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
Photo Credit: Daniel Schiffer
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