The Field Effect

Back in June, The Field Effect released a cassingle of “Jenny (It’s Getting Late)” and “Whiskey/Whisky.” The physical media may be sold out, but the songs are still available as digital downloads. The A-side here is just as catchy as last year’s Boston Music Award winning “Ogunquit, ME.” So, yeah, pretty darn catchy. And it sounds fantastic. It’s a hit, I tell ya. A hit! “Whiskey/Whisky” dispenses with any pleasantries and goes for the throat. You can feel the tension pulsing through the wall of guitars. There’s a reason this song goes over so big live. It a release. And, dang, do those bass slides sound good or what?

If you can track down a copy of the cassette, it’s purple and comes with a color j-card. - Daykamp Music

Boston's The Field Effect proved that they're worth every penny of admission with their recent performance this past Saturday at Cafe 939, right near the Berklee College of Music. The evening started out with the tremendous Ryan Langlois who will be finishing up Berklee later on this year with his smooth and incredbile talents clearly put on display for everyone to see. The Color and Sound followed up with some tremendous and vivacious tracks that really electrified everyone and the space surrounding it. But The Field Effect really put the icing on the cake literally as they displayed what a Boston act looks and feels like with impeccable stage presence, dazzling melodies, and excellent musicianship between the members that left me totally enthralled by the end of the set. Cafe 939 is an extremely well run venue, operated entirely by Berklee and most importantly 100% of all money brought in goes directly to the band that really drives all of the bands there to success. The Field Effect really are a shining example of everything that is electric about the Boston scene right now.

For more on The Field Effect, 'Like' them on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter right here. - MusicBoxPete

Awards ceremonies are ostensibly about crowning winners. But if you are the glass-half-empty type, you might say that they produce considerably more losers on the whole.

It’s something we alluded to here in a preview story about this year’s installment of the annual Boston Music Awards, held, once again Sunday night, at the Liberty Hotel: there is no pleasing everyone. Sometimes in Boston there is no pleasing anyone.

Although opinions have always varied wildly on what the criteria for the awards should be, a Goldilocks approach seems reasonable, meaning an act should be neither too micro-local, nor too wildly successful to qualify.

In that regard, many of the major awards went to bands who fit just right.

The eminently likable Kingsley Flood won Album of the Year for “Battles,” a blend of bucolic folk and rousing, broadly instrumented rock that has already further cemented its national presence.

Artist of the Year Bad Rabbits’s “American Love” was the long-awaited coming-out party for the perpetually ready-to-explode R&B, rock, and funk magicians.

New Artist winners Speedy Ortiz’s “Whip-Smart”-evoking guitar confessionals will probably also find them on a list of best new artists around the country this year. Strident power-poppers the Field Effect won for Song of the Year with “Ogunquit, ME.”

As in previous years, however, it is the live aspect of the event that is typically more memorable than the awards. This year’s 20-odd acts presented a cram session in Boston talent throughout the multiple ballrooms, conference rooms, alcoves, and rotunda of the sprawling, multitiered space.

Performers were a mix of old and new: the screaming sax-led funk and blues of Barrence Whitfield with Grits and Groceries, the gliding dance sheen of Electronic Act winners Bearstronaut, the Tuesday Night Recording Club led by Aaron Perrino and Brian Charles of the Sheila Divine, with guests Bill Janovitz, and members of the Field Effect, Sidewalk Driver, and Mean Creek doing Boston classics by Dinosaur Jr., the Cars, and more.

If it were the only local show you had been to all year — and it seemed like it was for many — you would have come away a winner. A runner-up at worst.

Luke O’Neil - The Boston Globe

Trending at the 2013 Boston Music Awards:
Hating on the BMAs
Local booker Richard Bouchard gave a tongue-in-cheek welcome to Sunday night’s BMAs, declaring it “the least-complained about event of the year!” With enormous bands like Aerosmith, Dropkick Murphys, and Amanda Palmer nominated alongside the Boston little guys, voting almost posed an ethical dilemma – do you vote for Walmart or the Mom & Pop shop? Why are these artists even in the same category? When they announced the nominees and ran through the artists up for awards, nobody cheered for Aerosmith but folks went bananas for Bad Rabbits. Amanda Palmer’s name even warranted a “Boooooooo” that echoed throughout multiple floors at the Liberty Hotel. Eddie Japan frontman David Santos said at the beginning of his set that they were up against Aerosmith and the Dropkick Murphys for Best Live Artist, “so if you voted 6 million times we might have a shot.” Happily, it seems the voting community was ultimately more interested in the little guy, too – Eddie Japan went home with the win.
Supporting Boston Music
Certainly if a band like Bad Rabbits can trounce Amanda Palmer/Dropkick Murphys and Eddie Japan can dethrone Aerosmith, it was a relieving gauge of where Boston stands with its musical priorities. The evening’s best example of Boston Pride existed with the Tuesday Night Recording Club, a blog whose mission is to get local bands together to cover predominantly rock records. It includes Brian Charles, producer extraordinaire, Aaron Perrino, lead singer of the Sheila Divine, Annie Hoffman, bassist for the Field Effect, and local musicians Davina Yannetty & Kenji Ross on Keys/Vocals and Drums, respectively. For the BMAs, though, this band busted out all of the local stops, covering songs by numerous bands with Boston roots, and featured some big-name locals on individual songs – they opened with a Sheila Divine cover of “Hum,” but followed with songs by The Cars, Dinosaur Jr., The Pixies, Bobby Brown, and more, featuring guest leads by Doug Orey from the Field Effect, Chris Keene from Mean Creek, Sidewalk Driver’s Tad McKitterick dressed like a Pimp-style Santa Claus during “My Prerogative,” BMA producer Jake Brennan even guest-led for a stint, and they closed with Buffalo Tom’s Bill Janovitz and Fuzzy’s Chris Toppin for a Scruffy the Cat cover, honoring the recently deceased Charlie Chesterman (the posthumous winner of the evening’s “Unsung Heroes” award). Ultimately, the evening was truly a success for the locals, and TNRC’s set was the highlight of the night.
Covers
Besides the Tuesday Night Record Club, nothing like funky solo guitar virtuoso Shun Ng busting out covers of MJ and Stevie Wonder. I’ll get to My Dick in a minute.
Backup Singers/Pinup-girl Hair/Matching Outfits
Or some combination therein, regardless of musical genre. New personal goal: own one part of an identical dress set. Happy to take those bowtie dresses off your hands, TNRC ladies…
Orchestra and Band instruments
Between Big D & The Kids Table, Moe Pope & Quills, Barrence Whitfield, and 11-piece Women of the World, I counted 1 Trombone, 2 Saxophones, 2 Violins, and a Flute. Women of the World also rocked a Euphonium, which may not be an orchestra/band instrument, but dammit, I’m counting that shit anyways.
DJs/Samplers
About a third of the night’s acts featured some sort of live DJ as a part of their act – props to Soulelujah who closed the night spinning actual vinyl.
Getting off the stage and into the crowd
Because the stage just couldn’t hold the awesome. Or maybe because they got confused about what constituted the stage.
Terrible Lighting
But seriously – why was the lighting so bad? Nearly all of the acts in the Esplanade Room were playing in a weird shadow that made it feel like you were in some sort of bizarre attic lair. Pro tip: a better lighting rig, and for god’s sake an air conditioner, would do wonders for this room.
Awkward Artist/Stage Match-ups
The labyrinth that is The Liberty Hotel makes it a little difficult to get up to the Esplanade room, so if they moved some of the bigger tickets to the downstairs it would’ve been less difficult to barrel through the Function Room. Considering Bearstronaut and Bad Rabbits are big enough to have played Boston Calling and won awards this year, Bearstronaut was beyond packed in the tiny Esplanade Room while Barrence Whitfield’s set looked a little lonely on the second floor, and it was impossible to permeate the Bad Rabbits dance party to get around from My Dick to Potty Mouth and Coyote Kolb. Also – My Dick, despite being rather silly, should’ve definitely been in the Liberty Ballroom – everybody wanted a piece of My Dick, and its audience was massive.
My Dick
A band who does glorified karaoke by replacing every other word of famous songs with “my dick” never stops being funny. For the curious, their set included such classics as “My Dick” instead of “My Girl,” “Dancing in My Dick” instead of “Dancing in the Dark,” “Everybody Have Dick Tonight” instead of “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” “Dicks of Gold” instead of “Fields of Gold” (personally I’d hoped for Fields of Dick instead, but they did at least sing about Dicks of Barley), my favorite – “Fast Dick” instead of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” (best line: My dick in a market as a checkout girl), and for our International friends, “Mi Pinga” instead of “La Bamba.” I’m really glad I got to see My Dick in the spotlight, since My Dick was quite the spectacle. It’s pretty easy to laugh at My Dick, and maybe My Dick’s performance was just mediocre, but I could’ve easily spent even more time with My Dick. Honestly? The whole room was pretty amped about My Dick too, chanting for My Dick to keep going, which in turn made My Dick go at it even harder, even though by the end My Dick was pretty hot and sweaty. All in all, My Dick had a blast, and so did everyone who got to experience My Dick in action. My Dick definitely gained a few fans after its performance, and I’m excited to spread the gospel of My Dick to the Boston music community.
Music Drives Us
Arguably the biggest winner from the night was for Music Drives Us, a local music non-profit that supplies grants for music programs for those in need. All proceeds from the event go toward the Music Drives Us Foundation, and while I have yet to see how much was raised for this year, last year they donated a walloping $65,000 to the charity. For all of the complaining people do about this event, ultimately the BMAs are fueling the local music scene with their charity work, and are helping the scene stay alive for generations to come. Now quit whining and go vote for Eddie Japan again – it’ll take a bit to reach 6 million votes by 2014.
Boston Music Awards 2013 Winners:
New Artist of the Year: Speedy Ortiz
Song of the Year: Field Effect “Ogunquit Me”
Live Artist of the Year: Eddie Japan
Video of the Year: Karmin “Acapella”
Male Vocalist of the Year: Ward Hayden
Female Vocalist of the Year: Amy Renee Heidemann
Americana Artist of the Year: Girls Guns & Glory
Blues Artist of the Year: Barrett Anderson
Electronic Artist of the Year: Bearstronaut
DJ Artist of the Year: Frank White
Folk Artist of the Year: Aofie O’Donovan
International Artist of the Year: Los Rumberos de Boston
Jazz Artist of the Year: Lake Street Dive
Unsung Hero Award: Charlie Chesterman
Metal/Hardcore Artist of the Year: Converge
Gospel/Inspirational Artist of the Year: Kendall Ranseur
Pop/R&B Artist of the Year: Bad Rabbits
Singer/Songwriter of the Year: Lori McKenna
Producer of the Year: Clinton Sparks
Hip/Hop Artist of the Year: Moe Pope & Rain
Best Music Blog: Vanyaland
Best Live Music Venue: The Sinclair
Best Dance Night: Soulelujah
Best Live Ongoing Residency: Session Americana @ Lizard Lounge
Best Boston Artist Who Doesn’t Live in Boston: Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
Album/EP of the Year: Kingsley Flood: Battles
Rock Artist of the Year: Deer Tick
Artist of the Year: Bad Rabbits - They Will Rock You

Local bands are getting into the Christmas spirit with original tracks and holiday covers. Take a listen and snag yourself some limited edition EPs, free downloads and festive tunes.


Riding high from winning the Boston Music Award for song of the year with "Ogunquit, ME" off their their 2012 LP, Cartography, The Field Effect are offering a free download of their take on Elvis's "Blue Christmas" on Bandcamp.com. The Field Effect will be playing alongside Mellow Bravo, Tallahassee and Cask Mouse at the Sinclair in Harvard Square on December 21st. - Bishop and Rook

Last Christmas, the Field Effect gave us their heart. Now, the Boston rock band is feeling kinda blue, covering Elvis Presley’s holiday classic while decked out in some fancy, seasonally appropriate pajamas.

The band recorded the “Blue Christmas” cover just before Thanksgiving with producer Brian Charles at Zippah Studio in Brighton, and the video was filmed and edited by Aaron Eskeets.

Check out the clip above via Vanyaland Premiere, and download the song through the Field Effect’s Bandcamp page. We’ll revisit 2012′s “Last Christmas” while we’re at it, pouring one out for the gone-too-soon WFNX.com.

The Field Effect are playing the Sinclair’s Rock And Roll Holiday show December 21 alongside Cask Mouse, Mellow Bravo, and Tallahassee. Tickets are available here. - Vanyaland

The Boston Music Awards got it right last night.

They got it right over and over and over again.

When the nominations dropped last month, I mocked fellow members of the Boston Music Awards Nominating and Voting Academy for celebrating Aerosmith over more deserving bands. I think the print lashing did some good.

At yesterday's awards ceremony at the Liberty Hotel, the Academy and public shut out Aerosmith -- as well as well-known past winners and 2013 nominees Dropkick Murphys, Amanda Palmer and Peter Wolf.

Instead, the night belonged to Artist of the Year Bad Rabbits, Album of the Year winner Kingsley Flood, Song of the Year champs the Field Effect and Live Artist of the Year victor Eddie Japan.

These Big Four winners represent a slice of Boston's booming scene. Paisley punks Bad Rabbits and roots rockers Kingsley Flood went from local notables to national names in 2013 with spots on festival main stages, late-night TV and critics' best-of lists. Current Rock 'n' Roll Rumble champion Eddie Japan and power pop quartet the Field Effect dominated great bills and had breakout years in the city.

The bands aren't household names, but the BMAs shouldn't celebrate the establishment. They rightly spotlight emerging acts, soon-to-be and should-be household names.

Even in the genre specific categories, the winners were impressive -- not always my first choice, but never an embarrassment.

Delightful noise rockers Speedy Ortiz took home New Artist of Year from a field packed with amazing talent (the New Highway Hymnal, Potty Mouth, Ruby Rose Fox and Thunderbloods). Speedy has already graduated to grander stages: The group has four dozen tour dates booked for this winter, including shows in Europe and opening slots for the Breeders.

Aoife O'Donovan, with her angelic voice and ace songwriting, scored Folk Artist of Year. Indie dance band Bearstronaut captured Electronic Artist of the Year with help from the sublime new single "Where I'll Die." Moe Pope & Rain nabbed Hip-Hop Artist of the Year thanks to "Let the Right Ones In," an album featuring rappers, rockers, soul singers, new wave kids and experimental folk/pop songwriter Lady Lamb the Beekeeper.

The BMAs hand out too many awards not to slip up on a couple. Karmin and frontwoman Amy Heidemann grabbed two awards. I genuinely dig Heidemann, but Ruby Rose Fox should have edged her out for Female Vocalist of the Year, and Karmin's Ke$ha ripoff "Acapella" is absolutely the worst of the five videos nominated.

But Aerosmith didn't win; so I'm happy. Not that I want a ban on Aerosmith.

When the band comes up with "Toys in the Attic II," I'll demand it wins a half-dozen awards. Until then, the BMAs rightly belong to the pop proletariat of the city.

Go to Jed Gottlieb's Boston Herald.com Guestlisted blog for a complete list of winners and coverage of the night's live performances.

___

(c)2013 the Boston Herald

Visit the Boston Herald at www.bostonherald.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services

A service of YellowBrix, Inc. - The Boston Herald

Field Effect
Fun, energetic, and full of life. This is what the Field Effect’s sound makes me think…it’s a little bit indie rock, the type of music that delivers that dose of infectious hooks and melodies that we all need from time to time. A crowd full of bopping heads and tapping toes is what I envision when I hear the songs from this band. Trust me when I say, you will have a very hard time remaining still when these young guns take the stage at this year’s Americana Festival.
thefieldeffectmusic.com - New England Americana

Doug Orey knows his way around a song — the Field Effect frontman’s power pop gem “Ogunquit, ME” took home Song of the Year at the Boston Music Awards earlier this month. So when he and his bandmates want to do a Christmas cover, they make a list and check it twice.
“It’s a weird process because a lot of Christmas songs are very traditional or super-repetitive, a lot of ‘Let It Snow’ over and over again,” Orey said. “This year we picked ‘Blue Christmas’ because it had a more rock feel... - The Boston Herald

Lots and lots of new videos lately. Yesterday we brought you clips from Best Coast and Lorde, today we have Bowie, The Field Effect, Angel Olsen, and some Daft Punk. So stop working (jk, I mean stop checking Twitter) and watch some, won’t you? . . .

. . .THE FIELD EFFECT, “Blue Christmas”
OurStage members and Boston’s own The Field Effect released a cover of Wham‘s “Last Christmas” last Christmas. Wait…no, yes, that’s right. This year, they’ve tracked a rocking and popping (but not locking – breakdancing is next year) version of Elvis Presley‘s classic “Blue Christmas.” We liked the Wham! cover, but this one’s got 100% more jammies, so it’s really no contest. - OurStage Magazine

The rock band we need right now

“Loud,” “energetic,” and “really loud,” are some of the words used to describe The Field Effect, an infectiously ferocious group consisting of Doug Orey (vocals/guitar), Nick Greico (guitar), Annie Hoffman (bass), and Adam Hand (drums) that’s saturated the Boston music scene with their satisfying hooks and their feverish, heavy-hitting sound. With their first-ever performance at Redstar Union just around the corner, the band could barely contain their excitement when I sat with them to talk about their success, their show, and what it was like to hear their songs on the radio for the first time ever.

“Anngelle Wood played ‘Til I Say When’ on Boston Emissions,” said Orey, “and I remember all of us like freaking out about that.”

“We jumped up and down and ran around,” said Hoffman, “Good ol’ fashioned celebrating!”


With rave reviews for their debut, Cartography, and a hefty lineup of upcoming shows, there is a lot that this band has to celebrate. Though, while The Field Effect knows how to turn up the intensity and pour every drop of emotion into their sound, they’re possibly the chillest people to ever walk the earth. And I’ve met Canadians.

“I’m kind of reserved,” said Hand, “but as Tad McKitterick of the band Sidewalk Driver put it, ‘When I’m playing drums, I’m the angriest person in the world.’ Offstage, I’m back to being, like, the quiet person probably drinking too much beer.”

“I’m like a superhuman version of myself,” said Hoffman. “Super confident and super energetic and just like ‘Ahhhh!’”

“I’d also say that onstage we’re a lot sweatier than we are in the day-to-day world,” Orey added, but noted that thrill comes more from the fans than anything.

“At the Middle East, there were people singing along to songs that I didn’t know people knew the words to.”

“I’m definitely looking forward to [performing at Redstar],” said Hoffman, “because most of us are from out of town so there are a lot of folks at home, like family and friends … that are always hoping to see us some time. And Redstar broadcasts all the shows high definition, so I’m really excited.”

The Field Effect’s performance on Thursday is just the next great show in a very busy year, with the band booked every month until November, including a gig at Brighton Music Hall with Tim Casher. So how do they find the time to rehearse and record?

“Nighttime, holidays, religious holidays,” said Hand.

“Leap Day!” shouted Hoffman.

“I also have a TARDIS, so that helps,” Orey said.

Time-traveling aside, it takes only one listen to Cartography and only one second of their live performance to realize that this band works damn hard.

They all have day jobs, but make no mistake: The Field Effect is in the business of rock. - DigBoston

The rock band we need right now

“Loud,” “energetic,” and “really loud,” are some of the words used to describe The Field Effect, an infectiously ferocious group consisting of Doug Orey (vocals/guitar), Nick Greico (guitar), Annie Hoffman (bass), and Adam Hand (drums) that’s saturated the Boston music scene with their satisfying hooks and their feverish, heavy-hitting sound. With their first-ever performance at Redstar Union just around the corner, the band could barely contain their excitement when I sat with them to talk about their success, their show, and what it was like to hear their songs on the radio for the first time ever.

“Anngelle Wood played ‘Til I Say When’ on Boston Emissions,” said Orey, “and I remember all of us like freaking out about that.”

“We jumped up and down and ran around,” said Hoffman, “Good ol’ fashioned celebrating!”


With rave reviews for their debut, Cartography, and a hefty lineup of upcoming shows, there is a lot that this band has to celebrate. Though, while The Field Effect knows how to turn up the intensity and pour every drop of emotion into their sound, they’re possibly the chillest people to ever walk the earth. And I’ve met Canadians.

“I’m kind of reserved,” said Hand, “but as Tad McKitterick of the band Sidewalk Driver put it, ‘When I’m playing drums, I’m the angriest person in the world.’ Offstage, I’m back to being, like, the quiet person probably drinking too much beer.”

“I’m like a superhuman version of myself,” said Hoffman. “Super confident and super energetic and just like ‘Ahhhh!’”

“I’d also say that onstage we’re a lot sweatier than we are in the day-to-day world,” Orey added, but noted that thrill comes more from the fans than anything.

“At the Middle East, there were people singing along to songs that I didn’t know people knew the words to.”

“I’m definitely looking forward to [performing at Redstar],” said Hoffman, “because most of us are from out of town so there are a lot of folks at home, like family and friends … that are always hoping to see us some time. And Redstar broadcasts all the shows high definition, so I’m really excited.”

The Field Effect’s performance on Thursday is just the next great show in a very busy year, with the band booked every month until November, including a gig at Brighton Music Hall with Tim Casher. So how do they find the time to rehearse and record?

“Nighttime, holidays, religious holidays,” said Hand.

“Leap Day!” shouted Hoffman.

“I also have a TARDIS, so that helps,” Orey said.

Time-traveling aside, it takes only one listen to Cartography and only one second of their live performance to realize that this band works damn hard.

They all have day jobs, but make no mistake: The Field Effect is in the business of rock. - DigBoston

Usually live shows of this magnitude constitute some sort of “Fest,” or annual Roman-numeral-noted gathering, or a fancy party or event name ending with “-palooza.” But nope, this shit is just your good old-fashioned quadruple-decker rock and roll show, featuring four of Boston’s finest melodic indie-minded rock and roll bands. Melodyfest I? Melodyfestapalooza? Melodyfestapalooza Music & Arts Festival? (Never mind “the Arts” aspect; set up a crafts table by the coat check. No one ever does, anyway.)

On tap this late-summer evening in scenic Central Square evening is the cruising-altitude guitar-rock groove of the Field Effect; the heavy-feather ghost-gaze of Velah; the Susan Constant’s polished pogo-pop; and the snow-globe balladry of the Deep North. All four come highly recommended and are no stranger to our digital pages.

Before you sample the fine tunage below or click out of Vanyaland and into the informative magical valley of the Facebook event page, just know this: Not only are we offering up a pair of passes to this Middle East Downstairs jam-bo-fucking-ree, but we’re doing an entire prize-pack giveaway, which includes two tickets to the show, and a t-shirt and CD from each of the participating bands. Clothing, music, and guest list? Who loves ya, baby? Boston does, that’s who.

We’ll post details on how to enter the contest the week of the show (hint: it’ll involve the word “Melodyfestapalooza”), so in the meantime, dive headlong into some music. And props to the bands for hooking up this killer show — and contest. - Vanyaland

Boston based indie act The Field Effect is on the main stage, and they are growing on a crowd unfamiliar with their music.

Very polished, great songs.

Diana Mendes,who took that video, says “Annie on the bass is awesome! I’m loven’ it! The bass is vibrating the ground!”

They are excited to be here, too, they posted this on their site from New Bedford, “they gave us a trailer!”
- South Coast Today

New England's best new indie rock? THE FIELD EFFECT have climbed to the top of the music pile for music fans in Boston this year, providing a backdrop for this summer's love affairs and the likely bout of angst and regret when those romances inevitably fall apart. The four-piece released Cartography, their first full length at the end of last year and have used that material for live fodder on stages ever since. Their ridiculously vibrant sets have earned them a rabid fan base. This set will not be one your'e going to want to miss.

The Field Effect are Doug Orey (Vocals & Guitar), Nick Greico (Guitar), Annie Hoffman (Bass) and Adam Hand (Drums). - Ryan's Smashing Life

MONA, The Field Effect, and Oldjack will be taking the stage at Brighton Music Hall and I guarantee you it will be worth the trip out on a Monday night. There’s no excuse to miss this killer lineup. I don’t care if you’re hungover from the weekend, exhausted from the heat wave, or have to work early on Tuesday. GO TO THIS SHOW. I have been a MONA fan for awhile and between their dynamic stage presence and rock ‘n’ soul sound, you’ll be blown away. This is the first time I’m able to see one of my favorite national bands AND local bands in one show! The Field Effect radiate happiness on stage and they’ve played one of the most heartfelt and emotional shows I’ve ever seen. I have yet to see the third band, Oldjack, but I’ve heard nothing but great things about them and you can catch a sneak peek of each band below. At 13$ it’s a steal to see these three bands play! See you there! - Rose Rundown

The Field Effect’s debut album, Cartography, acts as a time machine transporting listeners back to the early 2000’s indie rock scene where bands like Something Corporate and Taking Back Sunday ruled the airwaves. The difference with The Field Effect is they do it bigger and better. “Ogunquit, ME” is the one song on the album that’s over way before you want it to be. “Cotton” is the perfect song for a summer drive, hair blowing in the wind with the windows down, driving aside people you care about the most. You’ll get goose bumps every time you hear the climax of “Dancing with Earthquakes” with the explosion of emotion coming from frontman, Doug Orey. You’ll scream the chorus whether you’re at home, in the car or at one of their shows. The Field Effect will steal your heart and bring emotions to the surface that may have laid dormant for years.

With heartfelt smiles on their faces, The Field Effect play the most dynamic and profound show I’ve ever seen. I got a chance to sit down with the members of The Field Effect: Doug Orey (Vocals/Guitar), Nick Greico (Guitar), Annie Hoffman (Bass), and Adam J Hand (Drums) and discuss band memories, songwriting/recording, and valuable advice to aspiring musicians.

What is your favorite band memory?
Doug: After we opened for The Promise Ring at Paradise. I was standing backstage watching them play their set and they came off before going on an encore. Davey came over and was standing right next to me and just looked at me and was like, “That was a lot of fun. This has been a lot of fun tonight. If we weren’t so extinct, I’d say we should do this again sometime.” And I was like, one, I was really drunk, and two, holy shit I’m talking to Davey right now. To hear him say we should do something like this again sometime was like holy shit he thinks my band is kind of cool or something maybe.

Annie: I think one of my standout memories so far is coming down the escalator at the Austin Airport for our first SXSW trip which was just this past spring. I just feel that we reached a new level together, a sort of validation and a real strong sense of camaraderie. And then 5 minutes later we found Doug’s broken pedal board on the baggage carousel which will live on in our memories forever.

Doug: I was like what asshole didn’t put their pedal in a case or something? Who checked their pedals? And then it turned out to be mine because my pedal board case was shattered.

Doug: I was like what asshole didn’t put their pedal in a case or something? Who checked their pedals? And then it turned out to be mine because my pedal board case was shattered.
Adam: Probably for me it was the first time we played The Paradise with The Sheila Devine. Coming down through the backstage and going on to the stage and being like, “Hey this is totally not the Middle East Upstairs. There are like 700 or 800 people here and I have to play a show in front of all of them. They’re all watching me.” Kind of along the lines of what Doug said like, “People like the band I’m in?”

Nick: All three of those were definitely three of the first things that crossed my mind but I think the first thing that kind of solidified this band for me was when we played the Sonic Circus.
Annie: (laughs) Wow blast from the past.
Nick: We played their company party, a private event, it was outside. It was our first full set because we had only played a three song set at TT’s before that. I think that whole experience was our first time traveling together as a band. It was our first time performing most of those songs and the response was so positive from everybody. I think just the night in general was great. Getting drunk with a bunch of people we didn’t know and all of our closest friends, endless sangria, campfires, and Frisbee. It was just kind of like a wholesome experience. It was pretty awesome.
Doug: Kind of quick little story. It was ridiculous but the first time we went to New York as a band and we paid a nine dollar toll in Albany in change. We just handed it to the toll booth attendant and he just looked at us and he’s got two handfuls of change and was like “I’m not counting this. You guys are good.” (everyone laughs)

Could you tell me about the songwriting process for Cartography?
Doug: I think in the time that we’ve been together, it’s become much much more collaborative. I think a lot of times it will start out a number of different ways. With “Cotton,” I had just gotten a brand new guitar pedal and I was messing around with it. I started playing something and Adam was like “oh that sounds really cool” and then Annie started playing along to it and then Nick started playing along to it and then two hours later we had the basic outline of “Cotton.” When we first started I had a bunch of completed songs. I look back on some of those and we had a lot of fun playing some of those on the first EP but I really like how much everybody fully contributes to the entire songwriting process via core p - Rose Rundown

When Bostonians talk about the day after the Marathon bombing, one adjective is murmured more than most: quiet. The coffee shops of Downtown Crossing were open, everyone shuffling through on their way to work just blocks from the bomb site, understandably distracted in an impermeable haze. Eye contact wasn’t something people shied away from for once, as strangers nodded to each other with a fast “excuse me” if an elbow wound up where it shouldn’t. Commuters riding the T to work took their time, and nobody was blasting their music too loud on headphones for disgruntled seatmates to hear.

Boston was back to business as usual, as much as it could be, in the wake of such a jarring event, but there was a bit of a split in the music community when it came to understanding what the hell they were supposed to do.

For some, playing or hosting a concert didn’t feel right. The “Do we cancel/Do we not?” question faced venues, bookers and bands on both sides of the Charles River. Do you take it upon yourself to play through the emotional turmoil wrought by an attack on your city—the show must go on, so they say—or do you quietly close for the night in solidarity? Or do you reflect, stay home and check your phone one more time to make sure that all of your friends are accounted for, even if they were nowhere near Boylston Street just hours ago?

How do you simply do what you do when it requires your utmost physical and emotional commitment when you’ve just spent a seemingly endless string of hours glued to the TV? How do you sing to a room full of people who are reeling in the cacophonous din of hasty headlines and conspiracy theories when you’re still reeling yourself?

For members of the Boston music community, the reaction was more or less an empathetic amalgamation of these two sentiments, one that coalesced into a benefit show that raised nearly $8,000 for Massachusetts General Hospital in a matter of hours. When the band scheduled to play at TT the Bear’s Place in Cambridge’s Central Square canceled their Tuesday night set in light of the tragedy, Michael Marotta, editor of music blog Vanyaland and the former Music Editor of the Boston Phoenix, and Richard Bouchard, TT’s local talent buyer, put their heads together to see how they could use the empty room for good—and they knew they had to work fast.

“The moment I saw that TT’s was available, I messaged Bouchard about doing a benefit that night,” Marotta said. Between the two of them, Marotta and Bouchard put together a lineup that included Mean Creek?, The Field Effect?, Endation, Earthquake Party, Dan Nicklin of Oldjack (pictured)?, Cameron Keiber of the Beatings/Eldridge Rodriguez and Ruby Rose Fox. “That was around 3 p.m. A few frantic hours of organizing later, we opened doors at TTs with four bands and four solo performers. I think everyone asks, ‘How can I help? What Can I do?’ I’m not a doctor, I’m not a counselor, but I’m involved in music. I book shows, I write about music, I know bands and venues—this is was how I could help. This was my way of helping my city.”

Bouchard added, “We both worked the phones and our Gchat to get people involved. As we were doing that, unbeknownst to us, the club was making plans to help—one of the door guys organized a raffle that started with a gift certificate to a barbeque restaurant and ended up including over 30 prizes ranging up to $1,400 in value. The bartenders decided amongst themselves to donate their tips to the cause. By the time Michael and I arrived at TT’s, we had a huge raffle under way, were informed by the manager that all of the normal room costs were being waived by the owner, and that the club would be making a $500 donation.”

The bands rushed in with equal verve, doing their part to provide the audience with at the very least a distraction in the form of a rock riff or two. For Dan Nicklin, lead singer of Oldjack, his solo set struck a particularly poignant chord—Nicklin’s wife and infant children were planning on watching a friend cross the finish line the day before, and thankfully were nowhere near it when the bombs exploded. “I was singing a song I wrote for my oldest son, which I don’t ever play publicly. There’s a line that tells him to ‘close your eyes and I will be here in the morning. ‘It hit me then how much some innocent people lost the other day. I broke down in the green room after. The shock finally faded into sadness.”

“Cameron Keiber singing ‘Giving Myself Over To Boston’ filled me with pride,” Bouchard said. “By the end, scream-singing along with The Field Effect to ‘Headwrecked’ when singer Doug Orey declares ‘Good morning Boston, you don’t look the way you did last night, but I don’t mind,’ and Mean Creek’s powerful ‘You Were Wrong,’ about knowing you’re exactly where you belong, was more cathartic than I could have imagined.”

Between the raffle, the donations and the venue’s generosity, the benefit at TT’s brought in $7,740 for the Emergency Medical Services - Paste Magazine

When Bostonians talk about the day after the Marathon bombing, one adjective is murmured more than most: quiet. The coffee shops of Downtown Crossing were open, everyone shuffling through on their way to work just blocks from the bomb site, understandably distracted in an impermeable haze. Eye contact wasn’t something people shied away from for once, as strangers nodded to each other with a fast “excuse me” if an elbow wound up where it shouldn’t. Commuters riding the T to work took their time, and nobody was blasting their music too loud on headphones for disgruntled seatmates to hear.

Boston was back to business as usual, as much as it could be, in the wake of such a jarring event, but there was a bit of a split in the music community when it came to understanding what the hell they were supposed to do.

For some, playing or hosting a concert didn’t feel right. The “Do we cancel/Do we not?” question faced venues, bookers and bands on both sides of the Charles River. Do you take it upon yourself to play through the emotional turmoil wrought by an attack on your city—the show must go on, so they say—or do you quietly close for the night in solidarity? Or do you reflect, stay home and check your phone one more time to make sure that all of your friends are accounted for, even if they were nowhere near Boylston Street just hours ago?

How do you simply do what you do when it requires your utmost physical and emotional commitment when you’ve just spent a seemingly endless string of hours glued to the TV? How do you sing to a room full of people who are reeling in the cacophonous din of hasty headlines and conspiracy theories when you’re still reeling yourself?

For members of the Boston music community, the reaction was more or less an empathetic amalgamation of these two sentiments, one that coalesced into a benefit show that raised nearly $8,000 for Massachusetts General Hospital in a matter of hours. When the band scheduled to play at TT the Bear’s Place in Cambridge’s Central Square canceled their Tuesday night set in light of the tragedy, Michael Marotta, editor of music blog Vanyaland and the former Music Editor of the Boston Phoenix, and Richard Bouchard, TT’s local talent buyer, put their heads together to see how they could use the empty room for good—and they knew they had to work fast.

“The moment I saw that TT’s was available, I messaged Bouchard about doing a benefit that night,” Marotta said. Between the two of them, Marotta and Bouchard put together a lineup that included Mean Creek?, The Field Effect?, Endation, Earthquake Party, Dan Nicklin of Oldjack (pictured)?, Cameron Keiber of the Beatings/Eldridge Rodriguez and Ruby Rose Fox. “That was around 3 p.m. A few frantic hours of organizing later, we opened doors at TTs with four bands and four solo performers. I think everyone asks, ‘How can I help? What Can I do?’ I’m not a doctor, I’m not a counselor, but I’m involved in music. I book shows, I write about music, I know bands and venues—this is was how I could help. This was my way of helping my city.”

Bouchard added, “We both worked the phones and our Gchat to get people involved. As we were doing that, unbeknownst to us, the club was making plans to help—one of the door guys organized a raffle that started with a gift certificate to a barbeque restaurant and ended up including over 30 prizes ranging up to $1,400 in value. The bartenders decided amongst themselves to donate their tips to the cause. By the time Michael and I arrived at TT’s, we had a huge raffle under way, were informed by the manager that all of the normal room costs were being waived by the owner, and that the club would be making a $500 donation.”

The bands rushed in with equal verve, doing their part to provide the audience with at the very least a distraction in the form of a rock riff or two. For Dan Nicklin, lead singer of Oldjack, his solo set struck a particularly poignant chord—Nicklin’s wife and infant children were planning on watching a friend cross the finish line the day before, and thankfully were nowhere near it when the bombs exploded. “I was singing a song I wrote for my oldest son, which I don’t ever play publicly. There’s a line that tells him to ‘close your eyes and I will be here in the morning. ‘It hit me then how much some innocent people lost the other day. I broke down in the green room after. The shock finally faded into sadness.”

“Cameron Keiber singing ‘Giving Myself Over To Boston’ filled me with pride,” Bouchard said. “By the end, scream-singing along with The Field Effect to ‘Headwrecked’ when singer Doug Orey declares ‘Good morning Boston, you don’t look the way you did last night, but I don’t mind,’ and Mean Creek’s powerful ‘You Were Wrong,’ about knowing you’re exactly where you belong, was more cathartic than I could have imagined.”

Between the raffle, the donations and the venue’s generosity, the benefit at TT’s brought in $7,740 for the Emergency Medical Services - Paste Magazine

. . .The Field Effect were more than up for the task. Bursting immediately onto the stage (after some more semi-nude entertainment), the band started with a new song, bringing their high-energy, high-volume indie rock into the hall. The rest of their set became a high voltage singalong, as their catchy lyrics and infectious rhythms took the room by storm. Frontman Doug Orey’s earnest, soulful voice was in full swing in the heartfelt “Cotton” and the uptempo “Headwrecked,” which, he astutely stated, is “a song about getting drunk with your friends.” Everyone was taking his advice.

Orey’s incredibly relatable lyrics put together with the band’s driving, catchy riffs were what got me hooked on The Field Effect in the first place, as they barreled their way through “Ghost Of” and a new song, “Lions.” The tightness of the band was really showing, as bass player Annie Hoffman bounced around on stage, keeping perfect rhythm with drummer Adam Hand. It honestly just looked like damn good fun on that stage, watching Orey and his mountain man beard belt out these heartfelt songs. They would take things a little slower with the next couple of songs, playing their own tribute to WFNX and the Phoenix with “Dancing With Earthquakes,” and “Porcelain.” The slowed-down vibe of these two songs prepared me perfectly for the finale of their set. As much as I love bouncing up and down for an hour, I’m not in the best of shape right now, so it was nice to just sit back and groove for a couple of songs.

TFE closed out their night with the faster “Till I Say When” and their crowd-favorite closer, “Ogunquit.” For me, this really showed what this band was all about. “Till I Say When” is a fast, yet melancholic song that combines bouncable rhythms with lyrics of loss and hope. It is this balance that The Field Effect bring to all their songs. “Ogunquit” is another example of this. They close out most (if not all) of their shows with their record’s opener. I don’t know a lot of bands that have the cajones to pull that off, but they do. This hopeful song of a summer beach town in Maine blew the doors off the hall with its epic singalong chorus and its dynamic shifts. I know the crowd was a little bitter to see The Field Effect leave the stage. . . - Allston Pudding

. . .The Field Effect were more than up for the task. Bursting immediately onto the stage (after some more semi-nude entertainment), the band started with a new song, bringing their high-energy, high-volume indie rock into the hall. The rest of their set became a high voltage singalong, as their catchy lyrics and infectious rhythms took the room by storm. Frontman Doug Orey’s earnest, soulful voice was in full swing in the heartfelt “Cotton” and the uptempo “Headwrecked,” which, he astutely stated, is “a song about getting drunk with your friends.” Everyone was taking his advice.

Orey’s incredibly relatable lyrics put together with the band’s driving, catchy riffs were what got me hooked on The Field Effect in the first place, as they barreled their way through “Ghost Of” and a new song, “Lions.” The tightness of the band was really showing, as bass player Annie Hoffman bounced around on stage, keeping perfect rhythm with drummer Adam Hand. It honestly just looked like damn good fun on that stage, watching Orey and his mountain man beard belt out these heartfelt songs. They would take things a little slower with the next couple of songs, playing their own tribute to WFNX and the Phoenix with “Dancing With Earthquakes,” and “Porcelain.” The slowed-down vibe of these two songs prepared me perfectly for the finale of their set. As much as I love bouncing up and down for an hour, I’m not in the best of shape right now, so it was nice to just sit back and groove for a couple of songs.

TFE closed out their night with the faster “Till I Say When” and their crowd-favorite closer, “Ogunquit.” For me, this really showed what this band was all about. “Till I Say When” is a fast, yet melancholic song that combines bouncable rhythms with lyrics of loss and hope. It is this balance that The Field Effect bring to all their songs. “Ogunquit” is another example of this. They close out most (if not all) of their shows with their record’s opener. I don’t know a lot of bands that have the cajones to pull that off, but they do. This hopeful song of a summer beach town in Maine blew the doors off the hall with its epic singalong chorus and its dynamic shifts. I know the crowd was a little bitter to see The Field Effect leave the stage. . . - Allston Pudding

I arrive at Brighton Music Hall before any bands have started playing and I’m impressed at how many people are already here this early in the evening. There’s a burlesque act onstage, to which I’m only half paying attention as I seek out familiar faces in the sizable crowd. Ruby Rose Fox starts their set and plays a few old-timey lounge-pop songs that sound great, but they lose me when they downshift to a slower tempo mid-set.

Ruby Rose Fox finishes with little fanfare, making way for more burlesque, and then the Field Effect. Tonight you can’t hear any vocals if you’re standing to the side of the stage, so I’m forced to move to the rear of the crowd, but a few songs later I’m swooning with music-love. Take the chorus of “Dancing with Earthquakes,” a song about a girlfriend moving to California: “I set my clocks back to feel closer to you.” COME ON! My heart! The deal is sealed with a cover of the Weakerthans’ “Aside.” Yup, new favorite Boston band right here, and I’m now officially stoked to see them at the Rumble in a couple weeks. Someone near me gripes that the band overstayed its welcome by three songs, but I think this set was the night’s standout.

The show is sold out by this point, and BMH is packed. The Rationales play next, and something has clicked for these guys since I saw them about a year ago. They’ve always been good, but they sound especially great tonight. Everyone around me seems totally entranced by the music—this is not the half-paying-attention-while-texting kind of crowd. At the risk of sounding like a nerd, I feel reminded that this is what it’s all about—why I wile away my weekends by getting tinnitus at dimly-lit rock clubs whilst my peers are downtown drinking Bud Lights from aluminum bottles and getting hit on by dudes in flat brim hats. This is good rock ’n’ roll. This is Boston.

After a David Bowie/ Labyrinth burlesque performance, which includes a shower of blood spewed from a headless baby doll, Walter Sickert and his multitude of band members arrive onstage. Tonight’s occasion is the release of their crowdfunded record “Soft Time Traveler,” and the ardor of those benefactors is present here tonight. This being my first Walter Sickert experience, I’m not sure what to expect, though the burlesque and general vibe of the evening certainly conditioned me to be less overwhelmed than I might have been (earlier, I overheard a woman exclaim, “Honey, a woman just asked me to lace up her corset in the bathroom—aren’t you jealous?”). Sickert, sporting a massive crown of feathers and steampunk goggles, is joined by a trippy Victorian carnival of a band, which includes a human marionette who jerks and sways creepily throughout the entire set; a young child dressed as a jester holding a xylophone for its vehement player; someone wearing a horse mask and period clothing; an upright bassist, an accordionist, and a ukulele-ist; and of course, a swirl of burlesque dancers. A guy near me remarks that they’d be a great band without the spectacle—I do agree that the theatrics are distracting, as the music by itself is transcendent, alluring, and kaleidoscopic. The finale, fittingly, is a cover of “Paint It Black,” which is executed raucously but proficiently amidst the distraction of boobs flying everywhere and the unrestrained enthusiasm of the crowd. (Emily Diggins) - The Noise

I arrive at Brighton Music Hall before any bands have started playing and I’m impressed at how many people are already here this early in the evening. There’s a burlesque act onstage, to which I’m only half paying attention as I seek out familiar faces in the sizable crowd. Ruby Rose Fox starts their set and plays a few old-timey lounge-pop songs that sound great, but they lose me when they downshift to a slower tempo mid-set.

Ruby Rose Fox finishes with little fanfare, making way for more burlesque, and then the Field Effect. Tonight you can’t hear any vocals if you’re standing to the side of the stage, so I’m forced to move to the rear of the crowd, but a few songs later I’m swooning with music-love. Take the chorus of “Dancing with Earthquakes,” a song about a girlfriend moving to California: “I set my clocks back to feel closer to you.” COME ON! My heart! The deal is sealed with a cover of the Weakerthans’ “Aside.” Yup, new favorite Boston band right here, and I’m now officially stoked to see them at the Rumble in a couple weeks. Someone near me gripes that the band overstayed its welcome by three songs, but I think this set was the night’s standout.

The show is sold out by this point, and BMH is packed. The Rationales play next, and something has clicked for these guys since I saw them about a year ago. They’ve always been good, but they sound especially great tonight. Everyone around me seems totally entranced by the music—this is not the half-paying-attention-while-texting kind of crowd. At the risk of sounding like a nerd, I feel reminded that this is what it’s all about—why I wile away my weekends by getting tinnitus at dimly-lit rock clubs whilst my peers are downtown drinking Bud Lights from aluminum bottles and getting hit on by dudes in flat brim hats. This is good rock ’n’ roll. This is Boston.

After a David Bowie/ Labyrinth burlesque performance, which includes a shower of blood spewed from a headless baby doll, Walter Sickert and his multitude of band members arrive onstage. Tonight’s occasion is the release of their crowdfunded record “Soft Time Traveler,” and the ardor of those benefactors is present here tonight. This being my first Walter Sickert experience, I’m not sure what to expect, though the burlesque and general vibe of the evening certainly conditioned me to be less overwhelmed than I might have been (earlier, I overheard a woman exclaim, “Honey, a woman just asked me to lace up her corset in the bathroom—aren’t you jealous?”). Sickert, sporting a massive crown of feathers and steampunk goggles, is joined by a trippy Victorian carnival of a band, which includes a human marionette who jerks and sways creepily throughout the entire set; a young child dressed as a jester holding a xylophone for its vehement player; someone wearing a horse mask and period clothing; an upright bassist, an accordionist, and a ukulele-ist; and of course, a swirl of burlesque dancers. A guy near me remarks that they’d be a great band without the spectacle—I do agree that the theatrics are distracting, as the music by itself is transcendent, alluring, and kaleidoscopic. The finale, fittingly, is a cover of “Paint It Black,” which is executed raucously but proficiently amidst the distraction of boobs flying everywhere and the unrestrained enthusiasm of the crowd. (Emily Diggins) - The Noise

The Boston Rock & Roll Rumble begins this Sunday. It's a venerable old institution that has launched the careers of many of our favorite Boston bands over the last couple decades, and, more importanly, shattered the dreams of many of our worst ones. This year is no different in its mix of cool new finds, potential national contenders, and horse shit. Who will win? Hard to say. I haven't seen all of these bands, but I did just spend the last hour or so listening to all the ones I am unfamiliar with and now I'm an expert on them all because that's how music writing works. Here are my picks for who has a shot at the title this year based in part on quality, and in part on what I am assuming the judges will be looking for (via being generally old). Follow the links (via the Rumble page here) to check them out yourself. SUPPORT THE SCENE and everyone is a winner. The only guaranteed losers are people who had to look at the horrible layout of this post but I'm done fighting with it after an hour. I lose the blogger Rumble DGAF. . .

The Field Effect Probably win the whole thing.

. . .Semi-finals: Ruby Rose Fox, The Field Effect, Coyote Kolb, Twin Berlin, Camden, New Highway Hymnal.

Finals: Ruby Rose Fox, The Field Effect, Coyote Kolb

Winner: The Field Effect - Put That Shit on the List

The Rock and Roll Rumble returns tonight for its 34th annual dance, bringing together 24 bands from around New England and allowing them to be part of a friendly competition that beneath the surface is just one big music festival. In joining some other recent Rumble previews that are definitely worth your attention (nice work Allston Pudding and the Boston Herald), here is the Vanyaland A to Z guide of what’s in store for the week ahead at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge, beginning tonight and wrapping up the preliminary week on Saturday, April 13. . .

. . .F – F is for The Field Effect (Night 5, April 12). The most fuckable band in Boston is the likely odds-on favorite to win the whole thing, but their rock value plummeted 43% with the recent shuttering of WFNX. Both panties and boxers worn inside TTs and along Brookline Street will disintegrate by the minute-mark of standout guitar-pop gem “Ogunquit, ME.” - Vanyaland

It’s Rumble season. Every year around this time I’m filled with an equal mix of anticipation and nostalgia. That’s the kind of event The Rumble is. You get to check out 24 of the best bands playing around town in one* fell swoop while making memories that will haunt you you’ll remember for a very long time.** With that in mind, here are 24 reasons why I can’t wait for the 2013 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble to get underway on Sunday night. These are in no particular order, but I numbered them 24 to 1 because that’s what all important lists do. Oh, and here’s the full schedule in case you missed it. . .

4. For the bands, The Rumble is a great way to get in front of people who may not have any idea who you are and win them over. Rumble crowds are good like that. I’ve seen The Field Effect take on some pretty diverse audiences in the past six months. Their enthusiasm is undeniable. Win or lose, The Field Effect is going to walk away with a boatload of new fans. . . - Daykamp Music

It’s Rumble season. Every year around this time I’m filled with an equal mix of anticipation and nostalgia. That’s the kind of event The Rumble is. You get to check out 24 of the best bands playing around town in one* fell swoop while making memories that will haunt you you’ll remember for a very long time.** With that in mind, here are 24 reasons why I can’t wait for the 2013 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble to get underway on Sunday night. These are in no particular order, but I numbered them 24 to 1 because that’s what all important lists do. Oh, and here’s the full schedule in case you missed it. . .

4. For the bands, The Rumble is a great way to get in front of people who may not have any idea who you are and win them over. Rumble crowds are good like that. I’ve seen The Field Effect take on some pretty diverse audiences in the past six months. Their enthusiasm is undeniable. Win or lose, The Field Effect is going to walk away with a boatload of new fans. . . - Daykamp Music

Oh, hey, look! It’s The Field Effect blowing people away and winning over new fans. This time it happens to be at Brighton Music Hall as part of the Walter Sickert And The Army Of Broken Toys album release celebration, but it could be any one of their shows. The Field Effect have a way with first impressions. It’s fun to watch. Next week they rumble. This could get interesting. - Daykamp Music

The Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble is more a festival than a battle of the bands. It’s a celebration of the scene put on annually by WZLX DJ Anngelle Wood.

No losers, but there is a winner — the first-round bell rings at 9 p.m. on Sunday at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge, and the finals are April 26. Here’s a rundown of all 24 acts competing for the crown and why each deserves to win. . .

The Field Effect: Led by Doug Orey and his mighty hooks, these up-and-comers (how are they on every great bill?) do straight-ahead rock that’s clever but blunt, loud but listenable. Plus: Those hooks!

Why They’ll Win: Half the city already digs them; the other half will in two weeks time.

The song: “Ogunquit, ME” is a “Summer Nights” for Weezer fans.
- Boston Herald

March comes in like a lion this Friday night as we welcome the pill debut of the Field Effect. The explosive Boston indie rock quartet has quickly found a home in our city's ever-evolving music scene, and finally crashes our Great Scott stage roughly 21 weeks or so after we first got monster road-tripping single "Ogunquit, ME" stuck in our head.

Coincidentally, we were initially tipped off to the Field Effect last summer, when Richard Bouchard of Boston Band Crush, who joins us Friday for his birthday Boucharding celebration, wrote about the band in his guest commentary in the Phoenix's Best Music Poll 2012.

"Their sound is massive but never overbearing, and they play it with boundless energy, delivering each note with a sense of pure joy," Bouchard wrote. A few months later, Michael wrote, in the same pub, that "Oguinquit" is "a hard-charging college-radio guitar-pop joyride that's light on the workday sludge and heavy on the top-down daydream polish." Since then, the Field Effect have released their debut LP Cartography, performed with the Promise Ring, landed in regular rotation on WFNX Radio ("Ogunquit, ME"), and essentially became the alt-rock station's house band with appearances at their Halloween Eve re-launch broadcast, Misfits holiday party (to perform their cover of Wham's "Last Christmas"), and the recent Valentine's Day bash, changing their name to the Feel Defect and playing a set of '90s emo covers (at the request of Michael V, no less).

Now, the first Boston band to be featured in the Phoenix's What's F'n Next spotlight joins our rock and roll shitshow, and who knows what will go down. At the very least, we're gonna hear one of the best tracks to come out of Boston in the past few years in "Ogunquit," performed by four of the best people ever. It's a celebration, join in.

And as we do, DJ Ken & Michael V spin the modern indie dance party before and after the band. See you Friday, Saturday's already been cancelled.

xo the pill - The Pill

An upbeat and singular essence pervades the entire being of “Cartography” and possibly any other nearby being (including us, fellow listeners and travelers). The spring in this track’s step is infectious and the melody is like multicolored rays of sunshine all bouncing around the wall and just sort of brightening up everyone’s lives in the meantime.

The lead vocal is unique in tone and delivery, maintaining both a sonorous timbre as well as a conversational delivery. You discover yourself actually liking the vocal, like when it announces “Let’s go!” you’re all “Awesome! Where?” without a second thought. - CD on Songs

An upbeat and singular essence pervades the entire being of “Cartography” and possibly any other nearby being (including us, fellow listeners and travelers). The spring in this track’s step is infectious and the melody is like multicolored rays of sunshine all bouncing around the wall and just sort of brightening up everyone’s lives in the meantime.

The lead vocal is unique in tone and delivery, maintaining both a sonorous timbre as well as a conversational delivery. You discover yourself actually liking the vocal, like when it announces “Let’s go!” you’re all “Awesome! Where?” without a second thought. - CD on Songs

There are a ton of amazing bands in Boston to choose from, but I just can’t stop listening to The Field Effect’s debut album, Cartography, which dropped about a month ago. From upbeat, power rock songs like “Ogunquit, ME” to heart wrenching, simple and slow tunes like “Dancing with Earthquakes,” the entire album is irresistibly relatable and sticks in your head. On stage, they’re an explosion of energy from start to finish. The Field Effect was the first band to play live in the WFNX.com studio on the night of our re-launch, and aside from making kick-ass music, they’re some of the nicest and most enthusiastic people you’ll ever meet. Download Cartography on iTunes now, and you’ll be singing it in your sleep by the weekend.

Website: www.thefieldeffectmusic.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefieldeffect
Bandcamp: thefieldeffect.bandcamp.com

~ Sabrina Boyd
AMD/WFNX.com - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

"The Field Effect play with an energy that’s rarely matched by anyone – other bands, cokeheads from the ‘80s, new puppies, etc. They’re a relatively new band, but watching them, it already seems like they’re on another level; the lyrics are intelligent and witty in the right places, they’re one of the tightest bands we’ve come across in a while, and they exude a sense of genuine joy from the first note to the last. . ."

-Richard Bouchard - Boston Band Crush

The Field Effect continue their meteoric rise to prominence, and will be using the night to celebrate the release of their first full length, Cartography. Few bands can match their enthusiasm and energy, and we foresee great things to come for them. . . - Boston Band Crush

The Field Effect continue their meteoric rise to prominence, and will be using the night to celebrate the release of their first full length, Cartography. Few bands can match their enthusiasm and energy, and we foresee great things to come for them. . . - Boston Band Crush

The Field Effect “Ogunquit ME” – Straight up one of the most memorable tracks of 2012, off December’s Cartography LP. “I fell for you like rain” one of my favorite lyrical lines of the year. . . - The Phoenix / WFNX

The Field Effect “Ogunquit ME” – Straight up one of the most memorable tracks of 2012, off December’s Cartography LP. “I fell for you like rain” one of my favorite lyrical lines of the year. . . - The Phoenix / WFNX

“Ogunquit, ME,” The Field Effect — Local polished power pop and probably the best ever song about a Maine beach town.

- Jed Gottlieb - Boston Herald

“Ogunquit, ME,” The Field Effect — Local polished power pop and probably the best ever song about a Maine beach town.

- Jed Gottlieb - Boston Herald

A hook plus a story equals a great song. The Field Effect’s “Ogunquit, ME” has a sweet power pop hook, but the story is better. “I got involved with a girl right before she moved to San Francisco and the last night she was on the East Coast she was in Ogunquit,” frontman Doug Orey said. “The setting of a small beach town coupled with the head spin of a fleeting romance was just the perfect storm and the next day I wrote the basic framework for ‘Ogunquit, ME.’ ” Who doesn’t love a summer romance — especially in the dead of winter. Hear the sunshine when the Field Effect plays the Middle East in Cambridge tomorrow. Tickets: $10; mideastclub.com

— JED GOTTLIEB - Boston Herald

A hook plus a story equals a great song. The Field Effect’s “Ogunquit, ME” has a sweet power pop hook, but the story is better. “I got involved with a girl right before she moved to San Francisco and the last night she was on the East Coast she was in Ogunquit,” frontman Doug Orey said. “The setting of a small beach town coupled with the head spin of a fleeting romance was just the perfect storm and the next day I wrote the basic framework for ‘Ogunquit, ME.’ ” Who doesn’t love a summer romance — especially in the dead of winter. Hear the sunshine when the Field Effect plays the Middle East in Cambridge tomorrow. Tickets: $10; mideastclub.com

— JED GOTTLIEB - Boston Herald

The Field Effect – Ogunquit, ME from Cartography, Dec 2012 (previously released on bandcamp, Aug 2012)

Big year for TFE and they are just getting started. Here’s to the best new band of 2012, cheers to a bigger 2013. - WZLX - Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood

The Field Effect – Ogunquit, ME from Cartography, Dec 2012 (previously released on bandcamp, Aug 2012)

Big year for TFE and they are just getting started. Here’s to the best new band of 2012, cheers to a bigger 2013. - WZLX - Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood

The Field Effect - Cartography - Allston Pudding

The Field Effect - Cartography - Allston Pudding

By Michael Marotta 12.12.12

By now it's cliché to write about music having a "driving"force, or describing it taking you to a certain place where mundane daily occurrences could not. But there's something about the Field Effect that just feels like movement. Impassioned guitar-rock that's more sophisticated than the power-chord party-bro sounds coming out of the far corners of North America, it's mature without being grounded, excitable without overextending itself. It's just smart, driven rock and roll that creeps under your face and lets you see the world from their musical cockpit.

"I can see the Field Effect leading a new generation of classic Boston rock," says Jim Gilbert of the Sheila Divine. "They are an old-fashioned four-piece putting everything they have into making an impression on the audience."

The first true Boston band to be put in regular rotation on the re-launched WFNX.com (apologies to the since-relocated Passion Pit), the Field Effect's debut full-length, Cartography, is indeed a relentless rock crusade. Led by the skinny-riffed single "Ogunquit, ME" (choice lyric: "I fell for you like rain"), the record is putting an exclamation point on the band's first two years together after meeting at Berklee. If the band is going places, Cartography could be the (literal) roadmap.

"It's the art of making maps," says frontman/guitarist Doug Orey, defining the album's moniker. "For some reason, my last couple of relationships have been long distance, some longer distance than others, some more serious than others. We discussed the themes in the lyrics, and the things that kept coming up were maps, distance, and locations."

But as Gilbert suggests, the Field Effect's home is the stage, where they rarely stay still. "We get very wrapped up in it, we get very involved," says Orey. Adds bassist Annie Hoffman: "A band's live show has to make you love the record even more."

>> MICHAEL@PHX.COM

THE FIELD EFFECT + FREEZEPOP + EMILY PEAL + SIDEWALK DRIVER :: Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston :: December 14 @ 8 pm :: 18+ :: $12 :: 617.779.0140

LISTEN HEAR THE FIELD EFFECT'S COVER OF "LAST CHRISTMAS" BY WHAM! ON WFNX.COM



Read more: http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/148880-whats-fn-next-the-field-effect/#ixzz2EwyFGUyZ - The Phoenix

By Michael Marotta 12.12.12

By now it's cliché to write about music having a "driving"force, or describing it taking you to a certain place where mundane daily occurrences could not. But there's something about the Field Effect that just feels like movement. Impassioned guitar-rock that's more sophisticated than the power-chord party-bro sounds coming out of the far corners of North America, it's mature without being grounded, excitable without overextending itself. It's just smart, driven rock and roll that creeps under your face and lets you see the world from their musical cockpit.

"I can see the Field Effect leading a new generation of classic Boston rock," says Jim Gilbert of the Sheila Divine. "They are an old-fashioned four-piece putting everything they have into making an impression on the audience."

The first true Boston band to be put in regular rotation on the re-launched WFNX.com (apologies to the since-relocated Passion Pit), the Field Effect's debut full-length, Cartography, is indeed a relentless rock crusade. Led by the skinny-riffed single "Ogunquit, ME" (choice lyric: "I fell for you like rain"), the record is putting an exclamation point on the band's first two years together after meeting at Berklee. If the band is going places, Cartography could be the (literal) roadmap.

"It's the art of making maps," says frontman/guitarist Doug Orey, defining the album's moniker. "For some reason, my last couple of relationships have been long distance, some longer distance than others, some more serious than others. We discussed the themes in the lyrics, and the things that kept coming up were maps, distance, and locations."

But as Gilbert suggests, the Field Effect's home is the stage, where they rarely stay still. "We get very wrapped up in it, we get very involved," says Orey. Adds bassist Annie Hoffman: "A band's live show has to make you love the record even more."

>> MICHAEL@PHX.COM

THE FIELD EFFECT + FREEZEPOP + EMILY PEAL + SIDEWALK DRIVER :: Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston :: December 14 @ 8 pm :: 18+ :: $12 :: 617.779.0140

LISTEN HEAR THE FIELD EFFECT'S COVER OF "LAST CHRISTMAS" BY WHAM! ON WFNX.COM



Read more: http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/148880-whats-fn-next-the-field-effect/#ixzz2EwyFGUyZ - The Phoenix

I got to the show five hours late and still managed to catch seven great bands. SEVEN! How is that even possible? Radio owner Aimee McGrath and booking savant Richard Bouchard know how to throw a party.

Let me ’splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

OldJack and Mellow Bravo should always play together. ALWAYS. The one-two punch knocked me on my keister. And Dan should always sing a song with Mellow Bravo. And Mellow Bravo should always used those cool retro OldJack mics. (Psst, word is the two bands will play again soon, news to follow).
Parlour Bells’ “Airwaves” is a contender for song of the year. I’d yet to hear it live. Really cool.
BrownBoot is a mess in the very best way.

I was told by two people that The Field Effect is “taking it to the next level.” Don’t know what this means exactly but I can’t disagree.

More bands should do lo-fi industrial. Or was that indie prog? Or retro ’90s math metal? Whatever, I dug Cancer Killing Gemini.
Can’t wait for that Tasteful Nudes stuff. Mellow Bravo’s Keith Pierce played a few mandolin riffs from his other project for me. Totally rad.
Sidewalk Driver. What can I say? Just this again and again and again forever and ever.
See you all in 11 months and three and a half weeks.

- Jed Gottlieb, The Boston Herald
- The Boston Herald

On November 14, a fire destroyed much of local eletronica whiz Andre Obin’s Somerville apartment and studio. Thankfully, he has some great friends in the music community and the wonderful Vanya Records has put together an amazing compilation of locals to help him out — buy the album here, buy it now! Nearly 20 tracks, from all kinds of great acts (New Highway Hymnal! Earthquake Party! RIBS! The Field Effect!) and 100 percent of the cash raised goes to help Andre. - The Boston Herald

It goes without saying the Field Effect are the new BFF of WFNX. The photogenic Boston rock quartet showed up to our radio station’s online re-launch party decked in Power Rangers t-shirts, then proceeded to blow the roof off our new studio in the Phoenix newsroom. They even dropped a Weezer cover at like 2 am. Support one of our city’s great new bands when they hit Radio on a stellar bill with Velah, the Rationales, and Freddy Hall & the Best Intentions.. - The Phoenix

. . . Helping her out will be. . . energetic, loud as hell The Field Effect, who have been taking over this city with a barrage of clever lyrics and powerful riffs. Plus they’ve got the city’s hottest working drummer. The whole thing is presented by the fine folks over at MassMic.org, who recently relaunched to deliver simple but awesome playlists every week. Check ‘em out! - Boston Band Crush

. . . As is customary, he’s lined up some friends to make the night special. He’s got energetic, anthem pop masters The Field Effect, who deliver a polished and frenzied rock; a gigantic sound that seems to come from nowhere and devastate everything in its path. . .

-Richard Bouchard - Boston Band Crush

"Last week we were in the Phoenix, having been asked to let you know about a band that we felt may have been missed in their Best Music Poll. We chose The Field Effect [pictured], and talked briefly about how powerful their live show is, and the feeling of unbridled joy that seems to take them over when they play. Their performances are marked with powerful, rapid fire guitar riffs; big, beefy bass lines; and carpet bomb drums, making it truly a sight to see. Well, their next live performance is almost upon us. They’ll be joining a couple other awesome bands this weekend for a Sunday night show at TT’s, so if you haven’t had a chance to check them out yet, now is a good time. . ."

-Richard Bouchard - Boston Band Crush

The summer days are dwindling down faster than Red Sox playoff hopes, but there’s still time for one last sonic road trip out of the suffocating city. THE FIELD EFFECT want to take us on that trip to the seaside towns up north via “Ogunquit, ME,” a hard-charging college-radio guitar-pop joyride that’s light on the workday sludge and heavy on the top-down daydream polish. The fast-rising Boston indie-rock quartet were first hyped by Boston Band Crush in the blog page of our Best Music Poll 2012, and have released this new track as a teaser from their upcoming October full-length. Fresh off sharing the stage with the Promise Ring at the Paradise, the Field Effect are back in action August 21 at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge alongside the Devil’s Twins and the Sour Doo Dahs; while we await the new record, cling to the final days of summer with the “Ogunquit, ME” mp3 below.

-Michael Marotta - The Boston Phoenix

The summer days are dwindling down faster than Red Sox playoff hopes, but there’s still time for one last sonic road trip out of the suffocating city. THE FIELD EFFECT want to take us on that trip to the seaside towns up north via “Ogunquit, ME,” a hard-charging college-radio guitar-pop joyride that’s light on the workday sludge and heavy on the top-down daydream polish. The fast-rising Boston indie-rock quartet were first hyped by Boston Band Crush in the blog page of our Best Music Poll 2012, and have released this new track as a teaser from their upcoming October full-length. Fresh off sharing the stage with the Promise Ring at the Paradise, the Field Effect are back in action August 21 at T.T. The Bear’s Place in Cambridge alongside the Devil’s Twins and the Sour Doo Dahs; while we await the new record, cling to the final days of summer with the “Ogunquit, ME” mp3 below.

-Michael Marotta - The Boston Phoenix

Right now, we can't get enough of the Field Effect. They're young, they're exciting, they're incredibly talented; and in a city spilling over with amazing bands, they've got the potential to lead a new wave of Boston rock. The four-piece is made up of Berklee grads and studio dwellers, so their recordings are top notch; but where they really shine is the live show. Their sound is massive but never overbearing, and they play it with boundless energy, delivering each note with a sense of pure joy. Watching them perform, we can't think of another band that strikes us as being as totally, unabashedly happy as they look. It's live music, it's supposed to be fun, and we hope they never forget it.
_Richard Bouchard - The Boston Phoenix

As a self-proclaimed alt-pop aficionado from Jersey, (alt-pop is one of the few instances where being from New Jersey actually gives credibility) I was quite impressed by the five song EP entitled This EP Will Self-Destruct from Boston based The Field Effect. The album had a pull that kept me humming all the hooks all day long. Yet, what is more impressive is that the album is fun, energetic, and heartfelt but done in a manner that is mature, cohesive, and not in your face. The EP breaks down and builds up impeccably, each song meticulously placed with a clear intent.

The album starts off with the band’s single “Kurt Vonnegut.” The song reminds me of one of my favorite bands of the genre, Jimmy Eat World, but more warranting to the listener to get up and dance. Moving on to the next track, “One F” which shows off The Field Effect’s range of creativity within their genre drawing a sound that remains faithful to their alt-rock sound but has elements of contemporary indie-rock with a dreamy and hopeful vibe. Guitarist Nick Greico and singer/guitarist Doug Orey play well off each other allowing for moments of perfect pop song writing allowing for Nick’s tasteful and practical guitar lines to lead the vocal melodies from part to part, throwing in a nifty guitar solo here and there.

Then comes the track Annapolis, a somber heartfelt ballad that marks the middle the EP as the band masterfully brings the energy down, keeping the listener intrigued and allowing for the next track “Til I say When,” to pack an even bigger punch. "Til I Say When" is the type of track that’ll make any listener upset the song is not blasting out of their car driving around town in the middle of spring. The song creates space only to go full force into the chorus making it all the more memorable, which is a theme of the album.

The album ends with the five minute epic song “Sleeping Alone” that takes every element the EP has and twists it into a sad but truthful ending. “What scares me most/is sleeping alone.” Lyrics like these keep impressing all the way until the end as the band rip themselves open and put everything they have on the table with these five songs. This EP is sure to take you on a journey full of enjoyment, sentiment, dance, and thought. Make sure to catch the Field Effect at Great Scott on Saturday, March 17th!--Michael Giordano - The Deli Magazine - New England

The Field Effect is an interesting band. I think what interests me most about them, as strange as it may sound, is how practical they are. The quartet isn’t dressed up in gimmicks, swayed by image, or even turned on by reverb or lo-fi. While all of those things grab my attention quite regularly, I have a great appreciation for a band that makes songs for people to listen to. And not just for “their” people to listen to, but for every person to listen to. The Field Effect achieves a clean and technical sound, but does so because each component adds a particular mastery to the overall equation. Nick Grieco contributes spider-fingered sophistication on lead guitar, picking the right opportunities to pounce, and others to sit back and fill out the mix. Adam Hand’s attack drumming style gives him a fierce left hand, even when just keeping the tempo, but he’s at his best when he locks up with bassist Annie Hoffman, who maintains an impenetrable low-end while being the most vivacious presence on stage. Finally, Doug Orey’s rhythm guitar is an added extra, as his most pronounced quality is his massive singing voice.
Last Friday, the Field Effect played the Paradise, opening for the Sheila Devine. It proved to be the perfect move, especially with the release of their new EP, This EP Will Self-Destruct, just a few days away. The group was allotted a pretty beefy set, too, throughout which they packed the venue to a very cozy turnout. There was great momentum to their performance, whether it came with the more sonic and hard-driving “Kurt Vonnegut,” or the slower building “Annapolis,” the Field Effect delivered an engaging chunk of their repertoire, and seemed to win the audience over in a big way. To harken back to my previous points, it wasn’t any sort of buzz that had these people tuned in. It was the tight translations of their radio-friendly alt-pop that harnessed the crowd’s energy and delivered a memorable show. They may have been the first of the night, but they definitely accrued a new wave of fans.

-Perry Eaton - Allston Pudding

The Field Effect is an interesting band. I think what interests me most about them, as strange as it may sound, is how practical they are. The quartet isn’t dressed up in gimmicks, swayed by image, or even turned on by reverb or lo-fi. While all of those things grab my attention quite regularly, I have a great appreciation for a band that makes songs for people to listen to. And not just for “their” people to listen to, but for every person to listen to. The Field Effect achieves a clean and technical sound, but does so because each component adds a particular mastery to the overall equation. Nick Grieco contributes spider-fingered sophistication on lead guitar, picking the right opportunities to pounce, and others to sit back and fill out the mix. Adam Hand’s attack drumming style gives him a fierce left hand, even when just keeping the tempo, but he’s at his best when he locks up with bassist Annie Hoffman, who maintains an impenetrable low-end while being the most vivacious presence on stage. Finally, Doug Orey’s rhythm guitar is an added extra, as his most pronounced quality is his massive singing voice.
Last Friday, the Field Effect played the Paradise, opening for the Sheila Devine. It proved to be the perfect move, especially with the release of their new EP, This EP Will Self-Destruct, just a few days away. The group was allotted a pretty beefy set, too, throughout which they packed the venue to a very cozy turnout. There was great momentum to their performance, whether it came with the more sonic and hard-driving “Kurt Vonnegut,” or the slower building “Annapolis,” the Field Effect delivered an engaging chunk of their repertoire, and seemed to win the audience over in a big way. To harken back to my previous points, it wasn’t any sort of buzz that had these people tuned in. It was the tight translations of their radio-friendly alt-pop that harnessed the crowd’s energy and delivered a memorable show. They may have been the first of the night, but they definitely accrued a new wave of fans.

-Perry Eaton - Allston Pudding

"We've got some indie-ROCK, courtesy of a young quartet known as The Field Effect, whose energy and neuron-bending chord changes will definitely find favor with many of you. Doug Orey is a fine front man, with a very pliable voice, and the band is definitely rockin' the Precinct stage right now!" - David Bash - International Pop Overthrow CEO

"A cool new band mixing elements of indie rock and shoegazer effects to create a powerful melodic buzz that's all their own! With introspective lyrics and raw vocals punctuated by driving rhythms, fuzzy guitars and big choruses, their music can't help but draw you in!" - IPO

"...your classic purple haze rock ’n’ roll, compliments of the Field Effect." - The Noise - Boston