Dean Fields

Dean Fields — He writes lyrics like Leonard Cohen and sings like Jeff Buckley, so it’s no surprise that there’s a serious industry buzz on this Virginia singer-songwriter. His BMI showcase at South By Southwest was covered by Billboard, he’s playing the Rites of Spring festival in Nashville this weekend (with groups like Yonder Mountain String Band, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Robert Randolph) and his song “Irish Bars” is making the rounds of AAA radio nationwide. At Caffe Corner.
-K. Oliver - Free Times (Columbia SC)

By Jennifer Layton

Sometimes the most delicate sound can have a powerful effect. Dean Fields proves that point throughout his debut CD. His voice is a blend of Tracy Chapman, Christopher Cross, and Dave Matthews. High and sweet. His music has an echoed, dreamy vibe. His lyrics break your heart over and over again.

'I’ve held “I love yous” on the tip of my tongue,
I swallowed and choked down each, every one ...'

Fields does loneliness and vulnerability really well. I’m glad he channels those emotions through music, or I’d have to follow him around with the suicide hotline on speed dial.

'I bleed my emotion through the push of a pen
on the tear stained surface of your pale parchment skin,
on the napkins of Irish bars
while my pint glass is weeping ... '

The music is so beautiful, I find it hard to wallow in the sadness of the lyrics. He occasionally kicks up the tempo with tracks like the rockabilly “In and Out,” and there’s a bit of humor in the sound of the bar patrons providing the chorus of “Irish Bars.” But at the core, he’s a contemplative troubadour trying to bind the pieces of his heart together with guitar strings.

'I called you from a payphone in a hotel full of lonely,
when I knew I didn’t have a dime to me.
I stirred up the courage
and I swallowed down my pride.
I chased it with tequila
what I knew I couldn’t hide ...'

The cello arrangements are perfectly suited for the title track, adding another haunting element to the music. Overall, I’ve never heard sadness sound so beautiful. This is the first CD of sad songs I’ve ever been able to recommend to the brokenhearted. You’ll feel a connection. You’ll be under a different spell than the one love threw over you. You’ll like this one a lot better.

- Indie Music

Sweet-Voiced Singer Songwriter Plays From The Heart
Sarah Shay
February 26, 2008 2:43 PM

Capital Ale House / Saturday, Feb. 23

When singer/songwriter Dean Fields was a graduate student in Florida, he did exactly what most graduate students dream of at least once in their lives: he quit graduate school. It took the 28-year-old Virginia native a few years to come around to the idea of being a performer, but in the midst of pursuing a degree in music business, the classically trained musician finally threw down his textbooks and made a break for it. Seven years, 800+ shows, and two albums later, he’s still going strong, and making a bit of a name for himself in the bargain.

Positive press has followed Fields wherever he goes, comparing him to the likes of Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen. Though he’s folkier and less ethereal than Buckley, his sweetly high tenor and tender phrasing does draw the connection. Fields has also been compared to artists as varied as Neil Young and Willie Nelson (though his soft voice has none of their famous nasal tones), and even Tracy Chapman. Yet while he might have just blended into the obscure mass of folk-inspired singer/songwriters with a guitar and a dream, something is making audiences and critics alike notice this determined young performer.
Fields’ songs run from mellow, soft ballads like “Be Sweet to Me” to slightly more upbeat folk jaunts like “LA,” breaking your heart (“I’ve held ‘I love yous’ on the tip of my tongue; I swallowed and choked down each, every one”) even as he mends it. His influences ran the gamut from Jim Croce to Aimee Mann, Jump Little Children to “girls with tattoos” (according to his MySpace profile, anyway).
Fields will be playing this Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Capital Ale House Downtown Music Hall at 9 pm. He’ll be playing with a backing band, so you can expect a fuller sound than on his album. Yet, somehow, I think that Fields’ emotive vocals will still very much be the star of the show.

–Sarah Shay - Richmond Times Dispatch

"Dean Fields is fkin AWESOME!"
-John Popper (Blues Traveler) - -John Popper (Blues Traveler)

"Dean Fields is a GREAT Songwriter"
-Rosanne Cash - -Rosanne Cash

"He's a delicate songwriter with a voice sweet and melancholy enough to stand up on its own."
- MIAMI HERALD

Dean Fields: Imitations
Review by Kristen Pasculli, www.discoveringartists.com

Rating: 5 stars

The Miami Herald was spot-on when they dubbed Dean Fields as the "voice of two angels". The Boston resident released his album, "Imitations" in 2002, and it's been gaining popularity ever since. I recently got a hold of the CD to give it a listen and was impressed, to say the least. He's similar in sound to the likes of Ryan Adams, but still stands boldly apart from any other artist I've heard. Fields blends sentiment with enchantment into a collection of nine songs that inspire the mind and intrigue the heart. In "Each Every One", my favorite track, Fields combines heartfelt, descriptive lyrics with a soothing sound in a song that explores the phases in relationships: "I've held 'I love yous' on the tip of my tongue/I swallowed and choked down each, every one." The music helps you sense the mood, but it's his vocals that allow you to actually feel his emotions. In "Imitations," he sings about a relationship ending, but does so with great fervor and wisdom. Throughout the album, Fields proves that he's much more than another singer/songwriter wailing out emotions over a guitar. He's got all the makings of a musician who will be around for years to come. This is one CD that will stay in my stereo.

Favorite Tracks: Each Every One, Charleston - www.DISCOVERINGARTISTS.com

Artist: Dean Fields
CD: Imitations
Home: Boston, Massachusetts
Style: Hypnotic Folk/Rock

Quote: "At the core, he’s a contemplative troubadour trying to bind the pieces of his heart together with guitar strings."

By Jennifer Layton

Sometimes the most delicate sound can have a powerful effect. Dean Fields proves that point throughout his debut CD. His voice is a blend of Tracy Chapman, Christopher Cross, and Dave Matthews. High and sweet. His music has an echoed, dreamy vibe. His lyrics break your heart over and over again.

I’ve held “I love yous” on the tip of my tongue,
I swallowed and choked down each, every one ...

Fields does loneliness and vulnerability really well. I’m glad he channels those emotions through music, or I’d have to follow him around with the suicide hotline on speed dial.

I bleed my emotion through the push of a pen
on the tear stained surface of your pale parchment skin,
on the napkins of Irish bars
while my pint glass is weeping ...

The music is so beautiful, I find it hard to wallow in the sadness of the lyrics. He occasionally kicks up the tempo with tracks like the rockabilly “In and Out,” and there’s a bit of humor in the sound of the bar patrons providing the chorus of “Irish Bars.” But at the core, he’s a contemplative troubadour trying to bind the pieces of his heart together with guitar strings.

I called you from a payphone in a hotel full of lonely,
when I knew I didn’t have a dime to me.
I stirred up the courage
and I swallowed down my pride.
I chased it with tequila
what I knew I couldn’t hide ...

The cello arrangements are perfectly suited for the title track, adding another haunting element to the music. Overall, I’ve never heard sadness sound so beautiful. This is the first CD of sad songs I’ve ever been able to recommend to the brokenhearted. You’ll feel a connection. You’ll be under a different spell than the one love threw over you. You’ll like this one a lot better.
- indiemusic.com

Face the Music: Dean Fields By Marie Yarbrough
Originally from Mechanicsville, Va., Dean Fields received his undergrad degree in music composition. He was studying music business and entertainment in Miami when he decided he just wanted to drop out and play music. Fields wrote his debut album "imitations" after a break-up, and the result is a compelling collection of tenderly poetic folk-rock songs. Since then, his music has been featured on MTV reality shows, film scores and soundtracks. This month Fields has a residency at The Sutler, and he talked about Will Smith's rapping style, neurosurgery, and the joys of unbidden clapping.

Describe your music, please.
Acoustic music, lyrically based. The most generic way to describe it is acoustic pop.

What was the first record you owned and where is it now?

The Oak Ridge Boys' Steppin Out on tape. I got it with my very first boombox! I don't have an earthly clue where it is. You'd think I would have hung on to such a gem of an album!?!?!

What song would you never want to hear again, and why?
Any Will Smith song. They're the cheesiest word play and always an uncomfortable rap. Except for "Parents Just Don't Understand" -that was true.

What's the best gig you ever had?
Billboard Live in Miami; it's a big nightclub, the sound was amazing, it was early in my career. Rufus Wainwright played there the day before. I just felt like the coolest guy in the world.

What's the worst gig you ever had?
Gigs at colleges or bars when I have to teach people they have to clap after songs. They may not come for the music but I come for the clapping..so get on board!

What record do you wish you'd made?
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John or Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams. There are a lot I wish I'd made.

If you could be someone else for 24 hours, who would you be?
A neurosurgeon. -something I'll never be in my life. I'd like to pick apart people's brains then wash my hands and wake up myself again.

What's your opinion on the Nashville music scene?
It's cool. It's strange. I love the Nashville music scene. It's hard to get into. It's really cool to be around hungry people and it's based around the song -that's key. The ugliest guy can sing at the Bluebird and people will like him if he has a great song.

Who are your favorite Nashville musicians/artists?
Josh Rouse. He doesn't fit the mold.

Who is someone you've worked with that you think is incredibly talented and everyone should know about, producer, musician or otherwise?
Emily Easterly. She's a songwriter. She's young and she's a redhead. Eric Hutchinson, another great songwriter. And Alan Weatherhead, he's my engineer/producer. He's good at picking apart sound and making songs ambient. His attention to detail is amazing.

What is your proudest music moment so far?
When I first went to graduate school I wrote the song "imitations." That's how everything got startedÉI wrote a song I wanted to listen to over and over again. And being able to convince my dad I should leave graduate school.

When and where will you be seen/heard next?
June 13 & 27 at The Sutler. For more dates, check out www.deanfields.com.
- Nashville Scene

"Imitations works its way through isolation and loneliness, jealousy and desperation with beautiful, sometimes painfully honest lyrical detail" - Richmond.com