunity to experience this weekend at Finney Chapel.

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Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 13, February 12, 1999

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