Field Music - Tones of Town

Field Music’s sophomore record finds the Sunderland trio exploring a more ambitiously musical side than the band’s eponymous debut, implementing ‘60s-influenced pop swathed in strings, vibraphone and stellar Beach Boys-y harmonies. The maturation of the band’s craft is comparable to Sunderland brethren The Futureheads; while the latter may be descendents of XTC’s Drums and Wires, Field Music finds itself suckling at Skylarking-era teats, engaging in a more subtle pop approach based in the art of song arrangement erudition than in over-the-top hooks. Consider Tones of Town to be one of England’s finest exports of 2007, though it’s a shame these boys probably won’t find the acclaim afforded to their less-qualified contemporaries. [www.field-music.co.uk]